Are You Grafted In? Who Is Your Vinedresser?

 Tuesday, September 26, 2017

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser” (John 15:1)

Hey Gang:   When you randomly open your Bible each morning- I do assume you open your Bible each morning to stoke the fire in your spiritual boiler, does it open to one of those very special verses that ignite that fire?   All of God’s Word is inspired by God: the 23^rd Psalm- places vey near the top of the most favorite of all the Old Covenant chapters.  And it is the most well-known chapter in the world; probably John 3:16 is the most known, loved and quoted verse.

This morning I randomly opened my Bible and it opened to the fifteenth chapter of the book of John.  It was no accident that it opened to John 15 because I often open the Word intentionally to John 15.  I call it the “IF” chapter or ‘prerequisites to walking in the fullness of God and His Word.’ It is a prerequisite to living a life filled with the joy that Christ wants to shower on each of His children.

Jesus paints us a beautiful word picture of how we are interconnected with the Vinedresser, who is the Lord.  This was a picture immediately understandable for people of Israel, which was and is a land of vineyards. They knew the process well- pruning non-producing vines so that they could be more fruitful.

Jesus’ words contained a hidden truth that was far more important than the simple task of pruning away an unproductive vine.  It painted a picture of the religious practices, common to the Jews of that time, but needed to go.  Many stories of the Old Testament referred to Israel as the Vine or Vineyard of God.  The vine was the symbol of Israel- even appearing on the Maccabeean currency.  Solomon considered the vine significant enough in Jewish life to place a vine across the front of the Holy of Holies in the Temple.         

I love to get off by myself and read Jesus’ awesome words in this passage, “I am the vine and you are the branches,” Wow! Lord, how awesome.  You mean I can be a branch in V? Does that not fire the cockles of your thumpers? 

But notice, Jesus does not leave it there.  He goes on and gives us the Good News: we can be attached to His Vine! He said, “Abide in Me, and I in you.  As a branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in Me.  I am and true vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:4). 

Wonderful, yes, but.. notice the next “IF”. “IF’ anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away – to where? “…to be cast in the fire and they are burned” (v.6).

So, my young friends, if’ I were to place a title on this Gramps Message, (And he did) it would be ‘Are You Grafted In?’ Are you truly attached to the Vine?’  Jesus made Himself available to us and walks with us through those wilderness times. He said, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you might have peace” (John 16:3).

Blessings, 
Gramps