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.