“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.”- John 15:5 New Living Translation
Here in the 5th verse, Jesus reiterates that He is the vine and believers are the branches. There is no guarantee that a believer will bear fruit unless they allow Christ to permeate their life. If we remain IN Christ, then our walk will be able to pass life’s tests. If we try to go it alone, we will fail. Think back on your own life. Your successes and failures. Did you consult the Lord in either case? If you did, did you thank Him for intervening in your life?
The Believer’s Bible Commentary makes this statement regarding the vine and its branches: “It is not a question of the branch living its life for the Vine, but simply of letting the life of the Vine flow out through the branches. Sometimes we pray, ‘Lord, help me to live my life for You.’ It would be better to pray, ‘Lord Jesus, live out Your life through me.’” That is very wise advice. We are said to be Christ’s ambassadors. Wouldn’t it make more sense to have Christ live through you than try to live your life for Christ. We would no longer have to wonder what the Lord’s will was for our life. Our spirit must be in tune with the Holy Spirit and that takes time and determination, plus discernment; which in this case would be knowing what comes from the Lord and what comes out of our own mind.
It’s impossible to do anything for the Kingdom of God without Christ’s saving grace. Grace is His undeserved favor toward us. That’s what Jesus means when He says we can do nothing without being united with the vine. There are many things we can do without the Lord, but none of them have any eternal importance. I hope these past few days have been a blessing to you. Digging through well-known portions of scripture to seek out its deeper meaning can be a very profitable exercise. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.
Richard Keller
Bread of Life Ministries
Resources: Expositor's Bible Commentary; Believer's Bible Commentary; Reformation Study Bible.
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