John 15:1-11 | What's happening (and who's involved)?
The image Jesus draws in this passage is a clear one. He is still in conversation with His disciples, which is an important thing given some of what Jesus is saying here. Many people believe that Scripture has to apply to all people at all times. That simply is not true, and this passage will demonstrate that.
Jesus introduces Himself as the true vine, and His Father as the vine dresser. He then, introduces another component to the vine - the branches. These branches are split into two categories, those that are fruitful and those that are not. These are the proclaimed believers. Each member of the vine motif here has a roll to play.
The true vine is to supply the necessary nutrients to the branches so that the branches may be fruitful. The branches that abide in the vine receive the nutrients, and, as a result, bear fruit. The vine dresser takes care of and cultivates the branches on the vine so that they would be even more fruitful.
Already the lesson takes a lot of the pressure off of ourselves that we like to put on, but let's continue.
Jesus addresses some simple realities with this. The branch cannot produce fruit without the true vine. If a branch is not abiding in the vine, it is cast out and withered. Alternatively, the branch that is abiding in the vine will bear fruit. It is a promise.
But why is Jesus just giving them these spiritual gardening tips? Well I find it to be contextually interesting that as Jesus is getting ready to depart He is encouraging them to continue to abide in Him. It shows some of what the connection through the Holy Spirit accomplishes. Additionally, Jesus desires for His people to be fruitful. But there is still another reason, and it is one that truly blows me away.
11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.
-John 15:11
Jesus speaks these things to give His joy to His disciples and for the fullness of their joy. It is the joy of the disciple to produce the fruit of Christ. It is the joy of the disciple to walk in obedience to the Lord's commands. And it is the joy of the Lord to pour His joy into us.
What observations are you making today?
Jesus introduces Himself as the true vine, and His Father as the vine dresser. He then, introduces another component to the vine - the branches. These branches are split into two categories, those that are fruitful and those that are not. These are the proclaimed believers. Each member of the vine motif here has a roll to play.
The true vine is to supply the necessary nutrients to the branches so that the branches may be fruitful. The branches that abide in the vine receive the nutrients, and, as a result, bear fruit. The vine dresser takes care of and cultivates the branches on the vine so that they would be even more fruitful.
Already the lesson takes a lot of the pressure off of ourselves that we like to put on, but let's continue.
Jesus addresses some simple realities with this. The branch cannot produce fruit without the true vine. If a branch is not abiding in the vine, it is cast out and withered. Alternatively, the branch that is abiding in the vine will bear fruit. It is a promise.
But why is Jesus just giving them these spiritual gardening tips? Well I find it to be contextually interesting that as Jesus is getting ready to depart He is encouraging them to continue to abide in Him. It shows some of what the connection through the Holy Spirit accomplishes. Additionally, Jesus desires for His people to be fruitful. But there is still another reason, and it is one that truly blows me away.
11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.
-John 15:11
Jesus speaks these things to give His joy to His disciples and for the fullness of their joy. It is the joy of the disciple to produce the fruit of Christ. It is the joy of the disciple to walk in obedience to the Lord's commands. And it is the joy of the Lord to pour His joy into us.
What observations are you making today?
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2026
January
John 14:22-31 | What's the lesson for me today?John 14:22-31 | What am I going to do about it?John 14:22-31 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 15:1-11John 15:1-11 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 15:1-11 | What's the connection?John 15:1-11 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 15:1-11 | What's the lesson for me today?John 15:1-11 | What am I going to do about it?John 15:1-11 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 15:12-27John 15:12-27 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 15:12-27 | What's the connection?John 15:12-27 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 15:12-27 | What's the lesson for me today?John 15:12-27 | What am I going to do about it?John 15:12-27 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 16:1-15John 16:1-15 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 16:1-15 | What's the connection?John 16:1-15 | What’s a lesson for the original audience?John 16:1-15 | What's the lesson for me today?John 16:1-15 | What am I going to do about it?John 16:1-15 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 16:16-33John 16:16-33 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 16:16-33 | What's the connection?John 16:16-33 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 16:16-33 | What's the lesson for me today?John 16:16-33 | What am I going to do about it?John 16:16-33 | Prayer Prompts
February
Passage of the Week: John 17John 17 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 17 | What's the connection?John 17 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 17 | What's the lesson for me today?John 17 | What am I going to do about it?John 17 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 18:1-11John 18:1-11 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 18:1-11 | What's the connection?John 18:1-11 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 18:1-11 | What's the lesson for me today?John 18:1-11 | What am I going to do about it?John 18:1-11 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 18:12-40John 18:12-40 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 18:12-40 | What's the connection?John 18:12-40 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 18:12-40 | What's the lesson for me today?John 18:12-40 | What am I going to do about it?John 18:12-40 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 19John 19 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 19 | What's the connection?John 19 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 19 | What's the lesson for me today?John 19 | What am I going to do about it?John 19 | Prayer Prompts
March
Passage of the Week: John 20John 20 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 20 | What's the connection?John 20 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 20 | What's the lesson for me today?John 20 | What am I going to do about it?John 20 | Prayer PromptsJohn 21 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 21John 21 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 21 | What's the connection?John 21 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 21 | What's the lesson for me today?John 21 | What am I going to do about it?Passage of the Week: Hebrews 1:1-4Hebrews 1:1-4 | What's happening (and who's involved)?Hebrews 1:1-4 | What's the connection?Hebrews 1:1-4 | What is a lesson for the original audience?Hebrews 1:1-4 | What's the lesson for me today?Hebrews 1:1-4 | What am I going to do about it?Hebrews 1:1-4 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: Hebrews 1:5-14Hebrews 1:5-14 | What's happening (and who's involved)?Hebrews 1:5-14 | What's the connection?Hebrews 1:5-14 | What's a lesson for the original audience?Hebrews 1:5-14 | What's the lesson for me today?Hebrews 1:5-14 | What am I going to do about it?Hebrews 1:5-14 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: Hebrews 2:1-4Hebrews 2:1-4 | What's happening (and who's involved)?Hebrews 2:1-4 | What's the connection?
April
Hebrews 2:1-4 | What's a lesson for the original audience?Hebrews 2:1-4 | What's the lesson for me today?Hebrews 2:1-4 | What am I going to do about it?Hebrews 2:1-4 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: Hebrews 2:5-9Hebrews 2:5-9 | What's happening (and who's involved)?Hebrews 2:5-9 | What's the connection?
2025
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