I grew grapes for several years.
It took a long time to happen. I bought two grape plants. A store was going out of
business. They cost almost nothing. I figured I had nothing to lose. So
what if they looked like a bundle of dead sticks. I planted them in my back yard and
for better than a year, they acted just like dead sticks.
I was just about to dig them up and discard them, when during the second year they showed
some signs of life. Green growth started to emerge from my previously dead looking
sticks. Those sticks did not bear fruit that year but they bought themselves another
year in my garden.
The next year, they must have known they were destined for removal if they did not perk
up. They started shooting tendrils off in all directions. This necessitated
some additional work on my part. I could not allow the vines to grow wild. I
had to construct some form of structure to contain the grapes.
Anyone watching me construct this structure knew two things quickly:
1) My grape growing experience was limited.
2) My grape arbor construction experience was even more limited.
I built something that looked like, and was big enough to be, a gallows.
Drawn between it was chicken wire. I planned to tie the growing vines to the chicken
wire so they would have support and a place for their tendrils to cling. For those
of you who have not seen grapes growing up close, when the vine is climbing and
growing it sends out tough little shoots that literally wrap themselves around things so
they can get a grip and support the vine.
By the end of the second year, the vines had started to spread across my backyard gallows
and establish a home for themselves.
The third year it was a growth explosion. Vines were going every which way, both on
and off of the gallow/arbor. I had to cut the vines back just to keep them from
over-growing both my arbor and my home.
Not every single inch of the vines bore fruit. Those that didn't, I knew to cut.
Even some that did, only bore fruit on parts of the vine. You cut off
the parts furthest from the main vine that did not produce a frosty purple bundle of
nature's goodness at harvest time.
But with grapes, you constantly have to work at pruning. Getting rid of the dead
branches and cutting back the spindly branches so they can be stronger. A spindly branch
just could not support fruit. It broke under the weight of it. But if you cut
the spindly branch back, not only could it continue to bear fruit, it could bear it.
In today's scripture lesson Jesus teaches us that He is the true vine and that His father
God is the master pruner of the vineyard.
Jesus knew that the people of his day understood the principles of grape growing so
he used this symbolism to explain the nature of discipleship and how God will make sure
that the ministry would remain strong.
Jesus said God will remove the branches that are producing no fruit. Dead wood does not
help a vine. It draws energy from the vine and yet does not do anything to help it.
Often times you do not even have to worry about cutting dead wood off. It
just goes and falls from the vine. Once on the ground, it is not good for much.
But if you pile it with the other dead wood, eventually it will make for a good
fire.
Other branches are producing fruit but they still need to be pruned. They have some
parts on them that need to be pruned. Things that keep them from producing as well
as they could. So when God cuts away the bad parts of the branch, then the good part
of the branch gets even stronger. It produces more fruit.
Jesus reminds the disciples that even strong branches can not exist apart from the vine.
If a strong branch leaves the vine it only will be a little time before it shrivels
up and dies. Away from the vine it has no source of strength. It has no source
of nourishment. It is out on its own. It can not exist apart from the vine.
It may have been fruitful while on the vine but once separated, it will not be long
before it is just another piece of dead wood ready for the burning pile.
Jesus said, we as His disciples are just like the grapevine. If we want to be
alive and fruitful we have to stay attached to Him. We can not let our ego and
self think our ministry has grown so big that we can separate ourselves from Jesus.
When we leave the vine, we cease to be fruitful. We are on our way to
becoming dead wood.
But Jesus said if We abide in him. Then we will be fruitful. We will prosper.
That whatever we ask in His name, the father will grant.
But people ask why do bad things happen to good people. Some times events we see as
bad things are just part of the pruning process. We may lose some money but we are
going to come out strong in the end. We may have some sickness but the great
physician will make us spiritually stronger. We may have our trials and tribulations
but God will prune our weakness away so we can stand up to the forces of the world that
much stronger. Each time we are tried, each time we are tested, we just grow back a
little stronger than before. Some times things have to be torn down, pruned,
before they cam grow back even stronger than before.
One thing that Jesus did not mention, and I only add this since I now am a long time
observer of grapevines. In all the grapevines I have seen, I have yet to see a
branch that was able to hold a pair of shears. A branch that was capable of
pruning itself, let alone a fellow branch.
When the branches start trying to prune themselves then a lot of damage is going to occur.
Jesus specifically said that God was the master of the vine. God was to do the
pruning,. We are not to go around trying to be spiritually superior. Trying
with our sharp tongues to prune our neighbors. Our eyes are not trained to
know a fruit bearing branch from dead wood. How can we prune others when we need a cut or
two ourselves. Our job is bring the Good News of the true vine. To make
all those who have ears to hear aware of the vine master. Our job is not to cut, it
is to lift up. God will convict the unfruitful branches. God will determine what is
dead wood and what are hibernating sticks, like what I planted, that will bear fruit with
a little nurturing and some careful pruning.
I no longer have my grapevines. They drew so many bees they virtually made my
backyard uninhabitable. They did produce plenty of fruit, one year enough to make me
into a mini winery, but when the benefits were stacked up against the deficits, the vines
were brought down.
Even today, a reminder of my grape growing years remains on my front door. A wreath
of still strong vines that my wife crafted from the remains of my grape growing adventure.
Those vines still look good, they still have their sheen. But separated from
the vine, that is all they can do. They no longer can bear fruit. They
just sit on the door as a reminder of what they once were in their fruit bearing years.
Some times, after we have been on the highways and by ways of the Lord for a long time it
is hard to retain our exuberance and enthusiasm. That is not the time to pull
back from the Lord. Even in our tired times we need to stay connected to Jesus.
We need to stay part of the vine so we can feel its life giving force flowing through our
lives. We have to go through the pain and pleasure of pruning. Having those
parts of us that are not pleasing to the Lord cut away.
And even after we are in service to the Lord. If we grow a wild branch. It
will be cut short so that which remains will be more fruitful.
No matter how fruitful we become we have to remember, we are not bigger than the vine.
We can not do it on our own. Once we cut ourselves off from the vine we will
surely wither, wither and die.
Today, God is looking at us. We all are branches to the true vine, His Son Jesus
Christ. He is telling us be fruitful, go spread the Good nes of Jesus Christ.
Don't be dead wood or a spindly branch. Be fruitful, bring righteous
and justice to those who are oppressed. Don't be dead wood or a spindly branch. Be
fruitful, let the crackhead know that there are higher highs in Jesus. Don't be dead
wood or a spindly branch. Be fruitful take the word of Jesus with you wherever you go.
Don't be dead wood or a spindly branch. Be fruitful and you will remain a part of
the living vine of Jesus Christ. Be fruitful today, and let the vine master
prune you into an even more fruit-bearing existence.
Dead wood and spindly branches have to fall. And they eventually will burn. Escape hell's
fiery, stand tall and strong and bear fruit for Jesus..
