I don't believe John 15 is a chapter about prayer. This "abiding" life imagery that Christ paints for us through the vine/branch illustration speaks to more than prayer. While spending time in Gods presence, worshiping Him and adoring Him is vital to the vine life, it is only one part of a greater truth. In this analogy, prayer is the lesser truth.
Abiding speaks of the full work of grace performed by God through Christ. It is the place of rest and the yoke that Jesus called us to in Matthew 11:28-29
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
A yoke is an object that binds two animals together. It creates a vital union between the two. We shouldn’t be concerned where or not Christ can pull His own weight. He is able to pull both His weight and ours. His yoke is easy and His burden is light.
Jesus said “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.” John 15:4 To abide in Him means to find rest in Him. When a branch in being grafted into a vine it must remain totally still. The graft will not take if there is constant movement within the branch. For this reason a branch must be bound to the vine. The secret to a fruitful life is rest! Rest leads to sleep. Jesus often referred to the dead as only being asleep.
“Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.” John 11:11
Allow your self to “sleep” and find rest in Christ. When the old nature begins to rise up within you, instead of yielding to that thought, attitude or behavior- sleep. The old man is dead; He has been put to death at the cross. When we continue to “die daily” this is true abiding. Abiding is refusing to come out of the death of Christ. It is denying sin and self-everyday. When you learn to abide, you will bear much fruit.
7 comments:
thanks, Pst, for pointing out that we are to enter into that rest. This is the life of the Christian, to abide in the vine and to simply refuse to come out of that "sleep". I never heard it said that way! Thank God for His Mercy, which didn't give us what we deserved, in order to recieve His Grace, that which we didn't deserve. LoL, TR
Abiding is to be totally dependent on Him.
We are either self sufficient or totally dependent on Him, that's why there's rest. Human effort without divine enablement is fruitless and frustrating.
When we abide, we're totally dependent, there's rest and when we're resting what happens? we sleep. Why? because we have no worry knowing He is in total control.
Mc
Hey TR,
Thanks for commenting. That is so true. Let's "refuse to come out of that sleep". At least let's not pull ourselves out of it. I believe that God raises us up, just as he did Lazarus. But On His day and in His way. What a glorious life we have been called to. We can rest in Him!
-PST
Mc,
So, true. When we abide we are totally dependent on Him. This is true faith. We will not rest (die to self and self effort) unless we believe that He will protect, defend and redeem us in whatever situation we are in. Thanks for the comments.
-PST
But if anyone obeys his word God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him. Whoever claims to be in him must walk as Jesus walked. I john 2:5-6
Abiding is a position of all true believers, it is synonymous with "knowing him".
We know him, trust him and we totally dependent on him.
That is why we have rest. TYJesus.
Mc
"Abide in me, and I in you, are the words that I hold close to my heart. If we are totally dependent on Christ, he will give us rest. I am hidden in Christ, I trust in, rely on, and belive in his Holy name!!
Amen, I hold them close too.
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