Hi and welcome to afaithtalk.com. I am so glad you’re here. Today I’m going to take a walk through these four verses, words of Jesus in John 15. Yesterday’s verse of the day on biblegateway.com was the first one.
So let’s start with a prayer and then we’ll see what we can learn from this.
Lord Jesus, thank You for these words, these promises, the images and the wonder. You are so good to me. So I want to ask You, please, lead me through this so we can explain whatever You want to explain. Thank You. Lead on.
John 15:5-8 NIV
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
Jesus is the vine. He’s the source. He’s the power and the strength.
We are the branches. Totally dependent on the vine. Held up and supported by the vine.
“If”.. meaning you don’t have to. But none of this will apply if you don’t have faith. Real, heart faith. The kind that is more than the evil ones profess.
Here’s are a few experiential ways to know you really do have faith. Watch. Ask Jesus to surprise you and watch. Ask Jesus to help you do something and watch how you feel.
I find He helps me get places I need to be for my daughter all of the time. For years He taught me to trust Him in those things, and every time He always does get me where I or we need to be for her. Sometimes it’s going to get her, sometimes it’s getting her somewhere. He’s always with me. He gets me everywhere I need to be so she’s not late and I’m not either. It’s amazing. And yes, He has surprised me in ways He knows calm my heart and grow my faith every single time I’ve asked.
If you find you don’t have that kind of faith and you want it, pray. Here you can say a prayer like this:
Lord Jesus, please come into my heart. Forgive me for all the sins I’ve committed and ever will, come, bring me into your family and make me wholly Yours. I want to believe, Lord. I give my life and my heart to You. Amen.
“Remain in Me and I in you”
… I know this kind of sounds like He might not, but let me just say that would be doubt in you and there’s nothing to doubt, he’s already said in John 6 that once you come to Him He will never let you go.
“If you remain in Me… you will bear much fruit.”
This kind of fruit is lasting fruit. It’s evidence and verification that He’s at work in You. Some of the fruit is listed in Galatians 5, some of it is other behavior related things. Often it’s credit given, glory given to Him by the way you behave. Trust Him.
“Apart from Me you can do nothing.”
I’m inclined to just say, True, True, True without any explanation, but I think that might lose you somehow. This is quite a statement, one of total authority, which He has, but we have such trouble with our pride wanting to control the things we do or that happen; we have nothing but illusions of control. We really can’t do anything apart from Him. He is always with us. He is the one who wakes us up, gives us the power to do our days and holds everything together. He is worthy of complete trust. You can absolutely depend on Him. He wants that. He wants your heart, mind, soul and strength. He is worthy and there is nothing to fear if you give it. He is so very good.
“If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.”
You definitely don’t want to be like those who do not remain. Some versions call it Abide. It’s like living with and in Him at all times. If you don’t remain, and it’s your choice whether you do or not, because He will never drive you away, (John 6) you lose everything. (Burned)
“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”
This one is often taken out of context. Don’t do that. Remain, spend a lot of time with Him and what you ask, what You wish, will be what He wishes too.
Here’s an example. I’m not an angry person in general, but sometimes I get angry easily. And I don’t like to be angry, so if I remember Him, I pray something like this: “Lord Jesus, please, come between me and this anger and bring me Your Peace, for You are my Peace.” Instant relief more often than not.
“This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”
The Father’s glory is all that we are here for. To bring Him glory. The only way? Trust Jesus. Remain in Him and you will bring God glory. Then praise Him for his grace and thank Him for everything you have and in thanking and praising His grace, you will bring Him glory. His glory is what it’s all about. One day, we’re going to see it too. There’s glory in our futures so for now, just remain in Jesus. Read your Bible and grow your faith and live with Him as the focus of your life. You’ll find yourself in Him and know your faith is real. He is real, more real than anything you can see around you, and He is with us.
Lift up Your Eyes by Danny Gokey