Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. [John 15.4-5]
These are serious words Jesus spoke. What do they mean?
I think we would like to put a not-so-serious religious glaze on them and be satisfied that all is well and that is all there is to it. However, I am deeply disturbed today by these words to the contrary.
If we are not bearing fruit, there is a serious problem. Are we not bearing fruit and about to be cut off? Or, are we not bearing fruit because we have already been cut off?
How do we know if we are bearing fruit? What does that fruit look like? What does it smell like? How does it taste?
The fruit we are to bear looks and smells and tastes like Jesus! Whatever we have seen in Jesus is what we should see in us IF TRULY WE ARE IN HIM AND HE IS IN US! Whatever Jesus did, we do. Whatever Jesus said, we say. Here is the synopsis of what the vine, Jesus, did as spoken in His own words:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.” [Luke 4.18-19]
How do we match up to that? Not so good? In the midst of a ministry of unmistakable miracles, Jesus also further indicts us here:
“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. [John 14.12]
If we are not doing at least the same works as Jesus, how can we be satisfied that we are in Christ as He is in us?
It is a pitiful prognosis for the one who looks at these words and does nothing about it. The fruitless soul is not in a good position! The fruitless soul is about to be or has been cut off! I am not making this up! Look at the whole of what Jesus said about this:
“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father. [John 15.1-8]
Should we not have fear because of what this says? Jesus is also on record of having said this:
But I’ll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell. Yes, he’s the one to fear. [Luke 12.5]
God has the power to kill - to cut off from the vine any and every branch because it is not bearing fruit!
If this weren't straight from the Bible, my words here should be simply ignored. But this is not my opinion - this is what Jesus said. We can't just do what we want and then say "it is the works of Jesus" when it looks very little, or worse, nothing like what Jesus did!
Father, forgive me for looking at these things Jesus said without contemplation! Forgive me for being so calloused that I have no fear when reading and considering these words. Forgive me for not bearing fruit that identifies me as Jesus! Forgive me for trying to convince myself and others that "my" works are the works of Jesus when there is absolutely no resemblance to Jesus' works at all.
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