“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. John 15:1-2 ESV
We are blessed with a beautiful and big back yard at the church parsonage. In the summer, it is our getaway with lush green grass, flowers, and a spectacular view of the church pond with the backdrop of corn fields. If you are from the Midwest, you know what I am talking about. In the back yard we have a raspberry bush. To be honest, I do not even know how it got there. For years it has just been there by the steps of our deck producing berries. One weekend, our granddaughter was in the back yard with her mom. I was helping my son put together a table he was building for my wife, and I looked around and found her and her mom sitting on the steps, picking berries and enjoying them. There is something special about seeing your little two-year-old granddaughter having a blast eating something off a tree that she could actually put in her mouth without getting in trouble. She and her mom were having a blast.
I reflected on this scene a few days after and God showed me some things I want to share with you.
The berries were not on the ground. They were on the vine.
That is important to know. Apples are picked from a tree. So are oranges. In our garden, we just picked some peppers, but I don’t know how many peppers we picked. We needed Peter Piper. Ok, I digress. We have a tomato plant that is producing nice green tomatoes that will soon turn red. When they are ready, we will pick them. Maybe a few before for some fried green tomatoes. But notice we are not picking them up off the ground. They are on the vine, receiving their nutrients to become what they were genetically designed to be. A raspberry, an apple, an orange, or tomato.
Jesus said that He is the vine, and we are the branches. If we abide, remain in Him, we will be a branch that produces the fruit we are designed to produce. Psalm 1 tells us that we will do this in our season. Just like I am waiting for my tomatoes, there is a season coming when we will be giving them away because there are so many. But for now, we wait and watch them grow. They need to stay on the vine to become the bountiful crop that will end up in boxes that say “Free”. My granddaughter was having the time of her life enjoying what was ready because it stayed on the vine.
Stay connected to Jesus! Stay planted in His Word. Stay focused on the mission. Do not allow you dry seasons to distract you or discourage you. You are turning as you remain. You will bear fruit as you remain.
To remain on the vine is to be an authentic believer and follower.
In verse 2, Jesus is not saying that when we mess up, we get lopped off the vine. He is saying you cannot fake a relationship with Jesus. To be a true disciple you will be on the vine, not on the ground. You cannot duct tape yourself to a raspberry bush and call yourself a raspberry. Jesus said that the world will know who we are by our fruit. Not our perfection, but our fruit. They will know what tree or vine we belong to because we will look and taste like the produce that it is supposed to be produced. We are what we are connected to. What we fill our lives with will be what our lives produce. Jesus said that when we are connected to Him, His Kingdom will flow from us. That means the gospel is preached, the sick are prayed for and cared for. The poor are helped and the widows and orphans are not forgotten. Healing, help, hope and life are given.
As I close, I have a suggestion. Be the raspberry. Bring joy to others. Stay on the vine and be the branch Jesus says we can be through Him.
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