Abiding in Christ: A Study on John 15:1-8 (Verse 3)

John 15:1-8

“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. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.  

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Verse 3: You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.

What does Jesus mean about being clean? The Greek word for clean is katharas. It has physical and spiritual implications. Physically, it means to be purified by fire or cleansed by pruning in order to bear fruit. Spiritually, it means to be free from sin and guilt, blameless.

Some time before Jesus talked about a vine, branches and bearing fruit, he washed the disciples feet, and spoke to them about being clean.

John 13:1-10a

Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”

Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

Jesus answered, “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean..."

Unless we are cleansed of our sins by Jesus, we can have no part with Him. In other words, unless we are purified and free from guilt and sin, we cannot claim to be His disciples. Jesus informed Simon Peter that if he has had a bath, his body is clean. This makes me think of baptism. After a person is saved, he makes a declaration of faith and then is immersed under water. The symbolism is death to life, but I also believe it is a symbolism of cleansing. When a person is saved, he has been cleansed of guilt and sin. But during his life, he is going to sin. His feet will become dirty, and will need to be washed occasionally.

Let me put it this way: Salvation is the bath and sanctification is the foot washing. So, if you have chosen to follow Christ, you are already clean. You don't need to take another bath. Just remember that your feet are going to get dirty. You're going to sin. Repent, and allow Jesus to wash your feet, again.

Abiding in Christ: A Study on John 15:1-8 (Verse 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. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Verse 2. 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.

If Jesus, the vine, is connected to the Father, then we, the branches, must be connected to Jesus in order to have access to God. Jesus says, "every branch IN ME..." In other words, people might claim to be Christians or followers of Christ, but unless they bear fruit, they are worthless. Bearing fruit is simply backing up what you claim with actions. "Walk the talk" or "practice what you preach" if you will.


Therefore, God cuts off those barren branches as they are of no use to Him. I am reminded of Matthew 7:21 - " “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Believing in Christ isn't enough. Claiming to know Christ isn't enough. We have to LIVE Christ. That is, we have to be directly and consistently connected to Jesus, and prove it with our actions. The thought of being cut off from Jesus is a horrible one! In Psalm 51:11, David cries out to the LORD, "Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me." There is no greater punishment than to be separated from Christ.

God doesn't just want us to bear a tiny amount of fruit. He wants us to bear as much fruit as we possibly can. From this verse, I see two ways that He helps us to bear more fruit. First, as mentioned previously, He cuts off branches that do not bear fruit. This does not just affect those worthless branches; it also affects the branches that are bearing fruit. Without the "dead weight" the fruit-bearing branches are able to receive more water, nutrients and sunlight, resulting in more fruit production. I've seen this played out in my life. There has been "dead weight" in my life, people around me that did not bear fruit, and it affected me. Without them, I can see that I am bearing more fruit now. If there are people in your life that hinder your walk, I guarantee that if you remove them from your life, your fruitfulness will increase.

The second way that God helps us to bear more fruit is by pruning or cleaning us. He makes sure we are well-prepared. He purifies us. God prunes us through situations and people in our lives. Pruning is usually a life-long process. You could also call it sanctification, which is the process of being made holy. It seems obvious that as we are pruned, we would become even more fruitful.

Abiding in Christ: A Study on John 15:1-8 (Verse 1)

John 15:1-8 NIV

“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. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Verse 1. Jesus said, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener."

According to the little research that I've done on growing grapes, the very first thing a vinedresser must do is make sure the soil is prepared. The vine is planted in a place where the roots will stay cool and the vine will grow into the sun. This first part is crucial, because if the vine is not planted properly, the entire structure of the grapevine could very well be compromised, preventing fruit from developing.

There have been many people who have desired to live righteous lives and to serve God and to spread His message. However, unlike other people that God has used throughout history, Jesus was constantly focused on the Father. He always did the will of God. He walked in steadfast obedience to Him. Jesus is the one true vine, the only one with direct access to the Father.

If God is the gardener and Jesus is the vine, then maybe we can look at this world as the soil. God prepared the world for Jesus. He was sent at just the right time and place. The condition of the soil was just as it needed to be when God planted His Son.

A gardener must be involved in what he has planted or it will not grow. He must make sure that it gets enough water, nutrients and sunlight. A gardener does not plant something and then walk away. In the same way, God is intimately involved in Jesus' life, and in the lives of those who came about as a result of the Vine.

Rose

I am a rose.
Sweet. Beautiful. Lovely.
Like all other roses
But different.

You never saw my petals.
Nor acknowledged my scents.
Only my thorns.
I thirst only for love.

Free me from my soil.
Replant me.
Shower me with love.
Soon I will grow again.


I wrote this poem back in high school. Not sure why it came to mind today, but thought I'd share it. 80)

Closer

What Does Johnny Depp Have to do With Faith?

According to K-Love and Heartsong Church, plenty. The church is planning a 10 week sermon series based on some of Depp's movies. I usually enjoy listening to K-Love, but they are really lacking in the spiritual discernment department (as is this church in Tennessee).

Here are the movies on which the sermons are based as well as reviews/synopses (for parents) from Common Sense Media.

Edward Scissorhands (PG-13)

There is sporadic violence in this film. Aside from a woman attempting to seduce Edward wearing a lace bra, sexuality is limited to Fifties-style courting rituals (kissing and hugging). Some of the garish set pieces, like Edward's haunted mansion, and the title character, with mean-looking, scissors for fingers, may be terrifying for young children.

What's Eating Gilbert Grape (PG-13)

This movie is more provocative thematically than others starring Depp and DiCaprio. There's bullying, disrespect, emotionally tense family scenes, and humiliation. There are some scary scenes of family fights, mostly with Gilbert's younger brother Arnie who is mentally challenged. References are made to Gilbert's father, who killed himself. Gilbert is involved with a married woman for part of the film, and there are some scenes with sexual content. Alcohol and drug use are at a minimum. The issue of tolerance is a main theme throughout the movie, centering around Arnie and Gilbert's mother, who's overweight. Scenes of townspeople taunting Arnie and Mrs. Grape could be upsetting.

Ed Wood (R):

This comedic look at a real-life movie eccentric has strong language and discussions of transvestism, homosexuality, and gender-reassignment surgery (viewers see the cross-dressing, but no surgery). Drinking, smoking, IV-drug use (not seen), and the death of real-life star Bela Lugosi come up in the plot. There's a threatened suicide by gun, and Wood and his cronies engage in unethical behavior to raise funds for their movies. Young viewers who become interested in Ed Wood through this film might learn that Wood's career ended in assorted forms of pornographic media and chronic alcoholism.

Donnie Brasco (R)

This film contains scenes of bloody violence and gunplay. Aside from "purely" criminal acts, there are depictions of physical abuse within families and a racially motivated attack. The characters use strong language throughout the film, smoke, drink, and deal drugs. One suffers an overdose off-screen.

Chocolat (PG-13)

[The main character] Vianne never married her daughter's father, and that in a flashback we see that she and her own mother left her father to wander. Vianne gives some chocolates to one woman to use as an aphrodisiac, and we see the gleam in her husband's eye as he watches her, after he eats them. Later, a dog who eats some of the chocolates is similarly inspired (brief shot of dogs having sex). There are mild sexual situations with brief and inexplicit nudity. There is some social drinking and a scary fire (no one hurt). A character dies peacefully.

 From Hell (R)

This film is extremely violent, with numerous scenes of women being murdered and butchered by Jack the Ripper. It's NOT for kids. There are also some violent fights and a particularly hideous carriage accident. There are also scenes showing sexual behavior, drug and alcohol use, and very strong language.

Pirates of the Caribbean (PG-13)

There's lots of violence for a PG-13, and while it is not especially graphic, there are images, including the literally skeleton pirate crew and a false eyeball that keeps coming out, that may be disturbing to some viewers. There are some revealing bodices and some mild sexual references, including prostitutes (not explicit and no nudity or sexual situations). There is some strong and colorful pirate language. Characters drink rum and get tipsy.

The Tourist (PG-13)

This romantic thriller starring Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie is the kind of twisty suspense drama that will appeal to savvy teens who like the two stars. The premise is simple but mature, and as the movie progresses, certain plot twists make The Tourist more appropriate for older teens and adults... Although sexual content isn't too graphic...there's still a strong feeling of sexuality throughout the movie, as Jolie's mere presence creates an aura of sex appeal.

Alice in Wonderland (PG)

This trippy adaptation -- in which Alice is a young adult -- includes some fantasy violence with scary monsters that attack people, a cruel Red Queen who frequently sentences people to death, and a climactic battle scene between sword-brandishing humans, animals, and beasts. Some parents might want to know that a caterpillar smokes a hookah, but this is as Lewis Carroll depicted the character. The language includes taunting insults like "stupid," "imbecile," "idiot," "bloody," and the like, and the sexuality is limited to one kiss between a married man and another woman and some aggressive flirting.

Rango (PG)

This animated film is as dramatic as it is comedic, and it deals with several mature themes that may go over kids' head...There's also stronger language (both "damn" and "hell" are said several times, as well as insults like "trollop," "tart," and "floozy") and notably more violence than in many animated kids' movies...A few characters are killed (or nearly killed), shot at, or crushed, and there's a fair bit of smoking by supporting characters. But there are also positive messages about living up to your potential, defending those who are defenseless, and the importance of authority figures who do what's in their community's best interest instead of their own.

Now, I'm not saying that all of these movies are bad per se. Most of them seem to have positive attributes, but that doesn't mean they belong in the church. I have no idea if scenes from each movie will be played at that church, but I'd be surprised if they weren't. I also understand that me griping on a blog about what one church thousands of miles away is doing is a little pointless. It just frustrates me to no end how so many churches are using secular movies and shows to extract more meaning from the Bible. The Bible is ALL a pastor should need for preaching sermons on Sundays. I'm not against a little illustration here and there, but that's different than basing a 10-week sermon series on a bunch of movies that have absolutely nothing to do with Christ.

Meh.

Some Recent Pictures

The Zoo

Natia and Max. Aren't they cute?!

This is an elephant.

Rock star indeed.

Josie and Ricky.

Three Giraffes.

I wish I had a hammock.

Tight squeeze. Max, Silas, Ricky & Deuce. And 1 sexy Raven leg.

Grandpa Jones

Yes her shoes are on the wrong feet.

Wearing Grandpa's hat.

Snuggling.

Shh don't tell Justin that Josie's wearing a Brewer's hat!

Illinois

Is it me or is Josie getting really big?

There used to be a bunch of toys in this bin.

Josie, Great Grandma Jones & her dog, whose name eludes me.

Daddy & Deuce.

Playing in Great Grandpa & Grandma Bainter's backyard.

Bubbles!

Don't step on a crack!

Trying out her new tricycle.

Watching TV in Uncle Dick's room.

Deuce's best buddy - Great Great Uncle Danny.

Ohio

Playing in the kiddie pool on Grandpa & Grandma Perryman's back patio.

This picture of Deuce cracks me up.

As does this one. "Heaaaaad"

Sitting in Grandma's chair.

Aunt Meg, Josie, Nando, Deuce & Cousin Kate.

 

 

At Wil-O-Way Park

Weee!

Swinging with Daddy.

Admiring her feet?

Such a cutie!

Running makes pictures blurry.

Check out "Mini Deuce" lol.

Love his smile!

Pre-Organizing Thoughts

I'm trying to psych myself up for a big - okay HUGE - organizing extravaganza at my house in 2 weeks. Judy, my MIL, will be in town for 5 days, so I'm going to take advantage of a live-in babysitter and go crazy. My main goal is to get the basement completely organized first. I'd also like to get all of our closets (We only have 3, so shouldn't be a huge undertaking) and all of the kids toys and clothes organized.

I'm already trying to figure out what I'm going to do with all of our stuff. We have a ton of baby items (clothes, blankets, toys) that I would love to go to a good home. However, while doing research today to find a place to donate these types of items, I'm noticing that they all require new things. I don't mean to be a jerk, but don't you think a homeless child would appreciate a used blanket as much as a new one? I read that you should only donate stuff to Goodwill (and stores like that) only if it can sell very easily; otherwise, you should just toss it. I have a feeling I'll be making several trips to the dump, because I bet my standards are lower than the average. I've thought about selling stuff myself. We'll see if I have the motivation for that. Justin is adamant about not having any rummage sales at our house, so I'd have to use Craigslist or EBay. That sounds like too much work for a few dollars, but we'll see, like I said.

I plan to take before and after pictures, because I'm determined that there will be a very noticeable difference. I'm feeling both excitement and dread toward this project, but I'm pretty sure I'll be very happy if I succeed! I just hope Justin is able to help me, because a lot of the crap in the basement is his!

It's About Time!

Considering it's been almost a month since I've blogged, I suppose I should catch people up a little bit. All right, here I go... (You may want to read in installments.)

Traveling

We had a really busy June. Well, at least the 2nd half was busy. In mid-June, Justin went to South Dakota for 5 days with his boyfriend, Jon. Haha I'm just kidding. They were only there for 3 days, but the drive was basically a day each way. ;0)  They went prairie dog hunting, which is kinda like whack-a-mole from a long distance. He had a blast either way.

A few days after Justin got back, we drove down to Macomb, Illinois, which is where his mom, grandparents and aunt live. Plus various other relatives were in town. It was a nice, lazy visit. I read 2 books while I was there and ate so much delicious crap. We stayed from Wednesday the 22nd to Sunday the 26th.

A few days after going to Macomb, we drove to my parents' house near Toledo. More lazing around, more delicious food, and more family. The most exciting thing that happened during our visit was my parent's 100th party on July 3rd. My siblings and I planned a big bash to celebrate their 60th birthdays and 40th wedding anniversary. It was a big success! One reason that I hadn't blogged since mid June is that I was spending hours and hours working on a scrapbook about my parents' life and marriage that was to be given to them at the party. Anyway, we stayed until Tuesday the 5th, and then headed home. Justin was definitely ready to be done driving! And thank God that our van has a DVD player! What a lifesaver that was.

Josie

Last month Josie started seeing a speech therapist. I really think it's helping her, but she still has a long way to go. The therapist thinks she's about a year behind in terms of her communication. She has been repeating things a lot more, and talking in 3-4 word phrases/sentences more since starting her therapy. I'm okay with Josie being a late bloomer; I just want to make sure we're not being too apathetic about her development.

Also, she's not potty-trained yet, and that's a wee bit concerning for me, but I know that it's not unheard of for a child not to be potty-trained before 3. I do think that it'll be easier after she is able to communicate with me better. We'll see though.

Even if Josie's behind in communication and going potty, I know that she's a smart little girl. I love that she sees letters and numbers and shapes everywhere. Just about every time I give her a sandwich, cut diagonally, she holds it up and says, "a triangle!" She is learning her lower-case letters and she can count to 20, and identify almost all of the numbers. The other day, Justin showed her: ∏ and taught her that it's pi. Of course, she has no idea what that means. The first couple times after she said "pi" she said, "cake." But it's still pretty cool I think. Also, I drew a ? and she attempted to say "mystery mouskatool!" Those who watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse will understand. 

Deuce

Deuce is a little stud, there's no doubt about that. He is starting to say more words, but his  annunciation usually isn't very good. I'm hoping that as Josie starts speaking better, so will he. His favorite word is "more," which he uses all the time. He listens better than Josie did at that age, and probably better than she did a few months ago. I also think he understands what Justin and I are saying a little better than Josie did.

Josie and Deuce are really close, and I love watching them play together. They do fight over toys, but most of the time they enjoy being around one another. I hope this doesn't change as the years go on.

Parks

I decided that I wanted to explore the parks in our area this summer. So far we've been to Sheridan (right down the street, so hardly an exploration), Grant, Saveland, South Shore and Kinderberg (that's in Germantown, so way too far away). I imagine that at some point this summer we'll go to Greene Park, as well as Pulaski, Greenfield, Kulwicki, and Zablocki. And hopefully more! I realize that for those who aren't familiar with the Milwaukee area will be totally clueless about all the parks I just mentioned. 

Last Saturday, I pushed the kids in the double-stroller to South Shore Park, almost 3 1/2 miles away. It's a big park, so there was no sitting down and watching the kids play. I had to follow them around, and I was exhausted! Then we had to walk home (It took us about an hour each way). Needless to say, I was so tired when we got home! But I felt good about the exercise I got!

Yesterday, I took the kids to Kinderberg park in Germantown. We met my friend, Sam, and her 4 kids there. There was a splash pad and a big playground and a pavilion, so it's really nice. This was our first time at a splash pad, and after some trepidation, Josie really started to love playing in the water. Deuce wasn't so sure. I ended up putting on my suit (apologies to everyone else there) and running through the water with the kids. Deuce wasn't exactly thrilled with that, however. 80)  I'm looking forward to finding more splash pads in the area to enjoy. Otherwise, we can always go visit our friends, the Bessas, because they have a pool in their backyard!

Growing Family

Justin and I have been trying to get pregnant since January or February. We're a little bummed that it hasn't happened yet, but I'm not worried. I just know that we have a limited amount of time, and we want 2 more. I guess we'll just keep doing what we're doing ;0) and pray.

Other Thoughts

I've been in a bit of a slump lately. I gained some weight during our travels, and I'm still kicking myself about it. I'm trying to get back on the Weight Watchers bandwagon, but it hasn't been easy. I really want to be happy with my body, but I'm so far from that. I understand that it's vanity to care about my looks so much, but I don't know how to change my perspective. I'm working on just making good choices and not being so consumed by the scale or how I look. I'm basically healthy and in decent shape, so I should just shut up about it and be content, right? (Mo just said, "Amen!" lol)

Speaking of being content, Justin still isn't regarding his job. And if I'm honest, neither am I. He's been on 3rd shift for over a year, and for almost that long, we've been hoping and praying something better (ie, during the day) comes along. For a year before that, he worked a very early 1st shift, which he hated, because he was severely micromanaged. It's been over 2 years since Justin has gone to church with us, and that just plain sucks. Both for him, not being able to be there, and for me having to deal with both kids myself.

I don't want to be a complainer, so that's all I'm going to say about that.

God is good. He is faithful. He satisfies my every need. I'm going to hold onto those thoughts.

Hopefully my next blog won't be a month from now!