Stop and Savor: John 15:5

“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.”

Read this verse three times slowly and let it settle into your mind and heart. What words or phrases stand out to you?

One word that features prominently in John 15:5 is fruit. What does it mean to bear fruit? A familiar passage might come to mind. Galatians 5:22-23 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” So the fruit of these types of character will grow in us when we abide in Christ. 

Close your eyes and picture a grapevine or any fruit tree that is familiar to you. Picture how the parts of the tree are all connected and how it is getting it’s nourishment. Rest with this image, knowing this is how Jesus described our relationship with Him. 

You can look up the word fruit for more information.

Romans 6:22 says, “But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.” 

Ephesians 2:9 says “for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true” so what is good and right and true will grow in us as we abide in Christ. 

Philippians 1:11 adds righteousness to our understanding of what fruit those who abide in Christ bear. It says that Paul prays for believers to be “filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God”.

Colossians 1:10 talks of those who “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work”, so we know that good works are also fruit. 

Lastly Hebrews 13:15 tells us that praise is also a fruit. “Let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name”. 

Spend another minute restfully remaining with Jesus then ask His Holy Spirit to produce fruit in your life.