Branches – They Must Stay Attached To The Vine

A vine and its branches

Why all the talk about branches and a vine? Branches are an essential part of any tree. Without them, we have nothing for leaves and fruit to attach. Branches or limbs as some call them, give the fruit a place to grow and to hang. Without tree limbs, we wouldn’t have suitable trees, especially fruit trees.

Let’s look at John 15

John 15:1-4 says this, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He takes away every branch that does not bear fruit in me. He prunes every branch that bears fruit so that it will bear more fruit. You are clean already because of the word that I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in  the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me.”

Let’s break this down

Jesus is making a distinction here between two kinds of pruning. In the first part of verse two, he says “he takes away every branch that does not bear fruit in me.”

It would be similar to me trimming a tree in the yard that has not produced anything, or it may even be dead.

Next, he says “he prunes every branch that bears fruit.”

It would be the same or similar to me pruning a tree in my yard, cutting it back, so it blossoms more. If you know anything about trimming bushes or trees, you know what I’m referring. We prune trees to promote growth. We go through a pruning process ourselves.

Fruitful trees must be cut back to promote growth

Sometimes God must discipline us (prune us) to strengthen our character and faith. But those that don’t bear fruit are cut off from the trunk because not only are they worthless, but they often infect the rest of the tree.

People who won’t bear fruit for God or who try to block the efforts of God’s followers will be cut off from God’slife-givingg power.

Jesus says in verse four, “Remain in me and I will remain in you.”

When we think about a fruit tree, a branch cannot bear fruit unless it stays attached to the vine. A tree starts as a little seed and grows into a tree, having gone through the whole process from start to finish. The branch will die if it does not stay attached. If the branch is not connected, there will be no fruit. If the branch is dead or dying, there will be no fruit. Therefore, we as branches, to produce fruit, must stay attached to the vine. And that vine is Jesus.

Are you attached?

Today, who’s your branch attached to and is it alive, dying or already dead?

Are you currently going through the pruning process?

Are you being discarded or being disciplined?

Let’s pray

Lord, I pray today for myself and those reading this blog post. The pruning process can be painful, but I know from experience, it is required if I am to produce fruit. Just like my orange tree in the backyard, if I don’t care for it, it will die. Lord, I’m thankful you are my gardener. Father, give us the courage today to ask you who our branch is attached to and where we are in the process of growth. If we find Lord that we are dying or almost dead, please help us to come back to life, to return to the vine. In your Son’s name, I pray all these things, Amen.

In His Service,

Jeanette Duby, The Teaching Lady

#vines #fruit #fruittrees #Jesus

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