The Yield Of Your Life

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.