Matthew Henry is a personal favorite when doing Bible study on a particular verse of Scripture, and his commentary did not disappoint as I read his insight concerning John 15. Henry encourages fellow believers by saying, “We must be fruitful. From a vine we look for grapes, and from a Christian we look for Christianity… the Christian temper and disposition, A Christian life and conversation. We must honor God and do good, and this is bearing fruit.” When discussing unfruitful branches, he described those as “tied to Him by the thread of an outward profession.” When addressing John 15:7, this particular thought brought pause and meditation on Scripture concerning fruit, “It is in the Word that we receive and embrace Him and so, where the Word of Christ dwells richly, there Christ dwells. If the Word be in us as at home, then we abide in Christ and He in us.”

John 15 is one of seven beautiful passages in the gospel of John alluding to imagery with Jesus as I AM. He is the Vine, and the Father is the Vinedresser. That would make us His husbandry. He takes care of us. He prunes us, and He cultivates fruit in us that is evident in the lives of His branches. Jesus makes it crystal clear in verse 5 who is providing the source of life and fruit cultivation and who is the dependent, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” As the metaphoric branch, we look at the fruit and say, “It is enough.” But the Vinedresser disagrees. We are to bear much fruit for His glory.

We need Him. His branches never thirst or lack for sustenance because we abide in the Vine. For many, such passages allude to intimacy and fellowship with Christ in such a way that the words of Jesus are read with “romance-colored glasses”. But John 15 is not about romance. John 15 is about true fellowship with Christ leading to fruitful spiritual maturity. The fruit of a genuine believer is dependent upon Him, and He does all things well. Abiding in His Word and His Word abiding in us is part of abiding in Christ and in that fellowship, we bear fruit by His Spirit who is testifying of Him.

When reading passages such as John 15:1-17 and Galatians 5 concerning the fruit of the Spirit, I am ever more aware of the need for Christ not just daily but in every moment of life. I realize the work He is doing is not my own doing or in my own power. There is the temptation to perceive fruit as being personally known in a great way in the earth rather than Christ Jesus being exalted, testifying of Him in word and deed. Bearing fruit is not in name alone nor is it in getting the “Christianese” right. No, fellowship is vital. Remaining in the Word is vital. We cannot know and understand God without His Word richly dwelling within us (Colossians 3:16). Apart from Christ, we truly can do nothing, and anything we presume to be fruit based on personal success soon sours and rots.

And herein lies the problem. In this world, we are led to believe that fruit is cultivated by us. So, when the world or even professing Christians make a statement or pose a question such as “Why are you responding to someone who has no fruit?” the question should be asked what is meant by fruit. The substance of Biblical fruit is not found in followings and empires. It is not found in what can be counted by human hands. The substance of Biblical fruit is found in Christ. When we are in Christ, we will most certainly produce fruit. Galatians 5:22,23 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

Reading this verse quickens me to recognize so much more pruning is in store from the Vinedresser. I do not want to be a branch tied to Christ in name only. I do not want His Word to be an item on a checklist of life in which I am comforted in mere completion. Rather, I pray His fruit is evident in the conduct toward my husband and children. I pray in the moments of difficulty, frustration, and suffering His Word is so written on this heart of flesh that it is called to remembrance for Whom this heart beats and lives. Knowing His Word does not happen through wishful thinking or osmosis. It comes in sweet fellowship. It is there in the God breathed Scripture I see my Lord and Savior.

I fall short daily, more times than I would like to profess. But He began the work in me, and He will finish it. I consider myself a branch without empire and notoriety, fruitless in the eyes of worldly thinking, and abiding in Christ is more than sufficient. From one branch to another branch, be fruitfully dependent upon God. The Vinedresser tends us well.