In John 15:1-8, Jesus is referred to as the vine and us, ?believers,? as the branch. A branch stems out of and is nourished by the vine; without the vine, it is nothing. The branch is expected to bear fruit but cannot without the vine. Without depending on the vine, the branch is unable to fulfill its purpose of bearing fruit. YOU, my brother/sister in Christ are the branch that needs to be rooted and embedded in Jesus Christ, the vine and as well the Word of God.
According to the book of John 8:31-32, the key to discipleship is not only knowing the Word but also abiding in the Word; it is a continuous and consistent act. Jesus not only calls us as followers but disciples; those who will learn from him and teach others. Similarly, the CCC hymn 682, ?I hear the call of the Lamb, I hear the call of the Lamb, Jesus commands me to come, I’ll follow Jesus to the end ??, reminds us of our call to discipleship and our commitment to doing the will of God no matter the cost.
As a disciple you are expected to abide in Jesus and to be one with him all the days of your life. You may be asking; how do I abide in him? Submit your heart, mind, soul, and body to him. Though it is not a simple task, it starts with a firm choice to choose Jesus over everything else. Once you have decided to choose Jesus, you can begin to form an intimate relationship with him and the Father. When beginning this relationship which involves speaking to Jesus the Son, and God, the Father it can seem uncomfortable? ?what do I say? How do I talk??
Though God is God, he is also your Father, best friend, and refuge. When you start to view God in this way, it gets easier to talk to Him. In any relationship, both individuals must get to know each other, which naturally and eventually, brings them closer to one another. Thankfully, God already knows all about you but now you must get to know Him. This happens by reading the WORD of GOD. Through the Word you are able to feed the holy spirit that lives in you and walks with you. Abiding in God requires you to maintain a solid relationship with Him on a daily basis. The benefits that one reaps of such a relationship will be discussed next.
As you begin this journey of intimacy and moving closer to God, you?ll witness progress in ways you couldn?t have imagined. Let?s take a look at Acts 8:26-40. As you abide in God, he will be able to lead, direct, and use you to spread the good news to others, which will bring others to true LIFE. You become a vessel for the Lord on earth as Philip was for the eunuch. When Philip undoubtedly abided in God, he was able to hear God?s voice clearly and lead 1 soul to salvation. 1 John 4:7-21 shows us that by abiding in God and becoming his disciple we are able to exemplify his character here on earth. If you truly dwell in him, he will download himself into you.
This segment of the Bible speaks on love and states that if love is seen in you, it is evidence that God abides in you! As you begin this journey, choose actions and thoughts towards others and yourself that resemble love. Every time you do this, you are glorifying and pleasing God. When people see you, they should see God. Love is the foundation of it all, let?s not forget the love God showed us when he sacrificed his only Son so that we have everlasting life.
Psalm 22: 25-31 reminds us that through it all we must not forget to give God the praise He deserves. Abiding in God does not mean life will be smooth and that trials will not come but even when it does, the praise should not stop; the praise should actually increase. It is a reminder to God of your faith in Him and belief that He will see you through it all. The fear of God is the foundation to developing such a character. The fear of God is simply: reverence, respect, honor and complete awe for God, which naturally leads to a loving and voluntary submission to him. Submission to God, founded on love for Him will naturally lead you to praise.
I hope at the end of this you?ve chosen to become a disciple. Take it one day at a time and in the end, I pray you are the branch that bears fruit!
God bless you.