Connected to Christ
Nothing Means Nothing
There are some words in Scripture that are very plain. We need no Greek lexicon or Bible dictionary to know their meanings. Words like: if, all, nothing, forever, surely and no one; mean exactly what they say. Yet as simple as they are to understand, I wonder if we fully grasp their impact.
Jesus said, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 (NIV) (Emphasis mine)
Did you catch that? If we are not living in obedience to Jesus and relying upon His resurrection power, there is really nothing we can do to be fruitful for the kingdom!
If Jesus had said, “Quit trying to do things for Me in your own strength! There is nothing you can do on your own that will make a difference.” Would we be more prone to catch the impact of nothing, if He had said it this way? Could it be that the world places so much emphasis on self-actualization and self-confidence that we have trouble grasping this?
In 1974 Billy Preston had one of his biggest hits. The song was titled “Nothing from Nothing.” The major tag line in the song is found in the chorus.
“Nothin’ from nothin’ leaves nothin’
You gotta’ have somethin’
If you want to be with me!”
In other words, for this relationship to work, you’ve got to bring something to the equation! This is how the world thinks.
We are commanded to come to Jesus and bring Him ourselves… our heart, soul, mind, strength and body. We lay our lives at His feet in response to His gracious offer of redemption. We bring ourselves to the equation.
Jesus is not devaluing our worth in any way. But we need to remember, that our innate abilities, gifts and strengths alone, are in no way capable of accomplishing what God has in mind for us to do. If we are not careful, we can think that in dedicating ourselves to Him, we are now ready to do His will.
This is not a new problem. Moses had to remind Israel of this very thing. He warned them: To be careful or after all they had done in serving Him, they become proud of heart, and forget how desperately they need to rely totally upon their God.
They would say, “Look what we have accomplished!” In Deut. Chapter 8, Moses warned them, “You may say to yourself, ‘My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.’ But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.” Deuteronomy 8:17-18 (NIV)
They forgot it was God who gave them their hands and the ability to do with their hands the things that brought about God’s provision.
Billy Preston’s song did not get this right when it comes to how the Kingdom of God works. But Augustus Montague Toplady understood what Jesus was saying when he penned, “Nothing in my hands I bring, Simply to Thy cross I cling…” (Verse three of Rock of Ages, 1774.)
It is not what we bring to Christ, but what we let Christ do in us, that makes the difference!
God will certainly use all that He has given us, when we allow Him to sanctify and direct us as He wills.
Remember, Jesus said: “If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit...”
The word “if” reminds us of a conditional choice. The word “remains” (Grk. meno = to stay, to endure, to stand) is a relational condition. There is this constant connection, reliance and dependence that is indicated here. And look at the result: “he will bear much fruit.”
In other words, our ministry will be effective or make a difference, when we rely upon the power and Spirit of Christ in us.
So, let us not forget. It is not what we bring to Jesus that enables us. It is what we let Jesus do in us and through us that makes the difference.
Living in submission and dependence upon Jesus is the secret to effective ministry.
Dr. James R. Russom, NBC Faculty and Director of Pastoral Ministries