September 16, 2023

The Good And The Bad Branch

“Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.”  John 15:2-3 (NASB)

      I have a Magnolia tree in my front yard. Sometimes it will produce white blossoms. Sometimes it will not, because of fungus. This tree (for some reason) has been very susceptible to black tree fungus since it was planted. When it has a fungus, we treat it. Then it will come back again the following year. When the tree is clean though, new growth begins. Then we get some beautiful white blossoms. Some branches, however, fail to produce anything, wither, and eventually die. When they do, I prune them from the tree. They are thrown into the garbage.

      “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.” Some tree branches seem to provide better fruits, leaves, or flowers. Others produce little or nothing. When they appear dead, many times they are cut off. This shows the vital link between the branch and its root. Sap from the root of the tree runs effortlessly in branches that produce fruit. It is because they are fully nourished from the root. They are provided with all the nutrients needed to bring forth new life and growth. Those that do not produce anything eventually die without nourishment from the root. They are starved of the life-giving force needed to stay alive. The spiritual illustration shared by Jesus here applies to people. Each branch (or person) is either in fellowship with Christ or not. One produces fruit or its bounty, and the other doesn’t.  Robertson says, “Two kinds of connexion with Christ as the vine (the merely cosmic which bears no fruit, the spiritual and vital which bears fruit). The fruitless (not bearing fruit, μη φερον καρπον [mē pheron karpon]) the vine-dresser “takes away” (αἰρει [airei]) or prunes away. Probably (Bernard) Jesus here refers to Judas.”[1] Hughes gives us another interesting perspective of what this branch looks like from both angles. “… the fruit Jesus speaks of is not primarily evangelism but simply the reproduction of the life of the vine in the branch. Jesus is looking for the fruit of his life in us. If the inward graces of the Holy Spirit are not present in our lives (‘love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control,’ Galatians 5:22–23), if these qualities are not present (not perfected but present) in our lives, we must face the fact that we may not be true believers. There must be something of the life of the vine in us if we belong to God! There must be Christlikeness. This is a tougher test than outward fruit such as the number of souls saved, people influenced, or money collected. It is possible to have the outward signs without having the life of Christ within. Furthermore, the inward graces of the Spirit will in time bring the outward fruit. The fruit Christ looks for is his own life in us.”[2]

      In the church today there are many branches. Some are Jesus’s possessions empowered by the presence of the Holy Spirit, and some are not. Over time, fruit reveals the presence of Christ in each person. Are you producing fruit for Christ? If not, it could be a good indicator that you don’t know Christ. If you were in the past, maybe it is time to go back to the roots and get your nourishment again. Otherwise, you may become unhealthy and subject to infection…

[1] Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in the New Testament (Jn 15:2). Broadman Press.

[2] Hughes, R. K. (1999). John: that you may believe (p. 353). Crossway Books.