Much Fruit

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch in me that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit John 15:1, 2.

This section of scripture is so incredible. Jesus uses a simple operation of nature to reveal to us that the secret to a successful Christian life is "much fruit". Jesus doesn’t desire that any saint fail, yet so often many Christian never reach the purpose that God has for them. And it can all be traced back to the principle of the vine and the branch.

A vine must have a branch. Without a branch, the vine cannot bear any fruit. Jesus tells us who He is (the vine) as well as who we are (the branches). And in doing so, He confesses that He needs us in order to do what He needs to do.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to bear the blame of preventing God from doing what He needs to do. Helping God is the best way to help ourselves. I heard a preacher say that God doesn’t need any of us; that He could simply change stones into men. But that’s not what this scripture teaches. God not only needs us, but He has made us an indispensable part of His most intimate work. He needs our participation and cooperation. We know that we cannot please God without faith, yet faith in a practical sense, is participating and cooperation with the will of God.

A branch is a piece of stem the vine creates in order to bear fruit. The vine has stores of sap that contains life and nourishment. All of that sap is not for the vine, but for the branches. All the branch has to do is receive what the vine sends. If the branch stays connected, the vine will take care of everything. The branch has no worries. The vine provides all.

The vine is the secret to our growth. When Apostle Paul said, "I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me", he was confessing his total dependence on Christ. He acknowledged that he was a branch, and the source of his strength was the sap he received from the vine. He never claimed to be anybody great, nor did he endeavor to make a name for himself. He simply took his place as a branch and received all he needed from the vine.

If you want to be something, be a branch. That’s the place God has for you. Do not try to be a great preacher or teacher. Only the vine can make a preacher. We have enough self-made preachers already. Take your place as a branch. Be no more or no less. Offer your life as a living sacrifice and receive all that the vine graciously provides.

A vine is not like a tree. Many trees and plants can grow without much work. Not so with a vine. A vine grows so long so quickly, that it needs attention all the time. Therefore, the husbandman has the job of pruning (purging) the vine. The idea of pruning is not taking away thorns and weeds, but the removal of the old branches from last year. You see, the branches from last year are still on the vine taking up sap. But they cannot produce this year’s fruit. So God purges it.

If God produced a good harvest through us last year, we need to be purged. When people hear the word "purge", they immediately think about sin. But this has nothing to do with sin. This is about God taking away something that we don’t need in order for Him to produce the most fruit in us. I was involved in a lot of things in religion that I needed to get rid of in order to get into the ministry I am involved in now. Those things were not sinful; but they took up a lot of sap without producing any fruit. I needed to be pruned. I had stuff that God had to cut away. I had to take a serious look at myself and where I was headed. If I had not been willing to yield to God, I would have still been producing that "1994" fruit. I want some 2002 fruit. Next year I want 2003 fruit. I want to be moving forward, not standing still. If I need to be purged, purge me. If I need to be cleaned, then clean me. Whatever it takes to have "much fruit", I’m willing to do.

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing John 15:5. What God’s desire for us is "much fruit". The potential to produce that fruit is in the vine, and it’s coming out to the branches. That means that all of the love and power of God in Christ is manifested through us.

Why does God ask for "much fruit"? Because He needs it. He does not ask for much fruit simply for a show or just to prove what He can do. He needs it for the salvation of men. Have you noticed the times we live in? It’s a dark and depressing world. People are hurting everywhere. They will do just about anything to escape. But too often, they don’t see Christ as a valid option. And the reason is that they need to see "much fruit" in the lives of Christians. Churches are doing good works, but there is no spiritual life outside of much fruit.

I cannot be satisfied with doing a little better or a gradual improvement. I cannot accept just a little grace here and there. I’ve got to have much fruit; as much as God wants to give me.

The world is perishing and the church is failing. The cause of Christ is suffering and the Spirit of God is grieved because of a lack of Christians producing "much fruit". Do you want to have God’s best and experience all that God would have for you? Take your place as a branch, and allow the true vine to send you everything that you need to produce "much fruit".