"Fruitful Branches”

In Jesus Holy Name April 2, 2024

Text: John 15:1-8 Easter V

“Fruitful Branches”

In Hampton Court, near London, there is a grapevine that is reported to be the oldest living vine in the world. It is over 230 years old. It was planted in 1768. This grapevine has one root which is 12 feet around; some of the branches are over 120 feet long. Despite its age the vine still produces 500 to 700 bunches of grapes each year, weighing anywhere from 485-705 pounds.

Although some of the branches are 120 feet from the main root, they still bear the same sweet, delicious fruit year after year because they are connected to the old but fruitful vine. Each branch is connected directly to the stem and draws nourishment from it. If branches could talk or had personality, you might say that every year these branches of this old vine love to show to whom they belong, by bearing fruit that produces a sweet black dessert grape.

Just before WWII at the Tournament of Roses parade, the Standard Oil Company, had a beautiful float entered into the parade. It was covered in beautiful red roses. The theme that year was “Be Prepared”. In the middle of the parade the oil company's float came to a grinding halt and the rest of the parade with it.

The problem? The float committee, which had spent countless hours making sure that every flower was in place, which had spent literally days making sure that the music was just right, that the sound system was adequate for the task, they simply had forgotten to fill the float engine with enough gas! That's right, the Chevron Oil and Gas Company float had run out of gas.

The directors of the Chevron float had done everything well, but they had neglected to use their companies vast resources of oil. They had neglected to do the one thing needed to finish the work for that day. The parade waited while someone ran to get a gallon of gas.

Jesus is telling us that we will run out of energy, we will not be able to be effective if we lose our connection to Him. We are the branches, He is the vine. Power comes up from the roots, through the stem! Branches are dependent on the vine for their strength, their growth, and even for their fruit. There is only One Vine. There is only One Source of eternal, abundant life now.

To be connected to Him is to receive the power to live life abundantly, now and forever. To be disconnected from Him is to be severed from the One who created you, redeemed you, and resourced you to be His own. How do you stay connected? You must find time to worship on Sunday and read more in the bible this year than you did last year.

Jesus was clear. “No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain (attached) to the vine…….you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” The Apostle Paul gives us a list of the "fruits of faith." "Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, and self-control." (Galatians 5:22)

St. Peter adds to the words of Paul in his letter. “Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; to self-control, perseverance; to perseverance, godliness; to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love; for if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:5ff)

Pruning may be good for roses and vines and fruit trees, but most people, personally, don’t like to be pruned. The Great Vine at Hampton Court produces a black dessert grape. Once the new shoots are about ½ inch long, it is time for di -budding to reduce the number of new shoots. The remaining shoots grow until they are (12"- 18") long. Immediately after flowering, the number of bunches are again reduced and the remaining bunches are pruned so the fruit is more bountiful. In 2001 it produced 845 lbs. of grapes. Pruning keeps the vine productive.

Have you seen the pruning of grapes, roses? It looks rough, nothing left but stems. Yet pruning brings better grapes or more abundant roses. The same is true for us. Sometimes our pruning takes the form of suffering. Suffering through heart ailments, cancer, job loss, or rejection from friends because of your stand for the values of Jesus and His commandments. We are reminded by both Paul and James that “suffering produces endurance, endurance produces godly character and character hope.” Romans 5

As you know, just yesterday we had a funeral service for Stan Ryan, one of our long standing members and elder. These words of Jesus in John 15, I am the vine and you are the branches, apart from me you can not bear fruit that will last.”; was the verse that described Stan’s life and ministry. Even in the hospital after a heart attack he was never shy about sharing his connection to Jesus. Because he was always a branch attached to the vine of Jesus his character traits, his devotion to Jesus was always on display.