It is a Thursday night in Jerusalem, but not just any Thursday night. It is Passover week, and it is the last night of Jesus Christ’s earthly life. As He shared the Last Supper with His disciples, Christ did what He had been doing for the three previous years; teaching and preparing them for what was to take place the next day and in the future. The Gospel of John, chapters 13–17, records Christ’s final words to the eleven that night. He spoke for five chapters, 153 verses, and 3,004 words (NKJV). But one of those 3,004 words has resonated deeply within me over the years. That word is found in John 15:2 (NKJV):
“Every branch in me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” (Emphasis added)
MORE! What a challenging word that Christ left for all believers that night. Think of the boundless potential that the word holds for us in our relationship with our heavenly Father. That is the focus of this book—to inspire and encourage Christians everywhere to accept the challenge given by Christ more than two thousand years ago on that Thursday night in Jerusalem. No matter how long we have been saved or where we might find ourselves in our Christian walks, we are to never become satisfied and plateau. We are called to keep growing, keep maturing and to join in a continuous revival of MORE with fellow believers around the world. Paul shared this challenge to the church at Philippi:
I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. (Philippians 1:9 NLT; emphasis added)
The greatest challenge that we face as Christians today is the need to experience greater growth in our relationships with our Lord. As long as God gives us breath to live, He has a purpose for our lives, which is to mature in our faith and desire greater growth in our walks with Him. That should be the primary focus and goal for our days here on this earth.
