Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:4,5 NIV
This portion of Scripture happens to be one of my favorites. Here Jesus lays out (in terms that others could easily understand) the nature of a productive, fruitful relationship with Him. Jesus has a way of explaining the most profound of theological concepts using everyday language and imagery.
Regarding these verses, I would like us to concentrate on two things. First, Jesus is our source for everything. And second, our lives are to bear fruit for God's kingdom.
Jesus is our source for everything
Independence is something that we, as Americans, take pride in. We've adopted the belief that we are masters of our fate and rulers of our destiny. When we produce something, we declare that this is the fruit of our labor.
Jesus tells us that this belief or philosophy simply isn't true. Look at the following verses.
The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. For in him we live and move and have our being. As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.' Acts 17:24-28 NIV
It is only in our connectedness with the True Vine, Jesus Christ, that we are sustained in ways that go beyond material means alone. Deuteronomy 8 reminds us to be careful not to forget this.
Our lives are to bear fruit for God's kingdom
John 15 also affirms that we will not only bear fruit, but we will bear "much fruit." Our God works in abundance, not scarcity, in victory, not defeat. No one would be particularly impressed if we as branches only produced a little fruit once in a while. God tends to overwhelm us with His goodness and blessings when we abide in Jesus Christ. This, says John 15:8, "is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples." (NIV)
What does this "fruit" look like? The Apostle Paul gives us a clue in Galatians 5:22,23: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
As long as you are here, you serve a grand purpose in God's kingdom. Be lights in this dark world, stay connected to the True Vine and bear fruit for Him.
Major Paul Cornell