In John 15, Jesus refers to himself as the true vine and to his disciples as the branches. What was he saying to his disciples and how does that apply to us today? Let’s take some time to study this chapter and understand what scripture is speaking to us.
Just hours before Jesus was to be betrayed by Judas, He is talking to His disciples and preparing them for what was about to happen to Him. Even though the disciples struggled to understand what Jesus was saying, Jesus was trying to leave them with hope and assurance in the face of what was going to happen.
In the very first verse of this chapter, Jesus says “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vine dresser.” In the Old Testament, Israel was referred to as a vine or vineyard (Isaiah 5:1-7 and 27:2-6). So when Jesus says He is the true vine, this is in contrast to the sinful ways of Israel and the fallen people of God. Instead of “good grapes”, God refers to the people of Israel as bringing forth “wild grapes.” Where the people of Israel fell short, Jesus was what God had planned for all along to bring forth Good Fruit.
John 15:2 (NKJV) – “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.”
In the second verse, Jesus begins to reference the branches that grow from the vine. Verses like this may seem confusing when you first read them and begin studying scripture, but if we pray for guidance and dig a little further, we can better understand what Jesus was saying. On a real vine, the branches that grow out from the vine are there to bear the fruit of the plant. A gardener would remove branches that do not bear fruit to make room for the fruit bearing branches. The branches that do contain fruit would be pruned in order to produce even more fruit. So if Jesus is the true vine, then who are the branches that He is referring to in this verse?
Abide in Him
John 15:5 (NKJV) – “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”
In John 15:5, we see a direct answer to the question of the identity of the branches. All of those who abide in Jesus are branches connected to the vine. Jesus says that those who abide in Him bear much fruit. A very important word here is “abide.” This word, as used in this scripture, means to remain, dwell, endure or be present in. So from this we can conclude that to abide in Jesus is to dwell, remain, or be present in His very presence. Whether it is just giving Him thanks, asking Him to guide your day, or short prayers for the everyday things we face, He is interested in every detail of your life. So once we invite Jesus to abide in us, having a relationship with Him each day is how we can abide in Him. To dwell in Him is to stay in His Word and to be in close relationship with Him daily. We do this by studying our Bible daily and also by simply communicating with Jesus throughout the day. That means so much more than just going to a church on Sunday. If we truly want to abide in Jesus and walk with Him, we must have a meaningful relationship with Him every single day. The best news is He also says in this verse that He will likewise abide in us! Jesus wants to remain, dwell, endure, and be present in you!
Next, let’s examine what Jesus meant when He talked about bearing fruit. When the Holy Spirit, which is the very presence of Jesus, comes and dwells in us, He will begin to display the very characteristics of Jesus in us and through us. These characteristics, or fruits, of the Holy Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Now some people may say that they possess some of these characteristics on their own. Sure these expressions may come naturally towards family, friends, or people we like, but what happens when we are faced with situations or people who are not so easy to express these things toward. It is much easier to show love and kindness towards friends, but God calls us to show the same love and kindness to our enemies. Let’s look at how this can be possible.
Just Be Branches
I often have to remind myself that I was called to be the branch and not the vine. Sometimes I have felt like I was not doing enough to reach the people around me and point them toward Jesus. This can be a heavy burden, and one that, according to the scriptures, we were never meant to carry. Jesus clearly tells us the we are the branches and He is the vine. We are called to simply allow Jesus to flow through us and we will display the fruits of Him who is in us. For it is from Jesus that the power to produce the Fruits of the Spirit comes.
John 15:4 (NKJV) – “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.”
The branches that are connected to a real vine depend upon that vine to provide the nutrients and vital elements needed to produce fruit. If the sap does not flow through the vine and into the branches, these branches will not bear fruit and will be of no use to the plant and will be cut off. Just like a real vine, Jesus tells us in John 15:4 that we cannot bear the fruits of His Spirit on our own. We must have His Holy Spirit flowing into us, providing us with the vital elements that we need to produce His fruits. We may be able to fake some of these expressions towards people, but if it is not genuine, then it will not have the supernatural effect that comes with bearing the fruit of the Holy Spirit. It will take the Spirit of Jesus to show true love, patience, and gentleness towards someone who may have truly and intentionally hurt you, or people who you do not get along with so easily. Showing the love of Jesus in the face of hate or aggression will have a supernatural affect as He can work through us in those moments. The Bible calls us to love as Jesus loved, and this can only be possible if we abide in Him and Jesus abides in us.
John 15:8 (NKJV) – “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.”
For God’s Glory
So what is the point to all of this bearing fruit Jesus was talking about? In John 15:8, He clearly tells us that by bearing much fruit, we glorify God. It’s not about being a good person or being nice to people. The point is never about us, it is about pointing people back towards God so that He will be glorified. Remember, people can tell a vine or plant by the fruit it bears, likewise, people can tell what vine we are connected to by the fruit we bear. So when we show love and gentleness as an unexpected response in the face of aggression or hatred, it will get people’s attention. Then, when people ask why or how we responded with love the way we did, this is our opportunity to point them to the True Vine, Jesus Christ. Thanks for reading and keep faith!
