Hey Garden City, Pastor George here, and it's so good to be with you all! You know, my son—Pastor George, that is—is doing a fantastic job, and I can tell you, he’s my favorite oldest son! (Don't worry, Katie's my favorite daughter, and Evan's my favorite younger son, just in case you were wondering!)
Today, we're diving into some powerful words from Jesus in John 15, specifically verses 1-8. Jesus, talking to his disciples (so this message is for all of us!), uses a wonderful metaphor: "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener."
Now, for those folks in Israel at the time, this made perfect sense. They understood grapevines and their importance. Grapes meant fruit, raisins, and wine – essential to their lives! But Jesus isn't talking about literal grapes, is he? No, he's using a metaphor to explain our relationship with him and how we produce spiritual fruit.
He explains that God, the Father, is the ultimate gardener. And here's where it gets interesting: if we're not bearing fruit, the Father lifts us up (some translations say "cuts off," but the original Greek, "airo," means to take up or lift!). He's not abandoning us; He's cleaning us off, getting us ready to flourish. And for those branches already bearing fruit, He prunesthem so they can be even more fruitful. Pruning can be painful, right? Like when I wanted to get into ministry and nobody wanted me! But looking back, God was using those tough times to produce more spiritual fruit in my life.
Jesus assures us, "You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you." So, if you're feeling guilt or regret, put it aside! Jesus has made us clean. Our part is to "remain in me as I also remain in you." This word "remain" (or "abide," as some translations put it) is key. It means to stay, reside, or continue in Jesus. Because, as Jesus powerfully states, "Apart from me you can do nothing." Nothing. Zilch. Everything good, everything eternal, comes from Him working through us.
The goal? "That you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples." What kind of fruit? Think of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control – the fruit of the Spirit from Galatians 5. These are the virtues that show we're maturing in Christ.
I want a fruitful life for you, not just the American dream of a big house or fancy car, but spiritual fruit, everlasting fruit! That your children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren will be fruitful too. This is about seeing lives transformed and sharing that goodness with our communities.
So, how about it? Are you ready to remain deeply connected to the True Vine and experience the abundant, everlasting fruit He promises?