REMAINING CONNECTED

In the familiar parable of The Vine and the Branches in John 15, we read of the necessity of remaining connected to the Vine. Jesus says, “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). There is no instruction in this text to ‘bear fruit.’ The message is to stay connected, to abide, to remain attached, to depend.

The sub-title and greater emphasis is to remain connected… and if we do… we will bear fruit. Bearing fruit is the goal. The explicit way to do this is by ‘Remaining connected.’ “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me” (John 15:4).

I think what this is all about is removing the idea from our thinking that when we bear fruit it is because we are clever, have read the whole Bible in a year, we are smart, can quote Scripture, are good friends with Reverend Frank, had lunch with Pastor Tom and gave money for the new Sunday School project. They may all be what’s happening… but bearing fruit comes from abiding in Christ…remaining connected to the Vine. Nothing else. To bear fruit is become like the Vine and bear fruit also.

“Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.” Jesus