My family has an old tree in the front yard that produces some of the sweetest, crunchiest apples I’ve ever tasted. It was planted long before we ever bought the house, so we are just the grateful recipients of a previous owner’s forethought. Every autumn we’ve picked enough to enjoy with our family and to share with friends and neighbors.
Then, a few years ago, the tree was getting a little tall and we decided it needed to be pruned back and thinned out. The next spring, we were dismayed when not a single blossom sprouted on the tree. That fall, it was bare. Not a single apple. I was sure we’d ruined it for good.
Two years passed before the tree showed signs of returning to its former glory. Bountiful blossoms in the spring hinted at what was to come. By October the tree was so laden with apples that one of the limbs split away from the trunk. Every weekend I would pick them to thin out the huge amount of fruit and lighten the load the branches were bearing. I could work steadily for an hour, filling several bags, but when I’d look up at the tree, I’d barely made a dent.
Our experiences with that tree over the years have helped me to understand Jesus’ teaching in John 15 about the vine and the branches:
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.” (John 15:5-6, NIV)
Megan Fate Marshman uses this passage as a jumping off place to spur us on in spiritual growth. She explains, “We have to incorporate new rhythms in our lives pointing us towards Jesus and helping us stay connected with Him.” (p. 49) But before we can evaluate what spiritual disciplines we need to add into our lives, it’s important to understand the many concepts illustrated in this multi-faceted vine metaphor. Let’s explore three key ones together:
1) Remaining in Christ: The word “remain” here comes from the Greek “meno” and means “to stay.” It implies a commitment over the long haul. Some translations use the word “abide.” Remaining in Christ is about being aware of His presence in and around you at all times. It’s having an ongoing conversation with Him throughout the day, involving Him in your decisions, trusting Him with your struggles, and letting your heart align with His will. Abiding with Jesus means letting Him direct your steps and relying on His wisdom instead of your own. It takes intentional effort to live this way and can’t be done without accessing the power of the Holy Spirit within you.
When Jesus says, “apart from me you can do nothing,” He’s talking about doing things that are of spiritual or eternal significance. No matter how gifted, organized, engaging, or passionate we are, we simply can’t be effective in the Kingdom of God if we aren’t continually attached to the Vine. This is what Jesus illustrates when He explains that branches that don’t remain in Him wither and die. Just like the broken branch on my tree couldn’t produce any more apples, spiritual disciplines apart from Him are dead.
2) Pruning Dead Branches: To the casual reader, Jesus’ words about pruning sound harsh: dead branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. But as I learned with my apple tree, the pruning process is necessary to yield even better results. Pruning doesn’t damage or kill a tree. In fact, our apple tree’s productivity exploded after we thinned out the branches and gave the remaining ones more room to grow. It took time, but the results were worth the wait.
Submitting to God’s pruning in our lives can be painful and confusing at times, but I’m reassured as I look back on those seasons in my life. Sometimes God must clear away “good” things in our lives to make room for His best. When we grasp His gifts too tightly, we can thwart opportunities for further growth. Although a pruned tree looks bare, it also allows in more sunlight and absorbs nutrients more effectively to produce better fruit.
Don’t let the pruning metaphor unsettle you—it’s not implying you can lose your salvation; it’s illustrating the vital importance of abiding consistently with Jesus.
3) Producing Fruit: Like an orchard with different trees, there are several types of fruit Jesus produces through us when we abide intimately with Him. First and foremost, when we stay connected with the vine, we display the fruit of the Spirit described in Galatians 5:22: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These aren’t characteristics we can manufacture in ourselves for any sustained amount of time. They only reveal themselves in our lives through the Holy Spirt as we abide closely with Jesus on a consistent basis.
We also bear fruit by sharing the Gospel and leading other people into a saving relationship with Jesus. Good works flow out of us as we spend time with the Lord and align our hearts to His. The fruit we bear is the outward manifestation of intimacy with Him. (Colossians 1:6 & 10 also describes this.)
As we’re consistent about practicing spiritual disciplines, we’re receiving the nutrients we need for spiritual growth. Serving, fasting, listening, resting, studying, worshiping, giving, and praying are practices that help us abide closely with Jesus and enable us to be spiritually fruitful. Megan explains that the greatest reward of these disciplines is in helping us open our hearts to deeper connection with our Father in Heaven.
What’s one spiritual practice you’d like to increase in your life so you can abide more closely with Jesus? Will you pray and ask God to show you how this week?
Our intimacy with the Lord produces fruit that honors Him and blesses others. Zach Williams’ song “Less Like Me” illustrates this beautifully. Click on the link and make the lyrics your prayer today.
Megan Fate Marshman, Meant for Good: The Adventure of Trusting God & His Plans for You, Zondervan, 2020