He Calls You Friend | Farm Sunday Devotional

You can tell a guest from a friend by what happens in the kitchen.

Company waits to be handed a cup of coffee. A friend opens the right cabinet on the first try, pours her own, and tells you you’re out of creamer. Nobody announces when that shift happens. One day you just notice somebody getting their own glass down, and you realize they quit being a guest a long time ago.

In John 15, Jesus tells His disciples exactly where they stand with Him. He doesn’t leave them guessing.

No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends.

John 15:15

A servant gets instructions. A friend gets let in on what’s really going on.

John 15:1-17

The Vine, the Vinedresser, and the Branches

In John 15:1-17, Jesus uses a beautiful agricultural metaphor to describe a flourishing, spiritual relationship with God.

Many books and book chapters have been written about these verses, and no short devotional can fully describe the in-depth details and spiritual meanings of this passage. But there are some incredible spiritual nuggets we can glean from it, and we pray they touch your heart and your life.

First, Jesus describes our unique relationship trio this way: He is the vine, His Father, God, is the farmer and vinedresser, and we are the branches.

As branches, we are fully dependent on the vine, Jesus Christ, for all of our spiritual needs. He is our only and true source of life. We cannot spiritually exist without Him.

Our spiritual nourishment, enrichment, and fulfillment come from the Word Jesus has spoken to us. That Word is Scripture. In John 6, Jesus tells us, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” As believers and followers of Jesus Christ, we live on every Word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.

I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

John 15:5

What John 15:1-17 Means by “Abide”

Second, Jesus repeatedly tells us to abide in Him. The word “abide” means to make your home in and remain. As believers, we live, move, and have our being in Jesus Christ. Abiding in Him means we place Him, His Word, and His Spirit at the very center of our lives.

What Changes When You Abide

And when we abide in Christ, something different happens in us. Those who abide and make their home in Christ:

• Bear spiritual fruit. Not just some fruit, but a lot of fruit. Jesus says we bear “much” fruit. Fruit that lasts. Fruit of the Spirit. Fruit of love, peace, goodness, kindness, service, and good works.
• Become something from nothing. Jesus says that without Him, we can do nothing. Joined to Him and abiding in Him, we can do all things through Him who strengthens us.
• Find that their prayer life changes. Jesus says if we abide in Him, we will ask what we desire and it shall be done for us. By this, God the Father is glorified.
• Experience complete and total joy. Joy that remains and lasts. Joy that is wholly mature, that satisfies and fulfills us.
• Deeply love others, even to the point of sacrifice. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for their friends.
• Finally, know a different, more intimate, and organically dynamic relationship with God. Jesus said He will no longer call us servants, because servants don’t know what the Master is doing. Instead, He calls us friends. “I’ve named you friends because I’ve let you in on everything I’ve heard from our Father in Heaven.” Friends of Jesus Christ are chosen and appointed, called to bear fruit that lasts and won’t spoil or rot. And as fruit bearers, whatever we ask the Father in relation to Jesus Christ, He gives us.

Make Your Home in Him

If this one speaks to you, our earlier devotional on Abide in Me sits on the same vine, and you can browse the whole collection at the Farm Sunday hub.

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Have a BombDiggity Farm Sunday, friends!