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
Here at Sagebrush, our mission is to be people who know Christ and make Christ known. Of all of the things that we can do with our lives, knowing Christ is at the top of the list. There is nothing more valuable or important than getting to know Him, the King above all kings. Just like getting to know people in our everyday relationships, knowing Christ involves spending time with Him. Specifically, it involves spending time with Him through prayer and reading our Bibles, learning from Him, and talking to Him about the things on our hearts and minds. In our Bible study today, we are going to talk about exactly how we can be people focused on growing in our relationships with Christ and knowing Him on an even deeper level.
Jesus taught His disciples the importance of knowing Him on a deeper level by spending time with Him in John 15. In this chapter, He taught His disciples to “remain” in Him. This interaction took place shortly before His death on the cross. In some of His last moments, He taught them, saying, “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 4). His message was clear. In light of His impending death, they were to “remain” in Him, just as branches remain on a vine, if they wanted to grow and have prosperous relationships with Him. Jesus is the source of life and growth for everyone, including you and me.
After reading this instruction from Jesus in John 15, you probably have the same question that I do. What does it look like for us today to remain in Jesus? In Luke 10, which we looked at earlier this week, Mary is an excellent example for us. She sat at Jesus’ feet and listened as He taught. She did not overcomplicate her relationship with Jesus by striving to do many things for Him. She simply sat at His feet and learned from Him. We can follow her example and spend time with Jesus reading our Bibles, listening to worship songs, listening to sermons, attending church, and living in community with other Christ-followers. All of these things are part of remaining in Christ. As we move toward Jesus, He also moves toward us, and we grow.
When it comes to your relationship with Christ, how can you grow? Every single one of us has room to grow in the area of knowing Christ. May we never stop growing, seeking to know Christ on an even deeper level.
Take strides today to know Christ. Listen to a sermon, pray, and specifically, take time to be still before God and listen to Him and what He might be teaching you. Get to know Him even more. Then, look for opportunities to make Him known to the people around you.
John 15:1-27
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.
18 “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. 19 The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. 20 Do you remember what I told you? ‘A slave is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you. 21 They will do all this to you because of me, for they have rejected the one who sent me. 22 They would not be guilty if I had not come and spoken to them. But now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Anyone who hates me also hates my Father. 24 If I hadn’t done such miraculous signs among them that no one else could do, they would not be guilty. But as it is, they have seen everything I did, yet they still hate me and my Father. 25 This fulfills what is written in their Scriptures: ‘They hated me without cause.’
26 “But I will send you the Advocate—the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me. 27 And you must also testify about me because you have been with me from the beginning of my ministry.
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