Jesus knew that his time had come to leave this world and go to the Father. While sharing his last meal with his disciples, Jesus told them he was leaving, which they struggled to understand. Throughout that evening, he told them a series of analogies, illustrating the relationship between himself, the Father and his disciples, and why he must leave.
In one of his examples, a vineyard is the setting, he tells them…
Imagine yourself as branches of a vine, where I am the vine and my Father is the vine-keeper. Any branch that hinders growth, will be cut off and thrown on the waste pile. The vine-keeper will prune the remaining branches to produce good fruit. In the same way that branches can only produce fruit when they stay connected to the vine, you will produce fruit only when you stay connected to me. If you reject me, you will be like the branches that have been cut off and burned on the waste pile.
You are the branches that have been pruned by learning what I have taught you. Because you have stayed with me, you understand truth, and you know my father.
Now that you know what to ask for, my father will give you what you request. In this way, my father is glorified by your fruitfulness.
Not every one of your branches will produce fruit, or be healthy. Some of your branches will hinder growth or never reach the light. Just as the vine-keeper trims off the branches that do not produce fruit, he also removes the branches that inhibit the health of the vine. Bundling these branches that were removed, he puts them on the waste pile.
In the same way that branches can only produce fruit when they stay connected to the vine, you will produce fruit only when you stay connected to me. If you reject me, you will be like the branches that have been cut off and burned on the waste pile.
My father will also prune the good branches so that they produce more fruit. You have been pruned and are producing much fruit.
Because you have stayed with me, you understand truth, and you know my father. Because of this, you will know what to ask for, and my father will give you what you request. This is how our Father cares for you and therefore, is glorified by your fruitfulness.
, but if you leave me, you will be like the branches that have been cut off. They dry up and are burned on the waste pile.
As long as you stay connected to the truth, you will ask my father to continue to prune you and care for you. In this way, that which you ask for, will be what the Father also wants for you, and he will give you what you ask for.
you have seen what my Father can do. Since you have faith that what I have told you is true.
you produce abundant fruit. Without me, you cannot produce any. If you leave me, you will be like the branch that is cut off. It dries up and is burned on the waste pile. So while you are with me, and trust that what I have taught is true, that which you ask for, will be what the Father wants for you and He will give you what you ask for. This is how our Father cares for you and therefore, is glorified by your fruitfulness.
that I am a vine, and you grow out of me. You are many branches, but not all will produce fruit My father cares for us, as a vine-keeper cares for the vineyard.
Think of my Father as a vine-keeper and I am that vine. I am the trunk from which the branches grow. My Father carefully cuts off branches that hinder growth of fruit. He also prunes the branches that have fruit, so they will make more fruit.
You are the branches that have already been pruned, because you trust me and have stayed with me. In the same way as the branches produce fruit only when they stay connected to the vine, you will produce fruit only when you stay connected to me. I am the vine, and you are the branches.
Because you are with me, you produce abundant fruit. Without me, you cannot produce any. If you leave me, you will be like the branch that is cut off. It dries up and is burned on the waste pile. So while you are with me, and trust that what I have taught is true, that which you ask for, will be what the Father wants for you and He will give you what you ask for. This is how our Father cares for you and therefore, is glorified by your fruitfulness.
As He keeps tending all the vines and their branches, the vineyard prospers and the branches become strong. As long as the branches remain on the vine, they will continue to grow. The branches that have been pruned, will produce fruit. You, my disciples, are the branches that have been pruned.
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