Tag: vine and branches
Day 5–Abiding in Jesus
Scripture reading for February 20: John 15:4-5 “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. 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. 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.”
Jesus instructed His team of disciples using analogies. In this passage He used the example of a grape vine. He was the trunk of that vine and supported the branches. The branches, as they remained attached to the vine, produced fruit. This was the mission and purpose of the vine, to produce fruit for the Father that would bless His kingdom. The vine was kept by a vine dresser-God the Father. (John 15:1) If branches died or were unfruitful, He would prune them off and throw them in the fire, as they were good for nothing else. Their purpose was never to be fulfilled–that of fruitfulness and blessing.
Likewise, disciples of Jesus must stay attached in daily relationship with their Master. They would abide in Him, and He in them through His teaching and the Father’s Gift of the Holy Spirit. As they remained in vital relationship, under the Father’s watchful eyes, they would produce fruit that would bring glory to God the Father. If they neglected their attachment, they would eventually be pruned away and tossed into the fire. This teaching used a plain illustration that brought ‘pruning’ to the branches!
As first responders, we can also learn from this example. Each department and leader has communicated standards of behavior and attendance required for doing the job effectively. We must ‘abide’ by these stated standards and willingly submit to them and seek to live by them. Some examples include wearing seatbelts when in vehicles, using prescribed safety vests and procedures when working incidents or accidents. When responding to a fire, our goal is to save human lives if possible as well as protecting our own ability to help. We submit to the incident commander and follow his instructions.
Prayer: Father, thank You for providing our source of fruitfulness in Jesus Christ. Help me abide in Him and produce much fruit! Amen.
Are You securely attached?
Scripture reading for November 2: John 13-17
Several years ago, I planted two grape vines in my back yard along the fence. I had used these potted vines as a sermon illustration of Jesus’ teaching in John 15. I studied grapes and found that they were one of the most widely grown crops in the world. There are many different varieties and colors and people love to eat them fresh, as juice, or as wine. They also need cultivation and tending to be the most fruitful and healthy. Dead and diseased branches need trimmed off and the vines trained to grow in the arbor. The branches alone will not make lumber but are only good for burning.
Jesus used this great agricultural example to teach his disciples about their need to stay attached to Him! If they would just “abide” in Him, the True Vine, and allow His Word (the sap) to “abide” in them, they would produce much fruit. (John 15:7) Being a branch is all about “abiding”! Abiding branches ask the Father for what they need, and He answers! We must stay attached and draw our nutrients from the Vine and its roots. A branch that doesn’t remain attached is good for nothing but the fire!
Jesus went on to say that His Father is the Gardener Who tends the Vine. (John 15:1) The gardener’s job is to keep the vine healthy and producing fruit. Jesus’ Word is the means of pruning His branches. All fruitless branches are pruned off to keep from wasting precious nutrients so that those branches that are abiding could use those nutrients to produce fruit. Fruitful branches are pruned and trained to maximize fruit production. God is glorified when His branches produce much fruit! (John 15:8) Branches that produce no fruit are trimmed off and are good for nothing but the fire.
As a sermon illustration, I took a branch off this grape vine. It had grown in 4 years to nearly 20 feet long and covered a section of a wooden fence that I planted it near. I put the branch in water and brought it to church. One branch had 12 clusters of grapes on it and a second branch had none! I had cut them off and after just one hour, the were already wilted. They died quickly without attachment!
We must stay attached to the vine and also bear fruit. This takes a relationship with God through His Word and prayer! He wants fruit that will last for eternity! Are you securely attached and producing?
Chosen by Jesus to bear fruit!
Scripture reading for April 27th: John 15
Grapes are one of the most widely cultivated crops in the world. There are many varieties and all require some care and tending to make them fruitful and keep them healthy. They provide food, juice, and wine. The branches are good for little because they are weak and bend easily. Jesus used this plant as an example for His disciples of how they must stay attached and produce fruit.
“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 and I will 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.” (John 15:1-4)
Jesus told them that He was the true vine and that they were the branches that were to produce the fruit. The Father was the gardener that pruned the branches that did not bear fruit. These branches were good for nothing but burning in the fire. (vs. 6) The branches that produced would also be pruned to make them even more fruitful. Branches must not think that they can produce fruit on their own. They must abide in the vine to draw the needed nutrients. Even so, disciples must stay attached to Jesus in order to produce fruit. They must submit to pruning to increase their yield. Not producing fruit is a bad option that yields being cut off! “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit–fruit that will last.” (John 15:16)
The True Vine!
Scripture reading for May 26th: John 15:1-27
The teaching of Jesus about the Vine would have been a familiar theme to students of the Old Testament. In Isaiah 5:1-7 we have a prophetic song of the vineyard that spoke of Israel as the vineyard of the Lord and the men of Judah as His delightful plant. (Isaiah 5:7) God’s complaint was that the vine of Israel was unfruitful in obedience to the Lord because they broke His commands. Jesus, in this last night of teaching, stated that He was the true Vine and that His disciples were the branches.
“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, and I will 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.” This parable was very easy to understand in the Hebrew culture and in many cultures around the world because grapes are grown in many places. God is the Gardener and Jesus is the True Vine because He is the only begotten Son of God. He came in perfect obedience to the Father and would bear much fruit. God as owner of the Vineyard is looking for fruit and prunes the vine for maximum fruitfulness.
“I am the Vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in Me, he is 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 given you. This is to My Father’s glory, that you produce much fruit, showing yourselves to be My disciples.” (John 14:5-8) Jesus stressed the importance of abiding in Him. It was only through a relationship with Him that they would produce fruit. They would have access to ask the Father for whatever they needed, and God would grant it. What a promise to those who stayed attached!
Are you securely attached?
Scripture reading for November 2nd: John 13-17
Several years ago, I planted two grape vines in my back yard along the fence. I had used these potted vines as a sermon illustration of Jesus’ teaching in John 15. I studied grapes and found that they were one of the most widely grown crops in the world. There are many different varieties and colors and people love to eat them fresh, as juice, or as wine. They also need cultivation and tending to be the most fruitful and healthy. Dead and diseased branches need trimmed off and the vines trained to grow in the arbor. The branches are not good for anything but producing fruit.
Jesus used this great agricultural example to teach his disciples about their need to stay attached to Him! Jesus said that He was the true vine and the disciples are branches. If they would just “abide” in Him and allow His Word to “abide” in them, they would produce much fruit. (John 15:7) Being a branch is all about “abiding”! It doesn’t sound too hard to understand! A branch that doesn’t remain attached is good for nothing but the fire!
Jesus also went on to say that His Father was the gardener who tended the vine. (John 15:1) All fruitless branches were pruned off to keep from wasting precious nutrients so that those branches that were abiding could use those nutrients to produce fruit. Fruitful branches are pruned and trained to maximize fruit production. God is glorified when His branches produce much fruit! (John 15:8) Branches that produce no fruit are trimmed off and are good for nothing but the fire.
After four years the original potted vines were nearly 20 feet long and covered a section of a wooden fence that I planted them near. I took two branches off these vines to church for a sermon illustration. One branch had 12 clusters of grapes on it and a second branch had none! I had cut them off and after just one hour, they were already wilted. It is amazing how quickly they die without attachment!
The lesson for us is plain and simple. We must stay attached to the vine and also bear fruit. This takes a relationship with God through His Word and prayer! Are you securely attached and producing? Today is the best time to affirm your attachment!
The True Vine!
Scripture reading for May 26th: John 15:1-27
The teaching of Jesus about the Vine would have been a familiar theme to students of the Old Testament. In Isaiah 5:1-7 we have a prophetic song of the vineyard that spoke of Israel as the vineyard of the Lord and the men of Judah as His delightful plant. (Isaiah 5:7) God’s complaint was that the vine of Israel was unfruitful in obedience to the Lord because they broke His commands. Jesus, in this last night of teaching, stated that He was the true Vine and that His disciples were the branches.
“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, and I will 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.” This parable was very easy to understand in the Hebrew culture and in many cultures around the world because grapes are grown in many places. God is the Gardener and Jesus is the True Vine because He is the only begotten Son of God. He came in perfect obedience to the Father and would bear much fruit. God as owner of the Vineyard is looking for fruit and prunes the vine for maximum fruitfulness.
“I am the Vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in Me, he is 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 given you. This is to My Father’s glory, that you produce much fruit, showing yourselves to be My disciples.” (John 14:5-8) Jesus stressed the importance of abiding in Him. It was only through a relationship with Him that they would produce fruit. They would have access to ask the Father for whatever they needed, and God would grant it. What a promise to those who stayed attached!
Are You Securely Attached?
Scripture reading for November 4th: John 13-17
Several years ago, I planted two grape vines in my back yard along the fence. I had used these potted vines as a sermon illustration of Jesus’ teaching in John 15. I studied grapes and found that they were one of the most widely grown crops in the world. There are many different varieties and colors and people love to eat them fresh, as juice, or as wine. They also need cultivation and tending to be the most fruitful and healthy. Dead and diseased branches need trimmed off and the vines trained to grow in the arbor. The branches are not good for anything but producing fruit. They will not make lumber but are only good for burning.
Jesus used this great agricultural example to teach his disciples about their need to stay attached to Him! Jesus said that He is the true vine and the disciples are branches. If they would just “abide” in Him and allow His Word to “abide” in them, they would produce much fruit. (John 15:7) Being a branch is all about “abiding”! Abiding branches ask the Father for what they need, and He answers! We must stay attached and draw our nutrients from the vine and its roots. It doesn’t sound too hard to understand! A branch that doesn’t remain attached is good for nothing but the fire!
Jesus also went on to say that His Father is the gardener who tends the vine. (John 15:1) The gardener’s job is to keep the vine healthy and producing fruit. Jesus’ Word is the means of pruning His branches. All fruitless branches are pruned off to keep from wasting precious nutrients so that those branches that are abiding could use those nutrients to produce fruit. Fruitful branches are pruned and trained to maximize fruit production. God is glorified when His branches produce much fruit! (John 15:8) Branches that produce no fruit are trimmed off and are good for nothing but the fire. These are like people who refuse to abide in the vine and think that they can make it on their own.
As a sermon illustration this year, I took a branch off this grape vine. It had grown in 4 years to nearly 20 feet long and covered a section of a wooden fence that I planted it near. I put the branch in water and brought it to church. One branch had 12 clusters of grapes on it and a second branch had none! I had cut them off and after just one hour, the were already wilted. It is amazing how quickly they die without attachment!
The lesson for us is plain and simple. We must stay attached to the vine and also bear fruit. This takes a relationship with God through His Word and prayer! He wants fruit that will last for eternity! What a privilege to bear precious fruit for eternal life! Are you securely attached and producing?