Taken from a sermon by Bryant Wright, Founder, RFTH

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in me.“
John 15:4

Have you ever wandered through a vineyard?

Picture the lush rows of vines, each one carefully tended by a gardener. In John 15, Jesus uses this imagery to teach us about our relationship with Him. He says, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.”

Think about that for a moment. Jesus is the source of our spiritual life, just like the vine gives life to its branches. Without Him, we can do nothing. But here’s the beautiful part: when we abide in Him and stay connected to Him like branches to a vine, we bear fruit.

What kind of fruit? Spiritual fruit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Abiding in Christ means staying close to Him through prayer, reading His Word, and being active in His church. It means trusting and obeying His commands, knowing He is the source of all good things in our lives. It means sharing our faith when the Holy Spirit presents an opportunity. It means managing His financial resources and trusting in Him versus our money. As we abide in Him, we experience His love and joy in ways we never thought possible.

So, are you bearing fruit? Is the fruit of God’s Spirit within you? Are you abiding in Christ, staying connected to the true vine? If not, today is the perfect day to say, “Forgive me and change me. Fill me with Your spirit to be more like Jesus.”

Trust and obey Him, and watch Him transform your life, producing a harvest of spiritual fruit that brings glory to God.

DIG DEEPER
Read “Bearing Fruit – Leading Others to Christ” also by Bryant Wright