Sun Inspiration

Morning Inspiration with Pastor Merritt

Most likely, Jesus had just left the Upper Room where He had had the Last Supper with His disciples. He was walking to the Garden of Gethsemane which was a garden full of vines. In fact, throughout all of Israel, vines grew abundantly. When those vines were properly cultivated and kept they produced grapes, which in turn, were used to make wine.

It was very important for the gardener to keep the vines trimmed so they could bear a lot of fruit, because the purpose of a branch is to bear the fruit that the vine produces.

In this passage, there is a phrase that is repeated over and over and over that you can’t miss.

“Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” (John 15:2)

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” (John 15:4)

“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

“By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” (John 15:8)

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.” (John 15:16)

There are two words that are repeated in those verses time and time again – “bear fruit.”

Jesus identifies the players in this passage. God is the gardener, Jesus is the vine, and we are the branches. The Gardner only has one concern for the branch. He wants the branch to bear the fruit that the vine produces and the vine wants to produce as much fruit as it can. The answer to the question is, “Why has God left all of us on this planet and what is our number one purpose?” It is to bear fruit. That fruit, simply put, is the character of Christ. One sure sign that you are a genuine follower of Christ is your life is bearing fruit that others can see and others can taste.

A Christ-follower is a branch attached to Jesus the vine. A branch only has one purpose – to bear fruit. A branch by itself has no value. I love grapes, but a grape branch is not very tasty. Apart from bearing fruit, a branch has no purpose. In other words, a branch finds its purpose and its significance in bearing fruit from the vine.