The Vine and the Branches (part 1)

                                                    

                                  

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also 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.

5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. Romans 15:1-8

Jesus was talking to his disciples about this one day. But what did he mean about him being the vine and they the branches? 

Grape farming in Judea was a very profitable business. Unlike grain farming, which was used for consumption as in bread etc., grapes were used to sell. And so the people there were very familiar with vineyards.

So Jesus was describing to his disciples a picture of his relationship with them.

Grapes do not grow of themselves. They have to have a vine. When a vine does not produce fruit, it is cut off so that nourishment from the ground will go into the vine to make it strong to produce the fruit. Just like we prune fruit trees or plants to get rid of what is dead to make them grow properly. 

Therefore, Jesus is the Vine that the disciples got what they needed from him to grow spiritually and go about teaching the gospel. 

And likewise. this is how it is for us today. We need Jesus as the Vine to grow spiritually to produce fruit for his kingdom. Teaching others his word, and winning people to him. 

But to do that, we have to remain in him. In his word. Obeying what he tells us to do. 

God is the gardener. And he will prune us, cutting off the dead parts that bear no fruit, so that we can become strong to teach the gospel to others. And it brings us closer to him. Because a branch without fruit, produce nothing. If we are not in a relationship with him, we produce nothing for his kingdom. 

And so what does he mean when he cuts away at the dead parts of us? Come back tomorrow for the conclusion of this message. 

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Thanks for your visit today Friends: May your day be so filled with blessings that you want to share them with others!