“I AM THE VINE; YOU ARETHE BRANCHES.”

Passage: John 15:1-17

Key verse: 7

NIV

The Vine and the Branches

15 “I am(A) the true vine,(B) and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit,(C) while every branch that does bear fruit(D) he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.(E) 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you.(F) No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit;(G) apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.(H) 7 If you remain in me(I) and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.(J) 8 This is to my Father’s glory,(K) that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.(L)

9 “As the Father has loved me,(M) so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands,(N) you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.(O) 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.(P) 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.(Q) 14 You are my friends(R) if you do what I command.(S) 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.(T) 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you(U) so that you might go and bear fruit(V)—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.(W) 17 This is my command: Love each other.(X)

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Footnotes
  1. John 15:2 The Greek for he prunes also means he cleans.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

I Am the True Vine

15 “I am the (A)true vine, and my Father is (B)the vinedresser. 2 (C)Every branch in me that does not bear fruit (D)he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, (E)that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already (F)you are clean (G)because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 (H)Abide (I)in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; (J)you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that (K)bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me (L)he is thrown away like a branch and withers; (M)and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If (N)you abide in me, and my words abide in you, (O)ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 (P)By this my Father is glorified, that you (Q)bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 (R)As the Father has loved me, (S)so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 (T)If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as (U)I have kept (V)my Father's commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, (W)that my joy may be in you, and that (X)your joy may be full.

12 (Y)“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 (Z)Greater love has no one than this, (AA)that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are (AB)my friends (AC)if you do what I command you. 15 (AD)No longer do I call you servants,[a] for the servant (AE)does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for (AF)all that I have heard from my Father (AG)I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but (AH)I chose you and appointed you that you should go and (AI)bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that (AJ)whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, (AK)so that you will love one another.

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Footnotes
  1. John 15:15 Or bondservants, or slaves (for the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface); likewise for servant later in this verse and in verse 20
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

Jesus is the true vine and his followers are the branches. This metaphor shows an inseparable relationship between Jesus and his followers. God prunes us to make us more fruitful. His pruning tools are his word and discipline (Heb 12:6,11). The process may be painful, but it is for our good. We need to cut off unnecessary things in us to grow in the holiness of God. We can bear fruit only when we remain in Jesus; apart from him we can do nothing. Jesus promises that if we remain in him and his words remain in us, he will give whatever we ask in prayer. Then we prove to be Jesus’ disciples and bear much fruit, which glorifies God.

Jesus loves us the same way the Father has loved him. Remaining Jesus’ love drives us to obey him in gratitude for his life-giving love for us. Jesus was a man of pain and familiar with suffering (Isa 53:3), but his heart was joyful in the Father’s love. As we love each other (13:34), his joy will be in us. We will live with a spirit of joy though we may weep, endure pain. Jesus laid down his life for us while we were still his enemies (Ro 5:8) and calls us his friends. He shares God’s redemptive plans and invite us to participate in it. It is amazing to know that Jesus chose and appointed us in his sovereign grace to go and bear fruit, especially the fruit of love!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your life-giving love for me. Help me to remain in your love and word and bear fruit that will last to the glory of God.

One Word: Remain in Jesus