John 15:1-4
Find a place and time free of distractions for the next 7-10 minutes. Sit comfortably and breathe deeply for a few seconds before you begin. If you haven’t read the Introduction to John’s Gospel, read it here.
Read John 15:1-4 picturing the grapevine as Jesus describes it.
Throughout John’s Gospel Jesus reveals his identity through a series of “I am…” declarations (John 6:35; 8:12; 10:9; 11:25-26; 14:6), and now we come to the final declaration, “I am the true grapevine.” Often in the Old Testament, the people of God are depicted as either a vineyard or a grapevine (e.g., Isaiah 5:1-7, Jeremiah 2:21, Psalm 80:14). We have already seen that Jesus came to gather God’s community – the lost sheep of Israel. Now Jesus, the perfect Israelite, lays out a powerful metaphor for the new community that will be birthed and sustained through belief in him. Jesus is the true grapevine, and the members of his new community are the branches.
Stop to contemplate the image of Jesus as the true grapevine who gives life and fruitfulness to the branches. Share any thoughts or feelings that arise with Jesus.
Read John 15:1-4 again stopping after each sentence to let it sink in.
Beginning in the Upper Room, Jesus has been preparing his closest followers for his departure through words and example. He has cleansed the dirt from their feet, given them a new commandment and assured them of his continued presence by way of his coming Holy Spirit. Now he describes how his new community will be able to live and operate in the world going forward. “Remain in me, and I will remain in you.”
Remaining in Jesus is not a passive activity. It involves purposeful awareness of his presence and purposeful yielding to the direction of his Spirit.
Take the last few moments of this meditation to become aware of Jesus’ presence with you and examine your relationship to the true vine. You can use the following questions if you wish:
• In the past twenty-four hours, how have you remained in Jesus?
• How have you drifted from him?
• What circumstances or signals reminded you of his presence with you?
• What circumstances distracted you from the awareness of his presence?
• How have you yielded to the direction of the Holy Spirit over the last few days?
What is Jesus prompting you to do, or do differently, today?
How will you yield to him in this?
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The Everyday Jesus Follower’s Guide ebook can help you learn how to recognize God's voice, how to read and understand the Bible, how to develop deep spiritual friendships, and how to become the person you were meant to be. Use it alone, with a friend or in a small group.
