Vine and Branches

Imagine a vine with countless branches growing from it. The branches draw their life from the branch and are alive in the vine. Some branches are heavy with fruit, others slightly, and yet others not at all; but, all live and grow and have their being in the vine.

The branches do not generate life in themselves but have the life of the vine in them. If the branches were to be cut off from the vine, they would eventually disintegrate and cease to be. There is no life apart from the vine - apart from the vine the branches can do nothing!

Now, think about what happens to the branches if the vine dies. The branches follow suit - they die, too. The branches cannot keep the vine alive and they cannot exist without the vine. The whole system of vine and branches are headed down the path to ruin - they are doomed.

Now consider what happens if the dead vine comes back to life and once again has life flowing through the vine and out to the branches. The whole system is re-birthed and alive! The branches are restored to new life and are free to bare much fruit.

What happens to the vine, happens to the branches. The branches are completely dependent upon the vine and their welfare is bound up in the vine - for good or ill.

Jesus is the Vine, we are the branches. What happened to Jesus, happened to us! What happens to Jesus, happens to us! That is why the scripture tell us that when we come to the place in our life when the light bulb comes on and we recognize that Jesus is the Vine (Lord) and that this Vine that was once dead and is now raised to life, something amazing occurs in us. This amazing liberation of heart and soul can only be described as salvation. We are saved FROM the fear of death - we have been raised with the Vine! We are saved TO new life - the Vine's life is in us!

When the Good News of the Vine reaches us branches and we rest in the truth, much fruit begins to be expressed in us. We have come to believe that apart from the Vine we can do nothing - even exist!

Thanks be to the Vine!