Remain in Me • John 15:1-17
By Clay Anthony
Jesus was known for using everyday analogies to get across His points. One such image found in today’s text cuts right to the heart of His listeners.
The analogy comes from vine-dressing. If anyone (vine) is connected to Him (branch), then they should be growing and producing others who are also connected to Jesus. If not, then such vines are good for nothing except burning.
Those who are connected to Jesus and producing other followers must then be subjected to a process of renewal so as not become stagnant and dry. The image here adds up to this summation: The Father being glorified, His followers proving their place in Him, (v. 8) and those followers finding all their joy in Christ (v. 11).
The process of vine-dressing makes little sense to the untrained eye. One can clearly see luscious, green leaves that give the appearance of fruit-bearing vines that are worth much to the vineyard owner. This is played out in real time in Mark 11.
A plant looking luscious does not guarantee a bountiful harvest. Unproductive vines must be cut from the branch and laid to waste. Fruit is the goal and proof that Jesus is expecting from His followers.
That is a process we can understand. Anyone with basic knowledge of a summer garden understands that when a plant turns brown, it is not accomplishing anything.
What seems strange to many people is the call to prune an otherwise healthy-looking vine. We need to understand that vine-stripping is an exercise in growth for the vine. What looks painful and wasteful is a process to make the vine react with nutrients to the stripped area and in time fruit will reveal itself in abundance.
This concept works wonders when put into practice in the life of a believer. When we are needing to grow in Christ, the best step He can take is to strip us down to where we need only Him.
It has been said that when we approach God with a request while our hands are full, what can we expect Him to do for us? Something must be pruned so that growth can occur.
A vine must be attached to a branch to receive life-giving nutrients. This is how growth occurs. We are commanded to remain attached to the life-giving branch of Jesus. This is not a worthless exercise.
The nutrient Jesus gives us is mentioned five times in verses 9-11. We are given the love of Jesus. This is not a love that we have for our spouse or children. This is a love that is pure and unlike anything we can obtain on our own. This is a love that causes us to crave God and long for others to know Him as well.
When it is absent, we become hard and dry towards the world. The absence of Jesus’ love is what causes so many people to be unusable for Kingdom growth. This love is witnessed by the expression of joy in the lives of Jesus’ followers (v. 11). The joy of Christ is brought about by the love of Christ.
What are we to do with this information? Jesus was not known for giving many suggestions. He was more apt to give commands, and one of the greatest is that we are to love one another (v. 12). We express this love by serving and caring for fellow believers.
Jesus said that such love has no equal. Such love finds its clearest expression in Jesus’ death on the cross. Jesus laid down His life to save His friends (v. 13). When we love as Jesus loves, we are doing exactly what He asked us to do. We are in turn behaving just as He would behave.
There need be no debate among believers about the humbling sentiment found in verse 16. The fact that Jesus personally initiated the process of our salvation should cause us to pause in praise.
This verse and others prove the matchless worth of Jesus. We, being sin filled and with nothing of value to offer the King of all kings, find ourselves chosen and appointed (v. 16) to bear fruit as the King’s representatives.
To do this, we must do what Jesus asked of us all along: abide in Him. In doing so we will be found precisely where Jesus desires us to be — following His command to love one another. This is the fruit we are to bear.
We have no other option. We have no other branch.
Anthony is missions pastor at Harrisburg Church, Tupelo. He may be contacted at claynell@aol.com.
