By Betty Hertz, St. John Lay Leader
What’s in a name? John 15:1-5
15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine-grower. 2 He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes[a] to make it bear more fruit. 3 You have already been cleansed[a] by the word that I have spoken to you.4 Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me, you can do nothing.”
“I AM the True Vine” is part of Jesus’ Farewell Discourses in John 13-17 as he journeys to Gethsemane. Knowing he would soon leave his disciples, Jesus gave them final instructions and encouragement. First, he uses verses one and two to describe his relationship with the Father, using the grape culture knowledge his disciples would understand (see Psalm 80:8). Then, in verses three through five, Jesus focuses on the disciples.
Re-reading this familiar passage gave me a new understanding of what a vine is and what a branch is. A vine is an entire plant. Jesus is the whole plant! Without him, there are no branches - there is no life. I believe this is what he was saying to his disciples and what he is saying to me. The disciples have been pruned/cleansed, and so have I. Continuous pruning takes away unproductive growth. I admit that God is busy pruning me frequently, but with each pruning, I believe I move closer to being who He wants me to be.
I also reflected on the word “abide,” which appears 10 times in the John 15 chapter. Some translations use “remain” or “dwell” instead. Regardless of the translation, the words are active verbs. I thought, “how do I actively abide in God?” For me, the connection is being intentional about reading the Bible, saying prayers, and being in community with others. Doing these things allows me to maintain my spiritual health and let God work through me.
Prayer:
Loving Vine-grower,
Thank you for giving us Jesus the True Vine.
Remind us that we are branches that grow from this vine.
Help us stay attached to your beloved Son.
Prune us when we wander.
Guide us as we abide in you. Amen
Reflection question:
What nonproductive branches are in your life that rob you of energy to abide in God? Regrets? Living in the past? Resentments? Bitterness? Too much time with technology? Is it time to ask God to help you do some pruning?
Footnotes
(My insight inspired in part from the Asbury Commentary on John 15).