Ye Can Do Nothing
Today’s Verse:
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. ~John 15:5
The word nothing implies emptiness, void, or zero. Someone who lacks the wisdom to save for retirement will sadly say when he is older and has no more time to save, “I have nothing to show for all the years I worked.” Someone who invests his money unwisely and loses it because of excessive risks that he took will say, “I lost everything and have nothing.” From a material standpoint, it is embarrassing and worrisome to get to the place in life when you say, “I have nothing.” Someone who lives his life without any accomplishments to look back on will sadly say, “I have nothing to show for my life.” This morning, we want to consider the warning of winding up as nothing.
Without the Lord, we are nothing.
“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” We cannot be saved without the Lord. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” Without an abiding fellowship, our effectiveness in service and soulwinning results in nothing. Without this abiding fellowship, our prayers are ineffective and nothing.
Without love, we are nothing.
“And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:2). There are many things that we aspire to accomplish as Christians. We emphasize a life of faith, the filling of the Spirit, and great zeal in service. However, Paul warns us that the greatest virtue that we should emphasize is a Christlike love for others. This Christlike love is not proud, arrogant, or selfish. It thinks no evil, is longsuffering, is kind, does not rejoice in sin, and believes in the best about other people. Paul tells us that it does not matter how great or important we are: if we lack Christlike love, we are nothing.
Without labor, we have nothing.
“The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing” (Proverbs 20:4). Lazy people are failures in life. They make excuses for not working, not planning ahead, and not taking care of their future. They tend to leech off of other people for their needs. Lazy people let things get old, worn out, and eventually die. God blesses hard work and diligence. Nothing in life is achieved without labor and effort. If you do not work, you will not eat. Labor is essential if we want to avoid having nothing.
When we are loathsome, we are nothing.
“Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men” (Matthew 5:13). Salt adds seasoning and tastiness to the things that we eat. Salt becomes unsavory, repulsive, and useless when it is no longer salty. How does salt become unsavory? First, if other additives or dirt are mixed with it. When sin pervades our life, we become useless and ineffective. We become unsalty. Second, if salt sits in the salt shaker and is never poured out, it is useless. Salt is good when it is poured out. Third, salt is good when it retains its purity. Salt is good as long as the properties of sodium and chloride are unchanged. We need to keep our emphasis on influencing people for the Lord in order to not become useless and nothing.
Don’t wind up as a nothing! Keeping Christ first in our life, showing His love to others, being diligent in all things, and retaining our influence for Christ keeps us useful and productive. Be something and not as a nothing!
Have a prioritized God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Deuteronomy 14-16