One of my favorite memory verses as a little girl was John 15:5. It was easy to recite, rolling off my tongue. 

I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.  John 15:5

What I also liked about this verse was the word-picture.  I knew that if a branch wasn’t connected to a tree or a bush or a vine, it was dead, and dead branches can’t bear fruit.  That picture helped me understand the last phrase “apart from Me you can do nothing.” 

This summer I listened to a podcast about Jesus as the Vine, and I was reminded why I love this verse so much.  Jesus is the Vine and we are the branches.  As the vine, He is our life-source.  A branch not connected to the vine is dead because it can’t get water and nutrients from the roots.  In the same way, apart from Christ we are not connected to the Living Water and the Bread of Life.  But if we abide in the Vine, we have access to all that we need – Living Water, the Bread of Life, and Life Himself.  Truly, Jesus is all we need. 

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.  John 15:4-5

When we are connected to the Vine, we can bear fruit.  While apart from Christ we can do nothing, connected to the Vine we thrive. 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.  Galatians 5:22-23

Displaying the fruit of the Spirit is a sign of abiding in Christ, because the fruit of the Spirit are attributes of Christ.  The more we deepen our personal relationships with Christ, the more He will produce this fruit in us.  It’s not our own efforts that produce fruit; it’s the power of Christ in us. 

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.  John 15:7-8

Abiding in the Vine and bearing fruit brings glory to the Father and shows that we are disciples of Christ. 

Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.  John 15:9-11

John 15 specifically tells us to abide in Christ’s love.  We do this by obeying His commands.  When we abide in the love of Christ, our Vine, our joy can be made full. 

Jesus as the Vine is our life, the One who produces fruit in our lives, and our joy filler.  Truly Christ is all we need!  Let’s abide in Christ, deepen our relationship with Him, and bear fruit. 

With love,

Kelsey