The True Vine

May 11, 2009

The True Vine

Did you know that there are vineyards
in nearly half of the counties in New
York State? New York State is the
2nd largest producer of wine in the
United States. California, of course,
is number one in this field. I had no
idea that New York State had that
many vineyards though.

Did you know that two thousand years
before Jesus was born, the Egyptians
were praising the abundance of wine in
the country where he was born? It seems
that Syria-Palestine has ideal conditions
for vineyards? The Egyptians had to create
raised beds and bring in soil for growing
grapes. Even with all of that effort, their
wine never rivalled that of Jesus' land.
The land of Canaan was the heart
of vine growing long before Jesus said:

"I am the true vine,
and my Father is the vine grower."

Everyone listening to Jesus would have
immediately had a mental picture of a
local vineyard. For the people of Jesus'
day grapevines were as familiar a sight
as McDonald's golden arched "M" is for
us today. Vineyards were everywhere.
They provided good fruit, good wine and
good money for their owners, plenty of
employment for the local folks too.

My Father removes every branch in me
that bears no fruit. Every branch that
bears fruit, my Father prunes to make
it bear more fruit.

I've been studying the Bible for nearly
sixty years now. Yet whenever I read
an old familiar passage like this, something
new pops out. In the past, I've always
associated pruning with getting rid of
the barren branches - the ones with no
fruit. For the first time, it sank in that
there was more to pruning than taking
out the barren branches. Pruning was meant
to make fruitful branches bear MORE fruit.

Not a stunning insight - but I had always
associated pruning with getting rid of
what was useless, bad or dead. This time
I heard Jesus saying that pruning was
meant to improve and increase the
production of grapes.

You have already been cleansed
by the word which I have spoken to you.
Abide in me as I abide in you.

Jesus is the vine. God is the vine grower.
We are the branches who are supposed
to be growing and producing an abundance
of grapes. The grapes represent all that
is good in this life - love and laughter,
close and caring relationships, living to gain
ever increasing wisdom and an attitude of
constant wonder - an ongoing process of
growth leading to spiritual maturity, giving
our every moment of life on earth meaning.
Jesus is the vine. God is the vine grower.
We are the branches drawing sustenance
from them both.

I love this allegory! It gives such a clear
and comforting image of our relationship
to God and the primary purpose of our
existence - to grow and bear fruit.

Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself
unless it abides in the vine,
neither can you unless you abide in me.

Another aspect of this insight is the
affirmation that pruning is NOT punitive.
Pruning is meant to minimize waste
and maximize growth.

I am the vine,
you are the branches.
Those who abide in me
and I in them bear much fruit
because apart from me
you can do nothing.

If branches do not bear fruit or choose
to leave the vine, there are dire consequences.

Whoever does not abide in me
is thrown away like a branch and withers.
Such branches are gathered,
thrown into the fire and burned.

Too often folks associate this with the eternal
fires of Hell. For me, it is simply stating the
consequences of trying to live without any
connection to God. Even those who choose
to leave or are pruned away serve a purpose.
They are gathered and provide fuel for fires that
cook food and keep people warm. Being
thrown in the fire to be burned is not a punishment.
It is a consequence of being disconnected.
When we sever our relationship with God,
we are useless in the sense that we can
no longer bear fruit. But we are still useful as
fuel for much needed fires.

If you abide in me and my words abide in you,
ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you.
My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit
and become my disciples.

This probably gets misunderstood more than
any other part of this passage. It does NOT mean
that God becomes our Fairy Godmother granting
every wish and whim we think up. It is about
an eternal relationship with God, a forever
connection to Jesus and a non-stop commitment
to live life on God's terms - bearing fruit as one
of many branches who are providing spiritual
nourishment for the world at large. This is the
foundation out of which our requests to God
will be made - asking for whatever we need to
keep going and growing. It is NOT about asking
for "things" for ourselves. It is about asking
for strength and support for ourselves so that
we can keep adding to the abundance of God's
goodness and grace in this world.

As my Father has loved me so I have loved you.
Abide in my love.
If you keep my commandments
you will abide in my love,
just as I have kept my Father's commandments
and abide in my Father's love.

This is my favorite verse. All I have to do is
let Jesus soak up the sun, drink in the rain and
give me what I need to grow, grow, grow. God
harvests the grapes, prunes me when I need it
and all I have to do is stay connected and
productive. Jesus keeps the God-ness I need
flowing so I can just keep on growing. A nice secure
arrangement if you ask me.

I have said these things to you
so that my joy may be in you,
and your joy may be complete.

A happy ending! If you need the sight of
a real vineyard to enhance your understanding
and appreciation of this grapevine allegory,
head out towards Wolcott, NY and get yourself
intentionally lost. I did last week. I always
have to explore where I will come out if I go
the opposite way of what will take me home.
I ended up on Lummisville Road. I passed
Chimney Bluff State Park. I saw spectacular
views of Port Bay. I did u-turns on several
Dead Ends. I went around in circles for about
an hour surrounded by acres of orchards,
fertile farmland and vineyards. I ended up
going back to Wolcott and returning home
on my usual route, chuckling at myself for
not realizing how close to Lake Ontario I was.
It was a great day for a ride in the country and
it produced a bumper crop of good fruit - in the
form of inner peace.

I have written this column so that my inner
peace may be shared with you, and it will either
affirm the peace you already have or move you
to bear some of that good fruit for yourself today.