John 15: God prunes those who remain in him

John 15:1 – Jesus is the vine and His father is the gardener.  One activity of the gardener is the cut off every branch that does not bear fruit.  Another is to prune the branches that do bear fruit so that it will be more fruitful.   We know that this is gardening imagery is a metaphor, for Jesus says in v.5 that he is vine and that we are the branches.  And so if we add these two ideas together the consequences of those who are fruitful are good: the father will work in their lives to that they are more fruitful.  However, the imagery that Jesus uses is “pruning.” More fruit does not automatically come to those who bear fruit.  The father has the prune the branch so that nutrients aren’t wasted on parts of the branch that are unfruitful, allowing nutrients to go to the part of the branch that do bear fruit so that more fruit can be borne.  Hebrews 12:1-3, which says that we’re to throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles so that we can run with perseverance.  As a fruitful Christian, I shouldn’t be surprised when God “prunes” certain parts of my life.  He just wants me to bear more fruit.

Now the consequence for those Christians that aren’t fruitful is scary.  They’re just cut off, thrown away and burned.  One thing that we can learn is that we should not want to be unfruitful Christians.  And thankfully Jesus teaches us how we can be fruitful.  Just remain in him (v.4).  If we remain in him then he will remain in us.  We can’t bear fruit unless we remain in Jesus.  And if we remain in Jesus and He in us then bearing fruit is automatic.  And v.7 kind of implies that remaining in Jesus involves listening to his word and praying for whatever we wish (but we if remain in Jesus we’re going to pray for the things that Jesus wants). 

~ by williamkang on October 20, 2008.