John 15:1-4

JN 15:1 "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it, that it may bear more fruit. 3 "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

 

On the night He was betrayed, Jesus continued to teach His disciples about how to live for Him after His return to the Father. One way that He did so was through this illustration about a vine. In his illustration, Jesus Himself is the vine, His Father is the gardener and the disciples are the branches. Everyone in this illustration wants to produce fruit. The Father’s role is to shape the branches of the vine for maximal fruit production. Jesus’ role is to nourish and support the branches. The disciples’ role is to bear fruit in dependence on Christ, the vine. What does this look like in life?

 

Some disciples (so-called) bear no fruit. It becomes evident to the Father – often before it is evident to the rest of us disciples – that they are not really united with the rest of the disciples and with Christ in our goal of bearing fruit (note: fruit is not defined more specifically yet, so I’ll not say exactly what fruit God is aiming for until it is). The Father removes them. Perhaps that means that He moves the church to perform church discipline. Perhaps it means physical death (certainly a possible divine discipline – see 1 Cor. 11:29-30). Or anything in between that keeps them from slowing down the church’s work of bearing fruit.

 

Other disciples bear fruit. But the Father does not leave them alone. His work is to form them into more productive disciples. He prunes/cleans them. What does that mean, practically speaking? Jesus tells His disciples that they are already pruned/clean because of His word. It is what we currently hold as the Scriptures that cleans us!

 

Again, how? Well, 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us that Scriptures can be used to teach people. As disciples we certainly need to learn the truth so that we can live it. 2 Timothy also teaches, though, that Scriptures are good for rebuking people. Sometimes disciples do not live in line with God’s will. When that happens, Jesus’ words rebuke them and make them realize that they are not submitting to God’s will. This can happen through their own reading or when other disciples approach them with loving Scriptural guidance. Further, Jesus’ word corrects disciples who are in the wrong; in other words, it doesn’t just tell them they’re off track, but also helps them to get back on track. Finally, the Scriptures train disciples in righteousness. By hearing and obeying Jesus’ words, disciples learn to live righteous lives that are completely dependent on Jesus.

 

So the Father prunes, or cleans, disciples through Jesus’ word. And this makes it so that disciples bear more fruit. No wonder Jesus urged His disciples, “Remain in me, and I will remain in you.” Jesus has already made in clear before that what He means is that the disciples will be in relationship with Him so long as they treasure and hold on to His words. Jesus’ words are the basis for our relationship with Him, and they are also the way that the Father cleans us of whatever keeps us from fully living to produce His fruit. Every day we need Jesus; every day we need His word.

 

Father, remind me how much I need You and Your Son every day. Remind me to love Your words – to depend on them and obey them. I want to bear Your fruit.