"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you" (John 15:1-3). One of the counter intuitive elements of fruit growing is pruning. It appears logical that the more branches on a tree or vine, the more fruit that will be produced. However, fruit growers have learned that most of the branches need to be pruned off, so that the energy will go into producing fruit and not more branches. Jesus picks up this truth and applies it to our spiritual lives. The Father cuts off none fruit bearers. Jesus is not teaching that true Christians can be lost. He is making the point that Christians will bear fruit. That is the point of the Christian life. It's not primarily about getting into heaven, its about growing spiritual fruit in this life. To further His point, Jesus then says that the Father "prunes back" the branches so that they will bear even more fruit. God is at work in your life so that you can bear fruit for Him. The image is of taking away the things that limit production. There is an element of pain involved in pruning. We tend to avoid pain. God tends to use it for fruit production. What's happening in your life that is keeping you from being fruitful? Chances are that God will work to get rid of it. The more we hang on, the more painful the pruning will be. In Colossians 3, Paul mentions some things that God prunes away. He writes, "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry…you must also rid yourselves of…anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other…" (Colossians 3:5,8,9). In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul relates how he experienced this pruning. He had, what he calls, a thorn in the flesh. Paul wanted it gone, but God said to him, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). How does God prune? His primary tool is His Word. The word cleans (3). It is powerful. Often, when God starts pruning, we begin neglecting the Word because pruning hurts. When we feel the pain of God's pruning, we should remember Paul's take of pain and suffering. They reveal God's grace and strength. Through the power of the Spirit, the Word is God's primary purifying agent. It come to us through various means, from a book we are reading, a sermon we listen too, the wise scripture laden advice of a friend. Sometimes the Spirit will remind us of scripture we have read or memorized, zinging it home unexpectedly. In this passage, Jesus does not specify what the fruit is that He expects His branches to bear. The rest of scripture provides the answer. The best place to start is with the fruit of the Spirit "love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23). As you stay connected to the vine: May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you: wherever he may send you. May he guide you through the wilderness: protect you through the storm. May he bring you home rejoicing; at the wonders he has shown you. May he bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

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