Production

August 6, 2022

John chapter fifteen is all about Jesus, all about grape vines, all about Christian

response to grace, and all about church. Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and my

Father is the vine dresser. Every branch in me that beareth fruit, he prunes it,

that it may bring forth more fruit” (John 15). We, as professed Christians, are

very much a part of this vital process of producing more Christians. Some have

excused themselves by feeling that the ‘fruit of the Spirit’, or love, is here

being discussed, but not so! Grape vines produce grapes and Christians

produce Christians; but there can be no doubt that without the flow of love

nothing happens in the vine or because of the vine. Jesus is the vine and the

Christian full of his Spirit flows to production. He declares, “Stay in me, and I

in you” because a branch cannot produce fruit when it is separated from the

vine, and being disconnected makes you unable to produce other Christians.

This is because you are not supplied with the love of Christ, who lives for and

in you. It is he who supplies all our needs! With him all things are possible and

without him (love) nothing is possible. Such persons are soon withered, dried,

dead, and soon to be burned (John 15:6). True worship is glorifying God, and

Jesus says that happens when we bear much fruit. Producing more disciples is

our purpose and our power is his loving example of giving his life so that we

might have life. Keeping his commandments means that we are abiding in his

love (John 15:10) and that his love is living in us. When that happens, we can

know that “Love never fails”, and converts will be made because God supplies

the increase when we plant and water. This behavior brings joy to all who see

a sinner converted from the error of his ways. The church also rejoices, but so

do the angels in heaven. Fruitfulness and faithfulness are forever connected in

the Spiritual realm. It is impossible to claim one without the other or to claim

Christ without staying in fellowship with the church over which Christ is head

(Colossians 1:18). How fruitful are you if you are not connected? Jesus says

you cannot be. Remember Hebrews 10:24-25? Does that verse only apply

when it is convenient?

Dr. Kenneth E. Morrison