"If you remain in me
and my words remain in you,
ask for whatever you want
and it will be done for you.
By this is my Father glorified,
that you bear much fruit
and become my disciples.”
(John 15:7-8)
As branches to the vine are bound,
In Christ alone, our life is found.
No fruit can we bear on our own,
In Christ, our true Vine, we've grown.
Just as the branch from the vine draws life,
We draw from Christ amid strife.
Our strength and life, in Him reside,
In His love, we continually abide.
God prunes the branches, so we see,
To make us fruitful as can be.
Trials and challenges, part of His plan,
To shape us in His image, every woman and man.
The fruit we bear, of Spirit's kind,
Reflects Christ's character, in us enshrined.
Love, joy, peace, and patience too,
Kindness, goodness, faithfulness to pursue.
Gentleness and self-control, we strive,
In these, the Spirit's fruit alive.
Qualities of Christ, in us to grow,
As we abide in Him, His love to show.
Jesus promises, so bold and free,
If we abide in Him, ask and see.
Whatever we wish, it will be done,
Such is the promise of the Father's Son.
Dear Lord Jesus,
We come before You, acknowledging that we are branches connected to You, the true Vine. We understand that apart from You, we cannot bear any spiritual fruit. Just as the branch draws its life from the vine, we draw our spiritual life and strength from You.
We recognize Your divine discipline as a form of pruning, making us more fruitful. We understand that trials and challenges in life can be Your way of refining us, making us more effective for Your kingdom.
We desire to bear the fruit of the Spirit, reflecting Your character in our lives. This includes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Help us to cultivate these qualities in our lives.
You have promised that if we abide in You and Your words abide in us, we can ask whatever we wish, and it will be done for us. We hold onto this promise, trusting in Your faithfulness to answer our prayers according to Your will.
In Your precious name, we pray. Amen.
Pericope:
III: The Book of Glory
THE VINE AND THE BRANCHES
John 15:1-17
Gospel | John 15:1-8
1 Jesus said to his disciples: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. 2 He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. 3 You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you. 4 Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. 6 Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. 8 By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.”
As branches cannot bear fruit if they are not connected to the vine, we cannot bear spiritual fruit if we are not connected to Christ. Just as the branch draws its life from the vine, we draw our spiritual life and strength from Christ.
God prunes the branches, or disciplines His children, to make them more fruitful. Trials and challenges in life can be God’s way of making us more fruitful and effective for His kingdom.
The fruit that we are to bear refers to the qualities of Christ-like character, also known as the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). This includes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Jesus promises that if we abide in Him and His words abide in us, we can ask whatever we wish, and it will be done for us.
Background:
John 15:1-8 is a part of Jesus’ discourse in the Upper Room, just prior to His passion. Here’s the background:
In this passage, Jesus uses the metaphor of a vine and its branches to explain the relationship between Himself (the true vine), His disciples (the branches), and His Father (the vineyard keeper). He emphasizes the necessity of abiding in Him to bear fruit.
The metaphor of the vine and branches is not new. It is clearly dependent on Old Testament images of God’s people as God’s vineyard (e.g., Psalm 80:8-16; Isaiah 5:1-7; 27:2-6; Ezekiel 15:1-6). However, that image is developed in new directions by its association with the characteristic Johannine theme of "abiding".
The word “abide” appears frequently in John’s gospel and is understood as an alternative and mutually defining word for "believe". Together, “believing” and “abiding” point to the reality of “life in Christ” and to the characterization of that life not as some hope of a future reunion in heaven, but as the promise of abundant life in the here and now.
The promise of God’s abiding presence in Christ has been anticipated already in Jesus’ words in John 14:1-61. This passage, often used primarily at funerals, actually intends to give assurance for life in the present.
In summary, John 15:1-8 is a profound passage that underscores the importance of abiding in Christ, the true vine, to bear fruit. It emphasizes the reality of “life in Christ” in the present and the promise of abundant life.
Learning Lessons:
John 15:1-8 provides several important lessons for us:
Abiding in Christ: The primary lesson from this passage is the importance of abiding in Christ. As branches cannot bear fruit if they are not connected to the vine, we cannot bear spiritual fruit if we are not connected to Christ.
Dependence on God: The metaphor of the vine and branches illustrates our complete dependence on God. Just as the branch draws its life from the vine, we draw our spiritual life and strength from Christ.
God’s Pruning Process: Jesus mentions that God prunes the branches, or disciplines His children, to make them more fruitful. This teaches us that trials and challenges in life can be God’s way of making us more fruitful and effective for His kingdom.
The Fruit of the Spirit: The fruit that we are to bear refers to the qualities of Christ-like character, also known as the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). This includes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
The Consequence of Not Abiding: Jesus warns that branches that do not bear fruit will be cut off. This underscores the seriousness of remaining in Christ and the consequences of spiritual unfruitfulness.
Answered Prayer: Jesus promises that if we abide in Him and His words abide in us, we can ask whatever we wish, and it will be done for us. This teaches us about the power of abiding in Christ in relation to answered prayer.
These lessons remind us of the importance of maintaining a close relationship with Christ, depending on Him for our spiritual life, and bearing the fruit of the Spirit in our lives.
Reflection Source:
Conversation with Copilot
