Vineyard Discipleship

The True Vine

In Biblical typology, the Vine represents the people of faith. God has always justified men based on faith. The law never justified any man but rather served to condemn sin and lead men to Christ, the Savior. The law didn’t justify Moses, David, or any of the Prophets but set a standard of perfect morality and was used to measure the perfection of Jesus Christ and approve Him as sinless. The important thing to note is The True Vine has existed since Adam. Jesus said I am the True Vine. He is the true focal point of our faith, “whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.” Micah 5:2b

Left to its own, a grapevine is a branch and leaf super-producer. If you want beautiful foliage, grow a grapevine. It naturally produces attractive branches and leaves. But it must be trained to produce abundant fruit.

Unfortunately, the prolific branches absorb the abundant energies of the vine. The foliage robs the fruit of nutrients and prevents essential airflow and sunlight. Fruit rot, mildew, unbalanced clusters, small grapes, and even disease is the natural outcome of an unattended sprawling vine.

Vines are not fruitful on their own; they need attention by those equipped with special skills. Do not fret, vineyards aren’t rocket science, they just require practical attention. You do not have to make the vine grow. The DNA of a grapevine is programmed for growth. God’s laborers simply need to apply the techniques that ensure the resources of the Vine accommodate the development of delicious fruit.

The Master of the Vineyard

Jesus introduces us to a wonderful parallel of ministry that equates a vineyard to His Church and branches to His Disciples. While Jesus is the True Vine, His Father is the Land Worker (ge’orgos).

The Father is a Laborer (Land Worker) at heart. He humbly dons the overalls and is willing to get his hands dirty. He walks among His workers and monitors every task. But He is no taskmaster. He will not ask you to do something that He is not willing to do. He respects His laborers and rejoices in their experience. He loves the closeness that comes from nurturing a common knowledge among the co-workers.

The Master of the vineyard is responsible to get the most out of the vineyard. Abundant quality fruit is His goal and we can be confident that He will accomplish His task.

Perhaps the greatest privileges of working in God’s vineyard are those many surprising moments when you find yourself working elbow to elbow, heart to heart with our wise and loving Heavenly Father. His humility is astonishing. Anyone can learn the skills if they listen carefully to His insightful wisdom. He often inspires one to enthusiastically share with others the wisdom they learn from Him. I, too, long to share the insight that I have learned from our Heavenly Father and long to hear the insight you’ve learned, as well.

The Valued Laborer

Our hands may become soiled and calloused, we may occasionally wipe the sweat from our brow, stop to catch our breath, exhale a few sighs, scratch our heads and go the extra mile to get along with the other laborers; but the Father is always there to remind us of our value. Those who labor for the Lord eventually realize they are employed in the most prestigious vocation known to mankind; helping others to become fruitful, through their relationship with Jesus Christ

The experience and knowledge required to maximize the fruitfulness of the vine comes exclusively from Our Heavenly Father. It is of upmost importance to do things His way. The laborer must be committed to Him. He is the wise Land Worker who adds value to the laborer and “The worker is worthy of His wages.” – Luke 10:7

Fruit

God’s very first command to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden was “Be Fruitful” (Genesis 1:26). His first words are telling. God used the Garden as an illustrative classroom to instruct Adam in God’s purpose for all mankind. Adam comes from the Hebrew ADAMAH-GROUND. When God told Adam to be fruitful, Adam learned that he was God’s Garden. He learned to labor in others as God labored in him. Making disciples is the tending of God’s garden. He provides the instruction; He gives the increase and we labor on His behalf.

It is all about fruit. The fruit men bear can be as unique and diverse as the foods we eat. But much fruit is found only in disciples who abide in Jesus Christ.

“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 15:5

Divine fruit is distinguished from the produce of men. Men naturally produce the leafy foliage of self-glory, but fruit glorifies God. Though branches bear fruit, the resources come entirely from the Vine. Without the Vine, there is no fruit. We can do nothing without Him.

The Neglected Branches

“I am the vine, you are the branches.” – John 15:5

The Branches need regular, meticulous, loving care if they are to be great producers of good fruit. This may come in the form of Bible instruction, honest and humble mentoring, and surprising acts of loving compassion. But in God’s Vineyard, it is not uncommon to find people sitting around doing nothing. Thus, there are many neglected branches. There is just too much work and too few laborers. When we scan over God’s Vineyard and see the rows of sprawling vines; fruitless and out of control, we must consider whether we are doing our part. How might I become equipped to apply myself to God’s most esteemed work?

It is those neglected branches that provoke my appellation “the sprawling vine.” But those who have experienced God’s Vineyard are fully aware of the great potential within those branches. Imagine fewer branches and more grapes. Many times, those prolific leaf producers become prolific fruit bearers. It is Jesus who focused his disciples on the value of the branches. Those branches need our attention. Like those branches, people need to be valued, pursued, accepted, and cared for as God instructs.

Jesus was confronted with the problem of neglected branches. It is interesting that He mingles two separate vocations while addressing a single dilemma. In His own words, He compares a harvest without sufficient laborers to sheep without a shepherd.

But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore, pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” Matthew 9:36-38

Jesus informs us the reason for the neglect is twofold; a shortage of caring shepherds and a shortage of well-trained laborers. Even Jesus could not offer the quality, one on one attention the multitudes demand. He brought His disciples face to face with this dilemma as He trained them to labor on His behalf. Yet all too often leaders fail to produce such capable laborers from their flocks (Ephesians 4:11-14).

For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field. – 1 Corinthians 3:9

God’s great Vineyard requires a lot of work but there is great value in it. Nothing can take the place of the hands-on work of the well trained and enthusiastic laborer.

The term discipleship often evokes the practice of strict accountability and intense and rigid disciplines. Dealing with the personal lives of others can certainly be touchy and risky and there is a lot to learn. However, Jesus spoke these things for the sake of our joy (John 15:11). Joy can easily be overlooked by the laborer but it shouldn’t be.

He graciously frames the rigors of Christian discipleship within the context of a vineyard in which the workers are laboring for the wisest vine grower. The opportunity for luxurious growth and abundant fruit is inspiring for both the laborer and the branches. Who doesn’t appreciate the appeal and promise of a well-managed and fruitful vineyard? We can never forget that great rewards are at stake. In the vineyard, the dread of discipline is overcome with excitement and anticipation.

It may take a season to become acclimated to the task, but eventually, the laborer grows to appreciate his newly acquired skills. The task is not nearly as daunting when surrounded by a multitude of fellow-laborers. It may even take several seasons for your local vineyard to be shaped into the work the Lord envisions. But God’s Vineyard has the potential to become the most beautiful visage. Consider a vast open field of healthy and joyous fruit-bearing lives. In God’s Vineyard, the “investment” pales in comparison to the produce.

Lift Those Branches

Don’t dare cut them off

Compare these translations.

He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit. – John 15:2 NIV

Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; – John 15:2 NKJV

There is a morbid association with this passage that needs to be corrected. It is dreadful to consider the Father would simply CUT OFF every branch IN HIM that bears NO FRUIT. Many of us have had our fruitless seasons. There are many good reasons to check this translation.

First, the Word of God is clear about our security in Christ. Our salvation is not dependent upon our fruit. Fruit is a result of it, not the reason for it.  This verse specifically states that the branches are positioned “IN HIM.” God doesn’t go around “cutting off” or “taking away” branches “IN JESUS.”  Secondly, the word translated as “cut off” is the Greek word, airo meaning to lift. It is the word from which airplane is derived.  There are other Greek words that specifically mean to cut off or take away. For example, apokoptō is the word used when Peter “cut off” the ear of one of the servants of the High Priest (John 18:26).  Airo means to raise as one would raise a sail. It should only be translated as remove when something is removed by lifting away. Airo should never be translated as cut off in the sense of amputation or termination.

It is likely the translators considered that a good winter pruning cuts off about 90% of the previous year’s growth. During this process, many branches are indeed cut off for the sake of more desirable branches. However, Jesus addresses the issue of pruning after the imperative instruction of lifting. These are two distinct actions and provide good reason to consider the Father does not cut off our fruitless brethren. Perhaps human nature is the main reason airo is historically translated as cut off.  It is simply more convenient to cut off the unfruitful than to invest our time and energy. It is easy to write people off or curse those troublesome branches.

So, if Jesus used the definitive airo, perhaps we should try to understand what He is teaching us.  Sprawling vines naturally grow toward the ground where their leaves are muddied and mildewed from the rains. They become stomped on, accumulate dust and never experience the vital process of photosynthesis required to bear fruit.

Jesus’ answer is “lift them up” and “raise them” away from the ground.  The world offers a beating to the sinning saint but the church is to lift them from the world and to clean and encourage those dirtied and bruised branches.  Now take another look at this passage and allow Jesus to inspire your work.  Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He lifts; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. John 15:2

People are worth the trouble. They are worth the investment. Although they are not bearing fruit, they can become fruitful. People need to be lifted, not destroyed.  When you see an unfruitful believer, do not demean them. Build a trellis of support and save your clippers for pruning.

The Trellis of God’s Word

Branches need support. They must be trained to grow on the supportive trellis. So, we lift them from the soil, rinse them off and manually attach those lively and tender shoots to the trellis. They will soon become rejuvenated in the sunlight.  Those new branches are just too valuable. They may appear troublesome now, but all they need is to be lifted and attached to the right support system.

People have complex needs and will reach out to most anything that promises support or relief from the strains of life. Every new shoot in Christ has these little curly tendrils that naturally allow the new branches to attach themselves to anything they find. Those Tendrils represent the initiative of the Grace of God and the new disciplines the Holy Spirit brings to our lives. The trellis is the Word of God, more specifically, it represents the strong structure of Biblical Doctrine. The sound teachings that bring stability to our lives. The Holy Spirit and the Apostles Doctrines Provide a strong bond that will serve to keep the believer from the deceptive pitfalls the enemy uses to bring disaster to our lives. Those sprawling branches need to be lifted away from the attachments of the world so it can secure itself to the trellis with its own tendrils.

Human nature is powerfully needy. Created in the likeness of God, we possess marvelous attributes and appetites but our minds and instincts must be channeled into the purposes in which God ordained. God’s Word provides an essential structure for our lives. Once on the trellis, those leaves are lifted into the sunlight allowing photosynthesis to activate the growth of fruit but God knows that we must lose all that excessive foliage.

The Necessary Pruning

“I am the vine, you are the branches. John 15:5

When Jesus said, “You are the branches,” He revealed an immensely powerful truth about us. We are the intermediary branches in which God uses to produce fruit in this world. But we don’t always grow as we need. We often focus on our foliage but God is intently focused on the production of fruit. People are naturally impressed with the fleeting foliage of self-accomplishment and self-glory but those things are unfulfilling shrubbery. It leaves us famished but God has a plan to satisfy much deeper needs. Fruit satisfies us and God receives great glory for the satisfaction He brings to our lives.

Pruning is the art of limiting the new growth for the maximum production of the vine. At first, the cutting away of the undesirable growth feels unnatural and seems a lot of work. Of course, after a person experiences the result of pruning, the idea is much more plausible. But, if your only impression of pruning fails to consider the outcome, it is easy to see why branches are often neglected.

Branches grow excessively and must undergo two essential prunings throughout the year. These are not reckless but skillful, intentional efforts that channel the energies of the vine into the fruit. During the winter dormant season, last year’s growth is cut off in favor of the expected new growth, the upcoming year. Then, in the summer, spot pruning occurs to remove excess growth that will naturally sap the vital energies needed by the maturing fruit. This pruning often allows for more plump and juicy grapes just in time for harvest. Yet, people naturally settle for temporary and empty, self-promotion instead of seeking God’s glory. Those branches can become full of themselves. Check out the woeful and uninspiring “Branchzilla” below.

May God save us from ourselves.

“…every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” – John 15:2

Compare the vine to the left with the one below that has been pruned of its excessive growth.

These two large branches have been trained via the popular “cordon style” of pruning. You can see the effect of the many years of pruning. The branches take on the appearance of a cross, and it is difficult to tell where the vine ends, and the branches begin. Those cordon branches will put off new shoots. Remember that fruit only grows from the new growth. We must courageously cut away unnecessary growth to supply those new tertiary branches that bear the delicious fruit.

His Greatest Glory

Our Heavenly Father is both the owner and the Master Gardener. His Vine has born fruit down through the ages. He has demonstrated His excelling wisdom and we are to reckon Him worthy to be trusted. We are assured that He is committed to gain the most from the Vineyard every season. He loves us passionately and reveals His pure motive to bless men with the thing that matters most: Fruit that brings us, lasting joy and Him, His greatest GLORY.

God’s glory is not a shining light as some presume. Chavod, the Hebrew word for glory means “heavy.” It refers to substance, not brilliance. Glory is descriptive of the abundance and value that He adds to our lives. God wants to be known for the boughs of fruit that He produces. These are benefits that men cannot deny.

“Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so, shall ye be my disciples.” – John 15:8

Therefore, we should be careful not to misinterpret His methods. When He prunes our lives, we can trust Him and take comfort in our losses. His motivation is not to be questioned and He is certainly not to be underestimated. Being a disciple of Christ is wonderful, not woeful.

If we will endure the challenges of discipleship, He will make us exceedingly, abundantly fruitful and others will come to understand and acknowledge His good intentions and the exceeding value that God adds to our life. God has a great plan and knows what He is doing. All that remains, is for us to labor well.

“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.” – John 15:11