John 15: You Have One Job

Today’s reading is John 15.

I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser…
I am the vine; you are the branches.

John 15:1, 5 (ESV)

In Jesus’s metaphor, the vinedresser plants and waters the seed, cares for the vine, prunes the branches. The vine refers to the trunk coming from the ground. The branches refer to the tendrils draped along the trellis.

What is the branch’s job in all this? Hmmm. Good question. Exactly what is a branch of a vine good for? The Bible actually answers this question.

Son of man, how does the wood of the vine surpass any wood, the vine branch that is among the trees of the forest? Is wood taken from it to make anything? Do people take a peg from it to hang any vessel on it? Behold, it is given to the fire for fuel. When the fire has consumed both ends of it, and the middle of it is charred, is it useful for anything? Behold, when it was whole, it was used for nothing. How much less, when the fire has consumed it and it is charred, can it ever be used for anything?

Ezekiel 15:2-5 (ESV)

Not a flattering picture of the vine branch, is it? The branch of the vine is pretty much useless. It can’t be used for furniture or shelter. It isn’t even used to make hanging pegs. It’s only use, by itself, is as kindling. Take vine branches with you on your next camping trip, they will help you get a good fire going. Of course, at that point, the branches are even more useless.

Now I’m a little offended. Why would Jesus remotely say my part in this picture is the useless branch? By itself, the branch is pretty much useless. However, when connected to the vine, the branch becomes a fantastic conduit for the life, strength, and nutrients of the vine to pass from one end and come out as fruit on the other.

Of course, when good fruit comes out on the ends of the branches, the farmer gets the praise and the glory. After all, the vinedresser is the one who did all the hard work. What was the branch’s job? Simple.

Abide in the vine.

That’s it. Stay connected to the vine. Don’t pull away from the vine. Dwell in the vine. Reside in the vine. Grow in the vine. If a branch abides in a strong vine and is cared for by a great vinedresser, it will bear fruit.

Understand what this means. Your job is not actually to bear fruit. You’ve got one job. Abide in the vine. Abide in Jesus. Jesus will grow the fruit. You just have to get grafted into His vine and stay there.

Where are you abiding today?

Tomorrow’s reading is John 15.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier sparked by this post.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

How does John 15 prompt or improve your praise of God?

Thank God for the Pruning Shears

Today’s reading is John 15.

When a branch in Jesus’s vine bears fruit, you know what God does? Leave it alone? Pat it and pet it and whisper wonderful words to it? Just give it more water? Nope. He prunes it. He gets out some shears and cuts off the bits that are distracting the nutrients from what is actually bearing fruit. I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t exactly sound pleasant to me. However, in the end, it actually produces more and better fruit. Being a disciple is not always easy. Sometimes it does feel like being stricken and cut on. However, those pruning shears are part of the Spirit’s way of producing His fruit in us, getting it to grow more fully. Don’t be discouraged, rather thank God for the pruning shears.

Monday’s reading is John 16.