1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.

2 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.

3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.

4 Remain in me, and I will 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.

5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.

7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.

8 This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

=========================================================================

Many men ask, "How can I live the Christian life?" Others want to know, "How can I please God?" In this passage, Jesus provides us with a model to follow.

The night prior to his crucifixion, Jesus knew he would soon leave his disciples. He also realized that his disciples would feel alone and powerless after he left. As Jesus and his disciples left the upper room, the Lord let them know that while he would be physically absent, their relationship would continue. Perhaps he and his disciples passed by a vineyard as Jesus spoke these words. At any rate, Jesus' analogy in this passage describes the future of the relationship between him and his disciples. And it also helps us to know how we can become godly men.

First, Jesus told his disciples that they would have a new union with him (vv.1-4). How close would their union be? Just as close as a branch and a grapevine. The branch that holds the grape cluster gets all of its water and all of its nourishment--in short, it draws its life--from the grapevine. In the same way, the disciples would draw spiritual life and nourishment from Jesus. As Jesus stated, a branch separated from a vine can't bear fruit; it only bears fruit because of its union with the vine. Remember, a vine produces fruit, a branch bears it. Similarly, God produces the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, and we bear it.

Second, Jesus said his disciples would be cleansed by the Father. As a gardener prunes a vine, so God the Father prunes us. A gardener uses a knife. God uses adversity and his Word. Why? So we will be fruitful. Here Jesus may have referred to two kinds of fruit: The fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and new converts (John 4:36). God wants every believer to bear the fruit of the Spirit and see others come to Jesus Christ. As you consider what this means for your life, remember that the divine Gardener is at work in you to help you be fruitful. You're not on your own.

Third, Jesus said the disciples would have a new responsibility (vv.5-8). What was it? Simply "remain in him." As branches, we're to "remain" in the vine. The word "remain" means to "dwell." We're to dwell or abide in the Lord, just like a branch remains in a vine. As a branch draws sap from the roots and trunk, so we're to rest in the Lord and draw our strength from him.

Have you ever walked by a grapevine and heard a branch grunting and groaning as it tries to bear fruit? Or have you ever seen a tomato plant thrashing about wildly trying to bear fruit? Of course not? Every fruit-bearing branch has a single job: to remain in the vine. As long as it remains in the vine it can relax and enjoy the sunshine and rain. The vine will produce the fruit. This means that being a godly man, and pleasing God, is something Jesus does through us as we abide in him.

Of course, that raises another question: "How does a follower of Jesus go about abiding in him?" Jesus gave us a hint. He related remaining in him to having his Word remain in us (v.7). It's not enough to casually read the Bible on occasion. It will remain in our minds only when we read it often, meditate on it and memorize it. The more we do that, the more we'll bear spiritual fruit.