In connection with this, the reader should review John 15:1-8. God uses the figure of vines and branches often in scripture to show man's relation­ship, obligation and condition. He lik­ened Israel to a vine brought out of Egypt and planted in Canaan after the heathen had been cast out as weeds (Psa. 80:8). But that vine, though of a noble and right seed, degenerated into a strange plant to God (Jer. 2:21 ). Je­sus declared himself in our text to be the true vine. There was nothing in him to create a feeling of "strange­ness" or "disappointment" in the heart of God. He was everything God wanted him to be. The principle taught in John 15:1-8 is that, as a vine, Jesus is true to those who were associated with him as branches, so that they might bring forth fruit. And so as the people of God, he expects us to bear fruit, and there are several things that govern the principles of fruit bearing which we will notice.

First, the source of the fruit is the vine, for each branch bears no fruit in and of itself (v. 4). Jesus then said, "apart from me, ye can do nothing" (v. 5). In this relationship, the branches might become weak and diseased, but not the vine! God said to Israel , "from me is thy fruit found" (Hos. 14:8).

Then Jesus declared that the fruitless branches would be "taken away" (vv. 2, 6). Religious people are not neces­sarily spiritual people. Some may have a form of godliness, but have never really tasted the sweetness of fellowship with God. Outward sem­blances are there, but no production is in evidence. And so such will be cast forth, and can do nothing but wither. A religious, and yet Christless life will never be of much use to God or men.

In such matters, pruning is necessary. Such as are "pruned" by God are cleansed that they "bear more fruit" (vv. 2, 3). Growth often comes up in our lives that ought not be there; mere "shoots" that may look green and healthy, but no fruit is there. Such must be removed from the life. It may be painful, to be sure, to have our own desires "nipped in the bud" and thrown away! But the pruning knife of God's word (cf. Heb. 4:12 ) often needs to be applied to our lives, and then we are made "clean" by that word (v. 3).

What sort of fruit are we talking about here? Jesus said that after all the growing and pruning has taken place, then "ye shall be my disciples" (v. 8). The branch that is a true disciple is the one that bears much fruit for God. This is accomplished by conforming our lives to that of Christ; by learning what true spirituality is. What the sap of the vine is to the branch, the spirit of Christ is to the Christian. Such a one will then bear the fiuit that Paul told the Galatians about (Gal. 5:22ff).

The condition of being fruitless is tragic indeed. But it can be avoided when we come to two conclusions. First, there is the "human side" to the matter which says: "Christ is in me." Then there is the divine side which says: "I am in Christ." This is what John meant as he so often used the terms in First John about "abiding in Christ." Jumping "in and out" of Christ will not make one strong. We must make up our minds that we are going to serve God faithfully; dili­gently; all the time, so as not to be un­fruitful. We must make the conscious decision to be with the Lord at all times in order to be fruitful.

Now let us consider the results of fiuitfulness. What happens when a disciple of Jesus is fruitful? He said, "herein is my Father glorified" (v. 8). And so two things issue from this: [1] God is glorified, and [2] discipleship is proven. Another way of putting this is, there is a glorification of God, and fruitfulness in the man. Fruit is the natural outcome of a faithful follow­ing of Christ, as well as the evidence of it. The life lived in and for Christ is the only God-glorifying life there is, and the only one truly beneficial to man.

Jesus teaches us great lessons by his usage of the terms "vine" and "branches." If we will allow him to be the vine and then willingly serve him as the branches, how blessed life will be! -Bill Moseley

 

 

 

I first met him in February, 1953, and I suppose I shall never forget him. I had just been "invited" to spend two years in Uncle Sam's Army, and he was the "top sergeant" in our basic training company. He stood 6 feet 7 inches tall, had not a hair on his head, was missing a tooth right in front, al­ways wore a steel helmet and had a voice that sounded like the foghorn on a battleship, and you could hear him from a mile away! He had been through World War II, most of Korea and I doubt not for a moment that he had done his part in bringing those conflicts to a close! One look at him and all the "tough guys" who were going to run the show all of a sudden were not even interested in being in the show, much less running it!

Why talk about Sergeant Snyder? Be­cause once I got to know him, I found him to be "all business" when it came to his chosen career, and yet he was a caring and compassionate individual. There was no room for nonsense with him, but there was always plenty of room for common sense, and I bene­fited from it more than once.

Seems to me we need men like that in the Lord's service; men who truly care for those they are responsible for, and yet will tolerate no compromise, fool­ishness or laxity when to comes to up­holding truth and living like God demands. May their tribe increase! - Bill Moseley