1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit He takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. ~ John 15:1-5
The bottom in Jesus’ discourse is to abide and “Bear Fruit.” Jesus said that He, Himself was the Vine, and we are the branches. Jesus doesn’t just use any old frivolous analogy here to describe His relationship with us, and ours with Him, and the Father’s obligations in the whole plan of fruit-bearing.
Let me describe the vine for you. The grapevine has a trunk that comes up out of the ground, and then there are two arms of the vine stretching out on each side called canes—a perfect picture of the Crucified Messiah.
Now from the two arms, several shoots grow vertically. Those shoots are the branches that are us, the Christians, the Body of Christ. The growing upwards is a perfect picture of our relationship that we have with Jesus. Our relationship with Him is a vertical one. Our prayers, our intercessions, our requests, they all go upward to Jesus. We even raise our hands upward in worship.
Leaves and grapes only grow from new shoots each year. Therefore, all of the old shoots are cut off and thrown away. This a very good example of the lesson that we cannot live in yesterday’s glory or survive on yesterday’s miracles. We have to keep seeking more. Jesus encouraged His disciples (and us) by telling them that they would do greater things than even He did. Time is so short we can’t afford to dwell in past miracles as if God has stopped working. God is the God of new things. His desire is to continuously do new things in your life until you have become perfected in Christ Jesus.
Peace. Love. Go Forth and Seek New Miracles.
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