John 15:1-12

I Am the True Vine

15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.  Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes •away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes•, that it may bear more fruit.  Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.  I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.  If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered•, thrown into the fire, and burned.  If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.  By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.  As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”

This spring, I’m starting seeds for my second garden. I’ve always loved gardening, and I’ve learned a little bit about it from my mom and grandma over the years. Last spring we moved to the Midwest and finally had the right climate for a nice vegetable garden. I still have a lot to learn about it, but just seeing how much I’ve learned in one year has given me a lot of encouragement and joy. It’s fun! I know it’s not for everybody, but I really enjoy gardening. It’s a great way to get some delicious fruits and vegetables, see God’s magnificent creation, and relieve my chronic anxiety.

My husband is a pastor, and he’s talked a lot over the years about all the plant imagery in the Bible, so this spring we started talking about looking at gardening connections in the Bible and especially during Holy Week. In these devotions for today, tomorrow, and Sunday morning, we’re going to look at some really amazing insights in John’s Gospel that deal with plants. I think we can learn a lot just from the process of planting, caring for plants, and harvesting, and Jesus uses this kind of thing as an example a lot too. 

When my husband first suggested we use John 15’s famous quote, “I am the Vine; you are the branches”, I shuddered at first. I’ve seen this passage used a lot over the years, and often used in what I can only describe as a “legalistic” reading. “Make sure you’re bearing fruit, or God’s gonna cut you down”, and all sorts of variations of that. However, I’m not sure that’s the point of what Jesus says here. In fact, what if we look at it within the context of Jesus’ words?

John 15 is one part of a very long talk that Jesus had with His disciples on Maundy Thursday in the Upper Room. Bible scholars often refer to this whole sermon as “Jesus’ Upper Room Discourse”. There’s so much good stuff here, and we’ll be returning to this upper room conversation later on in our devotions. But here, Jesus in the Upper Room with His disciples is explaining what’s going to happen to Him. He’s going to be betrayed, crucified, and die. He’s going to rise again. And He’s not going to leave them alone, now or ever. 

They’re connected to Him, now and always. And the things that He’s prepared for them to do, they’re the natural consequence of their connection to Him. He says, “I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in me and I live in him, that’s the one who bears much fruit, because if you’re separated from Me, you’re unable to do anything.”  This is where a little bit of gardening can shine a light on what Jesus is saying here. Now, I don’t grow grapevines in my little corner of Southern Illinois, but I did grow a lot of tomato plants last summer and have a whole bunch started this year. There are a couple basic insights I’ve learned just from growing these plants that explain a lot about what Jesus is saying here. 

First, there’s never really a case of a vine removing it’s own branches. It’s not a thing. Jesus calls the Father the vinedresser or literally “soil-worker”. The farmer is the one who has tended the soil, planted the vineyard in the right place; the right soil, the right sunshine, the right climate. The farmer or vinedresser is the one who prunes the plant, and the vinedresser is the one who cuts of dead branches. Let me say that again: the vinedresser cuts off dead branches. He doesn’t kill branches. He removes ones that are already dead. I’ve never cut off a living, producing branch from any of my plants. But the branches that are already dead continue to drain the life out of the whole plant, hence they’re cut off.