Jesus is the vine... so we grow in His love

Hello Bridge family! I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! This past week, we explored Jesus’ teaching in the book of John, where He describes Himself as “the true grapevine.” Not only is this the final “I am” statement in John, but it also serves as an ideal example of how we should live out our faith (of course, it’s perfect—because it’s from Jesus).

Jesus says in John 15:5: “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” We understand that we are called to obey God, but Jesus shows that it’s impossible without Him. One definition of ‘Remain’ is to “live in one place day by day.” I find that meaningful, don’t you? But how can we do that? How do we bear “good fruit?”
Remember and share this with your kids: Jesus sent a helper, an advocate, and a counselor—His Spirit, the Holy Spirit! Our reliance on remaining in Christ depends entirely on the Holy Spirit, who alone can produce good fruit. It is His work, not ours. The more you talk about what the Holy Spirit does for them and how He changes them, the more they will believe in His sufficiency. As they rely on the Holy Spirit and grow in their love for Him, the fruit of the Spirit will become more evident in their lives. Here are three things I have found that teach about the Holy Spirit, which you could share with your kids to strengthen their walk.

1. The Holy Spirit helps us to trust in God.
God doesn’t change and always loves us. He keeps His promises to be with us, empowering us to obey, and bringing us to His perfect home. The Holy Spirit reminds us to trust God in everything.

2. The Holy Spirit helps us to grow closer in our friendship with God.
Remaining in Jesus helps our friendship with God grow. We learn about friends by spending time with them; we do the same with God by reading the Bible and praying. The Bible teaches about God and how He wants us to live. The Holy Spirit gives us the desire to learn from the Bible and pray. When talking to God, remember we can share anything; He is ready to help.

3. The Holy Spirit helps us change so that we are more like Jesus.
Because the Holy Spirit is in us, we have new life in Christ, which means we start to live differently and grow good fruit for God. He will help us to obey and be kind. We can’t forgive others, speak God’s truth, or take care of other people by just trying harder on our own. Instead, we can rely on the Holy Spirit to help us live God’s way out of love for God.

Remember, as long as your child is at home, you have a great chance to share the Bible. Together, explore its stories, discussing how they apply to daily life, and fostering deeper family conversations. This makes faith an exciting and meaningful journey. God bless, and I look forward to seeing your family on Sunday.

Pastor Bob