Branch Life; Part 2

Feb. 7

Read: John 15:3,4

Branch Life; Part 2

“Already you are clean (literally: pruned) because of the word that I have spoken to you. 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.” - Jesus

The words that Jesus speaks to us will “cut us”… “remove from us” …whatever it is that hinders our bearing fruit. The words of Jesus will prepare us to bear more fruit for the Kingdom of God. These words will come to us after seasons of fruitful ministry… and they will refine us… cut and take away from us what ever patters of thinking or habits that need to go. We see this in John 15:3,4. The word used in John 15:3 that is translated as “clean” is the same word as “prunes” from verse 2. When we see these together verses together it reads:

“…every branch that does bear fruit he (God) prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are pruned because of the word I have spoken to you.”

The word of Jesus cleans us, prunes us, refines us, and makes us fit and ready to receive greater blessing and fruit in our lives. Without the word of Christ spoken into our lives, we are simply not able to receive any greater blessing or bear any real fruit in the Kingdom of God. We must remain connected to Jesus the way that a branch is connected to a vine. A brand will not “work” if it is simply near the vine… or if it just thinks about the vine once and a while. No - the branch must “ABIDE” in the vine… remain connected in the deepest ways. In short - they must “live in the vine” the way that the “vine lives in them”. “Abide in me, and I in you” is what Jesus says.

We cannot do anything of spiritual significance or importance apart from Christ. As my friend Senter likes to say - “ Period; AMEN” ! We can do nothing apart form Christ that is bearing fruit for the Kingdom. Everything that God (the “Vinedresser”) wants to do through us requires our abiding in Christ. If we can do it apart from him… it may not be the “fruit” that the vinedresser is after!

Nevertheless, it is “the branch” that is bearing fruit as it is “abiding” in the vine. Jesus is not afraid to say that YOU will bear fruit IF you abide in him. It is your fruit. Look at verse 2 again… you are pruned so that “you may bear more fruit.” The vine is the source of life for the branch. The vine is the support for the branch; but the vine can get along fine with out the branch…but the branch cannot do anything with out the vine! If our lives are fruitless, it is not because of the vine. The intention of the vine and the goal of the vinedresser is FRUITFULNESS. The best that I can tell… it is a matter of “abiding”. Where are we “resting”? Where are we “present”? Where are we “focused” or giving our attention to? By whom are we being “held”? These are the definitions of “abiding”. (cf. Strongs g3306) When we abide, then Jesus speaks words which clean us and “prune”us… prepare us… for fruitful lives! There is no fruitfulness apart from Christ. This is the “branch life”. If you hear these words, then “already you are clean”and you have “born fruit” because Jesus is “pruning you”… that is what he does to fruit bearing branches! Love you guys. - JDP