In this piece, we will be observing something important that the Lord would want us to see and come into realization. We have heard it before, it’s not something new, especially for those that have been students of the word, you would have come across this concept, this kingdom concept, we would have read it several times; this particular portion. But there is something the Holy Spirit wants to remind us of about it. And if this concept is new to you, it is also to make it deep-seated in our spirit so that we will walk in a full realization of what the Lord expects of us.
There is an expectation of God over each and every one of us. And I pray that the grace for us to walk in the fullness of what God has as an expectation would be actualized in our lives in Jesus’ name. In this piece, we are looking at: The Husbandman, the Vine and the Branches. We are starting our observation from John 15 where Jesus was teaching and speaking about this particular concept that is central in the kingdom. John 15, we will read from verse 1 and we will stop at verse 8. The Bible says:
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 “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. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.”
May the Lord bless the reading of His word in Jesus’ name. Now, these three very important things that we are looking at and considering in this piece by the leadership of the Holy Spirit is the husbandman, the vine and the branches. Jesus speaking here from verse 1-8 of John 15, let us into an expectation, let us into three categories of people in the kingdom. Number one, He mentioned Himself as the True Vine. Meaning that vine, when He was speaking to them; was a common concept or term at that time. If you are familiar with that Middle eastern region of the world, you will realize that there is so much vines being planted in those regions. So, Jesus was speaking about a kingdom concept using a familiar concept.
So, he was speaking to them, so that they can relate with what He is saying graphically. He said I am the true vine, and He said My Father is the husband man, My Father is the vine dresser, God is the vine dresser. And He repeated again, “I am the vine and you are the branches.” So, if you are familiar with how the vine works, you will realize that a vine is a complete plantation where grapes are being produced. At that point when Jesus was talking about Himself as a vine, Jesus was making us understand a kingdom concept that He Christ Jesus is actually the establishment of the kingdom set up by God. So, every production in the kingdom happens in Christ. So, Jesus was explaining that concept using farming and especially the one they are familiar with.
So, Jesus said; I am the True Vine; if you have seen a vine before, I am a picture of a perfect vine. And He said in My vine, you have a role, what was the role that Jesus gave to us? He said we are branches. The Holy Spirit wants to explain this concept to us so that we will truly understand our placement in Christ and understand how the web of this interconnection works on the earth, so that we can truly become profitable branches. So, Jesus said He is the vine; so, we will start by looking at the vine. We are going to look at all these three concepts but we are going to start by looking at the vine.
THE VINE
What does it mean when Jesus was speaking of Himself as the vine? Jesus is talking about an enabling environment. Jesus said I am the vine, I am the enabling environment for the production of grapes, grapes now is talking about the fruits. You remember that when we were reading that Scripture, Jesus was saying to them, in verse 5, that I am the vine, you are the branches. What I say to one I say to all. As believers, Jesus is also speaking to us this same concept. “He who abides in Me and I in him, bears much fruit.” So, Jesus was saying to them, your fruitfulness is connected to my environment. So, understanding that we are the branches and Jesus is the vine, meaning that if we don’t abide in the environment called Jesus, if we don’t abide in the personality called Jesus, fruitfulness is in doubt.
So, Jesus speaking about Himself as the vine, says number one; He is the establishment of God created for us. So, Jesus is the establishment of God for our fruitfulness. How did He become that? He became that because God created Him as an enabling environment for our fruitfulness in the kingdom. So, Jesus is the vine. Jesus said; I am the true vine. Every time you want to produce grapes and you find your location, your environment in Me, you will have fruits. So, Jesus is the enabling environment. Jesus is the establishment of the kingdom for our fruitfulness.
Jesus is the source of our vitality. The branch, if you understand how it works; the branch does not source nutrients and vitality in itself. There is no branch of any tree that is self-sufficient. There is no branch of any tree that is independent. Have you seen any planted or rooted branch standing on its own? Never! Unfortunately, that’s what many believers want. We want to stand independent of Christ. Forgetting that it had been established by God that in the kingdom, no branch can stand in isolation, you must depend, you must be attached, you must be joined to the vine. So, Jesus is the source of our vitality. He is the source of our nutrients, He is the source of our sustenance, He is the source of our life. Is it not true? It is. But we must understand it beyond the letters, we must understand the Spirit behind this concept. Jesus is the vine.
Then we will move on to understand the branches. We are taking it that way because we are ultimately going to be looking at the husbandman. Because it’s the husbandman that has the will. It is the husbandman that has a target. It is the husbandman that has an expectation for everyone including the vine and the branches are under the supervision and the submission and the authority of the husbandman. So, we want to look at the branches.
THE BRANCHES
The branches as Jesus said in John chapter 15 is the church-believers! We are the branches. I want us to see Galatians chapter 3 we will read verse 26 and stop at verse 28. “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.” You can replace that ‘sons’ with branches. You are all branches of God, through faith in the vine. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Meaning that if you are a branch that have been baptized; baptism talks about being immersed, being soaked, being overwhelmed by Christ. Verse 28, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” There is no female branch, there is no male branch, there is no Jewish branch, there is no Greek branch, there is no free branch, there is no slave branch. All branches are the same in Christ in the vine. There is no VIP branch, the Bible says we are all one.
You all are one in the vine. That’s why the Bible says God is no respecter of persons. The husband man is no respecter of branches, whatsoever a man sows, that will he reap, however your branch produces, that’s how the husband man will treat you. So, the branches are the church; believers, disciples all over the world, everyone in Christ no matter your tribe or your tongue, you are a branch. Whether you are a general over seer, or a senior pastor, or a provincial pastor or whether you are in the choir or in the ushering department, or you are a missionary in one tiny village; you are a branch. And what is your responsibility as the branch? Who are you as the branch?
You are the one called to produce in the vine. That’s who you are. You are called to produce in the vine. Can you say that to yourself? I am a branch called to produce in Christ. Say it with conviction. That’s who you are. So, if you have been looking for your identity, this is who you are in the kingdom. You are a branch called to produce in the vine. So, what are you called to produce? fruits! You are called to produce fruits. So, if you are not producing fruits, then you are not functional in the vine. This is the heartbeat of the Father. If you are a branch in the vine, it’s not for you to feel good, occupy space or waste nutrients, it’s for production. And if you are not producing in the vine, you are not useful. Jesus said if you don’t produce, you will wither and be gathered up.
Number two. Because you are called to produce in the vine, you must have relationship with the vine. Meaning that you must be joined vitally to the vine. You must have a life union. When a child is joined in the womb with the mother, what is that life union between the mother and the child? The placenta! When the mother feeds, the child feeds, when the mother gets in any nutrient, the nutrient is passed on to the child. Why? The child is vitally joined to the mother. That is how as branches, we must be joined to Christ. We are not joined to Christ just like that, it must be a vital joining, union. A life union. There must be transference from Christ to you. If that is not happening, then you are not in relationship with the vine. So, the relationship is a functional relationship. Not a fun relationship. You must be intimate and organic.
Now, I used that word intentionally. Your relationship with the vine must be intimate and organic, no need for fertilizer. Do you know some plants grow because there are some fertilizers that have been put on the ground, so, you see them they quickly sprout? The kind of relationship you must have with the vine is organic. No fertilizer. Meaning that you must know God for yourself. There must not be a third party in your relationship with the vine. Don’t be a branch attached to another branch attached to the vine. You must be a direct branch on the vine. Your relationship must be intimate and organic, original, not fake nor adulterated, not a hybrid relationship.
Do you know so many people have a hybrid relationship with Christ? When they are in big trouble they run to Him, but when they are comfortable, it is hybrid; we can do it electronically. We don’t need to be live. The relationship we must have with Christ is organic, real, live. You and Christ are in that relationship live and direct. That’s what we are called to as a branch. Do you know why we need that organic relationship? Because, that’s how we will grow. That’s how we will be fruitful. If you have a hybrid, the needed nutrients that will facilitate your growth will not be passed to you in good time. That’s why it must be direct, it must be live. The result of this interaction, when you are a branch in Christ, not through somebody in Christ- (in Christ direct), the result of this interaction is fruitfulness. Colossians 3:11, “Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.”
Christ is all in you, there must not be another person, Christ is all in you, not some. That’s how we enjoy abundance. That’s how we have a harvest of the Spirit. The harvest we have in the kingdom is not flesh, it’s not the things we see, its spiritual harvest, harvest that transcends eternity. Harvest of treasure that is not limited to this place where thieves can steal and moth can destroy, one that is eternal in nature. That’s what Jesus was speaking about. He said your fruit will abide. Why? Its spiritual. Something of the flesh will see corruption, it will decay but if its Spiritual, it carries the nature of the Spirit.
THE HUSBANDMAN
The husbandman is God the Father. we have looked at the vine; Jesus Christ, God the Son, we have looked at the branches, the church, believers, disciples. Now, we are looking at the husbandman, God the Father. God the Father has an expectation, if you go back to that John chapter 15, we read and we looked at verse 2, it said every branch in me that does not bear fruits, He takes away. Who takes it away? God. God takes away every branch in Christ that does not bear fruits. “And every branch that bears fruits; He prunes.” He takes care of, He nourishes, He supports. “That it may bear more fruits.” So, who is the husbandman? The husbandman is God the Father, He is the vine dresser. He is the one that prunes, He is the one that makes sure that the vine continues to produce. The Bible says in John 3:16, for God so love the world, that He gave. Meaning that it is God that planted the vine.
God planted the vine with an expectation, He planted the Vine-Christ Jesus. It said for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, He sowed His only begotten Son, He released His only begotten Son, He planted His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him becomes a branch. And the branch will not be cast away, it will not wither, but have the fruit of eternal life. That’s the expectation of the Father. The Bible says that God in hope released Christ, in the hope that we will grope for Him. That we will seek Him, that He be glorified. Jesus is now speaking to us about the expectation of the husbandman. Verse 8, it said when you now produce fruits; by this the Father is glorified. The husbandman is glorified when the branches in Christ produce fruits. That you bear more fruits, so you be my disciples, my followers.
Everywhere the vine is; you are there. Jesus was speaking to Martha, He said Martha, Martha you are too consumed with much serving, you have been taken over, overwhelmed. He said one thing is needful, He said that one thing that is needful, it can never be taken away from you. He said Mary has chosen the good part. What did Mary do? Mary sat connected to the vine. He said you are cleaned by the words that I have spoken to you. He said abide in me, let my words abide in you. That is what can never be taken away. So, every branch that does not produce fruits, the husbandman takes away. God is not bothered, God is not interested, because the husbandman is the one that prunes, He is the one that protects, He is the one that cares, He is the one that looks after, He is the support system of the vine. The system of the vine is the husband man the vine dresser- God the Father.
So, God the Father releases as much nutrients to the capacity of Him-God to the vine. That’s why the Bible says He is the fullness of the God head; Jesus in Him the fullness of God head dwells in bodily form. So, the fullness of God dwells in Him, because God is His support system. And He said He has become our support system. But the way He is supported by God is the way we should be supported by Him. How is He supported by God? God in Him; He is in God. Apostle Paul said Christ in me, the Hope of glory. Christ ‘in’ not Christ around. I am planted, I am rooted, I am joined. So, as branches we must be joined. That’s how we enjoy the support system. See what Jesus now said in verse 7, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you[b] will ask what you desire.” Who are you asking? The Father. You will ask the husband man; you will ask the vine dresser whatever you desire. And He said it shall be done, He will provide, He will make happen.
He will do it for you, why? You are producing in the vine, you are joined to the vine, that’s how it works. So, it’s not by crying and wailing if you are not in the vine. Jesus made it clear in verse 7, “if you” it’s a conditional word, so, if you are not. When there is a joining of the husbandman, the vine and the branches, there would be harvest of abundance. If there is a separation, remember that the husbandman and the vine, they are constant, they are always joined. But if now there is a separation between you the branch and the vine and the husbandman, there will be no harvest, no result. There are many things we are desirous of God to do for us, and He is Saying if you abide in me, and my words abide in you, if you ask anything that you desire it will be done.
It wasn’t a frivolous statement; it was a statement of truth. This kingdom concept works all the time, hundred percent, because God is not a man that He will lie nor the son of man that He will repent, will He say a thing and not bring it to pass, will He declare a word and not make it good? No! He will. But we need to check ourselves. As the branches, are we connected? As the branches, are we fixed? Is Jesus the source of our vitality? Are we truly joined? When Apostle Paul was going to give us a picture of Christ and the church and how it’s going to happen, it’s a picture of marriage. The Bible says; “so a man will leave his mother and father and be joined.” That’s how marriages happen. So, a branch must leave all distractions and attachments and be joined to Christ, that’s how the marriage of the Spirit happens.
You must be joined to Christ; you must live and cleave to Christ. You must cleave to Him to have all that you desire, you must cleave to Him, to have all that you desire you must be joined to the vine. Christ is our enabling environment. No wonder Apostle Paul understanding this concept, He said my life as a branch is hid in Christ in God. He said in Him I live, in Him I move, in Him I have my being. He got to that level of understanding, He said without Him I can do nothing. And that’s the truth. Jesus said in this John 15 that we read verse 5, He said; “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.”
It does not mean you will not have houses and cars and have children, but in the kingdom, you will have nothing. Without Christ in the kingdom, you have nothing. Because, to have something in this kingdom, you must be in Christ. He has been established as the enabling environment, the established environment for our production and fruitfulness in this kingdom. That was why Jesus was saying on the last day many will come and say “Lord, Lord, we performed miracles in your name, we healed the sick in your name”, and He will look at them and say I don’t know you. I do not see you in my vine yard, you workers of wickedness. Because they have nothing. They came to Him and had nothing in Him.
I pray the Lord will help us in the name of Jesus. What has God established to be the route through which we remain affixed to the branch is the Holy Spirit. As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the branches. As many as are led, as many as are guided, as many as are instructed by the Spirit of God, they are the branches affixed to the vine, they are the sons of God. There are so many Scriptures, we can write it down; John 7:38, 2 Timothy 1:14, Romans 8:9 and 11, 1 John 2:27, Galatians 4:6, then we can also write Philippians 2:13. They are all speaking about the ministry of the Holy Spirit in making sure that we are affixed to Christ. We can’t be joined to Christ on our own, the person that makes the marriage possible is the Holy Spirit.
That was why Jesus said I will not leave you as orphans, howbeit I am going, He said I pray the Father, He will send the comforter, the Holy Spirit, the helper to you and He will lead you into all truth. He will guide you; He will comfort you; He will teach you; He is the one that keeps us affixed. He is the one that helps us to know that you are still fixed. He is the one that helps us to know that you are still sourcing your vitality in Christ, without Him there is no witness, there is no understanding. In fact, we don’t know the expectation of the husbandman without the Holy Spirit. The Bible says; “no one knows the heart of a man save the spirit of the man, no one knows the heart of God save the Spirit of God.”
You don’t know the expectation of the husbandman concerning you a branch except by the Holy Spirit. So, how the Lord wants you to produce, the volume He wants you to produce, the target of your destiny is made possible in understanding to you by the Holy Spirit. There are many times that it looks as if you can do 101 things right. But there is one thing that is needful. Apostle Paul said all things are lawful but he said there are certain things that are expedient for me. Everything can look as if I could do it, I am the same one that can bake, I am the same one that can take care of children, but there is something I must be doing attached to the vine. That thing can be possible in understanding for you by the Holy Spirit.
The target, the expectation of the husbandman concerning you is made possible to your understanding by the Holy Spirit. So, if you have not received the Holy Spirit, you don’t know Him, you don’t have a relationship with Him, you cannot function in the vine. If your relationship with the Holy Spirit is not in deep fellowship, you cannot function and be fruitful in the vine. The Bible says the fruits of the Spirit is love. That means He must produce in you. The Bible says “God works in us both to will and to do of His pleasure made possible by the power at work within us.”
I want us to bow down our heads and speak to the Lord, the Holy Spirit is bearing witness with our hearts, with our spirit. Pray to the Lord, speak to the husbandman, Lord your expectation concerning me, your will concerning me, help me to know it by the Spirit. Many things we have not entered into because we have not started abiding in the vine yet. Speak to the Lord, everywhere the Holy Spirit is pointing your attention to, can you speak to Him and tell Him to help you!
