“I am the true vine, and My father is the vinedresser. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:1, 5)

Sitting in the Upper Room celebrating the Passover meal with His disciples, Jesus used the illustration of a vineyard to teach then a very important aspect of their relationship with God. Grapevines grew in abundance in Palestine and if carefully pruned, they produced an abundance of sweet grapes. However, if they were left unattended, the vines would fall and grow along the ground and as a result, they produced little or no grapes as they couldn’t receive enough sunshine. Jesus spoke to the disciples concerning their relationship with Him. He told them they were the branches who were attached to the vine; and everything they needed and wanted to promote and sustain life, was forever sourced in Him.

In pointing out that His Father was the vinedresser, Jesus established the rights of ownership within the vineyard. His Father owned the vineyard: thus, He was the sole owner of the vine and its respective branches. Hidden in this revelation, is the truth that the branches do not belong to themselves. The branches have no right to choose where they want to grow, nor do they have the right to choose if they will produce fruit for the owner of the vineyard.

We are the branches attached to the vine within the Father‘s vineyard and we belong to the Father, not to ourselves. Therefore, it is our responsibility to allow the life of Jesus to flow through us so that we might produce fruit that is pleasing to the Father. Is your life fruitful spiritually speaking? Is what is being produced through your life pleasing to God? Do whatever you need to do to position yourself to be as productive as possible so in all you do, your life and its fruit, will be pleasing to God. Do your part to exalt His Name and extend His kingdom in the earth.