The Gospel of John: John 15.1-8

Read and meditate on John 15.5.
Because many of our favorite Scripture texts are so familiar to us, we can easily overlook the great depths of spiritual insight they contain. Jesus’ description of Himself as the Vine is one of those texts, so we’re going to focus on it for today.

                        ⁵“I am the vine, and you
are branches. Each one who abides in Me,
and I in him, will very fruitful be.
For without Me you can do nothing.”

- John 15.5

Reflect
1.  Let’s work back to front: It’s clear from this passage that the Christian life is a life of doing, and not merely of believing. What’s the difference? Can we be said really to believe as Christians, apart from the doing such belief requires? But does this doing earn us anything? Explain. Complete this prayer: Lord, You are sending me today to be Your witness, and for this I’ll have to…

2.  There are many things we do each day that do not find us thinking about Jesus or looking to Him for help. Give some examples. But though we may not be believing in Jesus as we are doing these things, is it possible for us to do them without Jesus? Explain. Since without Jesus we can “do nothing,” how can whatever we are doing at any moment serve to enhance our relationship with Him? Teach me to give thanks, Lord, as often as I can, for all the things You do in and for and through me each day. As I think back to just the past few moments, I thank You for…

3.  Jesus said we can expect to bear “much fruit” as we abide in Him and He abides in us. How does a person plan his week who expects to bear “much fruit” such as we have been considering in John 15? Lord, I think I need to plan better, to be bolder and more visionary as I prepare each week and each day for…

4.  The fruit on branches is the outward manifestation of what flows from the vine. The vine taps into the resources necessary for fruit, which it draws from its rooting, and sends them up to the branches, from which the fruit emerges. The branches are conduits for fruit. What do branches need to make fruit? What do you need to bring forth the fruit our heavenly Vinedresser is looking for in you? Grant me grace and truth, Lord, in increasing measure, so that…

5.  Jesus is the Vine. He draws in the resources we need and sends them to us day by day. He keeps in contact with us, lest we be broken off from Him, and begin to wither. Without Jesus we cannot bear fruit. Without Jesus we can do nothing. Do you think it would be a good idea to maintain as much conscious contact with Jesus as possible throughout the day? How might we do that? How might we help one another do that? Bring together into one prayer the prayers you wrote for questions 1-4.

Summary
“Look further into what the Truth has to say.… For just to keep anyone from supposing that the branch can bear at least some little fruit of itself, after saying, “the same brings forth much fruit,” his next words are not, without me you can do but little, but “you can do nothing.” Whether then it is a little or a lot, without him it is impracticable. For without him nothing can be done. For although, when the branch bears little fruit, the husbandman purges it that it may bring forth more, yet if it does not abide in the vine and draw its life from the root, it can bear no fruit whatever of itself. And although Christ would not have been the vine had he not been man, yet he could not have supplied such grace to the branches had he not also been God.” Augustine (354-430 AD)

We do not contemplate as we should just how utterly dependent we are on Jesus. Do you think your love for Him would grow, if you took the time to give thanks for all He does for you each day? Explain.

Closing Prayer
Praise the LORD!
For it is good to sing praises to our God;
For it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful.
The LORD builds up Jerusalem;
He gathers together the outcasts of Israel.
He heals the brokenhearted
And binds up their wounds.
He counts the number of the stars;
He calls them all by name.
Great is our Lord, and mighty in power;
His understanding is infinite.
The LORD lifts up the humble;
He casts the wicked down to the ground.
Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving;
Sing praises on the harp to our God,
Who covers the heavens with clouds,
Who prepares rain for the earth,
Who makes grass to grow on the mountains.
He gives to the beast its food,
And to the young ravens that cry.
He does not delight in the strength of the horse;
He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.
The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him,
In those who hope in His mercy.
Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem!
Praise your God, O Zion!

Psalm 147.1-11

Psalm 147.1-11 (St. Ann: Our God, Our Help in Ages Past)
Praise God, for it is good to sing loud praises to the Lord!
With joy our songs of praise we bring to God and to His Word.

The Lord builds up His Church and He His people gathers in.
The broken hearts He tenderly repairs and heals their sin.

The stars He counts, He knows the name of every chosen soul;
His pow’r is great, and great His fame Who understands us whole.

The humble God exalts above; the wicked He casts down.
Sing thanks to this great God of love; let songs of praise abound.

He brings refreshing rain to earth and feeds the beasts so dear.
He puts in man’s strength naught of worth, but loves those who God fear.

T. M. Moore

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series IV a and b: John, edited by Joel C. Elowsky, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006. Verse translation of John by T. M. Moore.