John 15:1-12

Gardening is an art, just ask someone who does not have a green thumb.  While it may be an art, it is also a learned craft and one that takes a lot of work, dedication and loving care.  You might see a neighbor leaning over a flower bed and wonder why his yard produces such beautiful blooms while yours looks too pitiful to point to.  What is the difference?  Could be lots of things, but a couple of the more obvious ones would be water and sunshine and pruning.

Water and sunshine are no brainers, but pruning?  Isn't that cutting some of the plant off and throwing it away?  Ouch, that sounds harsh.

He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. (John 15:2)  

Flowers are meant for us to enjoy, to look at and feel blessed with a colorful treat for the eye.  Ask a gardener what his secret to his successful crop is and he might tell you that  we will thin out the bed by plucking up any shoots that do not look promising; those that are not growing and taking the shape they should.

The scripture of the Vine and the Branches is about the Master Gardener, Jesus, and how He wants to teach us how to bear fruit, how to be the best we can be.  We must be close to Him.  

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)

John 15:1-12 at Biblegateway.com