The Gardener (John 15:1-2)
"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."
What is the main goal of a gardener? Is it not to care for his plants in such a way that they produce a desired result? Plants left untended will die or fail to produce its desired results in most instances. That is where the gardener comes in. Plants need water! They need care! If a garden is not weeded, then the weeds literally choke the life out of the plants. The soil is important, but pruning is also very important.
Jesus gives the illustration of a vine and branches to illustrate the "gardening" ministry of the Father. He describes Himself as the true vine. There is one vine that the Father tends to and gives His attention to... the true vine! This vine has many branches. Some are dead, some are not producing, and I am sure there are those that are producing well. These branches are connected to the true vine. The vine is the life of the plant! Its from the vine that the branches receive the nutrients it needs to survive. If a branch dies, the vine will continue to live, but if the vine dies, than the plant will die altogether.
Why is the gardeners role so important? Pruning is vital to the production of a vine. It helps prevent diseases, it allows the flowers of the vine to get the nutrients needed to produce better and more abundant fruit, and it allows for healthy growth that is not out of control. A gardener of a vine will...
1. Cut off dead branches because dead branches will never grow back... they are not good for anything, in fact, they put unnecessary strain on the vine and could be an entry point for disease.
2. Prune back vines each year so that growth is controlled. If a vine goes un-pruned, it will grow out of control and not produce much fruit. The vine can't sustain the growth, so a vine will look pretty from the outside with so many flowers, but fail to produce fruit. Its quality and quantity is greatly affected. Pruning is a necessary process!
Here's the point... God the Father is our "Gardener", and as such He will tend to the branches of the vine in such a way that they produce fruit! That is His role. He will cut off dead branches, and He prunes all the rest, so that they will become even more fruitful! God wants us to not just grow, He wants us to grow in a way that we will produce much fruit. More to come on this, but understand this... God the Father is our gardener, His desire is for us to produce fruit, and He will tend to us so that we produce better and more abundant fruit!
John 15:1-2
What is the main goal of a gardener? Is it not to care for his plants in such a way that they produce a desired result? Plants left untended will die or fail to produce its desired results in most instances. That is where the gardener comes in. Plants need water! They need care! If a garden is not weeded, then the weeds literally choke the life out of the plants. The soil is important, but pruning is also very important.Jesus gives the illustration of a vine and branches to illustrate the "gardening" ministry of the Father. He describes Himself as the true vine. There is one vine that the Father tends to and gives His attention to... the true vine! This vine has many branches. Some are dead, some are not producing, and I am sure there are those that are producing well. These branches are connected to the true vine. The vine is the life of the plant! Its from the vine that the branches receive the nutrients it needs to survive. If a branch dies, the vine will continue to live, but if the vine dies, than the plant will die altogether.
Why is the gardeners role so important? Pruning is vital to the production of a vine. It helps prevent diseases, it allows the flowers of the vine to get the nutrients needed to produce better and more abundant fruit, and it allows for healthy growth that is not out of control. A gardener of a vine will...
1. Cut off dead branches because dead branches will never grow back... they are not good for anything, in fact, they put unnecessary strain on the vine and could be an entry point for disease.
2. Prune back vines each year so that growth is controlled. If a vine goes un-pruned, it will grow out of control and not produce much fruit. The vine can't sustain the growth, so a vine will look pretty from the outside with so many flowers, but fail to produce fruit. Its quality and quantity is greatly affected. Pruning is a necessary process!
Here's the point... God the Father is our "Gardener", and as such He will tend to the branches of the vine in such a way that they produce fruit! That is His role. He will cut off dead branches, and He prunes all the rest, so that they will become even more fruitful! God wants us to not just grow, He wants us to grow in a way that we will produce much fruit. More to come on this, but understand this... God the Father is our gardener, His desire is for us to produce fruit, and He will tend to us so that we produce better and more abundant fruit!
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