Read John 15: 1 – 8
The Vine is Jesus, we are the branches are people and the Vinedresser is the Father in Heaven. The analogy speaks of connection as well as purpose. It’s through Jesus we are connected to the Father, and we find our source, dependence and reliance on Jesus.
We, as God’s people, are called to cover the earth with fruit, His Kingdom, His goodness. Israel fails to be that (see Isaiah 5). But there is hope in Isaiah 27:2-6 that there will be a people who will fill all the wordl with fruit. This prophetic hope begins to be fulfilled in who said ‘I am the True Vine.’
We can produce fruit and cover the earth with fruit only by remaining in Him. So what does it look like to remain, or abide, in Him?
Read John 15:9-17
We remain in Him as we keep His commandments and his commandment is to love one another. Only in the context of community are we truly fruitful.
Plants are living so need different things at different times. The most vulnerable times are season changes. I had one plant recently whose leaves just kept turning yellow. I kept adjusting the water levels but what it actually needed was a bigger pot. God will use others to cause us to grow. There are different kinds of voices and influences and mentors who can help us to grow. So let’s seek them out and pursue community, and pursue mentors, so that we can be truly fruitful.
Lukundo Fagade