Jesus continues His discourse by talking about “every branch in Me”. (Jn 15:2) It is important to emphasize that Jesus said “IN Me,” so that we understand He is talking about believers. This is not a reference to the world in general, but only to those who have surrendered their lives to the True Vine and belong to Him. The Bible says we are grafted in, which simply means we are now and forevermore, attached to Jesus. Praise God we need never be afraid of losing our Salvation! Once we are His, we are His for all Eternity!
As we learn this truth, we can learn to relax in the Vinedresser’s hands and allow Him to do that which only He can do, help us bear fruit. Mr Wilkinson notes how, “The vinedresser lovingly cultivates each branch so that it will bear as much fruit as possible.” (p19) And why does God want us to bear so much fruit? First, so that the branches, you and I, can enjoy this life as much as possible. Second, so that we may display our Fruit as much as possible…again think Fruit of the Spirit here…and hopefully, draw others into the True Vine. Lastly, to glorify God, reflecting His Immaculate Character, as much as possible. Everyone gets a taste of God’s victory when we choose to cooperate with God and mature in Christ.
Then Mr Wilkinson talks about the inner fruit and the outer fruit. The inner is when the Fruit of the Spirit grows within us so that we are more loving, peaceful, and so on. (see Gal 5:22-23) The outer is when we choose to display this Fruit and others see it, to the glory of God. It would be great if this all happened automatically, yet remember I said this New Life is all about our relationship with God. He does His part, but we too must do ours. This author says, “For the vineyard to really produce, the branches have to respond to the attention of the vinedresser.” (pp 22-23) Yet, Mr Wilkinson cautions us, that not every branch responds the same way. While we certainly can encourage one another to cooperate with God, in the end, we are only responsible for the way we respond. Yet as we understand God’s methods, we will choose to cooperate more and more. That is what the rest of this lovely book will explain. Have a great Sunday…more tomorrow…
2023’s Got A Minute? Book Club
January: The First & Best Book Ever: The Bible
February: Love Is In the Air: “The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts” by Gary Chapman
March: Spring Growth: “Secrets of the Vine” by Bruce Wilkinson
<>< Peace, Diane
