In John 15 Jesus uses the picture of a vine and branch to describe what it means to be in a relationship with Him. Christianity is about a personal relationship not about doing a checklist of things and not being a bad person. In John 15 Jesus is stressing the importance of this relationship using this picture we see in nature everyday.
The purpose of the vine is to bear much fruit. Why does an apple tree produce apples? These apples have seeds in them that ultimately produce more apple trees. God wants to use our lives to reach others (bear much fruit). Let’s read the passage.
JOHN 15:1-11 ESV - “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 DOES BEAR FRUIT HE PRUNES, THAT IT MAY BEAR MORE FRUIT. [3] ALREADY YOU ARE CLEAN BECAUSE OF THE WORD THAT I HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU. [4] ABIDE IN ME, AND I IN YOU. AS THE BRANCH CANNOT BEAR FRUIT BY ITSELF, UNLESS IT ABIDES IN THE VINE, NEITHER CAN YOU, UNLESS YOU ABIDE IN ME. [5] I AM THE VINE; YOU ARE THE BRANCHES. WHOEVER ABIDES IN ME AND I IN HIM, HE IT IS THAT BEARS MUCH FRUIT, FOR APART FROM ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING. [6] IF ANYONE DOES NOT ABIDE IN ME HE IS THROWN AWAY LIKE A BRANCH AND WITHERS; AND THE BRANCHES ARE GATHERED, THROWN INTO THE FIRE, AND BURNED. [7] IF YOU ABIDE IN ME, AND MY WORDS ABIDE IN YOU, ASK WHATEVER YOU WISH, AND IT WILL BE DONE FOR YOU. [8] BY THIS MY FATHER IS GLORIFIED, THAT YOU BEAR MUCH FRUIT AND SO PROVE TO BE MY DISCIPLES. [9] AS THE FATHER HAS LOVED ME, SO HAVE I LOVED YOU. ABIDE IN MY LOVE. [10]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. [11] THESE THINGS I HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU, THAT MY JOY MAY BE IN YOU, AND THAT YOUR JOY MAY BE FULL.
The great thing about this passage is that it is not up to us to bear much fruit because apart from Jesus we can do nothing. Our part in bearing much fruit is to abide in Jesus. We abide by having a close relationship with Jesus by praying and reading His word on a regular basis. We bear fruit by having the life giving sap from the branch flowing in us.
As a result of this bearing fruit (not based on our ability but His work in and through us) God gets the glory not us. God did all the fruit bearing, all we did is abide in Him.
Today I want us to pray that God uses our lives to bear much fruit. Pray that we surrender our will to His and that He will work in us and through us for His glory. Pray that we will do our part by abiding in Him daily and by praying without ceasing and memorizing scripture.
Today I also want us to pray for the lost people God has placed in our lives. Pray that God will give us opportunities to share the hope of Jesus Christ with them. Pray and ask God to help us in those moments because without Him we can do nothing.
