The Vine of John 15

JOHN 15  “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 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. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 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. 5 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. 6 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. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be my disciples.

–Christian Standard Bible

Highlights:

  • The concept of pruning seem counterintuitive- but it works!
  • Our heavenly Father is the all knowing, perfect, wise gardner. He alone knows how best to prune each one of his followers. When it comes to pruning God will precisely cut out things in our lives that would inhibit our spiritual growth or usefulness. Sometimes this things are outright sin…patterns of behavior that are contrary to God’s Word and character. Other times “neutral” things may be pruned. These are things that aren’t necessarily sin, but they are still stunting spiritual growth. Another way God shapes our character is by using effects of the fall (bad things that we all experience in this temporary broken world) to grow us closer to him. Here is an article that touches on how God uses suffering in this way.
  • A Christ-followers focus should be on the day by day, second by second relationship with Jesus. If the relationship is right the fruit will come. That’s the way healthy branches work.
  • Matt. 7:16 “you will know them by their fruits”.
  • Gal. 5:22 . The fruit of the spirit are character traits that Jesus grows in one of his followers as they are in relationship with him.
  • John 4 People that have yet to be saved were described by Jesus as fruit waiting to be gathered.
  • More thoughts on “thrown into the fire and burned”…
  • God is glorified when we (Christ-followers) do what we were created to do- enjoy a relationship with Jesus and allow him to flow/grow through us as he wills.