“1. “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 2. 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. 3. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. 4. 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. 5. “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. 6. 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. 7. But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! 8. When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father. 9. “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. 10. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. 11. ““These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.”
John 15:1-11 NLT
Let us try to enumerate the lessons this simple story brings us.
1 ““I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener.”
John 15:1 NLT
This is the base line. Father and Son are working passionately together on our Salvation.
2 ““Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches.”
John 15:5 NLT
Father and Son are keenly interested in us – the branches.
3 “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.”
John 15:2 NLT
Keen interest in branches. There are some branches “in Me”, “my branches”, that bear no fruit. No good deeds. No obedience. Such fruitless branches Father cuts away.
On the other hand, the branches that do bear some fruit, He prunes them, “so that they will produce even more fruit.” Father sees in some branches a potential for more, so He ensures that the resources are available when our faith prompts us to do more.
“So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do. Then the name of our Lord Jesus will be honored because of the way you live, and you will be honored along with him. This is all made possible because of the grace of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ.”
2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 NLT
4 “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.”
John 15:4 NKJV
The spiritual life and the consequent fruit bearing is only possible if we are united with Jesus, like a branch is ingrafted organically into the Vine.
“Abide in Me, and I in you”. This is an abiding, constant, ‘organic’ union with Jesus – by faith and the Holy Spirit.
“I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.”
John 17:21 NLT
This union with the Father and the Son is a gift from God. The result is the fruit bearing for the glory of God, and a lasting (everlasting) relationship.
Here below is a revealing example of this union – as it was working between Jesus and His Father when Jesus walked this earth. The results are oh so gloriously amazing. “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father!” “The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me.” “Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do.”
“Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me. Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do.”
John 14:8-11 NLT
Can you imagine the magnitude of the outcome when the branch and the Vine are in an abiding, living union? God the Father and Jesus Christ His Son are offering to share themselves, share their own kind of union with those who believe in Jesus. They desire that you and I be included in that Oneness between the Father and the Son.. What an unthinkable glory, what a destiny. Whom will people see when they look at us? Whom will they hear when we speak? What will they see in everything we do? This is extraordinary! This is positively sublime!
5 ““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 NLT
The fruit bearing is a natural result if we maintain this abiding union with Jesus.
“for without me you can do nothing.” There are no works of righteousness – apart from Jesus.
6 “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 NLT
If one does not have this abiding, meaningful, lasting union with Jesus, he is destined for the fire of extinction.
There is a fire for purifying or refining, like when gold or silver are purified to remove the impurities from the precious metal. But this here is not a purifying fire. This is the consuming fire which ends the existence of useless, parasitic, freeloading, lazy, good-for-nothing branches. This is the Gardener’s management of His Vineyard. It optimises the space and nutrients and sunshine for the producing branches.
7 “But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!”
John 15:7 NLT
There are handsome ‘side benefits’ to this meaningful union with Jesus. But notice: “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you”. His words in us are not for decoration. They are to be believed and lived. In another words – obeyed.
The extra benefit is: “…You will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.”
8 “You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you.”
John 15:3 NLT
The words of Jesus are alive. The words of Jesus if believed and obeyed will cleanse us. This is a Salvation function of the Holy Scriptures.
9 “When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.”
John 15:10 NLT
This is reiterating what was said in the preceding 8 points. Fruit bearing is necessary. Obedience is expected. Obedience is a natural outflow of a grateful heart which is touched by the love of God. But this fruit bearing, this obedience is the natural result of the union with the Grapevine. The living, lasting, abiding union with Jesus.
10 “When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.”
John 15:8 NLT
Our fruit bearing is not for our glory nor for our benefit, but for God’s. There is no creature merits in works or in obedience, although, handsome benefits are received even here and now – because, the simple reason is – God loves us. He expresses His love by His abundant, passionate care and kindness towards us.
“And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.”
Hebrews 11:6 NLT
Yes. God generously rewards those who sincerely seek Him.
If the fruits are not for us nor for our benefit, can we squeeze into the Kingdom of Heaven without them?
This is a dreadful question, one that will never be asked by a child of God. Only a useless, parasitic, freeloader, a lazy, good-for-nothing scoundrel could conceive such an idea. He has rejected the offer of union with the Vine, and consequently has no idea of what it is. This illustration of Vine and branches portrays the extraordinary generosity of God the Father and Jesus our Saviour, where they go even so far as to offer themselves to be united with an unworthy human being. (If you want a better grasp of that word ‘unworthy’, just think of Ezekiel chapter 16). This they (Father and Son) do with the objective that at the end, we may be drawn entirely into this mysterious divine union – to be included –
“I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.”
John 17:21 NLT
It is obvious in this story, that the Vine and the branches share the nutrients and life forces, which flow freely between them, resulting for us a life “more abundant”, John 10:10, and great joy for both, us and Jesus.
“I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!”
John 15:11 NLT
And as for this scoundrel 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 NLT
11 “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.”
John 15:10 NKJV
This Bible verse is for the child of God. The word commandments in this Scripture is unfortunate, because it implies that the obedience is commanded. But the reality is nothing like it. We obey because we want to. It is a natural expression of gratitude for what God and Jesus have done. It is a delight and not something we have to do. It is willingly given and we relish the privilege of expressing our gratitude in this meaningful way, which is obviously pleasing to God. At the same time – it brings us great pleasure.
“I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart.””
Psalms 40:8 NLT
This story of the Vine and branches illustrates a loving relationship and a tangible belonging experienced by those who go with God all-the-way. Who embrace Him with an undivided heart. This is oh so amazing. Thank You dear God. Thank You dear Jesus.