The grapevine that bears fruit

John 15:5, 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.

Grapevine depicts the tribe of Jews. But in some instances it shows Israelites as well. Isaiah 5:7, The vineyard of the Lord Almighty is the nation of Israel, and the people of Judah are the vines he delighted in.

Psalms 80:8, ⁸ You transplanted a vine from Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it.

In the OT we can read about as the wickedness of Israelites as well. The Jews believed themselves to be the superior most tribe and the ones selected by God. But the Lord Jesus made it clear later that they were believing a myth that they were selected people of God only because they were born as Jews. Hence, the way to heaven was always open for them. Instead Jesus teaches that unless they bore fruit like a grapevine they cannot enter heaven. The way to heaven was only through Jesus and that we need to be in His presence always.

When we read about the Heavenly Father as the gardener, perfect grapevine is Jesus, whom Father planted and nurtured in this world for us. To be able to bear more fruit and be more fruitful, the grapevine is cut and grafted. By this the Lord wants to teach us that the sufferings ans troubles that come our way are Lord’s way to cut and graft us to be perfect.

We should be the fruitful branches of the grapevine called Jesus. But due to our wickedness and sins, most often we bear no fruit or if we do, it is sour and tasteless. Such branches need to be completely cut off or else they will destroy the vine. Ezekiel 15:2, ² “Son of man, how is the wood of a vine different from that of a branch from any of the trees in the forest? This speaks as to what is the difference between a wood of vine and any wood from forest. We should stand apart as fruitful vines and not just any tree in the forest.

Just because are born as Christ believer does not entitle us to deliverance and salvation. Our Father in heaven expects us to bear fruits for Him. Do not brush it under the carpet thinking that the Father instructed these to Jews only. It applies to us His children as well.

We all desire to excel in our fields. But we should try to excel in our fields while building the gifts of spirit such as love, joy, contentment, patience, mercy, compassion, empathy, loyalty, sensitivity and control of our inner soul. A parasite root nurtures grows by drawing out nutrition from the host plant, which kills the plant. The host plant does not bear fruit when surrounded by the parasite root. Our condition is the same. We too are surrounded by the parasite of sins, temptations and worldly desires. Hence we fail to bear fruit. Unless the parasite is removed we cannot be fruitful. the only way for this is to seek God. John 17:21, ²¹ that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. If the branches of the vine grow away from the vine it bears only one bunch of grapes. When the gardener graft it again it bears more bunches of grapes.

Dear Children of God, in the garden of the Heavenly Father, let us stay together to the Vine called Jesus and bear good fruit.