DAy 85: John 15- The Greatest Invitation

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
 
12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.
The Hatred of the World
18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21 But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Whoever hates me hates my Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. 25 But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’
26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.
 
Meditation
What is the greatest invitation you can imagine? Dinner with your favorite celebrity? A chance to spend time with a personal hero? An opportunity to learn one on one from a leader you admire? Jesus invites you to abide in Him, His word, and His love- the Greatest Invitation.
 
Jesus’ claim to be the vine (1) is a claim to be Divine, a representative of all God’s people. (see especially Isaiah 5:1-7; Jeremiah 2:21; Hosea 10:1-2) God Himself invites you to abide, or remain, in Him. In Christ alone you find everything you need for a life of joyful fruitfulness.

To abide in Christ is to celebrate the total sufficiency Christ offers through total dependency on Him. The invitation is to fully trust Him! We are invited to find the nutrients for a fruitful life through abiding in Christ, (4, 6) His word, (7) and His love. (9, 10, 11) When we trust Jesus for ALL we need our joy will be complete, (11) our love for one another will look like His love for us, (12-17) and we will have security in seasons of friction with the world. (18-27)

The Father will prune you to bear more fruit for Him. (2) Are you being pruned? Apart from abiding in Christ you can do nothing. (5) Return to Christ and surrender to the love of God, allowing His word to richly dwell in you, that through abiding in Christ you may give glory through a fruitful life. There is no greater invitation!
 
Richly Dwelling
-Are you excited by the invitation of Divine Jesus to abide, or remain, in Him? Why or why not?  He has EVERYTHING you need.
 
-Where do you abide that is not Jesus? How is that working for you?
 
- What are two practical ways you can respond to God’s grace with intentional steps to abide in the love of Jesus?
 
Key Verse
9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.