What follows is an excerpt from a John 15:1-8 Bible Study that was streamed on 5.18.22
Commentary
As we see in John 15:5, Jesus says:
I am the Vine, you are the branches. The one who remains [μένω | menō] in Me and I in them, this person produces much fruit because without me you are unable to do anything. (Jn 15:5, AT)
Now, if a branch remains connected to the vine – it can bear much fruit.1And if we remain connected to Jesus, we can bear much fruit. But, without that connection, we can’t do nothin’.2
We have to swallow our pride and understand that we are helpless without Jesus.3 We have to be dependent on Christ.4
Now, my wife and I adopted two cats, Taliyah and Selena. And we give these two kitties food, shelter, toys, treats, affection, you name it.
We got them quite a few of those cat trees that they can play, scratch, and sleep in – and they loves those things. So much so, early on, when we only had Taliyah, if I touched one of them, she would actually jump up on it and try to take a swing at me.
You know, cats can get territorial. And Taliyah would be like: hands off, this is my property now.
And, if I rested my hand on it, she’ll try to bite a finger.
But I told her, I said, “Taliyah, don’t bite the hand that feeds you. Unless you want to start hunting for food everyday, don’t bite the hand that feeds you.”
Taliyah is dependent on me for nourishment; and we are dependent on Christ for nourishment.
So, let’s not bite the hand that feeds us. Let’s not disrespect Him with disobedience.
Now, I might add that, now that we have two cats, they don’t fight me over cat trees anymore – but they sometimes fight each other.
We have a whole bunch of cat trees (too many if you ask my wife). Yet, if Taliyah is chilling in one, Selena loves to climb up and start messing with her.
But I don’t want no catfights in my house. And they know the rules. So, if I catch them, they’ll likely try to run away and hide.
First, they might try to look innocent. But they’ll likely try to run away and hide. They know they broke the rules. And to abide in my house, they have to abide by my rules.
Now do you remember another famous pair who knew they broke the rules so they tried to run away and hide?
As you may recall, in Genesis 3:8, it says:
Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD [YHWH] God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD [YHWH] God among the trees of the garden. (Gen 3:8, NIV)
After Adam and Eve sin, they try to run away and hide. You see, sin causes alienation between the Creator and creatures made in His image (cf. Col 1:21). Misdeeds cause distance and discord.
And because of their garden variety vice, they had to leave that Garden State. They did not abide by the rules of the God’s garden, so they could not abide in the realm of God’s garden.
And if we do not abide by the words of the True Vine, we will not abide in the True Vine.
Israel was the old vine that failed to bear fruit and thus faced destruction. And those who do not bear fruit by abiding in Christ the New Vine – in Christ’s Church (the New Israel) – will also face destruction.
The unfaithful and unfruitful who do not remain in the Redeemer will be cut off and burned in the fire – like a barren branch (Jn 15:6).