The True Vine

1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine dresser. 2 Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already made clean by the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If a man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples.
1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine dresser. 2 Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already made clean by the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If a man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples.

John 15: 1-8


In these times many are wringing their hands asking what we can do to "re-energize" the church? What programs can we develop to encourage evangelism? How do we motivate people to get involved with the work of the church?

I believe that the heart of the problem is not to come up with a new approach to evangelism; but, that we need to focus on "making disciples". If we want renewal, we need to refocus our priorities for Christ in our discipleship. If we truly lead people into a relationship with a living God who becomes the Lord of one's life by being born again, it is the work of God through the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38) that empowers people's lives. Instead, if we focus on "activities", i.e. does he attend regularly, does she tithe, do they participate in our services, we can miss the point of asking is Jesus Lord of one's life? There is a lot of religious activity that inoculates people from understanding the truly personal relationship of being "in Christ". When a disciple wishes to turn away from the dictates of the world and wishes to see understanding of faith, we will not have to worry about brow beating people to pray, study the Bible or serve the needs of those less fortunate. Those things will take care of themselves through spiritual DNA that God injects into the heart of a believer. That is how we become a new creature. If one's heart is not changed, then there is no fruit. If one wants to know how they are doing, look at the fruit in one's life. The reaching of the lost is a spontaneous reaction to the understanding of the Lordship of Jesus Christ. When the focus becomes anything else other than "Lordship", there is a loss of direction. It is God in us through his power that makes the difference.