The growing season is upon us, Thoughts on John 15 and fruit bearing

I have been studying John 15:1-17 this week where Jesus in his last hours gave a brilliant teaching we call the Upper Room Discourse. It would become the foundation of the rest of the New Testament. Here He shares one of His "I am" statements, "I am the true Vine". His Father is "the Gardener" and we are the "branches". If you listen to many on this passage of Scripture you think they were the gardener removing branches and caring for the garden. The one thing I tried to do this time is look at this passage is look at it from the perspective of a vineyard grower and what happens from start to finish in the growing season.
In verse two we have the beginning of the season when the vine is prepared after the winter season. "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit." Pruning and lifting up the vine off the ground maximizes the seasons growth. Every gardener does similar things to their perennial plants and they start in spring. The focus is on the life of the plant and what we expect from that plant.
In verse six we have the fall of the growing season some time before winter. "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned." Vine wood is useless and burns too quickly, branches that wither and die need to be removed so that what remains alive can produce fruit the next growing season.
A few thoughts to leave with you:

• All these branches are "in me", key words that we understand salvation. What is
  
  being taught here is not about salvation but productivity in the Christian life. Fruit is something we see but the life that runs in the vine and branches is less apparent. Leaves so important in the plant health we see first. Most people talk about cutting back the leaves, but look closely in John 15 that is not said. Watch a gardener, they are more careful than that. There are many things God does when He saves a person we don't see.
• The focus on the Gardener is on new growth, old growth that has died is not part of the new growth is cut away. Now I am in my 60's I have to keep on growing in character and service. It is no time to quit. But I also know new life is going to produce fruit. How can I support younger servants of the Lord?
• The Christian life is dependent of God for everything, we have to remain in the vine. Have you ever watched branches? Have you noticed they don't walk off on their own. They stay put. Things may happen to them because of weather or animals or people who break them off, but they don't walk away on their own. As long as they are connected they have life in them. Believers are in Christ.
• Our lives have a growing season then winter. Life continues but fruit will have to wait until next growing season. When we go to the Lord in heaven is up to the gardener. Our lifeless shells go back to the earth. Talk about recycling and being green. As a gardener God is skilled at what He does.
• Paul writing about this in 2 Cor. 5 writes, "⁶ So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. ⁷ For we walk by faith, not by sight. ⁸ We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord."
• The actions of John 15 are a natural part of gardening. if you accepted Jesus as your Savior, you are in Him. You have eternal life. Fruit bearing is also by faith and as we abide in Him by walking with Him in fellowship and doing what He commands by the power He supplies, fruit will abound.  Don't give up. Keep walking