John 15:1-17 ~ abide in His love

Botanically very improbable - St. Rita's 600 year old grapevine still producing wine sent to the Vatican. The vine was thought to be a dead stick and cared for by St. Rita (b. May 22, 1382) in Umbria, Italy.

John 15:1-17

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. ² Every branch in me 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.

⁵ I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. ⁷ If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

⁸ By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. ⁹ As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. ¹⁰ If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. ¹¹ These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

¹² “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. ¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command you. ¹⁵ No longer do I call you servants,^{[bondservant]} for the servant^{[bondservant]} does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.

¹⁶ You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. ¹⁷ These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

Abiding in love, the Scriptures tell us will produce benefits the Scriptures call fruit. Not gifts, but fruit - waiting in gentle seasons of rain and soft temperatures. Resting in seasons of longer nights and colder temperatures. Blooming in warmer temperatures and days of beautiful weather. Growing in warm temperature, looking for provision of water and care - in the most necessary season.

Fruit can just happen .... in long forgotten gardens and in the wild - it still is a gift of God. Truly an abundance of this godly blessing needs some constant care and willing hands. Even with willing hands, we still need the provision of weather safety and good weather. Even an analogy of fruit requires the blessing of events from God. And this has a warm, reassuring feel to it. Jesus' analogy works for us today as it did in the days Jesus walked among us being God's blessings of grace upon grace and truth.

Genesis 1:12
The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

As a gardener, the idea of God Himself having gratitude is something I can very much appreciate. How can we do less than to be cultivators of gratitude. Realizing our lives are gifts.

Genesis 3:8
And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day

Revelations tells us God's plan, from beginning to end.

Revelation 21:3
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God."

Acts 17:28
For “‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, “‘For we are indeed his offspring.’


Psalm 23:6
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.


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