Today’s Reading: John 15:1-8; Psalm 128
“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you.” – John 15:1-3
Here is another analogy used by Jesus to help his followers understand the relationship between God the Father and Jesus, and the relationship we were created to experience. It’s an analogy that helps us understand the actions of God by using a simple everyday concept.
If you have a plant in your home, you know that it requires some care on your part. You water the soil, and the plant receives nutrients from both the soil and sunlight. You prune the parts of the plant that are keeping the plant from growing, whether that is a dead flower or dry leaves. If you don’t remove these, they continue to take nutrients needed by the rest of the plant. If you want optimal growth, you need to tend to the weakest parts in order to strengthen the rest of the plant.
“Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.” – John 15:4
In the same way, we need to remain rooted in Christ in order to remain healthy and experience spiritual growth. We were not created to replicate the actions of Jesus or obey his commands by our own strength. No, we were created for a relationship with the gardener and for a strong connection with the vine — the source of everything we need. When we stop trying to do things for God and instead allow God to do things through us, we experience a grapevine relationship with God. He prunes away what we do not need, sometimes cutting away that which is preventing us from growing. This loss isn’t always easy, but we can trust that the gardener is still tending to our needs, even in the midst of our grief or loss.
“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” – John 15:5
I AM CREATED TO BEAR FRUIT.
Our purpose in life is to be used by God for Kingdom purposes — to bear fruit. This can only happen when we remain connected to the vine. When I spend time each morning reading God’s word and saturating in His presence, I not only experience the encouragement and nourishment that I need, I am also equipped to be used by God in the lives of others. My perspective changes from what I want to do to what God wants to do through me.
“Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned.” – John 15:6
I AM COMMANDED TO BEAR FRUIT.
Let’s consider Jesus’ analogy again. A branch that stops producing fruit is cut off from the vine. It is no longer useful to the plant; it is taking nutrients without using them for growth. Perhaps the gardener first does a little pruning, encouraging this portion of the plant to perk up and come back to life. If the branch continues to be fruitless, if it is not remaining in this connection with the vine, it will eventually dry up and wither. No longer a useful portion of the plant, the branch will be removed and cast aside.
There is a part of me that is uncomfortable with this analogy. We know we serve a God of grace who is patient with us, and it can be difficult to see Him as the gardener who is pruning off the branches. But it helps me to realize that living a fruitless life is a choice we make. When we live as if we do not need that connection with the vine, we are choosing to be less than God created us to be. Without the nourishment of a current relationship with Jesus, we begin relying on ourselves instead of trusting in God.
WHEN I CHOOSE NOT TO BE CONNECTED TO THE VINE, I LIVE A WITHERED AND DRIED UP VERSION OF THE BRANCH I WAS CREATED TO BE.
“But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great joy to my Father.” – John 15:7-8
Let’s not focus so much on the last half of this sentence that we miss the context provided in the first half – IF you remain in me and my words remain in you, THEN you may ask for anything you want and it will be granted. Are we experiencing God answering our prayers? If not, perhaps we should consider whether or not we are connected to the source. Are we living each day in relationship with the vine, saturating in the presence of the Holy Spirit so that evidence of this relationship can be seen by others? Are we remaining in this connection to the true source of life?
“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with my Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask for anything in my name, and I will do it!” – John 14:12-14
Jesus, thank you so much for our time together this morning. Thank you for the reminder that I am to remain in this connection all day long, relying on your strength and responding to your Spirit. Lord, use me today in the lives of each person I come in contact with. Fill me with your Spirit so that my words are not my own and my response to every situation is filled with your grace and truth. Prune away anything in my life that is keeping me from being all you created me to be, and make me into the fruitful child of God you want me to be. Amen.