Abiding in Jesus

“A man off of the vine is a man who does nothing of eternal significance. A man on the vine is a man who walks in eternal significance everywhere.”

The Art of Abiding and Producing Fruit

We were created to lead fruitful lives, to be supernaturally productive while keeping the balance of being at rest. Scripture gives us a picture of this with Adam and Eve and again with Jesus. In Genesis 1:26-31 we read:


Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, after our likeness, so they may rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move on the earth.” God created humankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them, male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply! Fill the earth and subdue it! Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that moves on the ground.” Then God said, “I now give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the entire earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the animals of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to all the creatures that move on the ground – everything that has the breath of life in it – I give every green plant for food.” It was so. God saw all that he had made – and it was very good! There was evening, and there was morning, the sixth day.


We see the Lord had created all things through day six, and on day seven He rested. If man was created on the sixth day, what would man have done on the seventh? You guessed it, he would have been "resting" with God. Man’s first day was God’s seventh.


Let’s look at John 15:1-17:


“I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener. He takes away every branch that does not bear fruit in me. He prunes every branch that bears fruit so that it will bear more fruit. You are clean already because of the word that I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me.


“I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me — and I in him — bears much fruit, because apart from me you can accomplish nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown out like a branch, and dries up; and such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, and are burned up. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you. My Father is honored by this, that you bear much fruit and show that you are my disciples. “Just as the Father has loved me, I have also loved you; remain in my love. If you obey my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be complete.


My commandment is this—to love one another just as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this—that one lays down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because the slave does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because I have revealed to you everything I heard from my Father. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that remains, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you. This I command you—to love one another.

Putting it Together

We want a life that produces fruit. Jesus tells us clearly that we cannot produce fruit unless we abide. Jesus says that out of our abiding, we will produce much fruit, so this becomes a rhythm for life. Mike Breen captured this idea of work and rest in his book “Building A Discipling Culture” with the picture of a swinging pendulum.

Apart From Me, You Can Accomplish Nothing

If we choose to continue a life with little-to-no abiding, then we get exactly what Jesus said—nothing. On the surface it may appear like you have accomplished something, but the Lord is clear that it is simply work that will be burnt in the fire.


We find true freedom in abiding. Jesus says "Come to me and I will give you rest," and again, "I am the fount of living water, whoever comes to me will never thirst again". This is what He offers when we abide with Him. Why would we not want this? If you are frustrated, weak, and weary, go drink from the Living Water before you continue on your journey.

Learning to Abide

Learning to abide can be a difficult task, especially when there is so much work to do. How can one achieve more by deliberately taking time away to seek the face of the Lord? As we understand John 15 more, the question really becomes, "How could we afford not to?"


What does this rhythm look like for you on a daily, weekly and monthly basis? Everyone has a different style, and that’s okay, but practicing it is imperative if you wish to see an abundance of fruit.


Some great examples to study are in Mark 1:35-39 for daily rest, and in Mark 6:30-32 where the disciples rest in the midst of a revival.

Practical Tip

If your disciples seem to struggle with abiding or it is not priority for them, they may not have enough pillars of faith in their lives to understand. They haven’t learned yet that the Word produces results when applied. The remedy to this is to simply do it with them.


Pull out the chairs and sit in the backyard. As they sit there ask them to write down whatever they think the Lord might be saying to them in the Word or in nature. Then simply process it with them.