The Fruitful Vineyard - H.e.a.r.t. Analysis Of John 15:1-5

The Fruitful Vineyard – HEART

Highlight – John 15:1-5 (CSB) - (1)“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. (2) Every branch in me that does not produce fruit he removes, and he prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. (3) You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. (4) Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. (5) I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me. John 15:1-5 (CSB)

Explain - At the end of John chapter 14 Jesus & the disciples left the upper room & went to the garden of Gethsemane. On the travel Jesus continued to teach His men more about the way to faithfully serve & follow Him; how to be a true disciple. He taught them that they should always have an intimate relationship; like the vine has with the branches stemming from them. In John 15:1 Jesus tells us that He is “the true vine” from which we are to receive our nourishment. We need this nourishment to live a productive life that bears good fruit. He goes on to say that He is the Vine & that His Father is the Gardener.

In verse 2 Jesus teaches that there are 2 types of branches. The first are those who only believe in Him for a while. They profess to believe when it's convenient, or agreeable, with them. They join church & perform the practices of the religion but they are not rooted in a relationship with Jesus. These branches are not connected to the vine & are unfruitful. The fruit they do have, withers away, and proves to not be genuine. It serves only to glorify themselves, & not God. The Gardener will remove these branches.

The other type of branch is one that does bear fruit. These are the type that are truly in Christ & have a relationship with Him. These good branches are pruned, which is needed for their growth and fruitfulness; just like the pruning & cutting of vines are in a healthy vineyard. Though these practices are sometimes harsh, & never joyous, it's done so the branches will bring a harvest that is healthier, more fruitful, & bring more honor & glory to the God. Every branch being pruned should trust that the Gardener knows what He is doing and be grateful for His care and attention.

Jesus' disciples had been with Him for some time now & saw the principles He was teaching. In Verse 3 Jesus tells His men that because of the Word He has spoken to them they are considered clean & they've had their hearts purified by faith in the blood of Christ. Because of the time that they'd been learning under Jesus' instructions these men were found to be clean & justified. Verse 3 states the branches are clean making them ready & able to bear fruit.

In verse 4 He tells them, “Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me.”

God's love revealed in Jesus is perfected when we know & experience living in Him. This is done through an exercise of faith & love for Christ. The disciples & followers are to hold on to Him with all of their heart. By doing this they gained life, grace, and nourishment from Him. To have life in it's fullness we must remain attached to the Vine of life that is Jesus Christ. Apart from the nourishment from Jesus the branches can do nothing. This verse shows the necessity of abiding in Christ by fresh & repeated acts of faith & love. When believers depart from Christ it will leave them in a fruitless condition that brings no honor or glory to God.

In verse 5 Jesus says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me.”

To live a productive spiritual life we have to take in the nourishment for growth. This nourishment is found in the Word of God & in Jesus Christ. Jesus begins this verse stating that He is the vine & His disciples are the branches. This expresses a unity with one another. The branches get their life, strength, purpose, & fruitfulness through the power of the vine. The moment we invite Jesus into our lives He gives us new life & new strength. When we ask for salvation we become one with Christ. We are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). This growth process is to be the same as the branch that grows from the vine. It doesn't grow by adding to the surface, but grows strength & develops from within. We change from the core of our inside, out.