Introduction

Good morning, dear family of God. What a blessing it is to gather together in the presence of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We are united here today, not by our own strength or will, but by the divine grace of our Heavenly Father who draws us closer to Him day by day.

Today, we are going to open our hearts and our minds to the deep wisdom of God's Word, as we turn our attention to the Gospel of John, chapter 15, verses 1-8. In this sacred passage, Jesus uses the beautiful imagery of a vine and its branches to illustrate our relationship with Him. He is the Vine, we are the branches, and our Heavenly Father is the vinedresser who prunes us so that we may bear more fruit.

Bearing Fruit through Belief in Jesus

When we abide in Jesus, when we believe in Him in this way, we will bear much fruit. This fruit is the evidence of our relationship with Jesus. It's the proof that we are His disciples. It's the result of the life-giving sap of the Holy Spirit flowing through us. This fruit takes various forms, such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These are the characteristics of a life that is connected to Jesus, a life that is nourished by Him, a life that is bearing fruit for His glory.

But bearing fruit requires patience and perseverance. It involves trials and tribulations. It entails pruning and purging. Just as a vinedresser prunes the branches of a vine to make them more fruitful, so our Heavenly Father prunes us to make us more fruitful. He removes the dead wood in our lives, the things that are hindering our growth, the things that are preventing us from bearing more fruit. He disciplines us, He refines us, He purifies us, so that we can be more productive for His kingdom.

This process of pruning can be painful. It can be difficult. It can be challenging. But it's necessary for our spiritual growth. It's necessary for our fruitfulness. It's necessary for our relationship with Jesus. As we go through this process, as we experience the loving discipline of our Heavenly Father, we need to keep believing in Jesus. We need to keep abiding in Him. We need to keep drawing our strength and sustenance from Him.

Becoming Branches of the Divine Vine

Having established the importance of bearing fruit through belief in Jesus, we now turn our attention to the imagery of becoming branches of the divine vine ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO