THE STORY OF THE BRANCH
John’s description of a disciple as a branch attached to the vine that is Christ is as good a picture of reality as can be. The notion of man being dependent on anything or anybody is no longer fashionable. But man’s intrinsic nature of being finite and really helpless in many ways including his own destiny, is a real indicator of man not being independent. We are created to be dependent on God, and this becomes a live action process when a person accepts Christ as His Savior and begins to live a life of union with God.
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. (John 15:1-4)
God is described as a gardener who carefully nurtures the garden and directs its flow. A disciple of Christ is already clean because of God’s word or his message becoming part of his life with the conversion process. This means that there are no impurities that block the flow of nutrients from the vine to the branch. There is available a lifeline that allows God’s power and his nature to flow through to the disciple. The whole purpose of life is to ensure that we would be useful for the gardener just as the purpose of a plant is to bear fruit. Only when a person acknowledges the presence of God and connects with him, does life become ultimately meaningful.
It is easy to understand that if God is the reason for our lives and he decides our birth and our death, it is perfectly legitimate for him to cut off branches that are worthless much like a gardener who tends the vine. It is also important to note that those that do bear fruit go through the painful pruning process so as to be even more fruitful. It is not popular theology to say that suffering is part of the Christian experience, but God allows suffering in the lives of his children for their ultimate good. Knowing that we can make our lives productive by solely remaining in Christ, we have a choice to either reject or accept that reality. John further states,
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. (John 15:7,8).
This is not a blanket statement that gives liberty to a Christian to ask whatever he wishes, but to unite with God to such an extent that God’s will becomes his will, so that when he asks, it so perfectly is in tune with God’s will that everything he prays for and wishes for comes true. And therein we find the highest good possible for man when he fulfills his purpose of bearing fruit, finds joy in doing so and God the gardener also rejoices that his effort was not in vain.
