John 15:1-17
The Vine and the Branches
1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. 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; 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. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, 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. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 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. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.
Jesus tells us He is the true vine, and His Father, our God is the Gardener...God cuts off every branch in His Son that bears no fruit, while every branch that He prunes will be even more fruitful...The branches grow better...The disciples are clean because of the word He has spoken to them...If His disciples remain in Jesus, He also will remain in them...No branch can bear fruit by itself, The disciples must remain in the vine...The disciples will bear good fruit only if they remain in Jesus...
Jesus is also our vine, we His followers, are His branches...If we remain in Him, and He remains in us then we will bear much fruit...When we are apart from Him, we can do nothing...If we do not remain in Him we are like the branch that dies, and needs to be cut off (Judas did not remain in Him), and is thrown away and withers...These dead branches are picked up and thrown into the fire and then burned up...If we can remain in Him and Jesus' words can remain in us, whatever we ask will be done...Jesus being in us and us working through Him is to our Father's glory...Jesus wants us to bear much fruit, because this shows that we are His disciples...
As God the Father has loved Him, so He loves us...Now we must try everyday to remain and be close to Jesus...Sometimes we drift and fall away, so we must be on guard to consciously have time for the Father and Son...If we can keep Jesus commands we will remain in His love...Jesus has kept His Father's love and kept His commands...Jesus tells us this so His joy may remain in us...When His joy is in us and not our joy, then our joy is complete...Jesus gives us this command: Love each other as He has loved His Twelve disciples...There is no greater love than this, to lay down one's life for His friends...We are Jesus' friend if we follow His commands...His disciples and followers are no longer to be called servants, because a servant does not know His master's business...We know His business, and can be called friends...For everything He knew about His Father is taught to His disciples...The disciples did not choose Him, but He chose the Twelve followers He wanted...He chose them that they might go and bear fruit and spread His teachings...These teachings will last forever...Whatever we ask in His name, God will give us...This is Jesus command: Love each other...
A good gardener when he prunes will make his plants better...When pruned right, they will be healthier, yield more, and grow much stronger...Jesus is like this when He is in us and we believe in Him...Then we are healthier, grow stronger, and are much better disciples...There are things on earth such as material things, our worries and anxieties that need to be pruned away so we can get closer to our Father...These types of things prohibit our relationship with the Father and Son and cutting them off is like cutting off the dead branch that needs pruning...The good gardener makes the plant better...
St. Augustine says our hearts are restless until they rest in thee...Even when we at are most happiness times in life something is missing...It is the Father and Son...Only after His joy is in us that we will be complete...
Jesus is the Vine, the True Vine...The roots are hidden and we do not know many of the things that go on from our heavenly Father...God's roots support and nourish the Vine and its branches...We must honor God and bear good fruit...Jesus is also the Light...The plant needs light to survive...We need His Light to prosper...
Jesus teaches us a command to love each other as He loves us...Servants do not know their master's business, and we know now our Master's business and teachings...When we know His teachings and business then we can be called His friend...He calls us friends, because He teaches us what His Father has taught Him...Believing in Him is much about what He tells us about the two greatest commandments...It is about love of His Father, and love of one's neighbor...Let us follow His command as He emphasizes it here, Love each another...
When we follow Jesus and believe in Him and remain in Him we try to do better, and we try to be better...We know He came to serve and not be served (Matthew 20:28)...He is still the Master Teacher and Gardener...How could we not be better from following Him and His teachings?...