March 12th
JESUS’ FINAL WEEK
Activity: John 13-17 are a record of Jesus devoting himself to the needs of his disciples in privacy before his crucifixion. His teaching at least began in the upper room but 14:31 suggests that chapters 15-17 may have been en route to the Garden of Gethsemane. In which case, it may well be that he pointed out a particular vine in illustrating their need for union in him.
For many years as I read this metaphor of the vine, I somehow twisted the wording to relabel Jesus as the trunk and we as branches. Then I saw that Jesus is the whole vine, including the branches. We are not just ‘outgrowths’ of Christ, but we individually live in him. He incorporates us into himself such that we are part of him, an organic union. We do not have a separate existence from Jesus (Gal 2:20; Col 3:3). We cannot pursue our life, our identity, our flourishing, apart from Jesus. Jesus cannot reject us, abandon us or deny us any more than he can reject, abandon or deny himself.
Any fruit-bearing of Christlikeness is not of our own efforts, for that would amount to tying on plastic grapes, but It is only possible by (a) oneness with Christ and (b) through the sap of the Holy Spirit. As Hosea 14: 8 says, “Your fruitfulness comes from me!”
Application: Focus on abiding in Christ, not on productivity. Simply yield to the empowering sap of Christ’s Spirit and grow in grace.
JESUS’ FINAL WEEK
THURSDAY – The Vine
THURSDAY – The Vine
I am the sprouting vine and you’re my branches. As you live in union with me as your source, fruitfulness will stream from within you –
but when you live separated from me you are powerless.
John 15:5, The Passion Translation
but when you live separated from me you are powerless.
John 15:5, The Passion Translation
Activity: John 13-17 are a record of Jesus devoting himself to the needs of his disciples in privacy before his crucifixion. His teaching at least began in the upper room but 14:31 suggests that chapters 15-17 may have been en route to the Garden of Gethsemane. In which case, it may well be that he pointed out a particular vine in illustrating their need for union in him.
For many years as I read this metaphor of the vine, I somehow twisted the wording to relabel Jesus as the trunk and we as branches. Then I saw that Jesus is the whole vine, including the branches. We are not just ‘outgrowths’ of Christ, but we individually live in him. He incorporates us into himself such that we are part of him, an organic union. We do not have a separate existence from Jesus (Gal 2:20; Col 3:3). We cannot pursue our life, our identity, our flourishing, apart from Jesus. Jesus cannot reject us, abandon us or deny us any more than he can reject, abandon or deny himself.
Any fruit-bearing of Christlikeness is not of our own efforts, for that would amount to tying on plastic grapes, but It is only possible by (a) oneness with Christ and (b) through the sap of the Holy Spirit. As Hosea 14: 8 says, “Your fruitfulness comes from me!”
Application: Focus on abiding in Christ, not on productivity. Simply yield to the empowering sap of Christ’s Spirit and grow in grace.
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Ten times in John 15 we are told to “abide” in Him; make your home in Jesus.
Ten times in John 15 we are told to “abide” in Him; make your home in Jesus.
