Tuesday, September 24, 2024
I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. Every branch in me that does not produce fruit he removes, and he prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me. If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers. They gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be my disciples. John 15:1-8
Who is the vine, branch, and vinedresser in this passage? What happens to branches that don’t bear fruit? What happens to those that do? What is Jesus’ promise for those who abide in Him?
The Life-Giving Vine
In Israel, at the time Jesus said these words, there were grapevines everywhere. People were very familiar with vines and the process of the branches on vines producing fruit. He often used analogies in His teachings that would help them to understand what He was saying.
Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me. If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers. – Jesus is the vine and God is the vinedresser/gardener. A vinedresser takes great care of the vines and prunes when needed. The vine provides the branches with the nutrients it needs for surviving. The survival of the plant depends on the vine, and Jesus is that vine for us. Jesus is the only vine that could ever provide everything when need. We are the branches, depending on Him for everything we need. And we will get everything we need as long as we remain in Him. If you tear the branch away from the vine, on its own it cannot survive. It withers and dies. The only way a branch can ever produce fruit is from the vine.
The branches of a grapevine that don’t bear fruit get cut away, or pruned. They are separated from the vine forever, thrown into a bush pile and burned. Our connection to Jesus – the vine – is the only way we will bear fruit and have everlasting life. We are in a series right now learning about the fruit that comes from remaining in Him. Galatians 5:22-23 tells us the fruit of the Spirit is "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. This fruit should be evident in the lives of Christ-followers.
Other fruit we might have in our lives as followers could be sharing the gospel, feeding the hungry, serving wherever God leads and laying down our selfish desires for the good of others. The fruit we have from remaining in Him is not something we could produce on our own. Remember that the branch that separates from the vine withers and dies. Real fruit comes only from the vine – Jesus – as we remain in Him.
