1 “I am the true vine. My Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch joined to me that does not bear fruit. He trims every branch that does bear fruit. Then it will bear even more fruit.
3 “You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain joined to me, and I will remain joined to you. No branch can bear fruit by itself. It must remain joined to the vine. In the same way, you can’t bear fruit unless you remain joined to me.
5 “I am the vine. You are the branches. If anyone remains joined to me, and I to him, he will bear a lot of fruit. You can’t do anything without me. 6 If anyone does not remain joined to me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and dries up. Branches like those are picked up. They are thrown into the fire and burned.
7 “If you remain joined to me and my words remain in you, ask for anything you wish. And it will be given to you.8 When you bear a lot of fruit, it brings glory to my Father. It shows that you are my disciples.
9 “Just as the Father has loved me, I have loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love. In the same way, I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy will be in you. I also want your joy to be complete.
12 “Here is my command. Love each other, just as I have loved you. 13 No one has greater love than the one who gives his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command.
15 “I do not call you servants anymore. Servants do not know their master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends. I have told you everything I learned from my Father.
16 “You did not choose me. Instead, I chose you. I appointed you to go and bear fruit. It is fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you anything you ask for in my name.
17 “Here is my command. Love each other.
Read John 15:1-17 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!
On the night Jesus was betrayed, as He and the eleven remaining disciples were spending their last hours together prior to Jesus arrest, Jesus uses an interesting metaphor for His followers being branches on a vine. In this metaphor, we catch a glimpse of what God wants for all of Jesus’ followers.
In this illustration, Jesus tells His remaining disciples, “I am the vine. You are the branches. If anyone remains joined to me, and I to him, he will bear a lot of fruit. You can’t do anything without me… If you remain joined to me and my words remain in you, ask for anything you wish. And it will be given to you. When you bear a lot of fruit, it brings glory to my Father. It shows that you are my disciples.” (v. 5, 7-8)
In these verses, Jesus describes how we can give glory to God by simply being fruitful – and the simple way to be fruitful is by remaining connected with Jesus.
Several verses later, Jesus reemphasizes this same point, but in a little stronger fashion. Jesus tells all of His followers that “You did not choose me. Instead, I chose you. I appointed you to go and bear fruit. It is fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you anything you ask for in my name.” (v. 16)
God has chosen each of us, and He has called and appointed us to go and bear fruit. The only way this can happen is if we remain connected with Jesus. The promise we can claim is that when we are connected with Jesus and are bearing fruit, we can ask the Father for anything in Jesus’ name, and He will grant our requests!
This is one big thought I had on this passage. What do you think? What stands out to you in this passage as you read it today, and/or what are your thoughts on my big thought? Share your response below and join in on the discussion.
This thought was inspired by studying the Walking With Jesus “Reflective Bible Study” package. To discover insights like this in your own study time, click here and give Reflective Bible Study a try today!
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