“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.”— John 15:1 (NIV)

Years ago a friend gave me a plant as a housewarming gift. I’ve never been good with plants, but I tried very hard to take care of this one. I faithfully watered it every couple of days and made sure it had sunlight. Since the plant remained green and lush, I prided myself for a job well done. Until the day came when another friend asked me why I was watering an artificial plant!?! 

Thankfully we don’t have to be master gardeners to understand and appreciate Jesus’ seventh I AM Statement:

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.” (John 15:1 NIV)

Biblical scholars believe Jesus spoke these words to the eleven faithful disciples as they waited in the upper room just before His arrest. Knowing He would soon physically leave them and this world, Jesus comforted His disciples with an illustration that would have been very familiar to them. 

In the Old Testament, God often described Himself as the gardener, and His people as the vine. But as He prepared to leave, Jesus promised to be the true vine. This meant His disciples’ identity would no longer be rooted in Israel, but in Jesus. He also wanted His disciples (and us) to know that He would continue to spiritually nourish and sustain us ~ just as the vine does for its branches.

In the following verses Jesus continued to explain what this meant ~ and conditioned His promise with a responsibility from us:

“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. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” (John 15:2-4 NIV)

Jesus reminded His disciples (and us) that we need to depend on Him for our spiritual life, in the same way that a branch depends on the vine. When we remain in relationship with Jesus, we will bear the fruit of a godly life (Galatians 5:22-23). And this will keep us from being ineffective and unproductive in our faith (2 Peter 1: 5-8). God, as the master gardener, will continue to prune (or purify) us so we can be even more effective for His kingdom.

Perhaps the most extreme form of pruning the vine is to cut off its unfruitful branches. I used to cringe at the idea that the master gardener, God, might cut me off for not bearing fruit. However, the Greek word translated as cut off, airó, can also mean to be raised or lifted up. Some scholars believe Jesus meant that God will lift up an unfruitful branch so it will receive more sunlight and increase its ability to bear fruit. God will give us every chance to bear godly fruit in our lives.

Jesus’ point is clear: the only way we can accomplish anything of real, spiritual value is through a relationship with Him (John 15:5). And while He does warn us that any branch that does not bear fruit will be thrown away and burned, the problem lies not with an absence of fruit, but with a failure to remain in relationship with Him (John 15:6 ). 

When we choose to stay connected to Jesus, His last I AM Statement creates a beautiful and comforting message, not only for those who heard it first, but also for all of us who hear it now. 

Lord Jesus, thank You for being the true vine. May we find our identity in our relationship with You. As we move forward into this new year, we pray to stay spiritually connected to You, and to glorify God, our Father, with our lives. We pray this in Your name. Amen.