Fruit, More Fruit and Much Fruit
By Richard Lineberry

I am the vine.  You are the branches. 
Jesus, John 15:5

 

The picture of the Vine that Jesus gives is rich in information that we need if we want to have productive lives.  The first lesson is UNITY.  Everything must be in right relationship to everything else if the vine is to produce as intended.

Branches cannot be disconnected from their source of energy or they will wither and die.  That’s why Jesus says, “Abide in me,” and “Apart from Me you can do nothing.”  He is our power source.  What God orders, He pays for.  If we think we can accomplish spiritual growth apart from His program, we deceive ourselves.  His Body, like the human body, can only work properly if each system and organ is functioning for the sake of the whole.  The connection between parts of the vine is a living one.  No outside force makes it all happen.  No human wisdom attaches us to the Lord.  Even my best ideas how life should be lived don’t produce spiritual fruit unless He blesses it.

The goal of all of this union is to produce the fruit the vinedresser (God) expects.  Fruit may be the “fruit of the Spirit,” (Gal. 5).  It is reproducing the life of Christ and all He does through us.  We are a continuation of His ministry on earth.  Fruit is increase.  Fruit is always greater than the seed from which it came.  When Peter preached his first sermon on the Day of Pentecost, 3,000 people were added to the Vine.  Later, 5,000 more came in.  That’s increase! 

The vinedresser knows how to keep the vine healthy.  He removes excess leaves and redirects energy to the fruit.  He prunes away unproductive parts so that branches revive and bear greater increase with time.  That means God redirects us and removes unnecessary activities from us so that we produce what we were planted for originally.

God does the work as He chooses.  Our job is to center on Him.  Jesus’ command, “Abide in Me,” is our job.  Do we want to grow in every way God has planted us for?  Abide in Him.  Do we want to see the life of Christ available  for others to taste and see?  Abiding in our source can only make that happen.  Live in Him.  Learn His ways.  Ask for His will to be done.  If difficulties come, don’t think that life outside the Vine is better.  Remain in Him.  Abundant life is there.