Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. John 15:4
When I was a child, I begged my parents for a dog. I promised them that I would do everything to take care of said dog if they granted my request. They were, in a word, skeptical that I would be able to keep that promise. Finally, in middle school, our family got a dog. At first, I was committed to taking care of my new puppy, but eventually I slacked off, and my mom took on the load of caring for our sweet pup. The truth is, I was not mature enough to take on the responsibility of caring for a dog. I was not fully devoted to caring for her. You see, maturity recognizes that one cannot own a dog without being fully devoted to caring for it and loving it as that dog deserves. This is true in many areas of our lives, not just pet ownership. It is also true in our spiritual lives. You see, mature Christians recognize God’s call to live fully devoted lives, committed to Him and holding nothing back in following Him.
This week, we have been looking at a parable from Jesus in Luke 8 that teaches us to live lives fully devoted to Him rather than to anyone or anything else in this world. The parable follows a farmer who scattered seed that fell in different types of soil all along his field. The final place where the seed fell was fertile soil (verse 8). The seed that fell along fertile soil “grew and produced a crop that was a hundred times as much as had been planted” (verse 8). This was the very best place that the seed landed in this story. None of the other seed that fell in other places reached full maturity. This seed that fell on the fertile soil, however, not only matured, but it also prospered. At the disciples’ request, Jesus explained the meaning of this parable to them. The seed that fell on the fertile soil represented “honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest” (verse 15). These people who live this way are fully devoted, holding nothing back in following Him.
This was not the only place where Jesus taught His followers about producing a good harvest. As He taught His disciples shortly before His arrest and death on the cross, Jesus said to them in John 15, “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing” (verse 5). The call here was for His disciples (and us) to remain in Him. That means to cling to Him with everything, holding nothing back as you follow Him without looking back. When we live this way, we produce “much fruit.” That is what it looks like to live as fully devoted followers of Christ.
Don’t you want to be like the seed that fell on the fertile soil that produced extraordinary fruit? I urge you, my friend, to remain in God. Cling to Him. Fully devote yourself to Him and Him alone, and God will produce more fruit in you than you could imagine.
The question from the weekend message for you to reflect on today is this: Is there anything in your life more important to you than Jesus? What is it that is keeping you from being fully devoted to Him? Confess that to God now. Whatever it looks like to you, commit to letting go of anything holding you back from being fully devoted to Him.
Prayer Prompt: Use this prompt to guide you as you pray.
“God, You are infinitely more important than anything else in my life. I surrender…”
Going Deeper
John 15:1-17
1 “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. 3 You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.
5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. 7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! 8 When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.
9 “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. 10 When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. 11 I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! 12 This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. 13 There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. 16 You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other.
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