The Shepherd and His Sheep - Part 17

The Lord is my Shepherd. Jesus is the divine Vine and I am a branch. A branch grows from the Vine.

While it remains connected – attached, the branch is alive and grows leaves and fruit. If the branch is cut off or separated in any way, it dies. While the branch is connected it grows from the vine. The branch is the same material because it is part of the vine and the vine gives part of itself to the branch. The vine gives life – gives birth to the branch so the branch can grow leaves and fruit. They are all part of the same plant, but the branch is only a branch and not the vine.

This is the mystery of how we are connected to and a part of Jesus. His existence gave us life on many levels. Jesus, the Word, was part of creation. He created us, gave us physical life and a spiritual existence. He became a human, lived among us, died for us and rose from the dead. He did this to restore our spiritual life and restore our ability to be friends with God. Jesus took away the sin barrier and restored the flow of life so that we are spiritually created again in the image of God. We cannot exist separated from Him. Any restricted flow of His Grace, Truth and Life giving flow will result in stunted growth and fruit production. He came to give life and life in abundance. All we need and more, we get from the Vine.

John 1, John 15 and John 10

“’I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.’” John 15:1-4 (NLT)   

By Commissioner Debi Bell