John 15:1-11  Jesus and His disciples were on their way to Gethsemane.. the trial and the crucifixion were only a few hours away.. and Jesus is teaching some very important and deep truths.. things that the Holy Spirit would bring to their remembrance and clarify to them later.. 

" I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser."    We need to grasp this important truth first of all.  This is a picture of the relationship between the Father and the Son. The Vine is meant to have branches. The branches are meant to bear fruit.  The Father tends the Vine and the branches.. He is at work.   "He takes away.. " every branch that is not fruitful.  He prunes or cleanses every branch that is producing fruit so that it bears more fruit.  There is purpose in all that the Father does.. as Romans 8 tells us.. His purpose is that we "become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren." ( Romans 8:29)  The Vinedresser is doing what is going to be for our good.. that we might bear fruit for his glory. 

Jesus tells us that this pruning begins with His words.  His words call us to "abide" in Him.. to stay.. to be present.. in relationship with Him.  Without abiding in the Vine, the branch dies and is cut off.  Only in the connection to the Vine is there life in a branch.. and only in the careful attending by the Vinedresser is the branch capable of bearing any fruit. 

Jesus makes this promise.. "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it shall be done for you. By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples."

Lest we become confused about what kind of fruit we are supposed to be producing, Jesus says, "Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also 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. "  

Every plant produces fruit according to its kind..we can go back to the beginning.. "Then God said, 'Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit after their kind, with seed in them, on the earth'; and it was so." ( Genesis 1:11)  Jesus taught on the Mount that .. "You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they?"  

The fruit from the True Vine will be evident. This fruit will be after His kind.. it will reflect His life.. it will glorify the Father.  Every person is known by "their fruits".. their character, their actions, their walk, their love...  It is abiding in Jesus.. loving Him and keeping His commandments.. that produces a life that bears "much fruit".. that looks like Him.. conformed to His image.. doing His will and bringing Him joy. 

Father in heaven, cleanse us.. prune us.. tend us.. work in us that we might bear much fruit "and so prove to be" disciples of Jesus.. conformed to His image.. doing Your will and bringing glory to Your Name.  You have called us.. destined us... for this purpose. May Your will be done. Amen.