3 Day Bible Reading Plan - “Remaining in Christ”
1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. –John 15:1–8
Day 1
Featured Verse: John 15:1–3
What does Jesus mean by calling Himself “the true vine,” especially in light of Old Testament imagery where Israel is often depicted as a vineyard or vine that failed to bear good fruit? How does this shape our understanding of Christ’s identity and role?
In what ways might the “pruning” process described here reflect God’s work in a believer’s life, and why might pruning be necessary for greater spiritual fruitfulness, even when it feels painful or counterintuitive?
How do we reconcile the idea of branches “in me” that do not bear fruit and are taken away with other biblical teachings on the security and perseverance of true believers?
Pause and Reflect: As you reflect on Jesus describing Himself as the true vine and you as a branch connected to Him, where in your life right now do you sense the Father’s gentle pruning, perhaps through difficulties, convictions, or the removal of things you’ve relied on, and how are you responding to His loving work to make you bear more fruit?
“When he calls himself the true vine the meaning is, I am truly the vine, and therefore men toil to no purpose in seeking strength anywhere else, for from none will useful fruit proceed but from the branches which shall be produced by me. Hence it follows, that the nature of man is unfruitful and destitute of everything good; because no man has the nature of a vine, till he be implanted in him. But this is given to the elect alone by special grace.” - John Calvin
Day 2
Featured Verse: John 15:4–6
Why does Jesus emphasize that a branch “cannot bear fruit by itself” unless it abides in the vine, and what does this teach about the source of all true spiritual fruitfulness and the impossibility of genuine Christian productivity apart from vital connection to Him?
How should the stark declaration “apart from me you can do nothing” shape our understanding of human ability, self-sufficiency, and dependence in the Christian life?
In what ways does the promise that the one who abides in Christ “bears much fruit” connect to the purpose of the Christian life, and how might this challenge common misconceptions about success or effectiveness in ministry?
Pause and Reflect: What specific distractions, habits, or self-reliant efforts in your daily life right now might be hindering your moment-by-moment dependence on Him, and how could you intentionally draw fresh life from Christ today so that His fruit would flow more freely through you?
“Let us realize that we can only fulfill our calling to bear much fruit by praying much. In Christ are hidden all the treasures that the people around us need. In Him, all God's children are blessed with all spiritual blessings. He is full of grace and truth. But, prayer, much prayer, strong believing prayer, is needed to bring about these blessings. And let us equally remember that we cannot appropriate the promise without first living a life given up for men. Many try to take the promise and then look around for what they can ask. This is not the way, but the very opposite. Get the heart burdened with the need of souls, and the command and power to save them will come to claim the promise.” - Andrew Murray
Day 3
Featured Verse: John 15:7–8
How does Jesus’ promise that “if you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” relate to the deeper reality of abiding, and why is the indwelling of Christ’s words a crucial condition for effective prayer?
What safeguards are built into this promise about answered prayer that prevent it from being misused as a formula for personal desire or self-centered requests?
Jesus states that bearing much fruit is the evidence that proves one is truly His disciple. What distinguishes genuine, God-glorifying fruit from religious activity or moral effort that might appear fruitful but lacks this vital connection to Christ?
Pause and Reflect: What desires or requests are rising in your heart right now, and how can you honestly examine whether they flow from a life so saturated with Christ’s words that your will is increasingly aligned with His, so that your prayers truly glorify the Father through the fruit they produce?
“Here is the secret of prevailing prayer. It is not every man who chooses to pray, who shall have whatever he asks of God; but the successful pleader is the man who abides in Christ, and in whom Christ’s words abide.” - Charles Spurgeon
