John 15:1-7. I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
In Today’s Word, Jesus spoke to His disciples with full awareness of the reality unfolding before them—the coming destruction of Jerusalem, the eventual fall of the Roman Empire, and the turmoil that would mark the last days. Knowing the crises His followers would face, Jesus did not offer strategies rooted in human wisdom. Instead, He revealed the only way to stand firm when everything else shakes: remain in Him.
He first addressed the fear gripping their hearts. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me” (John 14:1). Jesus shifted their focus from visible circumstances to an unchanging relationship. He assured them that their future was secure in the Father’s house. Even His departure was not abandonment but preparation, for He promised to return and bring them into eternal fellowship with Him (John 14:1–3).
Then Jesus revealed the decisive reason they would not be left defenseless. The Father would send the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, who would teach them all things, remind them of His words, and give them a peace the world could never offer (John 14:26–27). This peace was not the absence of trouble but the presence of God. Where the Spirit is present, the kingdom of God is active, heaven’s resources are released, and the power of Satan is broken. This is why believers do not need to fear even in the face of storms.
Jesus then brought everything into focus with a simple but profound truth: “I am the vine; you are the branches” (John 15:5). He did not describe a religious system or a moral code. He revealed a relationship rooted in life itself. Just as a branch cannot survive apart from the vine, we cannot live apart from Christ. Christianity is not moral adjustment; it is union with the living Christ.
This union is the reason believers have true life. Jesus came so that we might have life to the full (John 10:10), and this life is not found anywhere else. God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son; whoever has the Son has life (1 John 5:11–12). Because this relationship is based on God’s initiative and power, nothing can sever it—not failure, weakness, suffering, or even death. Paul was fully convinced that nothing in all creation could separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38–39).
Remaining in Christ does not mean trying harder; it means trusting deeper. When storms arise and fear threatens to overwhelm us, we remember that even the wind and waves obey His voice (Mark 4:39). As long as we remain in Him, peace is not something we seek—it is something we experience.
Fruit is the natural result of remaining in Christ. A branch does not struggle to bear fruit; it simply stays connected. In the same way, when we abide in Christ through His Word, walk in obedience, and depend on the Holy Spirit, fruit inevitably appears. Our lives become spiritually productive, stable, and fruitful, like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither (Psalm 1:3).
The most precious fruit God produces through us is people whose lives are transformed by the gospel. Paul called those he led to Christ his hope, joy, and crown (1 Thessalonians 2:19). This fruit is eternal and will testify to God’s grace long after our earthly lives end (Ephesians 2:7).
Remaining in Christ happens as we treasure His Word, allow it to dwell richly in our hearts, and let it shape our thoughts, decisions, and prayers. It happens as we recognize our identity and authority in Christ and rely on the power of the Holy Spirit rather than our own strength. When God’s primary concern becomes our concern, our prayers align with His will, and Jesus promises that whatever we ask in His name will be done (John 15:7).
A life that remains in Christ is a life lived by the gospel, through the gospel, and for the gospel. Such a life cannot be shaken by anything because it is anchored in eternal reality.
Prayer. Father, thank You for uniting me with Christ, the true Vine. Heal my spirit, mind, and body through Your Spirit. Teach me to remain in Christ in every circumstance, and strengthen me to bear lasting fruit for Your kingdom. In Jesus’ name, Amen.