TRUE
VINE
Seventh
part of nine in Who is Jesus? Advent series
John
15:4-5: “Remain
in Me, and I will remain in you. No
branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain
in Me. I am the vine; you are the
branches. If a man remains in Me and I
in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.”
Just like God’s covenant bound Noah,
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to Himself in a promised blessing, Jesus’ nourishing vine
binds His followers to Him as branches. Picture
a vine whose branches spread out far and wide. Nourishment springs from the vine’s root flowing
throughout as living food. Its branches
depend on living food for spiritual nourishment.
The vine metaphor works for
Believers who live victoriously by remaining in Jesus. He’s our vine, our sustenance. We know we cannot succeed and thrive on our own. We know and acknowledge where every gift we
receive comes from.
Bearing fruit comes naturally for
followers of Christ. Those branches
reach deep into dark places, shining the light of Jesus’ love for the lost to
grab ahold.
Jesus is much more than a vine who keeps followers in line. Additional word descriptions of Jesus claim
that He’s a FRIEND! Jesus is a
life-giving friend to sinners, who Proverbs
18:24 says “sticks closer than a brother.”
Remember how Jesus suffered a whipping that shred the skin off His back?
(Matthew 27:26). He bled for you! Isaiah 53:5 promises, “and by His wounds we are healed.”
Indeed, when insults were hurled at
Jesus, He did not strike back. He never
made threats to get even at those who hated Him. Instead, Jesus entrusted Himself to the One
who judges—the One who has the final say.
Our Father in heaven is almighty and sovereign. He judges correctly. He can carry out whatever is His will—which
no one can undo!
(See lesson linked below for how
Believers are to copy Jesus’ obedience to authority).
Take
Home Nugget
Jesus is the only
friend who walks alongside His followers.
He indwells us as God’s Holy Spirit who Jesus describes in John 14:17as,
“Counselor” and the “Spirit of truth.”
Believers’ goal is
Jesus’ promise in John 14:2-3: “In My Father’s house
are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I
will come back and take you to be with Me that you also be where I am.”
Holy
Father, It is in Jesus where Your kids are guaranteed to make it through life
ALIVE! Hallelujah! Amen.
Adapted from
“There’s a Title for That” by John UpChurch.
Crosswalk.com Contributor.
November 4, 2016,
J.D. Griffith
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