In chapter 15 of John, Jesus gives us a beautiful illustration explaining the Body of Christ, how it is rooted, grows, and produces fruitage. How it fulfils its purpose.
In reading Jesus illustration we can see he once again used something that his audience was very familiar with, a grapevine. Jesus choice of symbols is fascinating when we parallel it to the body of Christ. For example, The grapevine, is all one plant, connected to the rootstock, it's lifeline. It self-pollinates, producing fruitage within itself, and the nature of the vine is that twines together it branches to strengthen them.
He begins:
"I am the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser." Joh 15:1
Jesus is showing us that he is not only the rootstock of the vine(Rev.22:16), but the vine itself. As we join the body by accepting his word in our hearts, we become Jesus and part of the vine. "But those on the good ground are the ones who, in an honest and good heart, having heard the Word, keep it and bring forth fruit with patience." Luk 8:15
God is the vinedresser. The vinedresser is the one who prunes and cares for the vine, training and causing fruitage.
"Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away. And every one that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bring forth more fruit. Now you are clean through the Word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me." Joh 15:2-4
John 17:6 Explains that it is The Father who gives us to Jesus, for those whom he loves he gives to the Son. We abide in Jesus. As we abide in Christ, we are nourished and pruned by the discipline of God to produce more fruitage.(Hebr 12:7-11) In fact if we are not pruned, than we are not sons of God. It is an attentive and caring vinedresser that prunes. He know that in it's early two years of growth, a new branch is not yet strong enough to produces good fruit. Through pruning the branch is strengthen for it's task, and by the third year it can produce to it's full potential. It is also in the benefit of the entire vine(body) that training and pruning occurs, as without it, the whole plant becomes a tangled unproductive mess.
Verse three also explains how we become part of the vine. "you are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you." The word cleanses us, remaking our hearts as a reflection of Christ,(2Cor 4:10) and giving us life within ourselves(John 11:25, John 6:53).
"I am the Vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered. And they gather and cast them into the fire, and they are burned" Joh 15:5,6
Unlike a plant, which can only grow to a certain size, a vine can continue to grow without bounds. But the branches must stay with the rootstock and the vine itself. It cannot exits on it's own. A plant will produce seeds and then die. The seeds will each form their own plants and the cycle continues. But the vine is fed and nourished, by itself. Jesus is our vine, and the body it's branches. To have life, we have to be part of his body. Without him, we dry up, and are cast away. Jesus explains, there is no other way. "Jesus said to him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father but by Me. " Joh 14:6
By staying with the vine and bearing fruit, the body of Christ brings Glory to God.
If you abide in Me, and My Words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done to you. In this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, so you shall be My disciples. Joh 15:7,8
The next few verses explain how the body is fed and grows.
"As the Father has loved Me, so I have loved you; continue in My love. If you keep My commandments, you shall abide in My love, even as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. I have spoken these things to you so that My joy might remain in you and your joy might be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." Joh 15:9-12
God is love.
1Jo 4:8 The one who does not love has not known God. For God is love.
Jesus is the expression of God's love, his Word.
"In this the love of God was revealed in us, because God sent His only begotten Son into the world that we might live through Him." 1Jo 4:9
For us to be part of Jesus, to live with him. We must love.
"Jesus answered and said to him, If a man loves Me, he will keep My Word. And My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him." Joh 14:23
Not only must we love God and Jesus, but we must produce fruitage. Our Fruitage, and Christ commandment, is to love one another by expressing the love that Jesus has placed in us.
"This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." Joh 15:12
Unproductive branches are cut off, and tossed away. If the branch stops getting it's nutrients from the vine it withers up and dies.(1Jon 3:10-12) The vine, Jesus, is expressed love. We must also express love to others creating fruitage for the vine body. The vine pollinates itself through expressed love, causing new growth and fruit. So if we do not love our Brother, we cannot love God, we cannot abide with Jesus.
"We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brothers. He who does not love his brother abides in death." 1Jo 3:14
It is a simple, beautiful command, for Jesus explains, all is fulfilled by it being kept, including the purpose of the body of Christ.
"Master, which is the great commandment in the Law? Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." Mat 22:36-40
