Abide
John 15: 5
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. - Jesus Christ
We are lifeless and dead branches without being connected to the true vine.
Why do we need the true vine? Our brokenness and wrongful actions in our lives would leave us dead and rotting if not for Jesus’ power as our source of life and growth.
Who is the vine? Jesus is the true vine, we are the branches, and we bear fruit of compassion, love, mercy, and kindness (and many others) when we abide in Him. Abiding meaning living a life with Jesus – connected to His grace through reading the Bible/Word, daily praying to Jesus in gratitude for your life, being silent in nature before God, remembering God holds your identity through baptism as His daughter or son, and receiving a word of forgiveness from another Christian.
This school year we will ABIDE in God’s Word through these topics to see what encouragement and instruction God has for each of us: presence, connectivity, silence, reliance, justice, giving love, community, unity, loss, calling, sacrifice, boldness, conflict, doubt, humility, glory, forgiveness, identity, rest, peace, hope, purpose, leadership, joy, worship, worthiness, heartbreak, gratitude, warfare, and followership.
We also have an ABIDE initiative that seeks to promote the values access, belonging, inclusion, diversity, and equity throughout our campus while focusing on the University’s strategic objective to close equity gaps that exist among our student body, faculty, and staff.
Jesus will abide with you. Jesus remains and lives to be connected to you.
Will you abide with Him? It’s not too late.
Jesus will receive you with his abiding grace and love.
Abide
John 15:1-11
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5 “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. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
THREE Q’s TO ASK AFTER READING THIS THEME TEXT FROM JOHN 15
- What is Jesus teaching you through this passage in His Word?
- What can you ask the Holy Spirit to help you do to apply it to your life?
- How can this group help you in that application and action?
DAILY ABIDE REFLECTION QUESTIONS
Let’s Join Jesus on His Mission wherever we go and whomever we are with!
- WATCH: How did you see God at work in your life this week?
- WORD: What has God been teaching you in His Word?
- TALK: What kind of conversations are you having with pre-Christians?
- SERVE: What good can we do at Concordia and beyond?
- PRAY: How can we help you in prayer?
Interested in strengthening your sense of community and deepening your faith?
Explore the various meeting times for our Grow Groups throughout the week. No need to RSVP, just come along!
Explore Grow Groups