John 15:9 “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. 10 When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. 11 I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! 12 This is my commandment: Love each other like I have loved you.It is fair to say that the greate...  Read More

John 15:7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! 8 When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.How do you bring glory to the Father? How does the work you do in the vineyard, the things you do that bear fruit, show the world who God is? What does the fruit you bear look like, ca...  Read More

John 15:5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. This remaining will produce much fruit in you. The next statement is important; “apart from me you can do nothing.”What does this mean? Is it true that we can do nothing of significance without Christ? That may be a strong statement, too strong....  Read More

John 15:4. . . Remain in me. . .We should talk just about this text today. It is just a little part of a much greater whole, but it makes sense to linger here.While working on my doctoral thesis, I spent much time thinking, studying, and exegeting the idea of the Trinity as a model for community. This one phrase stuck in my mind above all the other phrases: “Mutual Abiding.”The more I studied it, ...  Read More

John 15:3 You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.So the pruning did not take the branch away, rather, it purified it and made it able to produce good fruit. If you are like me, for many years I found this ...  Read More

John 15:1“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.Have you ever hung out in a vineyard? Weirdly, I have. I spent one year in the Napa Valley attending Pacific Union College. It was a great year. I had a great time, and I was able to hang out wi...  Read More