John 15:1-11  Jesus gives us one of the most powerful  illustrations of what it means to be "one" with Him and the Father.  "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser..... I am the vine, your are the branches.. " ( v1,5)

The Father in heaven.. the Creator and Mighty God who spoke all of creation into being.. Jesus calls the "vinedresser" .. the "husbandman".. a farmer.. one who tills the soil and dresses the vines.  His "work"  is  centered around His crop... cutting off fruitless branches.. and pruning those that are bearing fruit so that they bear more. 

Jesus calls Himself the "true vine".  He is the genuine vine.. the real deal.. not counterfeit, imaginary, or pretend... but the True product of God's Hands.  He is the vine.. out of Him comes everything.  He is the root and the trunk.. Without Him there would be no branches..no leaves.. and no fruit. There can be no life without Jesus. 

Jesus calls His followers "the branches".  Jesus said that only as the branches abide in the Vine can they bear any fruit. There must be a vital connection between the Vine and the branch for fruit to be produced.  If the branch is fruitless.. then it shows that there is no connection and then the Vinedresser will cut it off and throw it into the fire.  But if the branch is connected and holding fast to the Vine, it will produce fruit. Not only that but the Vinedresser will "prune" it to allow it to bear more fruit.  

Pruning means cleansing. Purging all that is impure.. removing all that is unacceptable.. all that hinders more fruit from growing.  Jesus told His disciples that they had already been made "clean" by His Words, but they needed to keep abiding in Him.. staying present in their relationship with Him.. in order to keep bearing fruit to the glory of the Father. 

Apart from Jesus, He tells us, we can do nothing.  No fruit will grow on a dead branch.  Life flows only from the True Vine.  It is in abiding.. remaining.. continuing.. being present in this relationship with Jesus that Life continues to flow into us and we bear fruit to the glory of God.  We abide by staying in the Word of God, by asking and receiving His Life in us, by keeping His commandments, and resting in His love. 

The Father cares for the Vine and the Branches with great love. Love flows from the Vine, Jesus Christ, into us.. the branches that abide in His Love.   "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full."  Jesus said. 

Father in heaven, cleanse us from anything that keeps us from bearing fruit to the glory of Your Name.  Keep us abiding in the Word, continually walking in the Lord Jesus, and giving our lives to do Your will. Keep us in Your Love and in the Love of Jesus the True Vine.  Help us to know the Truth of these words with all of our hearts.  May Your Will be done in us we pray .. in the Name of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.