A few years ago, when I was in elementary school, I can remember the teacher asking a question and several responses would follow. Some of my classmates would hide their face and look down (they did not know the answer), and some of my classmates would continue looking forward and not alter their appearance (but hoped this would deter the teacher from calling on them, as they too did not know the answer). The last group was very vocal. This group would raise their hand, waving it in the area, and makes sounds like, “Oh, oh, oh!” They were in essence saying, “Pick me!! Pick me, I know the answer and I am amazing!!”
Every human being has the opportunity to choose Jesus. Jesus is in essence waiting on us, looking at us and saying, “Choose me! I am amazing!!”
Last week we revealed the second secret of gospel living in John 15. Here it is:
Bearing fruit is required to not be removed from the vine, but bearing fruit is a spiritual act that cannot be done with a fleshly means. Bearing fruit requires relationship with Jesus!
What follows in John 15:2? One who reaps fruit will reap more fruit… but how? The Bible says this is done as God “purges” them. This word “purge” means cleanses. This is the only use of this Greek word in the N.T. It is commonly used in the realm of ceremonial cleansing. The idea is to prune the branch.
What is Christ’s purpose in cleansing the one who bears fruit? It is so that branch will reap even more fruit. Literally, “that it may keep on bearing more and more fruit.”
According to various vineyards sharing instructive videos on online, there are different types of vine that require different types of pruning.
Here are 6 key elements of pruning that I learned through my research:
1. Pruning is crucial for a good harvest. To quote vineyard owner Stefano Watson, “Pruning has huge ramifications on the quality of the product.” So, in short, the harvest is inseparable from the pruning process – to have a good harvest you must prune!
2. Pruning takes time. He mentioned that it takes over 500-man hours to completely prune his vineyard.
3. Grapes only come off second year branches. So, the previous year’s branch needs to be cut off.
4. Pruning is invasive. Stefano Watson showed how he had two branches on one vine. He then went on to say that a good pruning process would require that he cut off the branch that bore fruit that year – and he cut it all the way down to the vine, nothing left. Then he drastically cut back the new one-year-old branch just above its one or two buds. In the coming season, the remaining branch would grow a new branch from the bud(s) and a new branch from the base of the pruned branch would grow as well.
5. Vines are susceptible to disease after being pruned. Disease is easily spread in a pruned vine when it rains and when high winds are present. So, it is naturally important not to prune when it is raining or there are high winds. The owner of a vineyard will also chop and burn any infected wood. Using infected wood as mulch would allow a dangerous level of disease into the soil and negatively impact the vineyard. So, diseased branches cannot remain and must be burned.
6. An owner can prune a vine to grow in any direction he or she wants.
For more information on pruning vineyards to better understand John 15’s call for purging, you can watch these:
So, what is the Lord teaching us in John 15:2 with the reality of purging?
1. The genuine believer needs to be pruned! To be spiritually healthy and to bear more fruit in the year to come, the believer needs to be pruned.
2. When the Lord does the work of pruning in our life, it is not a rush job! It takes time. We need to trust the Lord and embrace His work in our life.
3. Remember, grapes only come off second year branches and then it needs to be pruned. Even though we just bore some good fruit on that “branch of life,” the Lord will look to cut it back for more future fruit. So, purging does not equal God’s wrath or His dislike of you — it is actually the opposite! Purging equals God’s love for you!
4. This purging is invasive! Think of Esther, Joseph, Daniel, and the early NT church when you consider how invasive purging can be in the life of a believer. It can hurt. It can make us look or feel ugly and undesirable (newly pruned vines in a vineyard are dramatically altered and kind of ugly). Remember, the purging is only for a season and then a more fruitful time will follow.
5. When we are in a time of purging, we need to guard against disease. We are all more susceptible to temptation when sick, tired, and hungry. Purging can involve all three of these! We will need more safeguards against disease when active purging is engaged. Here are 8 practical safeguards against the “rain storms and heavy winds” of life:
o SCRIPTURE.
Increase your intake of scripture…this will encourage your faith and right thinking- Ps. 1:2; Ps. 119:105
o THOUGHTS.
Discipline your thoughts- II Cor. 10:5; Phil. 4:8.
o ASSUMPTIONS.
Assume the best about others and the Lord. Love always assumes the best- I Cor. 13:7, “…love believeth all things.”
o LEARN
Look for things you can learn from the hard times. Ask God for a teachable spirit- Ps. 86:11; 119:66; II Pet. 3:18.
o CHURCH.
Purposely choose to attend church…reaching out to other believers will not cure your struggle, but it will help you think about someone else’s needs and not just your own- Phil. 2:3; Heb. 10:24-25
o THANKFUL.
Practice living a thankful heart. Where is God’s goodness and mercy in all the mess- Ps. 107:1?
o TRUTH.
Live in the realm of what you know is truth- Jn. 17:17. Avoid “what if” or “if only” thinking patterns- Heb. 13:5. What may happen often never does happen! Also, concentrate on what you can control and trust the Lord over what you cannot control- Prov. 29:25; Is. 26:3-4.
“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow. It empties today of its strength.” – Corrie Ten Boom
o PRAY.
Regularly pray alone and with others- Phil. 4:6-7.
Look at John 15:7. The outcome of this difficult purging journey can a powerful prayer life! The purging presses me to God the Father, greater relationship with the Father is realized, and greater depth in times of prayer are revealed. The Lord kindly shows us the end of the path to show us the importance of the beginning of the path! So, we must yield to the path God entrusts to us and we will find deeper relationship with God that we would not trade for anything in the world!
Why did the disciples who were fearful fishermen during Christ’s arrest become so bold and courageous after Christ’s resurrection? Because after the resurrection, these men were now fully convinced He is the promised Messiah and they enjoyed greater relationship with Jesus that they would now never turn from again…even to the point of death (Phil. 3:10).
What about us? That difficult time we face is not necessarily God’s wrath, perhaps it is His love in purging us to bear more fruit! The purging can be challenging and should not be belittled. All believers have experienced purging, thing like:
1. The financial pressures that continue to build
2. The stress at work that continues to escalate
3. The relationships that continue to deteriorate or struggle
…and God is continuing to answer your prayers with “wait!”
Here is the 3rd secret revealed:
Spiritual pruning is hard, but it is also needed for every genuine believer.
God’s purging in our lives brings much fruit. The Bible says this is how God is glorified – it is when I “keep on bearing much fruit!” Are you a branch of the vine that is experiencing His purging? Is Christ cutting away all the excess so that greater fruit would be seen? Yield to His working! Do not fall into the trap of following your own agenda and pushing God’s will aside because logical reasoning or peer groups demand it. May we keep our eyes on Him when purging is brought for our good!