In His Footsteps Week 21: The Vine and the Branches

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How can a simple analogy transform your spiritual life? Join me, Charles Vance, on the Living Words Podcast as we unravel the profound teachings of John 15:1-17. Discover the life-altering significance of Jesus' analogy of the vine and the branches, and learn how abiding in Christ is crucial for spiritual vitality. We'll explore the importance of maintaining an unbroken connection with Him and understand divine pruning as a process for greater fruitfulness. Together, we'll reflect on the call to love and obedience and what it means to live as true disciples manifesting tangible transformation.

In this episode, we also offer heartfelt prayers to deepen your spiritual growth. Begin with a prayer to Yeshua for steadfastness in abiding in Him. Seek the Heavenly Father's strength during seasons of pruning, recognizing trials as opportunities for growth. Lastly, request the Holy Spirit's empowerment to live out Christ's self-sacrificial love in your daily relationships. We conclude by wishing you peace, grace, and encouragement, equipping you to maintain a life-giving connection with Christ and fill your heart with His joy. Tune in for a spiritually enriching journey that promises to deepen your relationship with the Lord.

Get a copy of the In His Footsteps devotional here.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning.
I'm Charles Vance, host ofLiving Words Podcast.
Happy Sabbath and thank you forjoining me.
This is week 21 of the In HisFootsteps devotional 52 weeks in
the Gospel of John.
If you'd like a copy, you canfind a link to it in the show
notes.
The text for this week is John15, 1 through 17,.

(00:22):
And it's the vine and thebranches is John 15, 1 through
17, and it's the vine and thebranches.
And before we get started, Iwant to pray this morning.
So, yeshua HaMashiach, wepraise your name, we thank you
for your mercy, for yourgoodness, we pray for the moving
of the Ruach in our hearts thatyou would guide us and direct
us and lift us.
Pray that you would open yourword, that our ears and our eyes

(00:46):
would see and hear, that wewould have an open heart to
perceive it, to make use of it,that we would gain heart
knowledge on how to better knowyou, to come to a more fully
enabled relationship, enabledrelationship.

(01:07):
So first I'm going to getstarted by reading the text for
the week, john 15, 1-17.
I am the true vine and myFather is the vine dresser.
Every branch in me that doesnot bear fruit, he takes away,
and every branch that bearsfruit, he prunes that it may

(01:27):
bear more fruit.
You are already clean becauseof the word which I have spoken
to you.
Abide in me and I in you, asthe branch cannot bear fruit of
itself unless it abides in thevine.
Neither can you, unless youabide in me.
I am the vine and you are thebranches.

(01:49):
He who abides in me and I inhim bears much fruit, for
without me you can do nothing.
If anyone does not abide in me,he is cast out as a branch is
withered, and they gather themand throw them into the fire and
they are burned.
If you abide in me and my wordsabide in you, you will ask what
you desire and it shall be donefor you.
By this my Father is glorified.

(02:10):
That you bear much fruit sothat you will be my disciples.
As the Father loved me, I alsoloved you.
Abide in my love.
If you keep my commandments,you will abide in my love, just
as I have kept my Father'scommandments and abide in His
love, these things.
I have spoken to you that myjoy may remain in you and that

(02:31):
your joy may be full.
This is my commandment that youlove one another as I have
loved you.
Greater love has no one thanthis that you lay down his life
for his friends.
And you are my friends if youdo whatever I command you.
No longer do I call youservants, for a servant does not
know what his master is doing,but I have called you friends

(02:52):
For all things that I heard frommy Father, I have made known to
you.
You did not choose me, but Ichose you and appointed you.
That you should go and bearfruit, that your fruit should
remain, that whatever you askthe Father in my name, he may
give you.
And these things I command you,father, for your word.

(03:13):
Now, john 15, 1-17 presents theteachings of Jesus on the vine
and the branches, a profoundanalogy that conveys essential
truths about our relationshipwith him and the nature of true
discipleship.
This discourse, part of Hisfarewell addressed to His
disciples during the Last Supper, emphasizes abiding in Him,

(03:35):
bearing fruit and the love thatunderpins the life of a disciple
.
Jesus uses the imagery of avineyard, familiar to his
audience, to illustrate theintimate and organic
relationship between him, thetrue vine, and his followers,
the branches.
He explains that, just asbranches can bear fruit only
when they remain attached to thevine.

(03:56):
Disciples can live fruitfullives only by remaining in him,
the Father, as the gardener,prunes the branches to make them
even more fruitful, symbolizingthe divine work of purification
and sanctification inbelievers' lives.
Here are some key themes andthe theological significance.
Abiding in Christ, the commandto abide in Jesus, is central to

(04:19):
the passage.
It speaks to the necessity of acontinuous life-giving
connection with Christ as thesource of spiritual vitality and
fruitfulness.
This abiding involves obedience, reflection on His words and
reliance on His grace, thank you.

(05:09):
Fruitfulness and Pruning.
Jesus associates fruit bearingwith genuine discipleship,
indicating that a disciple'slife should produce tangible
evidence of transformation andobedience.
This pruning process, thoughpotentially painful, is a sign
of the Father's love andintention for the branch to bear
more fruit, illustrating thedisciplines and trials that

(05:29):
shape and refine character.
Divine love and joy.
The passage is permeated withthe theme of love the love of
the Father for the Son of Jesus,for his disciples, and the
command for disciples to loveone another.
This mutual love is thefoundation for true joy, a joy
that is complete and rooted inthe love and obedience between
the disciple and Christ.

(05:51):
The command to love Jesuscommands his disciples to love
one another as he loved them.
This love is sacrificial andselfless, modeled after his own
love that leads to laying downthe life for his friends.
The call to love serves as theultimate mark of discipleship.
Here are some lessons theessentiality of abiding in

(06:16):
Christ for fruitfulness.
Abiding in Jesus is crucial forliving a fruitful Christian life
.
Just as a branch cannot bearfruit by itself unless it
remains attached to the vine,believers cannot produce
spiritual fruit apart from adeep, ongoing relationship with
Christ.
This abiding involves prayer,obedience to His commands and

(06:37):
immersion in His Word.
The process of pruning forgreater fruitfulness the
Father's pruning of every branchthat bears fruit, though it may
seem painful and challenging,is aimed at promoting greater
spiritual growth andfruitfulness.
This pruning can take variousforms, including trials,
discipline and removal ofhindrances to growth, all

(06:59):
designed to deepen ourdependence on Christ and conform
us to His image.
The promise of love in thedisciple's life.
The ultimate mark ofdiscipleship is love, love that
mirrors the self-sacrificiallove of Jesus.
This command to love oneanother as he loved us
encapsulates the essence ofChristian ethics and community
life.
It challenges believers toextend grace, forgiveness and

(07:22):
selfless care to others,reflecting the heart of the
gospel in all relationships.
Here's some questions forreflection and discussion.
Reflect on what it means toabide in Christ.
How do you practice this inyour daily life?
Abiding in Him, abide in Christ.

(07:43):
What does it mean in him?
Abide in Christ?
What does it mean?
It means to commit every momentto be in the now with him and
his word.
Every decision should flowthrough the mind of Christ.
Every thought should be broughtinto captivity to him.

(08:08):
That's the only way we canfight the fiery darts and the
arrows of the evil one asthey're cast at us.
It is not sin to have an evilor wicked thought.
It is sin to act on that or tohave desire in it.
So to abide means to slow down,be in the now with him and to

(08:34):
obey him.
There's four or five.
If you have the devotional, youcan go through all of these as
part of your devotional walk.
I'm just going to do a couplefor practices this morning.
So in what ways can youcultivate spiritual fruitfulness
in your life, and how does thatfruitfulness impact the
community and witness to theworld?
You cultivate spiritualfruitfulness by abiding.

(08:58):
You abide and you'll fruit.
That's how grapes grow.
I mean.
The vine supplies the nutrientsto the fruit and the fruit
develops over time.
Here are some suggested prayersPrayer for abiding in Christ to
Yeshua.
Dear Lord Jesus, the true vine,help me to abide in you deeply

(09:22):
and truly that my life may bearabundant fruit for your glory.
Teach me to remain steadfast inprayer, rooted in your word and
obedient to your commands Inevery season.
Let my life reflect your loveand grace, drawing others closer
to you.
Grant me the grace to depend onyou for every need, recognizing
that apart from you I can donothing.

(09:44):
Amen.
Here's a prayer for embracingGod's pruning.
Heavenly Father, the gardenerof our souls, I trust in your
loving care and your desire formy growth.
As you prune the branches of mylife, grant me the strength and
faith to accept your disciplinewith grace.
Help me to see trials asopportunities for growth,

(10:04):
knowing that you are preparingme to bear more fruit.
Give me the courage to let goof what hinders my relationship
with you, embracing thetransformative work you are
doing in me.
Amen.
Here's a prayer for living outChrist's love to the Spirit.
Holy Spirit, fill my heart withself-sacrificial love of Jesus.
Spirit, fill my heart withself-sacrificial love of Jesus.

(10:29):
Empower me to love others as heloved me, extending forgiveness
, grace and compassion, guide mein building relationships that
reflect His love, seeking toserve rather than be served.
Let my life be a testament tothe love that lays down its life
for friends, shining your lightin every interaction and
drawing others to the heart ofthe gospel.
Amen.
I hope it's been helpful.

(10:52):
I hope that you've found somecontact between yourself and the
Holy Spirit, the Word of God,that this will be useful for you
as you go out your week, andI'll pray this blessing upon you
.
Yeshua Hamashiach, messiah,please give everybody in the
listening of this word yourpeace, your grace, and encourage

(11:13):
them and empower them for theday and the week.
In the name of YeshuaHamashiach, amen.