©2001 Charles Darby

John 15:1 - 6 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.  Now ye are clean through the word, which I have spoken unto you.  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

Today my wife and I visited where my Mother lived, before she died. As we walked around the yard with her husband we came upon a vine that had beautiful flowers. We both commented we would like to have a vine like that. We also saw another vine that later on will have grapes.

As we looked at the beauty of the vine we realized it was what was on the branches that made it so.  No matter how good the vine was, it was the condition of the branches that made it desirable. If the branches had not been covered with beautiful flowers we wouldn't have thought it was great.

Since Jesus is the vine and we are the branches, what do folks see when they look at us? Does what they see cause them to want the Vine?  Or does what they see cause them to turn away to something else? We who are called by His name are the ones to reach this generation.

Can folk look at us and say “that one is abiding in Jesus.”  I can see the Love in operation in all they do. The fruit is evident in their life.  I like to be around that one. If this happens, we must give all the glory and honor to Jesus. It is His life, in us, that they see. He is the vine; no branch has a life of its own. The life is in the vine.

If we began to bear fruit the Father will prune us so we will bear more fruit. Now we must realize, no vine bears fruit except in its season. The time of pruning and getting ready for next season is very necessary for continued fruit bearing. Praise God for the time of pruning, it's necessary for us to grow and produce more of the life of Christ.

From this can we understand why the Father will remove a branch that does not bear fruit? That branch is bringing dishonor to the vine that is Jesus Christ. He is very patient and long suffering but there comes a time when the branch will be taken away.

If we abide in Christ, letting His life flow through us, we will bear fruit. This is an absolute! Every Christian, I believe, desires to honor our Lord and Master. (Those who do not are just playing church.) This is the way to do it, abide in Jesus, no matter what is going on in our life. If we are in Him and He is in us, then He is with us all the time, the good, the bad and all in between!  In all things give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

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