Grow Together in Union with Christ

Matthew 4:18–22 and Luke 9:23

From Striving to Abiding: The Power of Growing from Christ

Many of us approach our spiritual lives as if we are on a treadmill. We feel the pressure to run faster, pray harder, and read more, hoping that if we just put in enough effort, we will finally become "good enough" Christians. But as we huff and puff, sweating under the weight of our own expectations, we often realize we haven't actually gone anywhere. We are spiritually winded, exhausted, and yet still standing in the same place.

The profound truth of the Gospel is that Jesus doesn’t stand over our spiritual treadmill shouting, "Run faster!" Instead, He offers a completely different invitation: "Abide in me."

Growing From, Not Toward

We often think of spiritual growth as climbing a ladder to reach a distant God. We treat becoming like Jesus as a goal we must achieve through sheer willpower. But true growth doesn't happen by striving toward Christ; it happens by growing from Christ.

Think of a branch on a grapevine. The branch doesn’t wake up in the morning, grit its teeth, and strain to produce a grape. If the branch is simply attached to the vine, the fruit grows naturally because the life of the vine flows into it. In the same way, the Christian life isn't a self-improvement project; it’s a connection. Your identity as a "branch" comes before your output as a fruit-producer.

A Shared Life: Growing Together

While our relationship with Jesus is deeply personal, it was never meant to be private. In the same way that many branches are connected to a single vine, Jesus calls us to grow together in union with Him. The life of Christ flows through the whole vine, meaning we are connected not just to Him, but to one another.

The church isn't just a collection of individuals on their own separate treadmills; it is a corporate body where we share the same "sap"—the same Holy Spirit. When we struggle to stay connected, we have a community to lean on. We are called to encourage one another to remain in the vine, reminding each other that we aren't alone in our journey. Our growth is a collective flourishing where the health of one branch strengthens the beauty of the whole.

Unkinking the Hose

If you feel like your spiritual life has slowed to a trickle, it might not be because you aren't working hard enough. It might be because there is a "kink in the hose."

When we hold onto anger, worry, or secret sins, we restrict the flow of Christ’s life through us. You can't force more water out of a kinked hose by squeezing the nozzle harder; you have to go back to the source and straighten out the line.

Abiding means staying "kink-free" by being honest with God. It involves:

• Letting His Words Live in You: Allowing His teachings to "coach" your soul throughout the day—hearing His voice of forgiveness for your sins against Him when you’re angry about the sins of someone against you, hearing His promise of peace when you’re worried.

• Resting in His Love: Realizing that we don't work for God's love, but from it. Before you do a single thing for Him, He wants you to sit still and know how much you are cherished.

• Experiencing His Joy: Joy is not something you manufacture by "cheering yourself up" or pretending things are okay. True joy is the "water" that flows from Jesus, the faucet. When we live honestly with Him and stop resisting His leading, His joy naturally and unrestrictedly floods our lives. It is a steady, internal flow of His own delight that remains constant even when the world around us is a mess. By staying connected to the Vine, you aren't just finding joy; you are entering into His joy.

  
  

A New Engine

The Apostle Paul describes this union even more radically: "It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me" (Galatians 2:20). It’s as if a master mechanic took an old, dying car engine and swapped it for a high-performance racing engine overnight. The car looks the same on the outside, but the power source has completely changed.

When you struggle to be patient or kind, remember that you don't have to manufacture those virtues on your own. You can pause and realize that Jesus is patient and He is in you. Pause. Give Him your emotional baggage and let His patience be expressed through you.

Practice Connection over Perfection

As you move into your week, trade your "spiritual checklist" for a "spiritual check-in." When you stumble, don’t run away in shame. A branch doesn't get kicked off the vine for having a bad day; it just needs more sap. Lean back into the vine, let His life flow, and watch as the fruit of His character begins to grow in you—not by your effort, but by His grace.

This devotional is based on a sermon preached by Pastor Paul Becker of the First Presbyterian Church of Bakerstown.

Listen to the full sermon here: Jesus Calls Us to Grow Together in Union with Him