Jesus is our True Vine…

And our Source in every area of life…

Read John 15:

This is a chapter filled with divine love and instructions, and it shines a light on the believer’s journey.

The vivid analogy of the vine and branches underscores our absolute need for a relationship with Jesus to live fruitful lives.

Moreover, the commandment of love sets the standard for relationships, while the promise of the Holy Spirit and warning of persecution provide comfort and preparation for the trials to come.

Requirements for a Fruitful Life

“What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like.” —Augustine

In the Old Testament, God spoke of the vine as a symbol of Israel (Ps. 80:8; Isa. 5:1-2,7; Jer. 2:21).

In John 15 Jesus expanded the analogy. As the fulfillment of the Lord’s purpose for Israel, the great Son of David identified Himself as the Vine and His followers as branches.

No More Slaves…

We are all on a mission, all sent by our Lord and empowered by the Holy Spirit to carry out that mission.

In the eighteenth century, many American Quakers were affluent, conservative slave holders, totally oblivious to the horror and anti-biblical nature of that role.

A young Quaker, John Woolman, set a lifetime goal—to rid his beloved Society of Friends of this terrible practice.

Woolman lived to the age of fifty-two and spent nearly all his adult years in his efforts to extinguish slavery among his Christian friends.

By 1770, nearly one hundred years before the Civil War, no Quakers held slaves.

This chapter of John does not deal with social justice, but it does teach righteousness and the kind of social virtues that result from the indwelling Holy Spirit.

John 14 has already talked to us about practicing the presence of the Holy Spirit.

As the Lord’s teaching continued, quite possibly out in the garden now, He emphasized how we can avoid inclusion in the ranks of those who sin regularly.

The key words are abide and fruit, the latter used eight times.

An understanding of the purpose of the New Testament is crucial to the understanding of the metaphors and warnings of this chapter.

Almost every book in the New Testament was written to professing believers. Even though their content was controlled by the guiding hand of the Holy Spirit, biblical authors could not discern the spiritual condition of those who would read their writings.

Among the vast number of people receiving and reading this Gospel, there would have been those who had no experience of regeneration.

John had more than half a century to observe the behavior of people who claimed to be Christians before he wrote this chapter.

The Old Testament referred to Israel as the vine.

The Jews in Jesus’ day believed that because they belonged to Israel, they were connected to God. But Israel often failed to produce the fruit God looked for.

Jesus made a radical statement by claiming to be the Vine.

Jesus emphasized that Christians must produce fruit.

He expected that of His followers then and He expects that of His followers now.

God loves to find anything that impedes our growth.

Jesus portrays Him as the Good Gardener who cuts and trims the vine.

“I 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”
(15:1–3).

Jesus likely spoke these words while walking from the upper room to the Garden of Gethsemane.

Perhaps He saw a vine hanging over a fence or draped along the wall.

He lifted up a section of the plant and explained the chain of command in the universe.

God is the Gardener. Jesus is the Vine. We are the grapes.

Vines grew abundantly in Palestine.

Carefully pruned, they produced sweet grapes. But left unkept, they crept everywhere and into everything.

The gardener trimmed the vines. Why?

So they could bear more fruit.

God trims us. Why?

For the same reason. “I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last” (15:16).

A good gardener will do what it takes to help a vine bear fruit.

What fruit does God want?

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (see Gal 5:22–23).

These are the fruits of the Spirit. And this is what God longs to see in us.

And like a careful gardener, He will clip and cut away anything that interferes.

A good track coach looks into the face of the runner and says, “We can break the record, but this is what it will take.”

And then the coach lists a regimen of practice and discipline.

A good editor reads the manuscript and says, “This work has potential, but here is what we need to cut.”

And the writer groans as the red ink flows.

God lifts up a branch of His vine and says, “You can be fruitful, but I’m going to have to clip some diseased leaves.”

And though the process is painful, we can see on the soil below us the spotted greenery He has clipped. Arrogance. Vain ambitions. Bad relationships. Dangerous opportunities. Revenge.

Does God take this process lightly?

I don’t think so.

Listen to this serious statement.

“Every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful” (Jn 15:2).

The verb “prunes” is from the Greek word airo. It has at least two meanings; one is to “cut off,” and the other is to “pick up” or “lift up.”

I believe both are implied.

Before God cuts a fruitless branch, He lifts it up.

A gardener does this. He repositions the fruitless branch so it can get more sun or more space.

Grapes are not like squash or pumpkins. They don’t develop while lying on the ground.

They grow better hanging free.

A good vine dresser will stretch the vine on the arbor to afford it more air and sun.

You’ve seen gardeners realign a plant, and you’ve probably seen God realign a life.

The family uprooted and transferred to another city—was it so they could learn to trust God?

The person so healthy, suddenly sick—was it to remind him to rely on the Gardener?

The income stream dried up—was it God’s way of lifting you out of the soil of self and drawing you closer to himself?

Leaders with questionable motives and morals are elected.

Is it God’s way of stirring people to revival?

God is up to something. He is the busy, active Gardener who clears the field and removes the stones.

He constructs the trellises and plants the seeds.

He inspects the plants and pulls the weeds. And, most of all, He is good.

He is the Good Gardener who cares for His vine.

What fruit do you see in your life?

Do you see how God may be pruning you so that you can bear more and better fruit?

Grow closer to Jesus. Yield your life to Him, and allow Him to do anything in your life if it will lead to bearing more fruit.

(From Max Lucado – Encouraging Word)

SELAH (let us pause and calmly think about these things)

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