The King’s Friends [Behold your King 07]

John 15: 1-11 // Andrew Jones

Jesus gave us an object lesson two thousand years ago. Christians must grow. Jesus understands the stakes of our growth better than we do. It’s actually the whole reason he came in the first place. He did not just come to die and forgive our sins, it was his means of transforming us through redeeming growth into a new people called the church. The key to growth is remaining or abiding , depending, on Jesus. The fruit he is looking for is a growing dependence on him for all things. It looks like asking for help from him in every part of our lives. He is not saying, ask for my help with the spiritual stuff. The fruit of dependence grows by depending on him in everything. Allowing ourselves to be completely dependent on God will often feel uncomfortable, like a pruning. It may not feel good, but it is necessary to grow. Growing is not a test to prove we deserve joy. Growing in him is joy. He wants so desperately for his joy to be our joy that he will not only endure the cross, rescue us from death, but help us grow into life.