John 15:1-15
This passage raises the possibility, that a person can be in
Christ, the vine, yet be fruitless. The reason is plain. Unless we abide in Him, we cannot
bring forth good fruit. When sin and wickedness is allowed in a branch which is grafted
into Him, it will become fruitless. We cannot be satisfied with only being grafted in Him
- we have to abide in Him and draw our daily sap from Him to bear the necessary fruit.
Every branch in Him must bear fruit - it is the spontaneous, natural consequence of being
grafted in Him and abiding in Him.
Jesus also says that every branch which bears fruit, He prunes, so
that it might bring forth more fruit. Some fruit might be visible, but it's not
satisfactory to the owner of the vine. He cannot get a high market-value for it, for it's
not good quality . This is when Jesus comes and prunes it, so that it might bring forth
much fruit, of high quality .
When we are pruned, it might cause tears, pain, bleeding, and heartache. Humble yourself
before Him, so that He might lift you up.
God might send difficult situations across your path to prune you; like someone rubbing
you up the wrong way. Do you still bring forth good, sweet fruit, or is your response
bitter words, rejecting God's pruning?
When God comes with His pruning scissors, in whatever form, accept His pruning that you
might grow and bring forth much fruit.
Maybe you remember the time of your first love, when you had
communion with God, walked with Him and where He sent you to talk to others and be a
blessing to them. But today there's just silence. You need to return to Him and plead with
Him to show you where you left Him, and pray that He would restore you.
Do not hide iniquity in your heart, but confess and forsake sin, as God reveals it to you.
If you stop to confess your sin, things will go wrong and you will lose connection with
Him.
It is not a matter of attending church every Sunday, while things
in your life do not change. Your spiritual life will not be nourished and grow like that.
Maybe you know what taps your spiritual sap. You need to act and correct that which is
wrong. Never fall into the habit of attending church and leaving with your sin, but deal
drastically to eradicate the sin.
If you become habitual pew-warmers, you will lose all spiritual life, and be cut off from
the vine, wither and be burnt.
Unless you are grafted into this vine and abide in Him, it is utterly in vain to go to
church. Maybe you're a teenager, and you're happy to go to church every week, but you
haven't made the decision to change your life, be grafted into the vine and have a
relationship with Jesus. You must make the decision, and not wait for an urge before you
come to be grafted in.
God's word is very clear. You do not need to wait for some voice or revelation, but simply
be obedient when you hear His Word.
What does God expect from you? He makes it very clear. He wants
you to accept Him as your Lord and Saviour and that you abide in Him from today, and that
His Word abide in you. God's name is glorified when others see His abundant fruit in your
life.
Jesus even calls us His friends. This should move us deeply, as He expresses such love
towards us. He said, 'greater love has no man than this, than that a man lays down his
life for his friends'. And He laid down His life for us. There is not another friend
comparable to Him.
Are you His intimate friend? If not, come to Him today, be grafted
in the vine, and abide in Him.