Are You Being Pruned?

 N.T.#781 "Are You Being Pruned?"

April 22, 2026 

John 15 

I am the true vine and My Father is the husbandman. (verse 1)

LET IT GLOW 

Once we lived at a house which had grapes along the back fence. Vines were all over it, for they had not been trimmed. Yet, they produced luscious, big grapes. 

Have you noticed that Jesus often used agricultural imagery in His teachings? Previously, Prophet Isaiah spoke of Israel as the Lord's vineyard. God expected His vineyard to bear fruit. God expected His vineyard to bear fruit, but worthless grapes was all it produced. (Tony Evans)

Israel was meant to bear fruit of justice and righteousness. Yet they did not do so.

Jesus identifies two types of branches: fruit-bearing and barren. Appearances are deceiving. The ones not bearing fruit may look like the other branches for a while, but their failure to yield any harvest shows that they are not. 

We can't bear fruit independent of the vine. A Christian must be connected to Jesus. Believers enjoy a relationship with God. Through us, God produces the fruit of the Spirit, but we must be yielded to Him. His Words abide in us and our branches abide in Him. Prayer is the outgrowth. Love and joy results in our life. 

Resource: The Jeremiah  Study Bible

LET IT GROW

In verse 2, we read what the guy who takes care of the vineyard does to produce more grapes. He purgeth it so it will make more grapes.

Purgeth means to cleanse; to prune.

God the Father cleanses Christians who are bearing fruit to bring them to bear more fruit. We find the results in Galatians 5:22-23. Cleansing is produced through the Word of God. (verse 3)

LET IT GO

Prune us, Lord, produce love, joy, peace, patience, forgiveness, kindness, goodness in us today.