The Fruit of Abiding (John 15:5)
I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. —John 15:5
As I reflect on this verse, I think about the walks I’ve taken in the nature preserve near my home. I’ve watched many different kinds of trees and plants through the seasons. They leaf-out and flower in spring, produce fruit and seeds in summer and autumn, and go dormant in winter only to miraculously go through the same cycle year after year.
I have also noticed the branches that have fallen to the ground—they no longer grow, flower, or bear fruit. When they break off because of severe storms, or fall off because of disease, they’re severed from the vital sap that keeps them alive. They may look alive for a short time but eventually the leaves wither and die, any fruit on them rots, and the branches themselves become brittle and decompose.
As I consider my relationship with Christ, I know that my spiritual vitality requires that I remain connected to Him daily. I must abide in Him, dwell with Him, and let the life-giving message of His powerful Word saturate my life and produce fruit in and through me. It’s only through Him that any fruit will be lasting.
When the storms come, I cling to Jesus my Savior. Like the branches on the Vine, my life is in Him and utterly dependent on Him. Psalm 16:1-2 says, “Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.’” A favorite verse of the preschoolers I teach is Luke 18:27, where Jesus said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” God is our help and sustainer in the trials of life.
In his commentary, Matthew Henry described abiding in Christ as:
necessary…to our doing any good. [Jesus said] without me you can do nothing: not only no great thing…but nothing.…We can do nothing towards our justification;...nothing towards our sanctification. Without Christ we can do nothing aright, nothing that will be fruitful, pleasing to God or profitable to ourselves.
Love and obedience are prerequisites to God abiding with us. Jesus said in John 14:23, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” Love and obedience are essential to fruit-bearing as well. (For more on this, I recommend reading John Piper’s helpful devotional, We Can Do Nothing.)
Abiding in Jesus has produced in me a deep realization of my need of Him, and an awareness of what He wants me to do at any given moment. If I feel the nudge to write a note of encouragement to a friend, I try to do it right away, praying as I do. If I think the Lord wants me to be generous with my time, energy, or resources, I act upon that in the strength that He supplies. If I am anxious about something, I try to take that thought captive and turn it to worship as an expression of trust in the Lord. I am amazed at the impact I’ve seen from simple obedience, as well as blessings in my own life.
Hymn writer John H. Sammis wrote the lyrics that show the way to happiness through trust and obedience:
When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
I want to see lasting fruit from my life—in my character, in my children and grandchildren, in the lives of those I teach and interact with. But fruit can only come from an overflow of my relationship with Christ. He must be my priority. He is my sufficiency. He is my life (John 17:3).
For Reflection
How can you abide in Christ through His Word this week?
Where do you see the fruit of Christlike character in your life? (Galatians 5:22-23)
How might you make Jesus your priority this week as you follow His lead in your relationships, work, and rest?
Lori Myers is a customer care specialist at Truth78. She has been using the Fighter Verses memory program since 2004. Daily practice on the Fighter Verses App still deepens her faith and knowledge of God's Word. She is blessed to have two amazing daughters, two wonderful sons-in-law, and five adorable grandchildren.
