In John 15:1, Jesus refers to Himself as the “True Vine.”  Referring to Himself as such was an accurate way of describing Himself because He does for us that which a vine does for its branches.  He gives life and strength to those who are connected to Him.  Several important truths emerge from the fact that Jesus is the “True Vine.”  Here are just a couple of them.

• We must be fruit-bearing branches.

John 15:2 (ESV)
²  Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away…

These words make it clear that spiritual success depends on fruit-bearing.  If one does not bear fruit, he is useless and must be taken away, that is, he must be cut off from the Vine. The only purpose of branches in a vine is to bear fruit.  The purpose of the branch is not aesthetic.  Its job is not to just hang there and look pretty.  Its purpose is to bear fruit, period!  Jesus does not beat around the bush in telling us what happens to those who are taken away.  The branches that do not bear fruit must ultimately be thrown into the fire and burned (ver. 6).   Are you bearing fruit in Christ?  We should all examine ourselves and make sure that we are.   

• We can only bear fruit by abiding in the Vine. 

John 15:2 (ESV)
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. 

You may be good, pure, righteous, and holy, but it does not matter if you are not connected to the Vine.  If you are a good husband or wife, a fine father or mother, it does not matter if you are not connected to the Vine.  If you attend worship services every time the doors are open, it does not matter if you are not connected to the Vine.  All the good works in the world will not save you unless you abide in Christ.

To abide means “to continue in a permanent state.”  It simply means “to stay.”   This is the key to fruit-bearing.  The word abide appears nine times in the first ten verses of John 15.  The life and strength of the branch come from the vine.  If the branch is severed from the vine, death is the unavoidable end.  The branch has no life in itself.  Nothing could be more emblematic of our relationship to Christ than this illustration.  Our spiritual vitality and fruit-bearing ability come from Jesus, who is the source of our spiritual strength (Philippians 4:13).  Apart from Him, we cannot live (vers. 4-5).   

There are too many “on-again, off-again” members of the Lord’s church.  To abide in Christ denotes consistency, and if there is one problem that plagues too many of God’s children, and for that matter, too many local churches as a whole, it is that of being inconsistent.

Let’s all determine to abide in Christ and bear the fruit that will bring glory to the Vinedresser.           

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.