JOHN 15:1-9 – “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 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. 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. 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. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love

THEME OF THE DAY. THE NECESSITY OF ABIDING. Today’s scripture is one of the most heart-warming parables our Lord taught. It is intimate, instructional, and provides the firm foundation of not only our union in Christ, but of our absolute necessity of abiding in Christ. Without the commands of Jesus to abide in Him, have His Words abide in us, and abide in His love, we simply cannot live the Christian life. John 15:1-9 is the power of the Christian life. Within the text, Jesus says, “For apart from Me, you can do nothing.” And here is the application of His words in our daily lives . . .

Christian parents, unless we abide in Christ, learning to draw power from Him, we cannot exert Christ-centered influence to our children. Oh, we may teach them Christian values and ethics, but we will not give them what they need most; a day-to-day living example of the Person of Jesus Christ. They will catch more of Christ by what they see in us than what they hear from us, and the seeing only comes from a parent abiding in Christ.

Christian spouses, unless we abide in Christ, learning to draw power from Him, we cannot exert Christ-centered influence in our marriages. Our marriages are to be living models of Christ’s relationship with His church. They are to be the joining of two individuals in one flesh both committed to and producing Fruit of the Spirit lives – “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). And this cannot happen when two sinners dwell together unless we are abiding in Christ.

Christians laboring in the secular workforce, unless we abide in Christ, learning to draw power from Him, we cannot exert Christ-centered influence in our places of employment. We may be recognized as a hard and loyal worker, but we won’t stand out as salt and light for Christ without a conscious abiding in Him.

So, what would abiding in Christ mean? Three things. First, a forsaking of the world. We cannot love the world and its pleasure if we want to abide in Christ. The two are enemies (1 John 2:15-17). The next thing necessary to abide in Christ is a life – mind, heart, will – saturated and controlled by the Word of God (Colossians 3:16). The great Puritan pastor/theologian, John Owen said, “Unless the Word of God dwell in you in power, it cannot go forth from you in power.” The final element defining the abiding in Christ life is the development and maintaining of an intimate prayer life with the Lord. A prayer life that enjoys Him, encounters His holiness, and shapes one’s own life like His (John 17:1-24).

Abiding in Christ is our great privilege as Christians. It is also a command to obey and a necessity to pursue. May the Lord, Himself, teach us the abiding life.

PRAYER: “Father, please help me to not only enjoy abiding in Your Son, but see the necessity of abiding in Him.”

QUOTE: “Jesus gives us a command to abide in Him because we are so dependent upon Him for everything.”