[this post is contributed by Alex Rover]
A consideration of John 15:1-17 will do much to encourage us to greater love for one another, for it demonstrates Christ's great love for us and builds appreciation for the great privilege of being brothers and sisters in Christ.
“I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener. He takes away every branch that does not bear fruit in me.” – John 15:1-2a NET
The passage starts with a strong warning. We understand that we are branches of Christ (John 15:3, 2 Corinthians 5:20). If we bear no fruit in Christ, then the Father will remove us from Christ.
The Great Gardener doesn’t just remove some branches that don’t bear fruit in Christ, he skillfully removes every branch that doesn’t bear fruit. That means that each and every one of us needs to examine ourselves, because we are guaranteed to be cut if we fail to meet his standard.
Let’s try to understand the illustration from the perspective of the Great Gardener. One web article [1] states about the main point behind pruning trees:
Most fruit trees grown in home gardens are spurring trees. A spur is a short branch where the tree flowers and sets fruit. Pruning encourages the trees to grow more of these fruiting spurs by removing competing suckers and unproductive wood.
We can thus understand that removing unproductive wood is required for Jesus Christ to grow more branches that will bear fruit instead. Verse 2b continued:
He prunes every branch that bears fruit so that it will bear more fruit. – John 15:2b NET
This passage is heart-warming, since it reminds us that our loving Father shows compassion to us. None of us are perfect fruit-bearers, and he lovingly prunes every one of us so we can bear more fruit. Unlike those who bear no fruit at all, we are lovingly adjusted. Marvel at the harmony of God’s inspired word:
My son, do not scorn the Lord’s discipline or give up when he corrects you.
For the Lord disciples the one he loves and chastises every son he accepts. – Hebrews 12:5-6 NET
If you feel chastised, or disciplined, do not give up, but rejoice knowing that he accepts you as a branch of the true vine, Jesus Christ. He accepts you as a son or daughter. And keep in mind that all accepted children of the Father go through a similar pruning process.
Even if you are a brand new child of God bearing but little fruit, you are considered clean and acceptable [2]:
You are clean already because of the word that I have spoken to you – John 15:3 NET
As a branch of Christ, you are one in him. Life sustaining sap flows through our branches and you are part of him, so serenely illustrated by partaking of the Lord’s Supper:
Then he took bread, and after giving thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And in the same way he took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” – Luke 22:19-20 NET
When we become in union with Christ, we are reminded that only by remaining in union with him we can continue bearing fruit. If a religious organization claims that leaving it behind is the same as leaving Christ, then all who left such an organization would logically stop bearing Christian fruit. If we can find even a single individual who did not stop bearing fruit, then we know that religious organization’s claim is a lie, for God cannot lie.
Remain in me, and I will remain in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. – John 15:4 NET
Apostasy means a falling away from Christ, a voluntary removing of oneself from Christ after having been joined to him in union. An apostate would be easily recognized by observing the lack of fruits of the spirit expressed in his actions and words.
“You will recognize them by their fruit.” – Matthew 7:16 NET
Their fruits dry up and what’s left is a worthless branch in the eyes of the Great Gardener, which awaits permanent destruction by fire.
If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown out like a branch, and dries up; and such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, and are burned up. – John 15:6 NET
Remain in Christ’s Love
What follows next is a declaration of Christ’s love for you. Our Lord gives us an astonishing reassurance that he is always here for you:
If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you. – John 15:7 NET
Not just the Father, or an angel he commissioned for your sake, but Christ himself will personally care for you. Earlier he said to his disciples:
And I will do whatever you ask [the Father] in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in my name, I will do it. – John 15:13-14 NET
Jesus is someone who personally comes to your aid and who is always there for you. Our heavenly Father is glorified by this arrangement, for he is the Great Gardener and takes great joy seeing a struggling branch receive help from the vine in his care, for it results in the vine producing more fruit!
My Father is honored by this, that you bear much fruit and show that you are my disciples. – John 15:8 NET
Next we are assured of our Father’s love and urged to remain in Christ’s love. The Father loves us on behalf of his love for his Son.
Just as the Father has loved me, I have also loved you; remain in my love. – John 15:9 NET
If we would write a book about remaining in Jehovah’s love, that book should thus urge us to seek union with Christ as a child of the Father, and remain in Christ’s love. Allow the vine to nurture you, and the Father to prune you.
Obey Christ’s commandments, as he has set a faithful example for us, so that our joy in Christ may be complete.
If you obey my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed the Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be complete. – John 15:10-11 NET
This expression of completeness and joy in relation to endurance and testing of our faith through trial was put to words so beautifully by Jesus’ own half-brother James:
My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything. – James 1:2-4 NET
And what does Christ expect from us, but to love one another? (John 15:12-17 NET)
This I command you – to love one another. – John 15:17 NET
This command requires selfless love, the forsaking of oneself in favor of another. We can walk in his footsteps and imitate his love – the greatest love of all:
No one has greater love than this – that one lays down his life for his friends – John 15:13 NET
When we imitate his love, we are Jesus' friend because such selfless love is the greatest fruit of all!
You are my friends if you do what I command you. […] But I have called you friends, because I have revealed to you everything I heard from my Father. – John 15:14-15 NET
Everyone will know by this that you are my disciples – if you have love for one another. – John 13:35 NET
How have you experienced Christ's love in your life?
[1] http://gardening.about.com/od/treefruits/ig/How-to-Prune-an-Apple-Tree/Fruiting-Spurs.htm
[2] This is in compassionate contrast with these stringent requirements for holiness set forth in the Law:
When you enter the land and plant any fruit tree, you must consider its fruit to be forbidden. Three years it will be forbidden to you; it must not be eaten. In the fourth year all its fruit will be holy, praise offerings to the Lord. – Leviticus 19:23,24 NET
Archived Comments
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Comment by Anjinsan on 2014-10-02 11:43:36
Thanks for the article.
One of the best ways of experiencing the Love of God and the Christ is through fellow humans. My experience of the Christ was through my biological Father. He showed me love to the core, unconditional love. Even when I choose to be JW. He did not for a day dissuade me. When I think back and remember those periods I lived at home and the family gathered to pray and due to what I choose to believe as the definition of inter-Faith I did not join in. He never complained, he never ostracized me, he kept playing his role as a father till I found my feet.
Looking back now, those experiences was a big example to me of Christ like love. Its my prayer that I also continue to bear fruit in showing Christ like Love.Reply by Alex Rover on 2014-10-02 12:59:38
It reminds me of the patience of God with mankind. What a wonderful experience of Christ's love! Thank you for sharing that.
Reply by Mailman on 2014-10-03 10:40:12
Teary eyed as I read your comments dear brother...
Comment by on 2014-10-02 18:54:59
Beautifully done, Alex Rover. I wish more of the articles from our publications and studies at the meetings could focus as clearly on the Master as you have. After all, isn't this what our dear God Jehovah wants us to do?
Comment by menrov on 2014-10-03 03:08:37
I really like these articles. It is motivating, encouraging and at the same time educating. That is what bible studies or bible discussion should be about. Thanks.
Comment by Jannai40 on 2014-10-03 16:24:34
John 15:3 "You are clean because of the word I have spoken to you". In the Organisation being "spiritually strong" was almost like a status symbol, but that's not how it is with Jesus Christ - we each grow in our own way and in our own time because we are all at different stages, but we are all equally acceptable to our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
Thank you for the reminders about the love and the discipline; it's only by applying these qualities that we able to grow as true followers of Jesus Christ and find peace.
Thank you for articles like this which are very necessary and help to keep us on the right track.
Comment by brendaevans32 on 2014-10-04 11:35:29
Hello
Thank you, thank you for this lovely thought and loving discussion of the sentiments in John:15.
As I read it, I was thinking of the xylem in the plants and how much the plant relies on it, just as we do, in our biological way, on the arteries that Jehovah gave us.
And the thoughts that struck me were about how much we need Jesus to help feed us and support us, just as the plant needs the xylem. His thoughts and teachings, so brilliantly and patiently given, are food to us, and they will be for all time to all generations. How much we need Jehovah and Jesus to simply feed and water us.
And to think that where there is no activity going on in our lives, or where we are beginning to show a leaning toward which is not healthy, Jehovah is able to help us not go down that path, but steers us clear. How many times has He looked at folk and thought that something is not beneficial or will not work or not produce as good as it could - and has stepped in? In the last week, I have felt along these lines - wanting to clear the debris and the yuck out. Unfortunately, it was only too easy to moan about something - but I am more aware of how futile my moanings are, and there are much more beautiful thoughts and activities out there and within us that we can enjoy, and pass onto those in our lives. Oh, how I want to concentrate on the love and appreciate better things or things said. To give energy to follow positive - is a goal. Thank you Jehovah. Thank you Jesus.
And how timely is your piece - I read it and how beautiful Jehovah and Jesus are.
Thank you, thank you.
Comment by billy on 2014-10-07 16:36:35
I would like to know what everyone s idea of "fruits" are that Jesus was referring to?
what comes to my mind is the fruitage of the spirit
Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, self control
and the opposite would be the fruit of the flesh
Now the works of the flesh are plainly seen, and they are sexual immorality,uncleanness, brazen conduct, idolatry, spiritism, hostility, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, dissensions, divisions, sects, envy, drunkenness,wild parties, and things like these.
Love seems to be the dominate quality of a true christian - it even outweighs knowledge and mighty works
1 Corinthians 13 New International Version (NIV)
13 If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.
so it appears that works and fruit are seperate things