“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” — John 15:5
“Remain in me and I in you.”
Continue. Dwell. Abide. Endure. Stay.
This is what Jesus tells his disciples, “keep on being with me.” Only here’s the rub, Jesus says this right as he’s about to leave for good. That same night, a few short hours later, he leaves his disciples, and everything changes forever. He won’t dwell among them or stay with them or continue as he was before. Yet, into his imminent physical absence, he says, “Remain in me and I in you.” And his message is the same to us, his future followers: stay.
But how? How do we remain in Jesus when he’s absent?
Is it some ethereal awareness of him? Or maybe it’s a feeling we can strive to experience? Or maybe it’s more symbolic, like how we might say that a loved one lives on in our hearts? And how exactly do we remain in him and he in us? In. Not with. What can that mean? If anything at all depends on this, and it seems to—Jesus says we can’t do anything unless we stay in him and he in us—then we need to figure out what this mysterious language can mean. Thankfully, Jesus is quite clear on what it looks like for him to be in us and us to be in him.
Jesus In Us
In Jesus’s farewell address to his disciples (John 13-17), he repeatedly reassures his disciples that though he’s going away, he is in no way abandoning them. In fact, his involvement in their lives (and that of all of his followers) will only expand and deepen. He’s sending his Holy Spirit not just to live with them, but in them—and this is far better (John 16:7). More than that, because of the mutual indwelling of the Father, Son and Spirit—the fullness of God dwells in every believer (see John 14:23 and this article). This is no mere ethereal, emotional, or symbolic experience, but a spiritual reality.
But if the Holy Spirit dwells in every believer, then why would Jesus say that we’re supposed to allow him to remain in us? Isn’t he already there? Yes, the Holy Spirit lives in us, guiding and enlightening us. But we can grieve him (Ephesians 4:30). We can ignore him. We can go our own way. We can still sin. To remain in him is to intentionally and actively walk in step with him, listening to him and following his leading (see Galatians 5:13-26 for more on this) .
Us In Jesus
Jesus also tells us to remain in him. Though at first glance this seems an odd word choice. Jesus makes it pretty clear what he means. Remaining in him is receiving life and love from him as we dwell in his Word and live it out in our lives (John 15:7, 10). In Jesus’s vine example (and in real life), only branches that remain attached to the life-giving vine can bear fruit. In the same way, we must be attached to our life-giving source, Jesus. We can do nothing apart from him. But when we dwell in his Word and allow the Spirit to illuminate it and follow him, we find that our lives look fruitful and abundant, to the praise of God, by his power at work in us.
This Is Life
This is what we want, isn’t it?! God with us. God in us! Giving us life and joy and peace and purpose. This is what Jesus offers any and all who would attach themselves to him, remaining in him and he in them. This is for me and for you and for any who would receive it.
But there’s a warning for those who do not.
I would be neglecting the fullness of this passage if I didn’t finally mention what Jesus also says about the unattached branches. Know that I tread lightly and with great sadness because I know so many who have not attached themselves to Jesus. Just as unattached branches in nature die and are destroyed, so it is with those who don’t receive life from Jesus. And in light of this I can only pray.
Dear Jesus,
You are the vine. You are the life. You are way. I pray for the person who doesn't yet know these things, who hasn’t experienced you—your love, your forgiveness, your healing, your peace, your joy. May today be the day. Help them take that first step towards you. And when they do, I don’t have to ask you to run out to meet them. I know you will embrace them and hold them and fill them to overflowing with your love and with yourself. O let today be the day. And if there is any way I can participate, show me.
Amen.
