Fruit and The Vine

Jesus spoke mostly in parables using analogies that the people of His day could easily grasp. However He also knew that the people of times to follow would also be able to understand these simple concepts. Much like a professor of university courses would have to simplify the conversation if it were conducted with elementary school children, our Lord simplified His teachings so that we who are not divine would still embrace the critical points. Fruit, vines, trees, branches, farming in general were common themes for our Lord. The pictures that are provoked in our minds from these simple analogies are clear and often very vivid. Remember the fig tree that withered? Matthew 21:19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing except leaves on it, "May you never bear fruit again!" Immediately the tree withered. There is no mistaking the meaning of that moment in Jesus' and the disciples' lives. No fruit - no future!

In the Word, "fruit" is used over 150 times depending upon your translation. in the beginning in the Old Testament we read fruit as meaning exactly that - the product of plants and trees. A few times there is reference to the fruit of the womb - clearly indicative of future generations. However when we get to the Psalms, we see a transition to a figurative meaning of fruit that begins to lay the groundwork for Jesus' teachings while He was with us. This is continued through Proverbs. In Isaiah 4:2 we have a true foretaste of what we will be learning. In that day the Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel. Isaiah 11:1 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse, from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. And so the references continue to multiple.

Fast forward to Jesus' time and place yourself in the midst of His followers. We would have grown up listening to the rabbis reading from the Holy Word. These readings would be resounding in our minds as Jesus began to speak to us. John 15:4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. Life comes through the rooted vine/tree/plant. Everybody understands the dynamics of nature. Nourishment comes through the roots of the plant. If the branch is cut off, it will immediately cease to grow. It cannot and will not produce the fruit that may have resulted had it stayed connected to its source.

What about us? Are we staying connected to our source? Are we remaining in Jesus so that He can and will remain in us? Producing the fruit that has been predestined for us is only possible if we continue to receive our nourishment from the Source. We can start out strong and even "bud out", but if we decide to go it alone, thinking that we can make it on our own resources and our own strength, we are doomed to failure. None of us has what it takes to sustain our own lives. We are dependent upon His nurture, His care for us, and most importantly His power to give us life. Without Him we are headed in a single direction - death, no fruit from our little branch of the vine. We will quickly wither and become lifeless.

How we choose to stay connected so that we will remain in Jesus may look different for each of us. The key is to understand that remaining in Him means more than just reading the Bible. Remaining in Him so that He can remain in us means living a life that reflects His light and truth. Jesus remaining in us is only possible if we are pursuing a life that depends on Him and surrenders every aspect of our lives to Him. If we are truly connected to the source vine, then we acknowledge we cannot survive without Him. We give Him all the glory for our lives, for anything we achieve and anything that we have. All comes from the Vine to which we are attached. We are nothing without Him. We are dead without Him. We will indeed wither and die without His life giving force.

In this new year that is poised ahead of us, it is my fervent desire to see the connection between the Vine and my branch thicken and strengthen. I want to bear more fruit for Him than I have ever before. I acknowledge that it will only occur if I widen the veins between Him and me so that more of His life giving power can flow through and produce the greatest harvest ever for Him and for His kingdom. I am availing myself to Him, to my vine, to my Source. Prune me, feed me, harvest my fruit, O Lord!