I am the true vine

Any thumpers out there? 

If you google “how to pick a good watermelon,” there are countless videos and articles designed to teach you how to pick a good watermelon by thumping it. Of course, what’s done is done. Once cut from the vine, a watermelon can't improve; it’s received all the nutrients it can from the vine. Today, we explore Jesus's declaration: "I am the vine."

Of course, Jesus wasn’t speaking about a watermelon vine — he was talking about a grapevine. In John 15, Jesus imparts critical truths about himself, his followers, and what his followers must do. Let’s dive in!

What Jesus says about himself

In John 15:1, Jesus says “I am the true vine.” In Jewish scriptures, the nation of Israel is often depicted as God’s vine, but never as a good vine (see Isaiah 5 and Jeremiah 2). Conversely, Jesus is the true vine, emphasizing that nationality or even religious identity isn’t enough. Salvation comes only through an intimate connection with him.

What Jesus says about his followers

In John 15:5, Jesus says that He is the vine, and we are the branches. Of course, not all branches are created equal. There are productive and unproductive branches, healthy and unhealthy ones. Productive branches are pruned to yield more fruit, while unproductive ones are cut off. We want to be productive, healthy, pruned branches.

What Jesus says we are to do

In John 15:5, Jesus urges us to stay connected to him. Jesus is all about relationships. I’ve found that the strength of my connection to Christ determines the strength of my life. Jesus assures us, "I am the vine. Stay connected to me, and you can produce good fruit."

Have you ever seen a branch straining and grunting hard to produce fruit? Nope! Branches don’t have to work hard to produce fruit, the just need to stay connected to the vine (or trunk), and fruit will happen all on its own. Therefore, our focus should be on nurturing our relationship with Jesus, trusting that good fruit will follow.

It’s natural for us to try to do it all on our own. But there is a better way. What’s one small step you can take towards a stronger connection with Jesus today?

Eric Rust is the pastor of Cedar Hills Church. He can be reached at cedarhillschurch.com.