"The Fruitful Branch"

“The Fruitful Branch”

 

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.   He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.  You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.  Remain in me, as I also remain in you.  No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.  Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”          John 15:1-4

 

This is the last of the seven great “I am” statements in John.  This Scripture is the words of Jesus to His disciples. 

 

Many times, when Jesus was teaching, He spoke in parables, which are ‘earthly stories’ with a ‘heavenly meaning.’  He did this so the people could better understand and relate to what He was saying.  Here He talks about Him being the TRUE VINE, God’s choice vine was Israel, the vine that He hoped would be FRUITFUL, but Israel fell to produce GOOD fruit, and Jesus became the TRUE VINE and God is the gardener. 

 

The branches are the disciples or followers of Jesus Christ.  The fruit that God desires is:  Loving obedience, righteousness, and justice.  Those who are ‘in Him,’ the branches that bears NO fruit, these are the ones who profess to be followers, but do not possess the gift of SALVATION, they will be cut off, while those who bears fruit, the TRUE believers, God will prune so that they will bear MORE fruit, and be even MORE fruitful. 

 

All the disciples, but one, Judas was cleansed by Jesus and His message.  Fruitfulness is the evidence of the presence of TRUE SALVATION in a believer.  It is the obligation of EVERY TRUE BELIEVER to ‘REMAIN’ in Christ, which means that without FAITH, no one can have life and produce the fruit that God expects us to produce.  But with a STRONG ABIDING FAITH, we can and will produce MUCH fruit, which will please God, and will honor Christ. 

 

Are you a part of the TRUE VINE?  If your answer is YES, are you producing ANY fruit?  If not you need to check your SALVATION, the ONLY way to POSSESS what you PROFESS is to: CONFESS your sins to God and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, in order to REMAIN on the TRUE VINE, Jesus Christ, and NOT be cut off.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!