Chapter 2
Knowing Jesus and abiding in him

The center of being a disciple is knowing Jesus Christ. You are learning to love and trust a real Person. Jesus is Lord, not merely an inspiring teacher. He brings us to the Father, and through the Holy Spirit we enjoy real fellowship with God. Intimacy with him means growing honesty, dependence, love, and attention to his words.

In John 15, Jesus speaks to his disciples on the night before his crucifixion. He describes himself as a vine and his disciples as branches. A branch depends on the vine for life and fruit. Abiding means remaining in Jesus, continuing in trusting fellowship with him. His teaching, love, and commands shape that relationship. It is deeper than trying to maintain a spiritual mood.

You abide as you receive his words, speak with him in prayer, depend on his Spirit, and obey what he teaches. These practices do not produce divine life by their own power. They are ways of responding to the One who gives life. You can read many pages and still avoid him; you can also read slowly and bring your whole heart to a few verses.

The Father tends the branches. Growth sometimes includes correction, loss of a harmful habit, or learning patience in difficulty. Do not assume every painful event is a punishment or claim to know God’s hidden purpose in it. Jesus’ picture teaches dependence and fruitfulness; it does not explain every circumstance of suffering.

Fruit includes a life increasingly marked by love and obedience. Jesus connects abiding with loving others, so closeness to him will affect the people around you. Time with him belongs within ordinary life: a brief prayer before a hard conversation, a remembered passage during temptation, gratitude while doing a chore.