Abiding - Part 2

In order to ABIDE in Christ there are several basic truths that we must understand and be sure of. Here are perhaps the TWO most important:

1. Jesus is the VINE. "I am the true vine" (John 15:1). Israel was pictured in the Old Testament as the vine of God's planting (e.g. Jeremiah 2:21), but the nation became a wild vine and deserted the LORD and never produced the fruit she was chosen and equipped for. Jesus, however, is the true vine, He is the TRUE ISRAEL, the Son of God who pleased the LORD and produced fruit in all He did.

As the VINE, Jesus is the SOURCE OF LIFE for His branches, His people. Life for us as His people, His disciples, comes ONLY from Him. If we want to please God, to bear fruit for Him, to live life with His strength and wisdom, that fruit and life and strength can ONLY come from Jesus. HE is the VINE. FROM Him comes all we need.

2. We are the BRANCHES. "I am the vine, you are the branches" (John 15:5). Branches live and grow and produce fruit ONLY as they DRAW LIFE from the vine. Knowing that we are the branches teaches us that our posture is always to be one of DEPENDENCE or RECEIVING. We NEVER have the source of spiritual life and fruit in ourselves. We look away to the VINE for life. And we must make our goal each day to stay connected to Jesus, our Source. This is why the Scriptures tell us that we live by "faith."

These two truths may seem so simple and obvious that they do not need to be emphasized. However, our problems are usually the result of moving away from the BASICS. How often have you depended on yourself or your friends or family or money or smarts instead of Jesus? How often have you only looked to Jesus in desperation AFTER exhausting yourself in looking everywhere else?

A fruitful life is simple: He is the Vine, We are the Branches. He gives, We receive.