The Lessons of Lent: The Vine and the Branches

The Lessons of Lent: The Vine and the Branches

Jesus Christ our Lord continued his valedictory discuss in John chapter 15 as he taught the parable of the vine and the branches.

His main aim was productivity and fruitfulness. He pointed out how the relationship between Himself and the disciples wasn't initiated by the disciples but by Himself for the purpose of productivity and the preservation of the products! Verse 16.

The Father is the keeper of the Vine. He had planted the true Vine. His overall aim is fruitfulness. He attends to the vine. He makes sure the Vine has enough nutrients, He makes sure the Vine wasn't planted in an environment not conducive, He makes sure His end is well taken care of, if anything goes wrong it won't be His fault.

The Vine is Christ Himself. He connects the nutrients from the Father to the branches. He upholds the branches in order for the leaves to be in right positions to receive sunlight.  He bares the weight of the branches. He safely lifts the branches off the ground to protect it from the soil or plunderers. He supports the branches to bring forth quality and quantitative fruits. He has limitless abilities to bear up the branches with whatever amount of fruits.

The branches are many. The Husbandman, the Owner and Keeper depend on the branches for the fruits. The Vine Himself depends on the branches to bring forth fruits. Otherwise the project becomes a failure. The branches have been equipped with the best necessary to bring forth the best of fruits and so the expectations and hope aren't misplaced and that hope must not be disappointed.

[My Offline Bible] 1 Corinthians 9
7 Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? 10 Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.

So Jesus told them the operating system of the Husbandman.

The branches' best option is to abide in the Vine for any chance of ever bringing forth fruit.

If it abides and it's not bringing forth fruits, the Father takes it away. Taking it away safely is better than men taking it away to be burned. The Father taking the unfruitful branch away is the worst that can happen to an abiding branch. This is the first type of branch.

If a branch would not abide, it is cast off as a branch and withered and it is parked by men to be burned. This is the non abiding branch, the second type of branch.

Now, an abiding fruit bearing branch is pruned and cleaned on a constant basis to give him the latitude to bring in more fruits. Purging and cleaning is done by the Word. This is the third kind of branch which we all should be!

Purging and pruning involve cutting off the non productive plumage that may obstruct fruitfulness. Flamboyancy and loudness that compete for attention with expected fruits which themselves may not add much to the process of fruitfulness. The Husbandman and the Vine aren't looking for leaves or flowers but for fruits and so would sacrifice unnecessary leaves and flowers for desired fruits.

Pruning isn't always a palatable or enjoyable procedure but it yields the fruit of holiness and productivity in the disciples that are so exercised!

It may mean being moved from certain indulgences, being cut off from certain people and community, being restricted from certain desires and ambitions or being cut off from certain mentalities but all towards bringing forth abiding fruits both in character and in ministry.

Our fruitfulness glorifies God! But we have to keep abiding in Christ, the Vine, for us, the branches to be fruitful.

Without Christ we can do nothing. Whatever we did without Him equals nothing. Whatever we did in Him, He did it and the Father is glorified in the Son through us.

We abide in Christ by His word abiding in us. Anti-Christ mentalities can't produce a fruitful Christian. Jesus said when we abide in Him and His word abides in us we get connected with the Father and whatever we ask we receive! Fruitfulness of the branches motivates the Husbandman!

Put your mind on fruitfulness, what your purpose, potentials, opportunities and efforts in Christ can bring to benefit the cause of Christ and other people in your world is what is called fruits.

Fruits are not what benefit the branches but what the Husbandman gets by what He has put in...no tree eats of it's own fruits!

Remain in Christ to bring forth the best of fruits and let His word, mentality and philosophy preoccupy your mind.

...bless the world daily with what God has put inside of you! Let the world eat of the fruit God has sent through you! That's what we live for!

Be the abiding fruit bearing branch and let your life be a harvest of blessings!

Good Morning!

The Essence of Easter
Understanding the mysteries of the passion of the Christ...

The teaching and discussion continue

today, Thursday 26th March 2015

and the topic is...

The High Priest, The Altar and His Blood!

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