#DailyDevotion You Abide In Christ By Abiding In Church, And He Will Bear Fruit Though You.

Saturday Easter 5

John 15:1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch of mine that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.”

On the one hand this might be quite terrifying. What if I don’t bear any fruit? Who wants to be taken away and cast into the fire? Well while this might be a warning, it need not be terrifying if you abide in Christ.

First, you are clean because of Jesus’ word, his word of forgiveness, in baptism, in sermons and the like. Through the word of Christ, you are incorporated into Christ. You are made vines in Christ the true vine. Now true, if you bear no fruit you will be cast off. This is not because you earn your spot in Christ by bearing fruit. It is because you have separated yourself from the life of Christ by separating yourself from the word he speaks.

But if you continue in the word Christ speaks, then you will bear fruit. Now if you bear fruit the Father will prune you. Pruning is not fun when it is happening. The pruning in your life is the suffering, trials and tribulations of our life in Christ. In Hebrews it is written the Father disciplines those he loves. No discipline is pleasant when we are going through it. But it will produce in us a harvest of righteousness. Peter tells us the suffering we undergo purifies our faith. Paul tells us it produces endurance, character and hope and ultimately helps us to bear the weight of eternal glory.

So we will bear fruit and the Father will prune us to bear more fruit. This will happen when we abide in Christ Jesus. How do we abide in Christ? Despite the view of ‘spiritual’ people, we go to Church. We gather together to hear Christ’s word in the absolution, the lessons and the sermon. We receive Christ in his body and blood in the sacrament. We study it together in bible studies. We meditate upon it during the week. As we abide in his word, we abide in him and he will bear fruit in us. It happens because we are joined to him, listen to him and trust him. If you do these things you need not fear that the Spirit will not bear fruit in you. How would he not? So stay with Christ in his body the Church and receive his life through his word and you will bear much fruit.

Heavenly Father, ever make present the word of your Son Christ Jesus, that we may hear it, be converted and abide in it and bear the fruit that you are looking for. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.