Are You Bearing Fruit? – John’s Gospel chapter 15 verses 1-8
What does it mean to follow Jesus, to bear fruit for him, to be more than a nominal Christian?
Jesus, the True Vine
I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.
John 15:1
So, what is the false Vine? We read of it in Isaiah’s prophecy, “The vineyard of the Lord Almighty is the nation of Israel, and the people of Judah are the vines he delighted in. And he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress.” . Bad, not good fruit from Israel and Judah. But Jesus was all Israel was meant to be. We must be united to him, not merely associated with him.
False Branches Cut Off
He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit
John 15:2
What! Can a Christian lose their salvation? It is a rule to compare the unclear in the Bible with the clear, as in John 6:37 “All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.” & Phillipians 1:6 “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” But true Christians show increasing Christ-likeness. There is strong hope.
True Branches Pruned
while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
John 15:2-3
When will this pruning end? At death, which takes us to heaven, or at His return. 2 Corinthians 12:9&10 “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
Remaining in the Vine
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.
John 15:14-8
I asked the Lord that I might grow
A hymn of John Newton, author of “Amazing Grace”
In faith, and love, and every grace;
Might more of His salvation know,
And seek, more earnestly, His face.
’Twas He who taught me thus to pray,
And He, I trust, has answered prayer!
But it has been in such a way,
As almost drove me to despair.
I hoped that in some favored hour,
At once He’d answer my request;
And by His love’s constraining pow’r,
Subdue my sins, and give me rest.
Instead of this, He made me feel
The hidden evils of my heart;
And let the angry powers of hell
Assault my soul in every part.
Yea more, with His own hand He seemed
Intent to aggravate my woe;
Crossed all the fair designs I schemed,
Blasted my gourds, and laid me low.
“Lord, why is this,” I trembling cried,
“Wilt thou pursue Thy worm to death?”
“’Tis in this way,” the Lord replied,
I answer prayer for grace and faith.
“These inward trials I employ,
From self, and pride, to set thee free;
And break thy schemes of earthly joy,
That thou may’st find thy all in Me.”
New International Version – UK (NIVUK)
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