Small Group Lesson Plan for May 13th: John 15:1-8
The True Vine and Branches – John 15:1-8
In the first part of John 15, we will discover what Christ is teaching his disciples about the true source of the fruits of the spirit, spending time abiding or dwelling in his presence:
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself,
unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.”
John 15:4
The Greek word uevw (meno/men’-o) is a verb that the author of John describes an action to remain, stay, continue, dwell, endure or persist in a state or condition. It implies stability, permanence, not departing. (source: www.blueletterbible.org)
The concept of abiding is the core thesis that Christ is trying to covey to his disciples as his time with them comes to an end. He is trying to teach them that He is the source of spiritual fruitfulness.
If the objective of living this earthly life is to be Christlike, then the strategy should be spending as much time as possible abiding in his presence. Our tactics would be intentional, dedicated time alone with our Creator, spending time praying, reading and reflecting on scripture. The outcome will eventually be fruits of the spirit as we become supernaturally transformed by the Holy Spirit.
If we can agree that the Lord is the source of our spiritual fruitfulness, the we can make a correlation of what our lives would look like if we do not abide in his presence by assuming that if we do not spend time abiding in his presence, our lives would be spiritually dry, dead, not thriving, and fruitless.
“I am the vine, you are the branches. If you remain (abide) in me and in in you,
you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
John 15:5
Jesus clearly demonstrates that our fruitfulness comes from Him, and apart from Him we can’t do anything fruitful. (In relation to the term fruitful, refer to the fruits of the spirit listed here in Galatians 5:22)
I can speak from this on a personal level because I have been in seasons of fruitfulness and seasons of fruitlessness. As I reflect on the times that were fruitless, I can identify a common theme of trying to do things “my way” or just trying to do it on my own, not putting my abiding routine before my daily to do list.
When I reflect on the time of my life that have been the most fruitful, it has been correlated with spending time reading God’s word, journaling, meditating on his Word and spending time praying and reflecting. This creates depth in my relationship with the Lord and gives me the fruit that I cannot produce on my own, regardless of how hard I may try.
As we unpack the rest of John 15, keep this thought in the forefront of your mind: abiding in Christ is the secret of living a fruitful life.
“If you do not remain (abide) in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.”
John 15:6
Jesus warns his disciples here that if we do not abide in Him, our lives will be the equivalent of a dead branch. No leaves, no fruit, no chance of coming back to life. What is there to do with dead branches but to toss them into the fire to be burned?
Kinda heavy stuff when we stop and think about it.
But Jesus doesn’t stop here on a warning of dire consequences. He ends this first part on a hopeful promise:
“If you remain (abide) in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”
John 15:7-8
So Jesus gives us hope and a promise that if we show up to spend time abiding in His presence, he will meet us there and through his words (the Bible) he will dwell in us through his Holy Spirit. As we abide and are filled with his Holy Spirit, that becomes the lifeblood that produces the good fruit in us.
Remember that our objective on this earth is to live a Christlike life. Our strategy is to abide in his presence. Our tactics are reading, praying, journaling, and listening…daily. Just like a vine receives nutrients that support growth from its roots, abiding is our source of fruitfulness.
Follow up reflections:
1. What (if any) hinderance keep you from abiding in the Lord’s presence on a daily basis?
2. Have you recognized “seasons” of life that seemed to be more or less fruitful than others? If so, was there an underlying factor or common denominator?
3. What, if any, tactic is the easiest/hardest for you to accomplish daily? Consider adding the following tactics to your abiding routine:
a. Journaling
b. Quiet time/listening
c. Structured prayer time
d. Studying scripture