November 10 I Sunday

Jeremiah 48-49

Hebrews 7

“Remain in Me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me.”  —John 15:4

Josh Morrissey is a hockey player who was a part of many championship teams representing Canada. In a radio interview a couple years ago with Morrissey’s father, the DJ asked, “How did you teach your son to be successful and at the same time to be humble?” He responded, “We keep all the hockey gear in the garage at home and every time they go into the garage to get their hockey stuff, I have a sign I wrote up across the wall of the garage that says, ‘When you think you are good, you are done.’” The DJ exclaimed, “Really?” He answers, “Yeah, the moment you think you are good, it is over.”

From that interview, there is a spiritual principle we could gather: “If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Jesus reminds us when we think we can, it is over but when we know we cannot, we can because our dependence is placed on Him. Even though we have abilities, skills and different personalities that enable us to function differently, they are simply mechanisms. We relate everything we do to the Lord Jesus Christ and not to our own abilities. As Paul says, “…put no confidence in the flesh…” (Philippians 3:3). We are utterly dependent on Jesus.

Jesus tells us, “He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful….No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me….If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.…This is to My Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit….You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit––fruit that will last…” (John 15: 2, 4, 5, 8, 16).

Nine times in those verses, Jesus talks about fruit and being fruitful because this allegory is to tell us, “I am the source of your life, the source of your fruitfulness.” We need to realize that all God expects of us is failure because we do not have the ability within ourselves, so He invites us to be in union with Him, abide in Him and live in Him. We can be fruitful in our lives not because of our personality, disposition, gifts and the rest of it, but the fact that Jesus Christ is at work in us.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the reminder that when I think I am good, I am done. You are my life source and only through You can my life bear fruit. Praise You!