Have you ever picked a bunch of wildflowers and put them into a vase, only to watch them wither and die within a day or two? While they were connected to the plant, they were growing and thriving. But once they were cut off, they died.
Jesus talks about something similar in John 15, where he speaks about a vine tree whose branches grow fruit. While the branch is connected to the vine, it produces fruit. But a dead branch is cut off.
Jesus goes on to say, “I am the vine, you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit” (verse 5). If we belong to Jesus, we’re like branches that are connected to him (the vine tree). And because his life flows through us, we produce fruit in our lives, like love, joy, peace, and patience.
But it’s important to note two things:
If you’re trying hard to be more like Jesus, remember that it’s by being in him that you grow and change – by his power working in you. So, you can ask him to help you. This is pretty freeing, because it means you don’t have to try and do it in your own strength!
As a Christian, you’re always connected to Jesus. But the more time you spend getting to know him and feeding on him, the more fruit you’ll see in your life. Remember Jesus’ words: “If you remain in me, you will bear much fruit.”
And ultimately, Jesus says in verse 8, the more fruit you produce, the more God will get the glory. Your life will reflect your Lord and Saviour. So, just like the flower that’s joined to the plant thrives, stay connected to Jesus and let his life flow through yours.
Do you ever find yourself trying to be a better Christian, but failing miserably? How do you think you could rely on God to work in you more, and rely on yourself less? And how does the amount of time you spend with him affect your ability to live for his glory?
It’s good gardening practise to prune a plant or tree so it becomes stronger and healthier. Pruning means trimming off the parts which are dying or growing in the wrong way. Then the parts that are left have more room, and the whole tree is healthier. And a healthier tree produces more fruit.
In John 15:2, Jesus says that God is the divine Gardener who prunes us as Christians. We thought last time about being like branches connected to Jesus, with his life flowing through us. Now Jesus is saying that if you are one of the branches, God will prune you to make you grow healthier and produce more spiritual fruit.
Now, if the branch of a tree had feelings, the pruning process probably wouldn’t be very pleasant for it. But the gardener knows that pruning the tree is good for it. It will ultimately be better for the branch and for the tree as a whole.
It’s the same with us. When God prunes us, it might be through a situation that’s hard or painful. It might be someone bullying you at school, or making fun of you for being a Christian. It might be a sad event, like a death in the family or an illness. It might be a horrible argument with one of your friends that really upsets you.
It’s helpful to remember that when things like that happen, God’s being a good gardener. He’s pruning you. Jesus says it’s the Father who prunes the branches – someone who loves us and acts in our best interests.
There are lots of reasons why that could be good for you, but here are a couple:
It’s not easy to go through situations that hurt you. When you’re in it, it can seem like it’s not doing any good at all. But remember – God may be pruning you, like a good and wise gardener, so that your spiritual life will be healthier and more fruitful, ultimately for his glory.
What hard things are happening in your life right now? Think of how these could be God’s way of pruning you to make you more like him and to show those around you what he is like.
If someone said they were your friend but never listened to you, did whatever they liked even if it meant repeatedly hurting you in the process, and refused to spend time with you or acknowledge you in front of other people, you’d have some pretty serious doubts about whether they were really a ‘friend’ at all. Their behaviour would completely contradict their claim.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus talks about knowing a tree by its fruit (Luke 6:43-45). A good tree will produce good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. A bad tree might pretend to be good, but if the fruit it was bearing was rotten, it would be perfectly reasonable to assume that the tree was, in fact, bad.
Here in John 15, Jesus says that if you claim to love him, your life will show that – in the way you behave and by the things you say and think. You’ll obey his commands – not perfectly, but as much as you’re able to. You’ll want to do what pleases him. He says, “You are my friends if you do what I command” (verse 14). So, if we claim to be his friends, we’ll listen to him, do what he wants, and stand up as one of his followers. The ‘fruit’ of our lives will show that we really are what we say we are.
For the same reason, if someone said they were a Christian but lived a life that was full of things Jesus says are wrong, you would be reasonable in questioning whether they really loved him at all. Like the so-called ‘friend’ we thought about earlier, sometimes a person’s lifestyle and attitudes completely contradict their claim to belong to Jesus.
But while obeying Jesus in front of your peers might not always be easy, it also brings wonderful rewards. Here are two things Jesus says will come from it:
Does your life currently reflect your love for Jesus? Do you have friends who profess to be Christians but live like the rest of the world? What do you think someone’s life would look like if they really loved to do what Jesus commands?
We’ve seen that Jesus wants to see fruit in our lives as Christians, and that to love him means obeying his commands. You might then expect him, at this point, to give a long list of rules he wants us to follow: don’t do this, don’t say those words, don’t go to that place; make sure you do this task and that ritual and these good deeds. But while it’s true that obeying Jesus’ commands usually involves some do’s and don’ts, Jesus surprisingly gives just one command in this passage, and it’s summed up in verse 17: “This is my command: Love each other.”
Sounds easy, right? All we have to do is to love other people, and we’re fulfilling Jesus’ instructions.
But if we take a closer look at what Jesus means, it starts to feel a little less straightforward. He says two things in these verses about the kind of love he’s talking about:
If you’re feeling slightly overwhelmed at this point, you’re not alone! This kind of love can feel totally out of reach for us, with our natural self-centredness and egotism. So it’s important to remember again that this love doesn’t come from trying our best to achieve it. It won’t happen by ‘guilting’ ourselves into a more sacrificial set of duties.
It comes instead from God’s Spirit living within us, changing our innermost desires and feelings. It comes from his new life springing up inside us. 1 John 4:7 says, “Let us love one another, for love comes from God.” And in the next verse, “God is Love”. Any degree of love we might find ourselves developing for the people we encounter day to day is a result of God working in our hearts by his Spirit.
But the good news is, he promises to do this if we ask him! In verse 16, Jesus says that “whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.” I think we can safely assume that asking for help to fulfil his command to love others will definitely be answered. And as we live out a life of sacrificial love, the rest of our lives will inevitably start falling in line with what Jesus wants, because the fruit of true Christianity isn’t rule-keeping – it’s love.
Do you recognise a selfishness in your heart which stops you loving others like Jesus loves you? If so, ask the Father, in the name of Jesus, to let more and more of his love flow through you. Ask him to change your desires and to help you reflect his sacrificial love in your life.
Whenever Kate, the Princess of Wales, makes a public appearance, the streets are crowded with adoring fans straining to catch a glimpse of her. Some are even hoping to be one of the lucky few who get a handshake or are honoured with a few words. It makes their week – their year! Kate spoke to them; shook hands with them.
But as exciting as that must be, a brief encounter with a stranger can never compare with the relationship one of Kate’s intimate friends has with her. A friend experiences much more than just a few words and a passing gesture, however genuine. They know Kate. They spend time with her, are involved in the lives of her children, know her secrets, and are there for her in times of crisis (and vice versa). They know her intimately in ways the average British citizen never can.
In John 15, Jesus makes a comparison which is similarly striking. He contrasts the relationship of a master and his servant with that of friends. He explains that “a servant does not know his master’s business” (verse 15). The master wouldn’t take the trouble to confide in his servants or spend quality time with them. He would simply give orders and expect them to obey without question or explanation.
But Jesus tells his disciples that they are not called servants any more: they are called friends. And he tells them two things that are wonderfully special about the relationship they have with him. If you are in a relationship with Jesus, these things are true of you, too.
But he also speaks to us personally in our hearts, showing us some of his will and revealing things about himself. In other words, he treats us like friends! He confides in us and trusts us with precious information the rest of the world has no clue of. He says he has made known “everything [he] learned from [his] Father” (verse 15). What a privilege!
Perhaps at the moment, you feel unseen and insignificant. Maybe you’re struggling to form good, strong, lasting friendships with your peers. Or maybe you feel like, in God’s kingdom, you’re nobody special. Well, take heart! Jesus has chosen you to be his friend, and he’s revealed to you everything he was told by the Father. You’re not standing behind the barrier straining to catch a glimpse of the king of heaven. You’re riding in the carriage beside him!
How does the knowledge that you’re one of Jesus’ close friends help you feel bold and empowered? If you’ve found yourself feeling unsure of your acceptance with him, take him at his word today and come to him as a friend.
