"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. He cuts off the vine that does not bear fruit in me; and that which bears fruit he purifies so that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean through the word that I spoke to you. Abide in me, and I in you. Just as the vine cannot bear fruit of itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches: he who abides in me, and I in him, bears much fruit, for without me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, they are thrown out like a branch that is cut off and withers, some are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, then whatever you want, ask, and it will be given to you. It will be the glory of my Father that I will bring forth much fruit, and then you will be my disciples.”
There are no literal parables or parables in John's Gospel, but he uses images in which he tries to define himself.
God also compared the Jewish people to a vineyard and a vineyard. The prophets also often speak of the chosen people as the Lord's vine, and they often point out that although the Lord took care of them and did everything for them, they still did not bear fruit.
Jesus says about Himself that He is the true vine from which new vines will sprout, the true people of God. This people is the one who grows the real vine, real fruit for the heavenly master. And this fruit represents the actions pleasing to God and worked by God in this teaching of Jesus. There will be a people who are disciples of Jesus at all times, in whose lives the fruits of the Spirit will be present, which will be nourished, matured and developed from the living relationship with Jesus Christ. Meanwhile, the words of Jesus also mean that the chosen people, who did not recognize the time of the visitation, and did not recognize the messianic nature of Jesus Christ and the appearance of the Son of God, until they produce fruits suitable for conversion, are doomed to be cut down and cut off.
Jesus tells us again and again how important it is for this vine to bear fruit, the vine of which is Jesus himself, the owner and owner of which is the heavenly Father, and the vines are us. Fruit production is a very important task in all of our lives! After all, it is not enough that we superficially belong to Jesus, that we are baptized, or that we are listed in the register of a church. According to the words of Jesus, if we do not produce fruit pleasing to God, we have lived in vain!
The husbandman of the vineyard, the Father, performs two types of activities according to the Gospel. On the one hand, he prunes those vines and vines that do not bear fruit, i.e. they do not bear fruit. On the other hand, he clears the vines of the wild shoots that are already producing, so that they will produce more fruit. What is the message of this? The fact that God does not want to prune us, but to prepare us for bearing fruit.
We are the vines. And he wants to purify us so that we can produce!
You cut off shoots from us that do not bear fruit. He cleanses those that bear fruit.
And surely there are branches in us that will not bear fruit to the glory of the Father. We have actions that do not bear good fruit in our lives. There are bad habits that need to be cut. Which we have to get rid of. And we have desires that need to be purified.
And this work, this cleansing, comes with pain, of course, but it is important that the Lord cleanses us. For on the vine where the wild branches rule, on the life where vain and selfish actions grow, there life is futile for the glory of God.
So that these wrong and dirty desires of ours do not lead us in the wrong direction, the Father begins to work to cleanse us. Help me. Prune the wild shoots of our sins. This cleansing process is carried out by the Lord with his words, which speeches are important to remain in our hearts, to have an impact on us, and to guide our whole life towards continuous Christian renewal. Will you allow him this today?
Jesus says, abide in me. He also says to allow me to remain in you through my spirit. May my words, my presence fill your hearts and thoughts!
If we live like this, then our lives will surely produce lovely fruits that serve the glory of God!
Amen!
