Abiding On The True Vine

John 15:1-8

Some people are blessed to have a fruit tree or two on their property, or perhaps a grapevine.  They enjoy seeing the blossoms in the springtime, and then enjoy the fruit later in the summer or early autumn.  Even grapevines produce very small flowers early in their season.  If the trees or vines are well cared for, they should bear fruit for many years.  The owner, or a gardener he may hire, occasionally has to prune or cut back some branches in order to keep the plant healthy and producing fruit to its fullest potential.  Nobody wants to see their fruit trees or vines barren, or worse, to wither and die.  Our Scripture today, from the Gospel of John, is a passage familiar to many. In it, we read Jesus tell us how we can be fruitful Christians.

Several times throughout John’s Gospel, Jesus describes Himself by saying “I am ….”, such as “I am the Bread of Life”, or “I am the Light of the world”.  Here He tells us that He is the “True Vine” (vs. 1).  He is the Vine, and we, as believers, are the branches of that vine. What is the purpose of the branches of a grape vine?  They are to produce grapes.  That is the same for branches of any fruit tree or plant.  They are to produce fruit.  If they don’t, they are useless.  The only way they can produce fruit, though, is to remain connected to the vine or tree.  Once disconnected, they wither and die.

As believers, we are to live in Christ, and Christ lives in us.  We draw our life from Him.  Just as sap flows from the vine into the branch, the life of Jesus flows into us if we are connected to Him.  That is how we bear fruit, staying in union and communion with Jesus.  We belong to God just as the branch belongs to the vine.  Our lives belong to Him, and outside of Him we will find no true enjoyment.

Jesus produces fruit through us as we allow Him to by abiding in Him (vs. 2).  Sometimes we allow things in our life that diminish this, so He must prune us.  There are times when our spiritual life seems withered, like a failing plant.  God needs to get out the pruning shears and cut off what is hurting our faith life.  This is done so we will bear more fruit.  By pruning, God eliminates attitudes and actions that are not godly or fruit-bearing.

Pruning does not mean a loss of salvation.  It is done by the Lord so that we will bear more fruit, which should be our goal.  Jesus emphasized that Christians must produce fruit.  He expects that of us.  Vines are trimmed to produce more fruit.  The same with fruit tree branches.  A good gardener will do what it takes to help a vine or tree bear fruit.  He will clip and cut away anything that interferes.

The life of the branch is guaranteed only when it is connected to the vine (vs. 4).  Branches receive life from the vine.  They share their identity.  Connection to Jesus will help us be who God wants us to be.  Apart from God’s saving grace and the power of the Holy Spirit, our efforts are dead.  A dead branch that is unconnected to the vine is cut off and burned.  That branch that bears no fruit is not a believer at all, and is cast away.  They are apostates, who never really believed.   Live branches are pruned to bear more fruit.  They are abiding, genuine believers.

When a branch is grafted on to another plant, after a time, the two develop as one.  But to know if the grafting has succeeded, the gardener pushes on the grafted branch.  If it bends and then springs back, it is successful.  An unsuccessful graft will cause the branch to break off.  When we are connected to Jesus, we will grow strong, even during trials (vs. 5).  Our strength comes from Jesus.

Not everything we do is fruitful.  Much of our activity is done to please ourselves.  What matters is our obedience to God.  Jesus told us to bear much fruit.  That is only possible when we stay connected to Him.  Sometimes we fail at a task we have been given.  We may not feel qualified or fit to accomplish what task God has given us.  On our own we can accomplish nothing.  However, with God, we can.  He is more than able.