Fuitful vine? Or pruned vine? John 15:1

Good morning everyone. God is good all the time all the time God is good. TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!

JOHN 18:1-8 Jesus teaches about the vine and the branches. This is a beautiful piece of scripture and shows how we should grow, support, and spread the truth, the Word, God's word. The grapevine is a prolific plant; a single vine supports numerous branches and bears many grapes. In the old Testament grapes symbolized Israel's fruitfulness in doing God's work on earth.

Let's begin at the top. John 15:1 "I am the true grapevine and my Father is the gardener."

Christ is the vine, and God is the gardener who cares for the branches to make them fruitful. The branches are all those who claim to be followers of Christ.

The fruitful branches are true believers who, by their living union with Christ, produce much fruit. As Bonhoeffer said, "true grace."

But those who become unproductive - those who turn back from following Christ after making a superficial commitment - will be separated from the vine. Unproductive followers are as good as dead and will be cut off and tossed aside. Again, from Bonhoeffer, "cheap grace."

My question now to you my dear friend is, are you fruitful for Christ, or is your vine waning, withering, and about to be pruned? If you are fruitful, yea, to God be the glory; if you are waning - what are you going to do? Life is full of choices and this is the most important choice we have ever or will ever make! Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny