Dear Explorer,
Read John 15:1-2
We continue to study these last teachings of Jesus on the night of the Last Supper. All these messages from that Thursday night are called The Great Discourse or The Final Discourse. It's what Jesus talked over with His disciples during His last hours with them before His death.
This chapter is a beautiful passage for followers of Jesus. If we're not careful, though, we'll get caught up in the beauty of the reading and miss the meat -- so let's dig in.
First, please review our previous discussion of “fruit” (Day 231). It will be helpful to know what we should be looking for in our lives.
The Jewish people of Jesus' day understood grape vineyards, so these teachings were well understood by them. Let's make sure that we all understand what's being talked about. When we lived in California, I saw lots of vineyards and it helped my understanding of this passage.
Grape vines over the years become very stout and sturdy. Each year the plant is pruned back so that only the vine or what we would call the woody stump remains. It will be left about 4-foot high and two short branches will be allowed to remain -- but only about 6-inches going out from the vine each direction. So, it looks like the letter "T" when the vine is fully pruned.
During the growing season the vines put out a lot of branches that grow and produce fruit. The vine just stands there and supports it all, but that's where all the nourishment is coming from. Sometimes off-shoots will grow up around the base of the vine. They look like the vine -- but will produce an inferior grape. That's because they are not rooted properly so their water and food supply is diminished. Therefore, they are cut away.
So, when Jesus says, "I am the true vine," what is He saying?
He's saying a lot of things. Some of them include:
He is not an off-shoot – He's real and genuine. He is saying that He is sufficient to provide everything the branch needs for nourishment to grow and produce fruit. And He is saying that He is sturdy enough to support the branches when the winds of life blow hard.
The second statement is that God is the gardener. What does that mean?
While Jesus provides life-giving nourishment for us, God is the one who is deciding what is best for us. What does John 15:2 tells us that God, the vine dresser, does?
Now a lot of people believe that John 15:2 says if a branch is not bearing fruit -- he chops it off, and I agree. But when you add this verse from Luke to it, it gives a little more background.
Re-Read Luke 13:6-9
What do we learn about the Gardener in these verses?
He is patient and does all He can to help the branch bear fruit.
What incredible comfort it is to know that the Gardener knows what He is doing, and He knows each branch individually.
If your picture of God is an angry God always throwing lightning bolts your way, then you will not find comfort in this passage that says that God is closely examining your life and carefully watching you. But for me, I can picture God as the gardener who lovingly and carefully checks each branch. I see Him lovingly, gently helping the branch to get the right amount of sunlight, fertilizing, watering, cultivating and I feel loved and protected.
To be a branch in the first place, you must be connected to the vine. You must have invited Jesus into your life, to take away your sins and guide you.
Does God ever remove a branch?
I do believe that this Scripture and others support this. If we have invited Jesus into our God-shaped vacuum, but we refuse to be connected to Him and draw up nourishment from Him, we will be discarded and wasted in this life. I don't believe that this refers to the Holy Spirit leaving you – because we are told that He comes in permanently. So, I don't think you can lose your salvation. But I do believe that John 15:1-2 is talking about our losing earthly value and possibly losing our earthly life. We can't become all that God intends if we aren't willing to obey.
Does God prune His followers?
Yes. Does it hurt?
Sometimes. But a good pruning, done by a loving, and knowledgeable vinedresser produces a stronger, sturdier, happier, healthier plant. I'm willing to submit to His pruning because I've found Him to be trustworthy.
Do you know that You are carefully tended by God?
What an awesome feeling!
What is our responsibility in this process?
Stay connected to the vine! Notice that we are not expected to bear fruit – just let the vine do the work and all we need to do is stay connected to the vine.
What does that mean?
I believe it means staying obedient to the Holy Spirit. Disobedience cuts us off from hearing the Holy Spirit clearly and we then become weak and unprofitable for God's Kingdom in this life.
In His service, dale
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