Verses:
John 15 : 1 -17
My thoughts about the verses:
Many of us love pictures. It helps us to understand the point that a speaker or teacher is trying to get across. We need a concrete example to help us focus on what we are to learn. Jesus understood this concept and related principles to things the followers would understand in their time.
The story of the vine and branches is an image we can still understand. If you grow any fruit or plant you understand the need for pruning and taking care of the plant. if you neglect the plant it will eventually die. If you prune it and take good care of the plant it will produce great fruit. To make a vine grow you need four things.
First you need a healthy vine. A vine that is healthy will set the foundation for a healthy plant. If the vine is not healthy to start with you will need to work extremely hard to accomplish anything. When working with unhealthy plants it will be futile because the vine will eventually die without ever producing any fruit. In this example Jesus is the healthy vine. Jesus gives us a strong starting point. As long as we stay firmly attached with Jesus we will be fruitful. If we allow the storms to snap us from the vine we will start to wither. During the storms of life we need to grasp even tighter to the vine to make sure that we continue doing our call.
The second thing that you need is a good Gardner. A Gardner who doesn't take care of the original vine or branches the plant will not produce fruit. The Gardner insures that the plant is pruned and fertilized. It is the Gardner that decides if a particular branch needs to be trimmed back to grow healthier. The Gardner also decides if a branch needs to be cut off the vine so that the vine will not die. God is the ultimate Gardener. God prefers for all of the branches to produce fruit. Yet, when it is jeopardizing the vine it will be trimmed off. Remember, you cannot hide your true beliefs from God. So therefor if you profess to be a Christian live as one and also witness to those around you so that you can bear the fruit God desires from each of us.
The next thing that is needed is healthy branches. Those that profess their love to God and accept Jesus in their life are the healthy branches. They will live a productive life and lead many others to Christ. Throughout their life God will prune them and ensure that they are refreshed so that they can continue to be healthy. Those branches that are healthy can help in this process by walking the talk. By reading and studying God's word. Lastly, they need to give of their gifts, talents and tithe to stay healthy. It is important to note at this point that the vine and the Gardener desire nothing but the best from all the branches. Any obstacle that arises in the branches growing fruit are all placed by the individual branch. If you strive to be connected to the healthy vine and allow the Gardener to work in your life you will be successful in all things.
The last part is something that we miss in this story yet is essential. The last thing you need is enriched soil. Now we all know not all soil is healthy. Sometimes plant will not produce fruit no matter what we do because the soil is not enriched with minerals. In this case I want to plant out that the vine isn't the problem it isn't the branches or the Gardner who are at fault. It is solely because the soil does not have the right composition. In this story the soil is the people that we associate with.
How does this imply in our lives and how can we ensure that we are in the right soil. Jesus tells us in another part of the Bible that if you go into an area and they do not treat you with hospitality then move on. You have to know when you are in a group of people that drain your energy and keep you from serving Jesus you need to move on. We all have people that keep us from doing what we need to do for God. If we stay around these people we are not able to grow and be strong and healthy. So if your friends are dragging you down think are I around the right people. Are they encouraging me to do things that are not of God's will. When you are surrounded by people that walk the talk you to will grow stronger.
Prayer:
Dear God we thank you for loving us. We thank you for supporting us through the hard times of life. We offer up praises to you for providing the vine that we can put our trust in. Dear God we ask that you help us discern between healthy and bad soil. We ask that you work through us to lead others to the vine of truth and life. We ask that you help us do things that will bring great reward to God. In you Holy name we pray. Amen
Questions:
Have you accepted Jesus in your life? In the hard times of life do you depend on Jesus to help you through? Are you walking the talk that Jesus has set out for us to do? Are you studying the word so that you can get stronger in your faith? Are you giving God all of your gifts, talents and tithes? Are your closest friends of the same spirit? Are you allowing people that do not trust Jesus to sway the things that you do?
My thoughts about the verses:
Many of us love pictures. It helps us to understand the point that a speaker or teacher is trying to get across. We need a concrete example to help us focus on what we are to learn. Jesus understood this concept and related principles to things the followers would understand in their time.
The story of the vine and branches is an image we can still understand. If you grow any fruit or plant you understand the need for pruning and taking care of the plant. if you neglect the plant it will eventually die. If you prune it and take good care of the plant it will produce great fruit. To make a vine grow you need four things.
First you need a healthy vine. A vine that is healthy will set the foundation for a healthy plant. If the vine is not healthy to start with you will need to work extremely hard to accomplish anything. When working with unhealthy plants it will be futile because the vine will eventually die without ever producing any fruit. In this example Jesus is the healthy vine. Jesus gives us a strong starting point. As long as we stay firmly attached with Jesus we will be fruitful. If we allow the storms to snap us from the vine we will start to wither. During the storms of life we need to grasp even tighter to the vine to make sure that we continue doing our call.
The second thing that you need is a good Gardner. A Gardner who doesn't take care of the original vine or branches the plant will not produce fruit. The Gardner insures that the plant is pruned and fertilized. It is the Gardner that decides if a particular branch needs to be trimmed back to grow healthier. The Gardner also decides if a branch needs to be cut off the vine so that the vine will not die. God is the ultimate Gardener. God prefers for all of the branches to produce fruit. Yet, when it is jeopardizing the vine it will be trimmed off. Remember, you cannot hide your true beliefs from God. So therefor if you profess to be a Christian live as one and also witness to those around you so that you can bear the fruit God desires from each of us.
The next thing that is needed is healthy branches. Those that profess their love to God and accept Jesus in their life are the healthy branches. They will live a productive life and lead many others to Christ. Throughout their life God will prune them and ensure that they are refreshed so that they can continue to be healthy. Those branches that are healthy can help in this process by walking the talk. By reading and studying God's word. Lastly, they need to give of their gifts, talents and tithe to stay healthy. It is important to note at this point that the vine and the Gardener desire nothing but the best from all the branches. Any obstacle that arises in the branches growing fruit are all placed by the individual branch. If you strive to be connected to the healthy vine and allow the Gardener to work in your life you will be successful in all things.
The last part is something that we miss in this story yet is essential. The last thing you need is enriched soil. Now we all know not all soil is healthy. Sometimes plant will not produce fruit no matter what we do because the soil is not enriched with minerals. In this case I want to plant out that the vine isn't the problem it isn't the branches or the Gardner who are at fault. It is solely because the soil does not have the right composition. In this story the soil is the people that we associate with.
How does this imply in our lives and how can we ensure that we are in the right soil. Jesus tells us in another part of the Bible that if you go into an area and they do not treat you with hospitality then move on. You have to know when you are in a group of people that drain your energy and keep you from serving Jesus you need to move on. We all have people that keep us from doing what we need to do for God. If we stay around these people we are not able to grow and be strong and healthy. So if your friends are dragging you down think are I around the right people. Are they encouraging me to do things that are not of God's will. When you are surrounded by people that walk the talk you to will grow stronger.
Prayer:
Dear God we thank you for loving us. We thank you for supporting us through the hard times of life. We offer up praises to you for providing the vine that we can put our trust in. Dear God we ask that you help us discern between healthy and bad soil. We ask that you work through us to lead others to the vine of truth and life. We ask that you help us do things that will bring great reward to God. In you Holy name we pray. Amen
Questions:
Have you accepted Jesus in your life? In the hard times of life do you depend on Jesus to help you through? Are you walking the talk that Jesus has set out for us to do? Are you studying the word so that you can get stronger in your faith? Are you giving God all of your gifts, talents and tithes? Are your closest friends of the same spirit? Are you allowing people that do not trust Jesus to sway the things that you do?
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