CONNECTED TO FLOURISH

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who ABIDES IN ME, and I IN HIM, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” – John 15:5

The fifteenth chapter of John’s Gospel describes how the Christian is CONNNECTED to FLOURISH: “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” (Jh.15:5). With these words our Lord, Jesus – the VINE – is pleading with us, the branches: “Stay connected and don’t lose your connection”! Don’t lose your connection, because only a connection to the Vine gives “divine” life. Only as you are connected to the Vine can you produce fruits. Staying connected is important in our relationships with the people closest to us. It is even more important in our relationship with God. Jesus commands us to remain in Him because He is the one who gives us true life. When we remain in Him we have the power and ability to produce fruits – including the fruits of thanks and praises which give glory to our gracious God!

The people of Jesus’ day were very familiar with grape vines. Grapes were significant in Israel for several reasons: they were a source of fruit in their diet; they were used to produce wine, which often accompanied their meals; they were used as medicine, and in worship. Grape vines and their fruits were a vital part of life in Jesus’ day. So the Lord used the Grape-vine analogy to share with His disciples something even more important. The Vine provides nourishment and life to all of the branches connected to it. That’s what Jesus does. We are the branches connected to Him. At baptism we were connected to Christ and His life-saving work of redemption. Through water and the Word the Holy Spirit fills us with a living faith that connects us to Christ’s forgiveness, and covers us with His perfect life of righteousness. The Lord therefore used the familiar picture of the Vine to describe Himself.

In order to receive all that Jesus offers, you must be connected and remain connected to Him through His Word (v.7). The inspired words of the Bible supply, strengthen, and sustain our connection to Jesus. Beloved, how well do you stay connected to Christ by reading, studying, and meditating in His Word? Many do not make time for God’s Word, but they spend long hours connecting with strangers on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We seem to have the time to read and watch all kinds of stuff on the internet and on television, resulting in our stronger connection to worldly news than to our Saviour. Some are better connected to sports and statistics than they are to the True Vine. They have stronger links to other folks by e-mail and cell-phones than to the Son of God!

Connection to the Vine cannot be faked. However strong a tape may be, a taped branch cannot grow or produce leaves and fruits, but will soon wither and fall. It’s mere “cosmetic connection”!  The branch must be IN the tree, connected to the tree’s life-giving sap, for it to be able to have life. If we are not really IN Him – connected to Him through His Word and by His Spirit – then like a disconnected branch, our faith is bound to wither. The strongest of connections can be threatened. The winds of temptation blow very strongly: the craving for knowledge, fame, or power; and the desire to fulfil lustful longings for pleasure and possessions. The world, aided by Satan, will dangle the desire for “stuff” before your eyes. The pull of materialism and soulish cravings can put so much pressure to try to break your connection with Jesus. Stay connected!

The stronger your connection to this world becomes the weaker your connection to Christ will be. For a branch to stay alive and productive, it must stay connected to that which gives it life. Branches that do not remain in Him will be gathered and thrown into the fire, and burned (v.6b). Let us abide in Christ, enjoy eternal life, and produce fruit in abundance – CONNECTED to FLOURISH!