Memory Verse: (John 15:5) “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abided in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing.”
Jesus used parables to convey a spiritual teaching. A parable is a short story that teaches a moral or spiritual lesson. The parable of the vine and the branches teaches us how dependent we must be in Christ. (John 15:1-8)
To understand any given parable, we must understand the objects in which it represents. In this parable, the objects are the husbandman, the true vine, and the branch. Most objects in parables have some type of natural meaning or relationship to the reader. In the natural, the farmer is the husbandman, the vine is the long stem, and the branches are secondary stem that arises from a main vine (tree).
In this parable, the husbandman is God. He is the owner of all things. The true vine is Jesus Christ. He is the foundation from where we are saved and through him obtain the gift of eternal life. The branches are the believers in Christ. When we accept Christ as our Savior, we have been born again. We believe and have accepted his birth, death, and resurrection. We call on him for forgiveness of sins and for help not to sin. (John 15:1)
The Father will destroy every branch that does not bear fruit. This happens when we become more interested in the cares of the world, than in the nurture of our love for him. Every branch that bears fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring more fruit. He cleanses us. The natural vine is pruned or cleansed from insects, mildew, and fungus. Christians must be cleansed from the things that cling to us from the world. The cleansing agent is the word of God. (John 15:3; 17:17)
We must remain in Christ to bear good fruit. He is the source of power to live a holy, righteous and just life. He was given all power, “in heaven, in the earth, and under the earth” by the Father. When we surrender all to Him, we abide in Him. It is impossible to live a holy life without abiding in Christ. (John 15:4-5; Philippians 2:10)
To abide in Christ means a constant receiving of His Spirit, a life of complete surrender to His service. The channel of communication must be opened continually between the believer and our Savior. As the vine branch constantly draws the sap from the living vine, so are we to cling to Jesus, and receive from him by faith the strength and perfection of His character. When we have a life of prayer, reading and studying his word and have fellowship with one another, we abide in him. These are the important practices in our life that will strengthen the union with Christ.
Prayer is very essential. We pray without ceasing. Pray when things are going well and pray when things are not going well. The key to an anointed prayer life is faith. Faith is to believe and trust in God. He is all powerful all by himself. The more we get to know him, the more we understand his will and purposes in our life. The key to answered prayers is patience. We must be willing to wait on the Lord. (I Thessalonians 5:17)
Reading and studying the scriptures is very essential. The more we learn of him through his word, the more we will understand His will. The more we understand his will, we purpose our life to his expectations and prayers are answered. To understand one of the most difficult bible teachings to man of how Jesus was born, died, and resurrected will come only by the power of Christ. The key to understanding the scriptures is to have a teachable spirit. Learn to accept the word and the word will make that transformation in your life. People spend too much time trying to prove the word wrong. (I Timothy 2:14)
Fellowship with the people of God is very essential. It is good to hear what God continues to do for others. It is necessary that we take time to share the experiences of Jesus and to see where we measure with the word of God.(Hebrews 10:25)
When we bear much fruit, we reveal more Christ-like characteristics. Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance all personify the Spirit of Christ. If you have doubt about how fruitful you are, take each one and apply it to your life. If you are lacking, ask God to make you fruitful and then more fruitful. When we live by faith in the Son of God, the fruits of the Spirit will be seen in our lives; not one will be missing. (Galations 5:22-23)
In conclusion, when people of the faith show the likeness of Christ to the world, the Father is glorified. We become a witness of the transformation from a sinner to a righteous saint. If we try to do it on our own, we will fail. Only the power of Christ can make that change. He is the source of all our strength. We prove to be his disciples when we show forth his fruits. We grow deeper in our relationship with our Savior. The connection molds our life and the light of Christ will shine in our life. Throughout the scriptures, men and women had good intentions on doing what is right and acceptable to God. As we walk our Christian journey, we learn that it is the power of God through Jesus that makes all things possible. (Act 17:28; I John 2:20)
Pastor Tylvia E. Koromah The Path of Righteousness Church in Christ
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