Pursuing Jesus: “Follow me”—make Christ your vine
It was a Friday night in London. A group of us had just finished dinner, full and happy, celebrating our friend’s 28th birthday. The night had been carefully planned, and as the final surprise, we were heading to a live comedy club.
Comedy is something I love—when I get to choose. The Netflix specials, the comedians I know. But this was different. A small club. A lineup of strangers. Exciting, but nerve-wracking.
At the entrance, the man at the door made us an offer: front-row seats. The best view in the house. My friend, the birthday girl—always eager for an adventure—was in before the words had fully landed. So, we followed.
At first, it was great. The first comedian had us in stitches, and sitting that close felt like a VIP experience. But then, it shifted. The second comedian spotted the cross around my friend’s neck and turned it into material. The jokes escalated into relentless jabs. By the end of the night, we were wrecked.
As we walked out, I passed the guy who had offered us the upgrade. He hadn’t technically lied. He had promised us a different experience, and he delivered. But he never told us the whole story. He never revealed what we were really signing up for.
Going With Jesus Into the Unknown
Jesus also gives us an invitation, just as He did when He called Peter with the words, “Follow me.” On the surface, it seems like a simple call, but the weight of those words carried far more than Peter could have known.
Following a rabbi in that time wasn’t just about learning his teachings—it was about proximity. It was about walking so closely behind that, over time, your life would begin to mirror his. When Peter left his fishing nets, he knew it would cost him something, but he had no idea just how much.
Imagine if Jesus had spelled it out:
“Hey Peter—follow me. You’re going to witness miracles, confront religious authorities, and see lives transformed. But also—you’ll watch me be arrested, tortured, and executed. And you? You’ll start a movement that will change the world, but it’ll cost you everything. You’ll be hunted down, imprisoned, and eventually executed, too. Oh, and every one of your failures and impulsive moments? They’ll be recorded in a bestseller for all of history to read.”
Would Peter have still said yes?
The True Vine: Where Life Flows From
Jesus doesn’t always give us the full picture when He calls us to follow Him. That’s why, for some, the Christian journey begins with excitement, only to later face hardship and confusion. When challenges arise, it’s easy to ask, “What did I say yes to?”
But Jesus doesn’t just invite us to follow blindly. He also gives us a metaphor to understand what it means to walk with Him: the vine and the branches.
In John 15:1-9, Jesus says:
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser… Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
The disciples likely didn’t grasp the full significance of these words at the time, but Jesus was making it clear: Life—true, abundant life—is only found in Him.
What Are You Connected To?
Jesus begins by saying, “I am the true vine.” That implies there are other vines—other sources of life we might attach ourselves to. Because the reality is, we are all connected to something. We all have a vision of the good life, a belief in what will bring meaning and fulfillment.
But the question is: What is your vine? What are you drawing life from?
Tim Bergling, better known as Avicii, was a musical genius—a prodigy who had everything the world says should make us happy. Yet in a documentary about his life, he admitted, “My dream would be to be completely at ease and happy with what I’ve got already. I just want to be free from all the ideas of what life should be and what should make me happy… But nothing has turned out to be true.”
His words reflect a deep truth: The wrong vine can offer fruit that looks good, but the moment you hold it, it starts to rot in your hands.
Following is Abiding
By saying “Follow me,” what Jesus is conveying is, “Come be with me.” Or to use his language from John 15, “Abide in me.”
To abide means to remain connected, to make your home in Him. It’s not about striving, achieving, or proving our worth—it’s about staying close. Jesus says:
“The branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine.” (John 15:4)
The strength of the branch isn’t in itself. Its ability to bear fruit comes entirely from its connection to the vine. The deeper the connection, the more abundant the fruit.
Yet so often, we try to do it on our own. We read every book, attend every conference, check every spiritual box—all while missing the very thing Jesus is inviting us into: relationship with Him.
Friendship with Jesus
Jesus takes it even further. He says, “I no longer call you servants; I call you friends.” (John 15:15)
Think about your closest friend. The one who sees you at your best and worst. The one who stays, no matter what. That’s the kind of relationship Jesus invites us into.
But maybe you’ve felt disappointment. Maybe, like Thomas, you’ve believed wholeheartedly but have been let down by unmet expectations. You’ve trusted God, and yet He didn’t move the way you thought He would. And so, while you still believe, you’ve become cautious. Guarded.
Jesus isn’t inviting us to be His employees—distant, hesitant, waiting for the next instruction. He’s inviting us into deep, life-giving friendship with Him. To trust Him, even when we don’t understand. To bring our real selves—questions, doubts, disappointments and all—and abide in His love.
It All Starts With His Presence
Pete Greig puts it this way:
“The heartbeat of our faith is not achieving great things for God, nor is it doing great things with God. Our deepest longing is simply to be with God.”
When we abide in Jesus, everything else flows from that place. The fruit we bear isn’t something we manufacture—it’s the natural result of being connected to Him.
So, what is your vine? What are you attaching your life to? Is it producing the fruit you long for, or is it withering in your hands?
Jesus’ invitation remains the same: Follow me. Come be with me. Make me your vine. And you will bear much fruit.
So, we are three posts into our series. We have explored the journey of an apprentice, the invitation to the banquet and now a call for abiding in connection. Next week is our final one of the series, exploring how Jesus promises to show us how to do what He is doing.