How to Live the Christian Life the Way Jesus Intended: A Deep Dive into John 15
Have you ever bitten into a fresh, juicy watermelon on a hot summer day? That perfect ripeness doesn't happen by accident. That fruit grew because it was connected to a vine, receiving every nutrient it needed throughout the entire growth process.
Jesus tells us that the Christian life works exactly the same way. We aren't called to "produce" results through sheer willpower or religious rule-following. Instead, we are called to abide.
In this guide, based on the teaching of John 15:1-17, we will explore the three essential pillars of living the Christian life exactly as Jesus intended: bearing fruit by abiding, obeying to glorify the Father, and loving the church.
1. Bear Fruit by Abiding in Jesus
The foundation of everything Jesus teaches in John 15 is the concept of abiding. Jesus begins with a powerful declaration: "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine dresser".
The "I Am" Statement
This is the final of seven "I Am" statements made by Jesus in the Gospel of John. By saying this, He is referencing the name of God revealed to Moses in Exodus—"I Am that I Am"—and explicitly claiming His divinity as the Messiah.
Historically, the vine was a symbol for the nation of Israel. The Old Testament frequently refers to Israel as God's vine (Psalm 80:8, Isaiah 5:7, Hosea 10:1). However, Jesus makes a radical shift here. He says He is the True Vine. Being part of God’s family is no longer about ethnic connection to Israel; it is about a spiritual connection to Jesus.
The Network Connection: A Modern Analogy
To understand "abiding," consider the Verizon network outage of January 14th. During that outage, millions of smartphones looked perfectly normal—they were charged, the apps were visible, and the settings seemed correct. Yet, they were useless for their primary purpose because they weren't connected to the network.
As Christians, we can "look" religious. We can speak the right language and follow certain rules, much like the Pharisees. But if we are not connected to the Vine, we cannot do what we were created to do: have a relationship with God. Apart from Jesus, we can do nothing.
The Pruning Process: Cleaning for Growth
Jesus explains that the Father, as the Vine Dresser, has a specific role: He prunes every branch that bears fruit so that it may bear more fruit.
Many Christians fear pruning, imagining it as a painful "ripping away" of things they love. However, the Greek word for "prune" is the same as the word for "clean". Pruning is a cleaning process. God uses His Word to prune us, removing sinful behaviors, entanglements, or even unhealthy relationships that slow us down in our spiritual race. If you are applying God’s Word to your life right now, you are currently in the pruning process.
Bearing vs. Producing
It is vital to notice that Jesus never says the branches produce fruit. Branches bear fruit. The fruit—such as the "fruit of the Spirit" mentioned in Galatians 5—is a natural byproduct of the Holy Spirit working through us because we are connected to the Vine.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Obey and Glorify the Father
The second pillar of the intended Christian life is shifting our focus to the glory of God through obedience and prayer.
The Condition of Answered Prayer
John 15:7 contains one of the most famous promises in the Bible: "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you".
This is not a "blank check" for our selfish desires. It comes with a massive qualifier: "IF." When we are truly abiding in Jesus and His Word is saturating our minds, our desires begin to change. We stop asking for personal gain and start asking for things that align with God’s mission.
What it Means to Pray "In Jesus' Name"
Praying in Jesus' name is more than just a tagline at the end of a prayer. Think of an understudy or a representative. If you go to a meeting to represent your boss, you cannot negotiate for what you want personally; you must represent the boss's interests.
To pray in Jesus' name is to pray for His mission to be accomplished—to pray that we would bear more fruit and that Jesus would be made known to the world. When we pray this way, the Father is glorified by answering those prayers.
The Path to Full Joy
Jesus’ commands are not meant to be a burden. He gives them so that His joy may be in us and that our joy may be "full" (meaning complete, mature, and lacking nothing).
True joy doesn't come from rule-following; it comes from an unbroken fellowship with the Father, the same confidence and purpose-filled obedience that Jesus modeled during His time on earth. Unlike the Pharisees, who were often "mean and grumpy" because they lacked a relationship with God, the abiding Christian lives with a secure sense of love and joy.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Love and Serve the Church
Finally, Jesus transitions from our vertical relationship with Him to our horizontal relationship with other believers: "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you".
Sacrificial Love
We cannot fulfill God’s calling in isolation. We are commanded to love the church not just in words, but in action. This includes:
• Praying for one another.
• Teaching and encouraging one another.
• Sacrificing so that the needs of others are met.
Jesus defines the "greatest love" as laying down one’s life for his friends. He calls us His friends because He has shared the Father’s heart with us, and He proved that friendship by sacrificing Himself for us.
The Strength of the Body
In a healthy church environment, the "body" takes care of itself. If you have 300 other Christians loving, supporting, and serving you, you are freed from worrying about your own needs. This freedom allows you to focus entirely on serving others. When the entire body is taken care of through this mutual sacrifice, God is glorified and the world sees proof that we are His disciples.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Conclusion: Are You Connected?
Living the Christian life as Jesus intended isn't about working harder; it’s about staying closer.
• Abide: Make your relationship with Jesus the center of your identity.
• Prune: Allow the Word of God to clean your life and remove what hinders you.
• Love: Stop living in isolation and start serving your brothers and sisters in Christ.
When you remain in the Vine, you will naturally bear fruit that lasts, your prayers will align with God’s heart, and your joy will be made full. Apart from Him, you can do nothing—but in Him, you have everything you need.