These were the parting words of Jesus, as He would soon be betrayed, to be judged and crucified.
• The disciples will be separated from Him for a while, having been with Him for 3 years. He will return as the resurrected Lord in their lives. They need to stay focus and faithful to Him, to remain in Him.
• Jesus reminds them that apart from Him, they will not have life.
In Hampton Court near London, there is a grapevine which is about 1,000 years old. This grapevine has one root which is at least 0.6m thick, and some of the branches are 60m long. Despite its age the vine produces several tons of grapes each year.
Although some of the smaller branches are 60m from the main stem, they still bear the sweet and delicious fruit because they are connected to the vine.
Life flows from that single root and through out the vine bringing nourishment and strength to each of the branches.
If it is connected, it will continue to grow. Once it is cut off from the source of life, it withers.
• Jesus says, if we rely on Him (remain in him, repeated many times), our life will be abundant and good. We will bear fruit.
• This is what the disciples need to hear. Jesus was about to be betrayed and eventually will leave them, but He will rose from the dead and be with them.
The disciples need to know the Lord is always present in their lives and ministries.
• He is the Source of their life. They need to REMAIN IN HIM, must not move away from Him.
• And this is not just to the 12 disciples but to all of us today. Our life is in God’s hands.
• God created us with the need for connection. Of course the primary connection we need is to God – the branch cannot be disconnected from the vine.
• Once disconnected, we have lost the meaning and purpose to life.
Jesus is talking about you and me here.
• Jesus is the true vine. God the Father is the gardener. We are the branches. We get our life from the vine.
• Whether you know about a religion is not important; or a church or even Bible knowledge. The important thing is whether you know Jesus Christ. Life comes from Him.
• This is a relationship. Whether you know it today or not, this remains true. Do you know your relationship with God today?
He reveals a few truths that have to do with you.
(1) God is WATCHING over you.
He is the Gardener; He knows the condition of the branch.
• How are you today? God knows. Are you withering? Or are you growing strong? He knows it all.
• The fact that he can prune the fruit-bearing branches means He has been watching.
• God knows what is happening in His vineyard. In fact, He is watching so closely that He knows what needs to be done. People may not know, but God does.
• Ps 33:18-19 “But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.”
It is not that God does not exist; man who does not want to acknowledge Him.
There is the story from South Korea. A man injured in the war and left with a disfigured face. No one wants to hire him and he was poor. He went around collecting metal cans and survived on these.
One day on the street he saw a blind orphan. He felt pity on him and care for him. He wanted to raise some money to help him. Consulted the doctor and took a few years to raise the money. He finally sent the boy to the hospital for treatment. The boy’s eyes were healed and restored.
The old man left without this boy knowing. He does not want to scare the boy with his scary look. The boy eventually left the hospital and got a job as a waiter at a restaurant.
One day, the old man came to near to the restaurant. He was searching for drinking cans around the garbage when this waiter came out, and tells him to leave because he was scaring the customers. The old man looked at the boy and realised it was the orphan he has saved.
The boy went in, saying, “I hope I never see him again.”
(2) God is WORKING in your life.
He says that that every branch that bear fruit He prunes, so that it will be even more fruitful. He is not only watching but working in your life today.
God works in your life. He prunes.
• Pruning occurs when we are doing something right, not wrong.
• It is done by God, not by man; intended for our benefit.
• It is customised to each branch’s needs. Not all the same.
• It may bring some discomfort, but the result is always good.
What God does in your life is for your good - to achieve His purpose, bear much fruit, to have abundance.
• This is good. God uses people and circumstances, our experiences to mould us and prune us.
• Rom 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
• Do we really believe this? If we do, we need to seek Him.
He is a responsible Gardener, one who loves his plants.
• If you visit someone house and see many beautiful plants, you can tell something about the owner.
• God is concern about your life – whether you are living a purposeful and fruitful life, or wasting your life away. He is concerned because He loves you.
• Like a father is concerned about his child’s study and future. We do not want him to waste his life, but to treasure life and live life to the fullest.
• God loves us. The Bible says He prunes so that you can become even more fruitful.
(3) There is a PURPOSE for your existence – to bear fruit for God’s glory.
Verse 8 sums up well: “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”
• To glorify our God is the purpose of our life.
• We do that by bearing fruit – in order words, doing His will. It includes good testimony and good works.
• Eph 2:10 “We are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works.”
Not every branch bears fruit. There will be people who reject God.
• They live for themselves. They are like branches separated from the vine and eventually wither and die. They did find any fulfilment in life.
• Jesus says we are not here living for ourselves. We are not here living for our family, although is good to do so. We are not here living for our children or our parents.
• Ultimately we are here living for God. We seek to glorify God in all that we say and do. This is our reason for living. This is why God created us.
And this is the greatest fulfilment and joy in life. Any other goals are good, but they cannot give you true fulfilment.
• That is why Jesus says He has come to give us an abundant life.
• Such a life is not meant for a few. Jesus was not referring only to the Twelve. It is for all who want to put their trust in Christ.
We can ALL bear fruit for God because the power to do so comes from Jesus.
• You are someone God can use to bless others. Do not feel small or weak, or that you are a failure because of past mistakes.
• If we rely upon Christ, we can bear fruit. The life comes from the vine.
• You must abide in Christ, must not be separated from Him. Draw near to God.
God wants to help us, not just bear fruit but bear much fruit.
• In order words, He wants us to move from a barren life to one that is purposeful and abundant. We are created to bear fruit, to have a fruitful life.
• And only in Jesus Christ can we get such a life, because we are just branches. We need the vine.
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Dear friend, the Lord shows us very clearly here that we are created for a living relationship with God.
• The Vine gives its life to the branch. He is present and He is concerned about your life.
• Apart from Jesus, we cannot find true meaning and purpose. We are created to know Him and walk with Him. Put your faith in Jesus Christ today.
• Jesus came into this world for this purpose, that you and I have the chance to know Him and be restored in our relationship with God.
• Jesus died for us, so that our sin can be forgiven and we can be reconciled with God.
