Flourishing Branches
30 Days in John - day 17
It is possible to read John 15 with a knot in your stomach, as if Jesus is warning His disciples that they might be cut off at any moment. That reaction is understandable. Jesus does speak of branches that wither and are burned. He even speaks of pruning.
But even the pruning is not punishment. It is the careful work of a gardener who intends greater fruit.
And Jesus tells us why He is saying these things - not to make us afraid, but to make us joyful.
“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be full.” (Verse 11)
Throughout this text Jesus speaks words of encouragement. The future of the disciples is bright. The Holy Spirit would come and unite them to Christ in a living, abiding way. Jesus uses the instructively beautiful analogy of the vine and its branches. The branches produce fruit because they are connected to the vine in a life-giving way.
Nutrients flow from the vine into the branches. The result is fruit. It is a natural process. The branches do not strain to manufacture fruit. They bear fruit because life is flowing into them. So, Jesus isn’t saying, “Alright men, get busy making fruit.” He is saying, you are going to have fruitful lives because you are united to Me.
One of the primary ways this new fruitfulness will be seen is through the prayers of the saints. When a branch is abiding in the vine, its desires begin to align with the life of the vine. That is why Jesus can say, “Ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” (Verses 7 and 16)
The Christian is not merely a servant of Christ, though they do serve Him. They are His friends. They are not standing outside waiting for orders. They are seated at the table, hearing His heart. They serve out of this posture. (Verses 14-16)
The fruit Jesus has in mind is not impressive achievement. It is love. (Verses 9-10, 12-13, 17)
No wonder then that Jesus declares that His followers would be filled with joy. He does not want us to hear this as condemnation. This is not a warning about barely surviving. It is an invitation to flourish - to a life of abiding, effective prayer, deep love, and lasting fruit.
That pruning rarely feels good even though we know it is needed