Jesus Christ is the Vine, the true Vine. The union of the human and Divine natures, and the fulness of the Spirit that is in him, resemble the root of the vine made fruitful by the moisture from a rich soil. Believers are branches of this Vine. The root is unseen, and our life is hid with Christ; the root bears the tree, diffuses sap to it, and in Christ are all supports and supplies. The branches of the vine are many, yet, meeting in the root, are all but one vine; thus all true Christians, though in place and opinion distant from each other, meet in Christ. Believers, like the branches of the vine, are weak, and unable to stand but as they are borne up. The Father is the Husbandman. Never was any husbandman so wise, so watchful, about his vineyard, as God is about his church, which therefore must prosper. We must be fruitful. From a vine we look for grapes, and from a Christian we look for a Christian temper, disposition, and life. We must honour God, and do good; this is bearing fruit. The unfruitful are taken away. And even fruitful branches need pruning; for the best have notions, passions, and humours, that require to be taken away, which Christ has promised to forward the sanctification of believers, they will be thankful, for them. The word of Christ is spoken to all believers; and there is a cleansing virtue in that word, as it works grace, and works out corruption. And the more fruit we bring forth, the more we abound in what is good, the more our Lord is glorified. In order to fruitfulness, we must abide in Christ, must have union with him by faith. It is the great concern of all Christ’s disciples, constantly to keep up dependence upon Christ, and communion with him. True Christians find by experience, that any interruption in the exercise of their faith, causes holy affections to decline, their corruptions to revive, and their comforts to droop. Those who abide not in Christ, though they may flourish for awhile in outward profession, yet come to nothing. The fire is the fittest place for withered branches; they are good for nothing else. Let us seek to live more simply on the fulness of Christ, and to grow more fruitful in every good word and work, so may our joy in Him and in his salvation be full. (By Matthew Henry)
Yesterday as I was meditating on a quote from John Newton I was really troubled by one passage. The quote is; “I am not what I want to be, I am not what I ought to be, I am not what one day I will be, but I am not what I was. By the grace of God I am what I am.” The part that really troubled me was “I am not what I was.” Many times in my walk with Christ I don’t see the fruit, I just don’t see the difference from what I was. My confession is sometimes just that; a confession, and not a living vital growing relationship with my Heavenly Father through His Son by the Holy Spirit. This morning as I was reading the latest issue of “Tabletalk” from Ligonier Ministries (RC Sproul) the theme was the parable of the sower. I believe God showed me some glorious truths that helped me and I hope it will help you.
“Behold a sower went forth to sow…” Notice who the sower is, “The Son of Man”, our Lord Jesus Christ. The seed is the word of God. The soil is our heart.
Matthew 13:23 says that “…he that receiveth seed into the good ground”, so is the ground of a mans heart good outside the work of Christ? Is there any good in man outside of Christ? Can a man make the soil of his heart right, or is the soil of His heart inherently good? Who’s the gardener? Who tills the soil? Who makes the soil good?
“…he heareth the word and understandeth it,” Can there be any understanding without the enlightenment which the Holy Spirit brings? Is the Holy Spirit given prior to conversion, prior to the soil being made good? Are we born with this ability to understand?
“…which also beareth fruit,” Is there any saving fruit that is not a product of the work of the Holy Spirit? Fruit generated by mans efforts is called what?
…this work does produce enduring fruit, and that is the warning of this parable.
I am not responsible for the fruit, I am only responsible for staying in the vine and this is my prayer. He will produce the fruit if I am His, and this fruit will endure.
Test yourself to see whether you are in the faith. To God alone be the glory for the Sower, seed, soil, and fruit!