In or out. Hot or cold. With Jesus or not with Jesus. Abiding or cut off.
God has a lot to say about our relationship with Jesus. God the Father is the one who judges the accuracy of our words when we say we follow Jesus. Following Jesus is more than saying we do. It is more than going to church. Following Jesus is about entering a covenant and intimate relationship with Jesus where we allow Jesus to transform us. HE is Lord!
Jesus spoke about this relationship in John 15.
“”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 be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will 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. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other.” (John 15:1–17, NIV84)
Jesus is the vine. Jesus is the source of life. Jesus is connected to His Father. Jesus establishes His life in all the branches. We are branches. Our life is determined by how connected we are to the vine. God the Father is the gardener. He discerns justly if the branch is truly abiding in the vine. God looks at the fruit. Branches with no fruit are cut off destined for the fire. Branches that have fruit receive the discipline and pruning of God to grow even more.
True followers of Jesus will abide with Jesus. They will remain, tarry, stay in the same place with Jesus. Their abiding is long term. There is nothing else to their life than to follow and live with Jesus.
True followers of Jesus will endure the difficult times. “When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever.” (Proverbs 10:25, NIV84) True followers of Jesus will grow deep roots of faith and integrity. “The righteous will never be uprooted, but the wicked will not remain in the land.” (Proverbs 10:30, NIV84) True followers of Jesus will become a source of light. “The light of the righteous shines brightly, but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out.” (Proverbs 13:9, NIV84) True followers of Jesus impact their regions. “Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed.” (Proverbs 11:11, NIV84)
True followers of Jesus will bear the fruit of Jesus. True followers obey the words of Jesus. Their obedience is heartfelt and true. “”As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.” (John 15:9–10, NIV84) They will grow in love, holiness, righteousness, integrity, and freedom. God desires earnestly that true followers bear fruit and will do everything to empower us to bear fruit. When we bear fruit, the world will see the love of God. “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” (John 15:8, NIV84)
True followers are empowered by God to walk in power and authority. “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.” (John 15:7, NIV84) True followers are empowered to bear fruit that touches nations and generations. “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.” (John 15:16, NIV84)
Then there are the false followers. These are the ones who do not abide with Jesus. They live without the power of God. They live without holiness and love. Their lives do not reflect growing fruit. They are the ones God called wicked. They will be destroyed.
A false follower will pick and choose which parts of the Word of God to obey. For example, a false follower of Jesus may decide that he/she does not want to reconcile an offense with their brother. A false follower does not follow Jesus for the sake of love for Jesus. A false follower follows Jesus because of the benefits of Jesus. Following Jesus only for the sake of personal gain will lead to a manipulative spirit and that too will be cut off. A false follower seeks to use Jesus and not to love Jesus.
I will follow Jesus! I will love Jesus with all my heart. As I do, He will lead me and guide me and empower me to become transformed. His life will grow His fruit in me. And love will testify to the world that Jesus is real.
What do I ask in the name of Jesus? I ask to live a life of obedience and surrender. I ask to live a life of holiness and integrity. I ask to live a life that God can use to transform my nation and my generation. I ask to live a life of power to establish the kingdom of God wherever I am.
