Jesus did not say it would be a good idea if we stayed in touch with Him from time to time...giving us a wink reminding us we ‘knew where to find Him if we needed Him’.
Jesus did not give us some address and hint that we might think about dropping in a couple of time a week to visit.
And I certainly don’t recall ever signing some card, getting my ‘ticket punched’ and then handed a map on how to get to the big party event He was planning for all of us to attend in the far off future.
Jesus said “Abide in Me.” (John 15:4)
He then expounds upon this advice using illustrations the disciples would fully understand, as well should we. He’s the main vine and we are branches rooted in that vine, Him. We are to live in Him and Him in us. To ‘abide’ is to dwell, to remain, to continue or stay. The moment that branch is disconnected or apart from the vine, it begins to die. Period.
Surely you’ve seen vibrant, life-filled branches break off a tree or plant and lay there on the ground...sill looking to be quite alive. It’s almost as if you could just ‘stick it back on’ and it would be fine. But just a few short hours later, you begin to notice the leaves wilting. Especially under a hot sun in the summer time. If left alone, the next day, that branch that is no longer abiding in the tree or plant looks nothing like the other branches. And it is only a matter of time before you drag that branch off and put it on the...’burn pile’. I have one of those out back where I drag dead branches given all the trees we have around here.
Jesus goes on...”I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in Him, bears much fruit. (5). (If there is any question as to what kind of ‘fruit’ He is speaking of here, please refer to Gal. 5:22-23 that list the ‘fruit of the spirit’.)
Did you catch the word ‘much’ there? “Much fruit” - the one who abides in Him, will bear. As in it will be quite evident to anyone who is around that ‘branch’. In fact, Jesus drops this little piece of significant info for us there in vs. 8: “By this...My Father is glorified...that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.”
He’s not interested in thick trunks or leafy limbs or how tall you grow.
He comes looking for fruit. (Luke 13:6-9). And He’s looking for ‘much’ fruit.
I feel a need to repeat, if not emphasize this one more time. God is glorified when we bear much fruit that reflects His character and nature. Period. He’s not impressed with the ‘things we do for Him’, or build for Him, or collect for Him. Nor is He ‘wowed’ when we display talents that seemingly impress the masses as they applaud you for ‘using your gift to honor God’. That can be quite deceiving and nearly intoxicating for many. Many years ago, I heard a man make this statement: “God does not share the stage with anyone.” And let’s not forget what got Lucifer kicked out of heaven...he kind of liked that idea of getting in on sharing some of that Glory God was getting.
This fruit that glorifies God and pleases Him...we don’t produce it. We don’t ‘make it happen’. We don’t work harder ‘tilling the soil’ and endeavoring to be more fruitful because we are more conscious of wanting others to ‘see Jesus in us’. We are told simply to...abide in Him.
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless...it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.” (15:4)
IF...IF...IF...we are truly abiding in Him, there will be fruit. Good fruit. And Jesus also points out that it is ONLY good fruit, that will be produced. There won’t be a mix of ‘bad fruit’ amidst the ‘good fruit’ if I read Matt. 7:18-20 correctly. Man can be pretty creative in putting a spin on that and making excuses for all the ‘bad fruit’ that seems to come from our hearts regularly. But don’t be deceived. (Ever notice how often we are warned about that...to ‘not be deceived’?)
I honestly believe that where so many of us have ‘missed the boat’ in this whole walk of faith deal is tied up with truly learning to ‘abide in Christ’. It’s not theory, it’s not poetic language’, and it’s not some lofty goal to aspire to while being told we will never truly be able to accomplish this on this side of heaven.
And just because we might not see many other folks, if any, ‘doing it’, does this negate the truth of the matter in that Jesus explicitly says, apart from Him, we can do. Nothing. If there is no fruit being produced, as in ‘much, good fruit’, it is safe to say that we are not...abiding in Him. Period. Why do you think Paul admonished us to ‘examine ourselves to see if Jesus is even in us unless we fail the test’. (2 Cor. 13:5). I’m pretty sure it was the ‘fruit test’ he is referring to here also.
Now look at vs. 6 in our text from John 15. Again, Jesus is speaking clearly when He utters this statement: “IF...anyone does no abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered.” Sounds like those branches I mentioned earlier that fall off my trees and as I watch them wilt or ‘wither’, I have to drag them off and put on the burn pile out back.
Oh...look at the rest of vs 6 here...”and they gather them and throw them into the fire and they are burned.”
Can I just gently tell you here and now...that is not a ‘threat’. It’s a warning. (and there is a difference in those two words).
Jesus is warning us...this is what will happen to branches that are not bearing good fruit.
Oh, and when He says ‘they’...will gather them...have you ever stopped to consider who ‘they’ might be? Take a quick look at Matt. 13:24-30. It’s the parable of the wheat and tares. The wheat reached maturity and had plenty of fruit. The tares sort of looked like wheat, but was not and therefore had...no fruit. Go read verse 30 and make note as to what was gathered up ...first.
Then skip over to vs. 40 where Jesus is explaining the meaning of this parable and read 40-43. Jesus tells us that at the ‘end of the age’ (39) that ‘reapers’ and ‘angels’ go out and gather up these fruitless, withered branches. But now He is not talking about fruit. He says they will gather up all those who ‘offend, and those who practice lawlessness.’. (41)
If there is still any confusion as to what that word ‘lawlessness’ means, 1 John 3:4 makes it quite simple- ‘sin is lawlessness’. And if you would, please draw a line from that verse to verse 6 there and read again where John writes...”Whoever ‘abides’ in Him does not sin.” Interesting, how that ‘abide’ word just seems to pop up again.
Now, back to Matt. 13:42-43 and read again, where these fruitless ‘branches’ that continue to sin are tossed. Jesus ends that parable with the words: “he who has hears to hear, let him hear.”
I want to close with these two final thoughts for today. If you have always believed or been taught that this is speaking to what eventually happens when the ‘final curtain goes down’ after people die and we all gather around some final ‘judgement throne’, it might do you well to rethink that. Paul told us in Rom. 1:18 that this gathering and/or dealing with fruitless branches is already taking place now. ‘The wrath of God IS BEING Revealed’, not ‘will be’.
And what did John the Baptist have to say regarding the timing of all this? He said ‘the axe is EVEN NOW...already laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” (3:10)
Now, do you recall when we were talking last week about how Jesus warned of this ‘flood’ that took people away and they did not even know it until it was too late?’ (Matt. 24:39). Take a quick look at Isaiah 42:23-25. Please make note as to what is happening here...and what does the last line in that chapter point out?
Can I just tell you again, Fruit matters!
So does abiding. It matters. Abiding is not an option or ‘extra credit for super saints’. And you know what is probably the biggest reason why we have failed to truly make ‘abiding’ a constant practice in our lives? I would point to our corrupt, selfish, and deceived hearts. Our ‘old man’. We just have not reached the place where we truly want to sell out. It really just boils down to not being...willing. And that is not my word; Jesus pointed that out. You might go underline that word in John 5:40; Matt. 22:3; & Matt. 23:37.
We’ll try and discuss this aspect further tomorrow. Please...be encouraged. If your heart is sensing an alarm or stirring of sorts, this is good news. He is on the move with the intent of arousing us from our slumber because He has good plans for us...or...at least those who are willing to ‘make themselves ready’. (Matt. 25:6-13)
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