“Jesus is the Vine; we are the branches.” Auther and Writer Ronald Nelson
- Ronald Nelson
- 10 hours ago
- 18 min read
BIBLE MEDITATION: “I am the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. John 15:5
ENCOURAGING WORD:
As I read this verse, something became very clear to me that I really didn’t think about until now. I’ll put it in a simple to understand way as to how this teaching should make us think. Jesus is the Vine; we are the branches. What happens to a branch after it breaks away from the vine? It eventually dies. Now, when we are born, we are automatically a child of God or to put it into the context in which I am speaking, we are all branches connected to the vine. Then comes a day when we have to make a choice. Do we stay connected to the vine or do we choose to go our own way. If you choose to break away from the vine, you will evenually die just as a branch would die once it breaks away from the vine. A branch cannot survive once it breaks away from the vine nor can we survive once we separate ourselves from Jesus Christ. Sure, we may live for 70-80 years, but when we die we will be tossed into the eternal lake of burning fire that was acually made for Satan and his fallen angels.
The primary Bible verse about Jesus as the vine is found in; John 15:1-11; where Jesus declares, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”
The "Fruits of the Spirit" that are mentioned in the verse above are nine divine virtues described in the Bible; Galatians 5:22-23 that develop in a person's life through the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These qualities are seen as evidence of a godly life, growing naturally as believers connect with God, much like fruit grows on a healthy vine, contrasting with the "works of the flesh".
You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.”
The core message emphasizes believers' complete dependence on Him for spiritual life and fruitfulness, as seen in; John 15:5: "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
These couple of verses lay it out perfectly as to what I am saying. The analogy of throwing a branch into the fire, is exactly what will happen to those that break away from Jesus Christ. They will be thrown into the lake of burning fire where they will remain for all eternity.
John 15:1-11 uses the metaphor of a vine (Jesus), branches (believers), and the vinedresser (God the Father) to teach the necessity of abiding (remaining connected) in Christ to produce spiritual fruit, which is obedience, love, and transformation, leading to full joy; apart from Him, believers can do nothing, and unfruitful branches are pruned away. This passage isn't about salvation but about the life of a disciple after salvation, emphasizing dependence on Jesus for spiritual vitality, growth, and fruitful living.
Key Themes & Commentary Points:
Jesus contrasts Himself with Israel (often called a vine in the Old Testament) that failed to bear fruit, declaring Himself to be the true, life-giving source for His followers.
God tends the vine, removing dead branches (unbelievers) and pruning fruitful ones (believers) to increase their fruitfulness.
"Abiding" means staying connected to Jesus through His Word, prayer, and fellowship, drawing all spiritual life from Him. This isn't a passive state but an active, dependent relationship.
"Fruit" signifies Christ-like character, good works, obedience, and glorifying God. It's the natural outcome of life in the vine, not a self-effort. The fruit of the vine are characteristics of one that has already been saved. If you are truly born again, then you will automatically be filled with the fruit of the Spirit.
The Father's pruning (discipline, challenges) removes what hinders growth, making believers more fruitful, a process that can be painful but is for our good. The Father will remove those that say they are Christian, but they are Christian in name only. He will remove them so they can’t disrupt the process of building the true church through true believers. "A little leaven leavens the whole lump" Galatians 5:9 is a biblical metaphor meaning a small amount of something corrupting (like sin, false teaching, or negative attitudes) This can spread and affect an entire group or community, just as a tiny bit of yeast makes a whole batch of dough rise. It warns that even minor compromises with evil or error can eventually contaminate the whole church, urging believers to remove it for spiritual purity. This is what is happening in today’s churches, they have all added doctrine to the Word of God. If they add a little, than the whole church is affected. If they add a little, then how are we to know what messages are true to the scriptures. If you are following any denominational church, then you are infected with sinnful false doctrine whether you like to believe it or not. The only complete truth is found in the Bible.
This emphasizes total dependence; all spiritual ability, strength, and life come from the connection to Jesus, not self-effort. This is a truth that is overlooked by many who think they are responsible for what they have. The perfect example is modern day athletes. They have no idea that what they have, they got from God. They don’t realize that any one of them at any given day can lose everything they have. Many good athletes have lost their ability to perform because of an unfortunate incident that took place on the field that left them either paralyzed or just unable to continue at the level that they once had. Remember, God gives and God can take away. This could happen at any moment in any one’s life. It happened to me and in hindsight it was the best thing that could have happened to me. It took me away from what I loved most and eventually took me to the Word of God that I have been studying for the last thirty years. God had to remove what was important to me at the time, so He could take me to where I am today, which is one of His many modern day servants. I couldn’t be happier.
Joy
The purpose of abiding and bearing fruit is for Jesus' joy to be in us, making our joy complete. Joy might be difficult to define, but you know it when you see it, and you certainly know it when you feel it. Clearly, joy is a feeling, though it is not simply that. Feelings tend to be fleeting. Joy, on the contrary, is a steady disposition about life. We might say that joy is a hopeful and peaceful outlook on life, a deep-seated sense of well-being. Unlike happiness, joy is not dependent on circumstances or chance. We can experience joy even in times of trouble and hardship.
As C.S. Lewis explained in his autobiography, Surprised by Joy, you don’t find joy by pursuing joy. Joy is a byproduct. Joy is always a surprise. We are always joyful over something that we perceive as very good. But if it is a byproduct, a complement to something else, we might ask: What is the product? What is that other thing we need to know or have so that a deep sense of joy will flow over us?
Certainly loving another human being and being loved by someone bring us immense joy. Many people find joy in doing work they love. But, as Lewis found, the greatest and most enduring joy comes from knowing God through Jesus Christ and being a part of his joyful kingdom.
No doubt many of us, if you are like me, are beginning to feel uncomfortable and wary about this narrow focus on joy. You are possibly thinking, “Well, yes, but what about when we are in physical and emotional pain? What about those who are chronically depressed?” What about the rampant injustice, genocide, civil wars, millions of refugees and displaced people, and children starving? The world is in such a mess. How can we be joyfully impervious to all these crying needs? Will we go about our merry way while the world goes to hell in a handbasket?
Joy does not close our eyes to the pressing needs around us. In fact, it is the joy in our lives that gives us the strength and motivation to reach out to others in need. In George MacDonald’s novel Adela Cathcart, Adela expresses it this way: “Take from me my joy and I am powerless to help others.”
But the call to joy in Scripture occurs right in the presence of suffering; James 1:2-4; “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”
Each day that we live in gloomy despondency, in a dismal state of blah-ness, or in worry, fear, and anxiety, we are missing out on the full and abundant life Jesus intends for us. I have to be painfully honest when it comes to feeling joy as I go through various trails which I hate to say, has consumed much of this last year. I do understand what it means, but which should bring joy, really is a test of faith when we get to this point. Here is a verse that explains why we should feel joy as we go through trials.
John 16:33; “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
This verse is telling us that if you become born again and follow Jesus, you will go through trials and tribulations. The reason that we should feel joy is because these trials are temporary, knowing that our final destination will be with Jesus Christ in the most perfect environment imaginable or should I say, unimaginable.
1 Corinthians 2:9; “But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
This is saying that no matter what we can imagine, what God has prepared for those that Love Him, cannot even enter our mind. I can personally imagine some pretty nice things, so I am looking so forward to what He has for us that gave our lives to Jesus Christ and have become born again into the Holy Spirit.
Jesus came into this world that we might have life in all its fullness John 10:10; “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
The thief in this verse refers to anything that can take away our joy. Satan is behind all this evil. His main purpose is to steal, kill and destroy those that serve Jesus. This is why we should feel joy, because it validates that we are children of God if we go through these trials. If Satan already has your soul, he has no reason to attack you because your already his. As we get closer to the soon return of Jesus Christ, it seems as if Satan is working overtime. Almost every true Christian that I know is going through some kind of trail or attack. Satan knows his time is almost through and he is roaming around like a roaring lion as we read in the following Bible verse.
1 Peter 65:8; “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”
Are you on Satan’s list to devour or are you already devoured. If you’re not going through a hard time, then there is a good chance that you are already devoured. This is why we should feel joy when we go through these trails, because you are a child of God and Satan is trying to change that by making you believe that God does not love you. I know, this is hard pill to swallow, but the day is coming where we will all be in perfect harmony with one another in paradise forever. There is joy in knowing that and that is what the Bible refers to in James 1:2-4; as we read above.
We read in Romans 8:18; where it says: "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us".
It's a powerful verse about Christian hope, contrasting temporary earthly hardships with the eternal glory awaiting believers, a theme echoed in; Romans 8:18-27; “ For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the heart knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”
Jesus himself was a joyful person, and to his disciples he said, John 15:11; “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full” Nobody ever said, that living a Christian life would be easy, but the rewards will be much greater than anything you could ever imagine.
Application:
Live in constant reliance on Jesus for spiritual nourishment, not self-power.
Allow God to prune away sin and unhealthy habits for greater fruitfulness.
Recognize that your spiritual effectiveness comes from Him, enabling you to do His work.
1 John 4: 5-6; “They (unbelievers) are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We (Born again believers) are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.”
So, the question that I have to ask is this, do you listen to messages from God, such as this teaching, or do you turn away from the Word of God and listen to the world? I can tell by how many people read these messages, that there are very few that want to hear the Word of God.
"Few will find the way" refers to Jesus' teaching in; Matthew 7:13-14, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
This is contrasting the easy, broad path to destruction with the difficult, narrow path to life. Few discover it, because it demands deliberate commitment, self-judgment, and trust in God, rather than following the crowd or worldly philosophies. It highlights that while God desires all to be saved, humans must actively choose and strive for this challenging path through faith in Christ, not just superficial religious acts. What path are you on? Are you cruising through life without a worry, or are you battling the forces of evil that are permeating through our world.
The Two Paths
The Wide Gate/Broad Road: Easy to find, appealing to the masses, leads to destruction, and is filled with popular philosophies and worldly comforts. This is the path that the majority of people are on as it says above, many will chose this route.
The Narrow Gate/Difficult Way: Hard to find, requires a conscious choice and deep commitment, involves self-denial and trusting God, and leads to life. When the Bible says few will be that find the way, that is exactly what the Bible means. Few will be that find it. Just a thought, when God judged the world with a world wide flood, eight people were saved, that is a few. When God judged Sodom and Gehmorra, four people were saved, once again, very few. I’m not saying that when God judges America, that only eight people will be saved, my point is this, there will be a lot less than most people think. My guess based on Biblical scripture would be about 90% or less will be saved.
Why Few Find It
Societal Pressure: People naturally follow the crowd and conform to cultural norms. Most people like to go through the flow, but this is one area where you better go against the flow. Broad is the way that leads to destruction. Narrow is the way that leads to eternal life with Jesus.
Misunderstanding Religion: Thinking church attendance or being "nice" is enough, rather than a deep transformation. Right now in the days in which we live, this is one of the most destructive lies in the so-called Christian faith. Going to Church does no save you. Belonging to any certain religion does not save you, only Jesus Christ can save us and that is through our relationship with Him.
Desire for Ease: The wide path offers quick fixes and unlimited freedom, which seems appealing. It is easy to live life in sin because that is the nature that we were born in. We are all born with a sin nature, that is why it is necessary to become born again, We all need a second birth to be saved. That doesn’t mean that we won’t sin, it just means that we will feel remorse when we do. Living a life style of sin is a different situation The broader Christian teaching, a "lifestyle of sin" isn't just occasional mistakes but a habitual practice of lawlessness, a refusal to turn from sin, and a state of spiritual bondage where one's actions demonstrate they don't truly know God, as seen in; John 8:34-36’ “ Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”
This is contrasting with true believers who confess, repent, and seek righteousness through faith in Christ, 1 John 1:9; “ If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Spiritual Blindness: The broad path lacks God's guidance and leads away from Him. Without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, there is no way understand the path to righteousness; therefore, you will not understand the scriptures of the Bible. Hear what the Bible say bout this.
2 Corinthians 4;3-4; “ But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age (Satan) has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.”
This is saying that if you are not born again, there is no way for you to understand the scriptures of the Bible as they are meant to be understood.
The Call to Action
Jesus urges people to strive to enter the narrow gate, indicating it's not automatic but requires effort and decision. Jesus is the narrow gate; the world is the wide gate.
It's a path of total commitment, surrendering to God's perspective and His boundaries, even when difficult. All throughout history, being a Christian has had horrific consequences. To many. Therefore taking the narrow path has been a hard choice to make. The good news is this, those that have been put to death because of their decision to follow Jesus are now in heaven with Him. This persecution is eventually coming to the whole world, including America. We may get our chance to die for Jesus. Many of us will bypass death by persecution because of the Blessed Hope.
In Christian theology, the "blessed hope" from Titus 2:13 refers to the glorious, certain return of Jesus Christ, bringing salvation, resurrection, and eternal life, a promise that purifies believers and motivates holy living as they await His appearing. It's not mere wishful thinking but a foundational Christian expectation of seeing God in glory and being with Him forever.
Key Aspects of the Blessed Hope
Source: Found in Titus 2:13-14; “looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.”
This is which speaks of "looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.” While many are looking for the antichrist, those of us that are saved are looking for Jesus Christ. There is going to appear a very intelligent man with all the answers. Many people will believe that he will be the Messiah. They will give their allegiance to this man and once they give their allegiance to him, their eternal fate will have been sealed. There will be no more chance to be saved. There are those that will have their eyes opened during this time and they will realize that this man is not the Messiah, and they will turn their allegiance to Jesus Christ. If you make this choice during the tribulation, you will be hunted down and killed for your faith in Christ. This is where you can make a very wise decision, choose Jesus Christ now and be absent from the tribulation period, or receive Jesus during the tribulation where you will be killed for your faith. I find the choice to serve Jesus Christ now much more comforting than waiting for the tribulation. How about you!
The Meaning of "Hope": In the Bible, "hope" means a confident, certain expectation, not a vague wish, grounded in God's promises. The promise that He will remove the true believer before the seven year tribulation. God has not appointed us to wrath as we read in the following Bible verse.
1 Thessalonians 5:9; “For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,”
Gods wrath will not fall on the church, as it will on unbelievers during the tribulation period. The tribulation is a time for judgment to unbelievers and the restoration for the Jews. The church will not be here.
The Event: It's the second coming of Jesus Christ, described as the "glorious appearing of our great God and Savior.” The second coming of Christ comes in two phases, The first phase is when He comes for the church, the second phase is when He returns with the church after the seven year tribulation. The main line churches treat this as if it were a single event. In order to believe that doctrine, you have to allegorize many scriptures which they do!
Present Impact: This future certainty encourages believers to live righteously, soberly, and godly in the present, purifying themselves as they anticipate Christ's return. This is the blessed hope. If we were going to go through the tribulation, as many churches teach, then I can’t see that being a blessed hope. The bible is written to be understood the way it was meant to be understood. Its crystal clear when you allow the Holy Spirit to indwell you and let Him guide you through all truth. Do you trust in your religion to tell you the truth or do you believe what the Bible teaches about truth? They are very contrary in many ways. You can’t follow a religion and then say you believe the Bible.
Future Fulfillment: It includes the rapture (Christ coming for His church), the resurrection of believers, and being transformed into immortal bodies to be with the Lord forever. If you don’t believe in the rapture, don’t worry, we’ll explain it to you on the way up!
Why it's "Blessed" It brings joy and peace, as it's a promise of eternal life and reunion with Christ, rather than fear. If you are afraid of what is coming in regards to the tribulation, then you are running in fear. If you trust in the Word of God that He is going to remove the church prior to the tribulation, then you should have no fear of the near future. If I knew that I was going to go through the tribulation, I would find no hope in that false doctrine. Common sense plays a big role in what you believe. You can trust your religion to scare the heck out of you, or you can trust Jesus to comfort you.
It's "blessed" because it brings God's grace and salvation, redeeming humanity from sin and making believers His own special people.
In essence, the blessed hope is the joyful, divine assurance that Jesus is coming back to usher believers into everlasting glory, a truth that shapes Christian life and conduct today.
So, the finale question is this. Are you a branch that is still attached to the vine, or are you a broken branch that will burn in the fore. Every human being has the opportunity to make the right choice. I can’t and will never understand why anybody would deny God’s greatest gift.
Grace: (Greek: charis) means God's free, unmerited favor, kindness, and divine assistance given to sinful humanity, enabling salvation and spiritual life, best summarized as "God's Riches At Christ's Expense", a free gift we don't earn but receive through faith, as seen in
Ephesians 2:8-9; “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
It's God's powerful, loving action for the undeserving, empowering believers to live righteously and overcome weakness. Amen
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