Know, Grow, Show. Reflections From John 15Намуна

  

DAY 2 – THE TRUE VINE 

VERSE 1 - “I am the true vine”. 

This opening statement in John 15 hits the bull’s-eye.  Jesus opens with “I AM”. Jesus made some great “I AM” declarations during his three and a half years of ministry. This was the last one. To name a few: I am the door, I am the way, the truth the life, I am the resurrection and the life, I am the good shepherd, I am the light of the world, I am the bread of life, etc. Now he says, I am the true vine.

Why did He leave this “I am” for the last? I believe because this is the most important of them all. Our faith, fruitfulness, and fellowship with one another hinges on this truth that He is the true vine. I am led to ponder on this “I am” some more. 

1. Is he enough? 

Will I be satisfied with only knowing Jesus and enjoying sweet communion with Him? Can I be happy to just abide in Him and allow His presence to envelope, surround and linger around Him? Can you?  In addition, Jesus knew that they would be tempted to run away and go back to their old life once he was crucified. He was reminding them that what they experienced with Him in the last three years was the real deal. He is the true Messiah.

2. Who am I?

When I know Jesus like this, I also realize who I am. I am a part of Him. I am grafted into his being, his family. I get my identity from being a part of the vine. I know who I am because I know who I belong to. My identity will not be confused or weak but strong, secure and thriving. This identity is vital because my whole life is lived from it.

3. Other vines

It means there are many vines that I could be a part of. However, the only true vine is Jesus. Am I in the true vine? Do I belong to Jesus? Does the life flow from out of him or from some other source? Have I made Him the center of my life, my Lord, my Savior? Jesus is inviting us to come and remain in Him.

Now he is saying I am the true vine 

As Christians, we need to remind ourselves that our union with Christ is something special we enjoy. It was not always so. We were not connected to the TRUE VINE. 

There was a time we were enemies with God, hostile to his ways, outside His kingdom. Then a miracle happened! We heard the life-giving words of the gospel and in his great mercy and loving-kindness, we were drawn to repentance. We made a confession of faith in Jesus and we were born again. From that moment on, we were made New Creations in Christ; we were transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. We were given a new identity and a new community.

Note it says we were transferred from one Kingdom into another, not one church into another. The church is a part of the kingdom of God. The day we were born again, we became full-time ambassadors of Christ. There is no divide between the sacred and secular. Therefore, once we are born again, we are in Christ, in His Kingdom though still in this world. We have been grafted into the true vine that is Jesus.