FRUITFULNESS
During Jesus’ ministry, he faced a nation and people who had lost their way. They were dried up and withering. When I look back at their progression from Exile to Promised Land as a nation, I see them going from despair to pinnacle back to despair. The timing of Christ’s first coming was perfect. His second coming will be the same.
As we read about the cursed fig tree and the cleansing of the temple, we read about a nation and people who were symbolically fruitless and corrupt (John 12:35-41). The light of Christ shone forth in their midst, yet they didn’t realize it. They were a people who seemed to forget their need for their saviour. Sure, many did come to Him, but as a people and nation, they rejected Jesus. Furthermore, Jesus blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts.
When I look at how Christ dealt with them, I am ashamed at my own lifestyle and relationship with Him. Am I walking as He wants me to? Am I where He wants me to be? Doing what He’s called me to be doing?
In order to have a life that is thriving, Jesus uses the analogy of the vine. Later in John’s gospel account, right before the cross, Jesus makes an analogy of our life in Him. He likens Him to the Vine and us as the branches in John 15:1-17 .
“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 bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”
VINE - Jesus
VINEDRESSER - Father
BRANCH - Us (collectively, the Church)
ABIDE
In verse 4, we find the way we become fruitful: ABIDE
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.”
If we drift or fall away, we must return to Jesus. Just the verse before, He tells His disciples that they were “already clean” because of the Word He has spoken to them. We too must be washed in the Word.
This means we must be found in the Word. Reading, meditating, studying and searching out the riches that await those who diligently seek Him.
“I love those who love me,
And those who seek me diligently will find me.”
Proverbs 8:17
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
Hebrews 11:6
Do you really believe His Word to be true? He loves when we seek Him. This requires effort. It’s not passive, but active. It’s so important that He’s not only given us His Son Jesus on the cross, but His Son Jesus, the Word.
Note to self:
Spend more time with Jesus. Stop neglecting your Creator, Father God. Seek how He chooses to us me this day.
