John 15:4-9
March 7, 2024
John 15:4-9
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 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. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.
Our task is to abide in Jesus. He is the nutrient we need in order to bear fruit for God. There is no life apart from him. But how do we “stay put” in Jesus? We remain in Jesus by soaking in his word. For starters, that means that we need to be part of a community of people who remind us of the gospel and help us apply it to every aspect of our daily lives. It also means that we need to saturate ourselves in Jesus’ word through our own worship, prayer, Scripture reading, and reflection. How do you know if you are abiding in Jesus? You will know by the fruit. If you stay put in Jesus, the fruit is inevitable. So what evidence do you see of God working in your life today?
How can you soak in the gospel today?