Sweet child of vine

My son and his wife have two adorable little boys, who love their dad more than anything in this world, and they also have a beautiful new baby girl. My daughter-in-law is great at getting their pictures taken on a regular basis – which Grandma loves. And when they take newborn pictures, they always have one of my son holding that tiny little baby in those big strong hands of his, and I love the look on his face. It is a reflection of how completely in love he is with this little person he’s helped create. It just melts my heart.

That’s the picture I want you to keep in your mind as we talk about this scripture today. Remember those strong, loving hands that want nothing but the very best for you, now… and forever.

Let’s look at John, chapter 15, verses 1-8.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you.

No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”

That seems like a lot. Some pretty heavy stuff right there. At least it seems that way at first glance. But, we have to remember that this is taking place in the upper room, the night before Jesus’ death – the disciples don’t know that, but Jesus does. And He’s trying to make them understand some very important information before all of that takes place.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener."

Ancient Israel was covered in grapevines, so it was an easy analogy for them to understand. And, on the front of the temple in Jerusalem, there was a huge golden vine over the entrance, symbolizing that Israel was God’s vine. And there are references to that in the Old Testament. So, this statement “I am the true vine” is a reminder to His disciples to not look back on the old ways – the old laws. To remember everything, He had taught them and only look forward.

Also, the obvious, if Jesus is the vine and we are the branches, we can’t survive without Him. Without that VINE, there is no branch. That cluster of grapes is just raisins without the vine. Without Him there is no growth, no fruit, no life.

Which brings us to the next verse, which I know everyone cringes at, but it’s really not so bad. "He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bears fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful."

Some versions say TAKES AWAY, some says CUT OFF, but the Greek word used there means “to lift up.” Back then, with all those ancient grapevines, they didn’t have them on trellises like we see now. Their grapevines grew flat to the ground. And they would lift up the vines and place big rocks underneath the areas that needed more sun so they could bear more fruit. So when we aren’t bearing any fruit, God is lifting us up to expose us to The Light, so that we can be fruitful. I see nothing but encouragement there.

Now I know most people wince at this next part, but I hope I can change your mind. "While every branch that does bears fruit, he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful."

I used to read that as – so even if I DO bear fruit, I’m going to get a pruning… like there’s really no winning here. But the Greek word for pruning also translates as CLEANSING or PURIFY – some translations even say “cleansing.”

Now hold that thought for just a second. Because I think we should talk about the fruit before we go any further. We already know what the fruit is right? Galatians 5:22-23 says,

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."

So, if that’s the fruit He’s looking for, isn’t that what we want in our lives too? It’s what I want in mine. I could use a whole lot more of all those things, so I’m guessing I need more pruning, more cleansing, more purifying. And read the very next verse, "You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you." What does He cleanse us with? What are the sharpest pruners? His Holy Word. Everything we need to be more fruitful is in our Bible.

Let’s go back and read that dreaded verse again with our new knowledge, in laymen’s terms. "While every believer that does show evidence of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, He cleanses and purifies with His word so that they will be even more full of is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."

THAT doesn’t sound so bad to me! I want that in my life. I want to be that branch that is flexible enough for God to put anywhere it needs to be to get more of that fruit.

And we’re not doing this on our own. His very next words are "Remain in me, as I also remain in you."

You know that fruit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control) is produced when the Gardener is taking care of us. All those rocks used to lift us up, to get us closer to the light, all that pruning and cleansing is done in love. Those branches are in the big, strong hands of the Master and He wants nothing but the very best of us… now and forever.

I think too, that’s it’s important for us to remember that our fruit is a reflection of our connection to the Vine – our connection with Christ. If I want to glorify God with any weight, I need to be willing to go through the lifting up and the pruning process. And I’m okay with that. Because I know whose hands are lifting me as the rock slides underneath me, and I know who’s hands hold the pruning shears. They are the same hands that parted the Red Sea. The same hands that have healed the sick and raised the dead. They are the same hands that held me as He breathed life into me. And they are the same hands that will someday lead me home.

Galatians 5:22-23

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."