REMAIN CONNECTED

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will bear even more fruitful. 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.” (John 15:1, 2, 4 NIV).The union between the branch of a vine and the main stem, is the closest that can be conceived. It is the whole secret of the branch’s life, strength, vigor, beauty, and fertility. Separate from the parent stem, it has no life of its own. The sap and juice that flow from the stem are the origin and maintaining power of all its leaves, buds, blossoms, and fruit. Cut off from the stem, it must soon wither and die.The union between Christ and believers is just as close, and just as real as described above. In themselves, Christians have no life, or strength, or spiritual power. All that we have of vital religion comes from Christ. We are what we are, and feel what we feel, and do what we do, because we draw out of Jesus a continual supply of grace, help, and ability. Joined to the Lord by faith, and united in mysterious union with Him by the Spirit, we stand, and walk, and continue, and run the Christian race. But everything good about us is drawn from our spiritual Head, Jesus Christ. The thought before us is both comfortable and instructive. We have no cause to bother ourselves about many things. Instead, we should make sure that we are still connected to Jesus Christ our Saviour and the source of our survival. Our root is Christ, and everything in the root is for the benefit of the branches. Because He lives, we shall live also. Secondly, We are meant to learn, from these verses, that there are false Christians as well as true ones. There are “branches in the vine” which appear to be joined to the parent stem, and yet bear no fruit. “He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit” There are men and women who appear to be members of Christ, and yet will prove finally to have had no vital union with Him. There are myriads of professing Christians in every Church whose union with Christ is only outward and formal. Some of them are joined to Christ by baptism and Church-membership. Some of them go even further than this, and are regular communicants and loud talkers about religion, but they all lack the one thing needful. They are not one with Christ, and Christ in them. Such people’s union with Jesus is only nominal, and not real. They have “a name to live,” but in the sight of God they are dead. Christians of this stamp are aptly represented by branches in a vine which bear no fruit. Useless and unsightly, such branches are only fit to be cut off and burned. They draw nothing out of the parent stem, and make no return for the place they occupy. Just so will it be at the last day with false professors and nominal Christians. Their end, except they repent, will be destruction. They will be separated from the company of true believers, and cast out, as withered, useless branches, into everlasting fire. May this never be our experience in Jesus name. We are meant to learn, thirdly, from these verses, that the fruits of the Spirit are the only satisfactory evidence of a man being a true Christian. The disciple that “abides in Christ,” like a branch abiding in the vine, will always bear fruit. Many today are gifted but are not fruitful. Repentance toward God, faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, holiness of life and conduct, produce in us many good deeds called “fruit.” These are the distinguishing marks of the man who is a living branch of the true Vine. Where these things are lacking, it is vain to talk of possessing dormant grace and spiritual life. Where there is no fruit there is no life. He that lacks these things is “dead while he lives.” Beloved, fruit is that thing that our Master desires to see in us, and He will not spare the pruning knife if He sees we need it. In the last day we shall see that all was well done. Make use of this golden opportunity today, to ask God to help you never to be disconnected from Him. Trust Him, to make you fruitful in all good works so that your generation will glorify God on your behalf.

Have a fruitful week as you remain connected to Him, who is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Your brother, Vicar & Archdeacon

Igein Isemede