John 15:1-4 (NIV) I [Jesus] am the true vine, and My Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. REMAIN in Me, and I will REMAIN in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must REMAIN in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you REMAIN in Me.

John 15:5-8 (NIV) 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. If anyone does not REMAIN in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you REMAIN in Me and My words REMAIN in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to My Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be My disciples.

John 15:9-14 (NIV) As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Now REMAIN in My love. If you obey My commands, you will REMAIN in My love, just as I have obeyed My Father's commands and REMAIN in His love. I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.

Jesus is using a grape vine in His illustration for what is the most important thing in all of Christianity. This is a vital message from Jesus to all mankind on how to live the Christian life. This is a “WHAT” message and Matthew 7:7-11 is a “HOW” message. The way to fulfill John 15:1-14 is to ASK, SEEK, AND KNOCK. It is very important to first understand WHAT Jesus wants you doing so you can better know what to ASK for, what to start SEEKING, and what to start KNOCKING on.

Jesus wants you to bear fruit and the way to do that is to remain in Him. All through this illustration Jesus is going to be explaining the meaning of what the word “remain” means. It is all going to come down to the power of love. If you are going to live the Christ-life, then you will have to enter inside Jesus and stay there. If you are able to accomplish the assignment of remaining in Jesus, you will bear a lot of the fruit of the Spirit and you will pass it on to others. However, how to remain so you can bear fruit requires additional training.

If you want to accomplish Jesus’ assignment, then you will start asking, seeking, and knocking so as to have His power and help to do it. You have be told by Jesus that without Him you won’t be able to accomplish anything. The only way to live the Christian life is to establish a permanent relationship with Jesus that is acceptable to Him. John 15:1-17 is giving you the full explanation for what all Jesus wants you to do.