The Gospel of John recounts Jesus saying “I am the vine and you are the branches. Remain in me and you will bear much fruit for apart from me you can do nothing.”
What a demanding statement. We too often think “I already get that saved by grace thing…let’s move along to some deep theology.” Yet Jesus’s claim over us is not a one time thing…..and it is not a small thing. You cannot have a little bit of Jesus. He is the source and goal of all we are and do.
Isn’t it interesting that Jesus’s directive places a deep and vibrant relationship with him as the first and last great work we do. We become immune to or shy of the Gospel. We cover up by trying to be nice people who do nice things in nice ways. But, such an approach is an invitation to a life of misery. Truly, Jesus says in John 15, “You can do nothing apart from me.”
About 20 years ago, I weighed in the mid-300’s and my doctor told me I had severe type 2 diabetes and that my life was at serious risk. I was so bad, I could not be treated by pills at that time. I had to inject insulin 3 times per day. For years I took a whopping 80 units of insulin 3 times per day. This persisted until I had gastric bypass surgery which brought me under some control. Now I take only 4 tablets per day of a drug called Metformin.
Now…..here’s the deal with diabetes. You take your insulin 3 times per day “apart from that you can do nothing”. Disciplined medical intervention by way of insulin was my only way to survive. If I took three days worth at one time, it would kill me. If I took a week of vacation from insulin I was at risk of blindness, kidney failure, stroke, amputations or even sudden death from a diabetic coma.
Our relationship with Jesus is very akin to what I learned about Insulin for diabetes. IT’S A DO OR DIE PROPOSITION. Jesus says apart from him we can do nothing. Therefore, being in an intimate infilling relationship with Jesus day in, day out, hour by hour, week by week and month by month and year by year IS THE ONLY MEANS TO ACHIEVE A FRUITFUL LIFE.
Let’s be careful not to judge our lives on our good works. Let’s remain IN JESUS, WITH JESUS and FOR JESUS in all we do. This is the Gospel. We cannot save ourselves. Only Jesus can save us and stave off the debilitating advance of sin in our lives. Thanks be to God that we have such a great savior who actually offers to equip and empower us to BEAR MUCH FRUIT.
Steady on, friends. Yet, always with a knee bent in devotion and eyes and ears open in a living relationship with the one who loves us most and best: Jesus.