“If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown out like a branch, and dries up; and such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, and are burned.” (NET)

Into the Text

A simple fact: a branch that is not connected to the vine has no life flowing through it, so it withers and dies. Without a true connection to Jesus, a person is like that branch, dead and unable to bear any Lasting Fruit.

Jesus has already said in verse 2 that His Father, the Vinedresser, “takes away every branch that does not bear fruit in me.” And in verse 8, He says that the proof of a person being a true disciple is that he or she will bear much Fruit.

While there are many in the church today who claim to be Christians, if all they produce is bad, rotten Fruit, they are not true disciples of Jesus and have never been attached to the Vine. While such people may fool others for a while, their Fruitless life will ultimately make it clear that they did not belong to Jesus. The Father will judge and destroy such branches in the end. The Vinedresser is not surprised by this, and He is still in control.

At the same time, we may be confident that if we have truly surrendered ourselves to Jesus, the Father will make sure that we bear Fruit. He has promised it. He will judge those who don’t belong, but He prunes and disciplines those who do. He will cut away the dead branches but cultivate the living ones.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me—and I in him—bears much fruit, because apart from me you can accomplish nothing.” (NET)

Into the Text

I love how Jesus says, “bears much fruit…” It’s as if He’s gently reminding us that our lives are meant to overflow with Spiritual Fruit. But here’s the best part. We aren’t expected to produce it in our own strength. You, my sweet friend, are utterly unable to make this Fruit grow. It’s a task that we do together with Jesus.

Our part is to stay connected and rooted in Him. It’s not a passive wanting to remain connected to Christ, but a daily coming to Him in faith and prayer for help. In these actions, He’s the One who supplies everything we need—our Strength, Wisdom, and Nourishment. As we draw from His Life, He produces Amazing Fruit through us.

Too often, we think we have to strive, push, or muster up the strength to produce Fruit. But the truth is, we don’t bear Fruit by struggling. We bear Fruit by abiding. Through Jesus, we already have everything we need to grow and bear Good Fruit. Abiding in Jesus means realizing and believing that we have been united to Him. Everything He has, He wants to give to us: His Joy, His Love, His Purity, His Life, His All.

So, if you’re feeling weak or overwhelmed by life’s demands, remember your role. You are the branch—not the Vine. When we’re weak, He is Strong, and it’s perfectly okay to lean into that Truth. Apart from Him, we can do nothing. When we abide in Him, He does the heavy lifting.

“You are clean already because of the word that I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me.” (NET)

When I read John 15:3-4, I imagine Jesus leaning in and looking each of the disciples in the eyes. “Remain in me, and I will remain in you….” (NET) It is a promise. Jesus knew that for each of the disciples to become useful in their life and ministry, they would need to abide in Him.

The same Truth applies to us today. We can do nothing of lasting value apart from Jesus. Just as branches must remain connected to the vine for nourishment and growth, we, too, must remain rooted in Jesus for the Spiritual Strength we need to flourish.

When new branches start to grow, they often droop low to the ground. As they touch the soil, dirt and mud begin to cling to them, which can stop them from growing strong and bearing good fruit. To help them thrive, a gardener has to gently lift the branches, carefully washing away the dirt, so they can reach their full potential and produce good fruit.

For us, we experience a similar “cleaning” through God’s Word. As we read and renew our minds with Scripture, God shows us areas in our lives where things need to change. It may be areas where sin has muddied our lives and hindered us from receiving the nourishment we need to grow. But hope is not lost. Through God’s Word, it’s as if He lovingly lifts, cleanses, and restores us, allowing us to grow and bear the Good Fruit we were created to produce.