The Jesus Bible Reading PlanНамуна

FRUITFUL VINE OR FIREWOOD?

The symbol of a grapevine is frequently used in the Bible to refer to God’s people, Israel (Ge 49:22; Ps 80:8). God intended for his people to be a “vine” that would produce “fruit,” revealing to the surrounding nations who God is and how to be in relationship with him. In the book of Ezekiel, God described his people as a grapevine that was bearing no grapes — a fruitless vine that was useless except as firewood. In the New Testament, Jesus appears to compare the religious leaders of Jerusalem to a fig tree that failed to produce fruit. Desiring to eat the fruit from the tree and having none to eat, Jesus cursed the tree, and the tree withered (Mk 11:12 – 14, 20 – 21).

Jesus encourages believers, saying that he is the true vine to whom we must be attached in order to be fruitful: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful” (Jn 15:1 – 2). In Ezekiel, God’s people failed to depend on God, and they withered away. Today the evidence of real Christian growth is found in the fruit that God’s people bear (Gal 5:22 – 23; Eph 5:9) so that others will see the hope that we have in Jesus and believe (1Pe 3:15 – 16).

Jesus, don’t let me wither away! Please help me to produce fruit for you, so others will see your truths at work in my life. Amen.