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Jesus has been talking to his closest followers, the small group of twelve who were travelling with him. Now he begins to use the idea of a vine. Remember that everyone in Israel would have known what a grapevine is like, they were widely grown and wine was an important item in ceremonies as well as in ordinary life. It was essential in weddings, in the passover meal and so forth.
He now makes a strange claim, he says that he himself is a vine. Not only that, but he is the true vine. And he mentions that his Father is the gardener, though we shouldn’t think in terms of someone who looks after fruit, flowers and vegetables in the way we would today. Israel is the old vineyard, and Father is much more than just an employed labourer, he is the vineyard owner. The old vineyard (Israel) has not been fruitful. Jesus is a new vine and his Father will prune the branches to make him more fruitful. If you prune a vine wisely it becomes more vigorous and more fruitful; that’s true of all kinds of fruit tree too, anyone who manages an orchard will tell you that ageing trees fruit less but can be reinvigorated by good pruning. Old or diseased branches need to be removed and the others cut back to a strong, healthy bud.
And Jesus goes on to tell his followers, ‘You are the branches’! Who are his followers? Two thousand years ago they were the twelve disciples who followed him everywhere and were hungry to hear whatever he had to say. Today the things that he said to them, apply to us also. We are his branches, we are attached to him.
A two way relationship - Notice that this is a two-way relationship. Jesus says we’ll be very fruitful if we remain in him and he remains in us. And notice too that it’s an all or nothing relationship; we’ll either be very fruitful or we can do nothing. There’s no option that makes us partly fruitful, or reasonably fruitful, fruitful in some things but not in others. We are fully in; or we are fully out. You will be precious and treasured, or you will be trash. So which will you choose? Will you be attached to the one true vine, or will you be disconnected?
And in verse seven we learn that if we remain in him and his words remain in us, we can ask anything we wish and it will be done for us! We need to be careful here, though. Jesus is not telling us that we can ask for things that are not in his will and purpose. He expects us to know we can ask anything in his Name and receive it. There’s no point in asking for something that will harm or destroy your enemies, for example, because Jesus made it clear that we are to love our enemy. If I ask for wrong things, I am not remaining in him and his word is not remaining in me.
While the nails were being driven through him into the cross, Jesus asked for something. He said, ‘Father forgive them, they have no idea what they’re doing’. Was that prayer answered? You bet it was. It’s a tremendous example of loving your enemy, isn’t it! Maybe one of those Romans was the one who later said, ‘Truly this man was the Son of God’.
Glorifying the Father - Finally, in verse eight we see the purpose of it all. It’s not about us at all. It’s not even about Jesus. It’s about the Father! Being very fruitful, and showing ourselves to be followers of Jesus, simply brings glory to the person who truly deserves it and should always receive it – the Father.
Our Father, who is far beyond our reach, let your Name be utterly holy, may Your will and purpose be done here on Earth, just as it is in Your dwelling place.
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