"I will love Thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower." (Psalm 18:1-2)
In John 15, Jesus is speaking to disciples who already believed (trusted) in Him. Therein, Jesus is sharing that He is the vine, and we are the branches. Although there are many keys to life found within this particular message - Jesus is reinforcing within His disciples' hearts that He -- Jesus -- is the Bread of Life; that He is both Lord and Christ; and at this point in the scriptures, the Good Shepherd is about to "willingly" lay down His own life for His sheep. (Acts 2:36) Knowing that the severity of the cross was to happen next, Jesus was encouraging His disciples to "abide in Me!"
Jesus said, "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me. I AM the vine, ye are the branches: He that abides in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast [them] into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." (John 15:4-7)
In context, Jesus instructs those who believe in Him by faith to not only trust Him but also to "abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me."
Why? Because as Jesus states, "I AM -- the Vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abides in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing. [But] if a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast [them] into the fire, and they are burned." (John 15:4-6)
But there is more understanding here. First, to abide means to trust in the Lord as our Rock, our Fortress, our Deliverer, our God -- or as the psalmist David points out, "my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower." (Psalm 18:2) To continually rest, or dwell in His presence regardless of the circumstance. Some Biblical definitions include: dwelling; remaining; continuing; enduring; awaiting in continuance; in a fixed state; residing in Him; an enduring that even words can't properly define.
This same Jesus telling His disciples, "For without Me, ye can do nothing!" (John 15:5)
Why? Because as Jesus states, "I AM -- the Vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abides in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing. [But] if a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast [them] into the fire, and they are burned." (John 15:4-6)
In other words, our connecting point for salvation and everlasting life is the risen Jesus living in our hearts -- the Comforter dwelling within our very essence in the day to day -- the Holy Ghost -- wherein Jesus said, "I will never leave nor forsake thee." That in everything we do, we do so in the Name of Jesus, praying without ceasing and rejoicing evermore.
In this context, our Lord God and Saviour Jesus the Christ becoming our everything, wherein we become fixated upon Him and His goodness and grace and mercy. And remembering, as Jesus said, "for without Me, ye can do nothing!"
"Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour My righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, "Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of His servant." (Psalm 35:27)
Is this message sinking in? Are we beginning to understand that without this same Jesus -- who is both Lord and Christ, who is God manifest in the flesh -- who is the same Word made flesh that dwelt among us so that we would behold His glory -- we can do nothing. (Acts 2:36-41; I Timothy 3:16; John 1:1-18; II Corinthians 5:19; Colossians 2:9; Revelation 1:8; Isaiah 9:6)
Yes, Jesus is the true vine, and we are cleansed through the Word -- which Jesus has spoken unto us. We are sanctified by truth -- Thy Word is truth. (John 17:17) Therefore, why is abiding in the Lord Jesus so instructive? Why is abiding so critical to being connected to the Lord of glory? As the scripture declares, so that your joy might be full. So that "My joy" -- as Jesus said, "might remain in you!" (John 15:11)
"Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour My righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, "Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of His servant." (Psalm 35:27)
As one can only imagine, there is much more to come on this understanding. In the interim, remember that whosoever looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues therein, he being not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. (James 1:25)
Stand in the offering plate.
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