Vine, Branches and Fruit (John 15:1-10)

 The Lord is vine and we are branches 

John 15:1  (KJV)

1.I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

2  Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

3  Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

4  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

6  If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

7  If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

8  Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

9  As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

10  If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

 

The Gospel John was written between 85 ce to 92 ce and written by  John the most loved disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. In the above chapter 15:1-10 the Author, John has stressed that Lord is the true vine and God the father is a husbandman. He has explained about the Branch and vine and fruit in the vine. He has stressed that the branch abide in Vine is fruitful and the branch which does not abide with vine cannot bear fruit. John has explained about Father (God), vine (Jesus), branch (Believer), fruit (fruitful life in Lord). He also stressed for believer to keep on abiding in vine to bear fruit and also danger of fruitless vine to be casted into the fire. John expressed that bearing fruit will glorify the name of His father (God) and he further explained that Jesus loved us the way father loves us and it you keep His commandment we shall abide in His love. He witnessed that He has kept the commandment of God and abiding in His love.

 

While physical fruit is always appealing and satisfying to man’s flesh, it stands nowhere in comparison to the deep beauty of the spiritual fruit that can be produced in the life of a Christian. The fruit in the follower of Christ comes because a Christian enjoys a link with God through Christ, that makes it all possible. You are somebody if you are in Christ because you are a branch of Christ, the vine. 

 

In John 15:1–10, we find a wondrous description of the relationship between the Savior and the saved. Christ compared the relationship to that of a vine and its branches. This comparison helps us to understand better our tie to Christ and the need to work to keep the tie strong, and the results of the strong tie. Let’s look together at this passage with keen interest as we find four important principles concerning life as a branch in Christ, the vine. 

 

1. Christ is source of our spiritual life. The way branch receives its nutrients and moisture from the soil through the vine, the Christian draws his spiritual nourishment through Christ. Being branches, we have an important responsibility in maintaining this connection/link with Christ. The Lord, in verse 4, commands His followers to abide in Him and in verse 10 tells us that if we keep Christ’s commandments we will abide in His love. The principles, the standards, the instructions found in the New Testament are the key to abiding in Christ. If our life is in harmony with them, our spiritual life in Christ will be strong. 

 

2. Fruit will follow virtues in the life of the believer. If we abide in Christ and He in us, then fruit will be produced. A plant is at its peak of beauty when it is either full of blossoms (expecting fruit) or laden with fruit and likewise when we truly abide in Christ and allow Him to work in us, we are at our peak of beauty. Our attitudes and actions are attractive to behold and pleasing to be near, to God and to those around us. Even the most brilliant sunrise, the loveliest flower does not compare to the beauty of one person who gives his life to Christ and bears fruit for Him. The greatest sight to see is one who once was chained to sin but now has been freed to live in Christ. What is this fruit? Examine Galatians 5:22–23, the inner qualities listed are described as either being fruit or resulting in fruit. The fruit that should follow are attributes or virtues developed in the life of a believer.

 

3. The Lord will prune the fruitful to bear more fruit. During our child hood days we have seen that our elders of the family would prune the fruit trees. There used to be a thought in my heart that the fruit tree is pruned much and will be damaged. But I have seen that many of those same trees are still standing and bearing fruits today. Why? Because our elders knew what they are doing when they are pruning them. Likewise, our Heavenly Father knows when He prunes us, so that we will bear more fruits” (verse 2). What would we be like if we never had disappointments, discouragement, pain, or trials? How grateful would we be, pray and study? How much would we feel a need for God? As James put it, we should count it all joy when we face such tests (James 1:2). God is pruning us. He “cuts on our character” so that we might be better people and bear more fruit for His glory. 

 

4. The danger of unfruitful is being cut off. In the natural realm we see that the fruitless branch is cut off, why? Because it stopped producing grapes. What will happen to those of us who bear no fruits being in Christ? They will be taken away from the vine and will be destroyed (verses 2 and 6). The fruitful relationship we can enjoy only when we are attached to Christ. To abide in Christ means to grow and produce/bear much fruits. If we cease to grow and produce, we will eventually be cut off. How blessed we being a branch on the vine of Christ and father being Husbandman. Because of this link only our life can be a fruitful one, one that is glorifying to God, helpful to others and meaningful to us.

 

Let us always abide in Him.