John 15:1-17
I
have a pair of gloves that were given to me.
They
are very special.
I
was told that they were handmade;
…and
probably out of organic material.
They
were made in sizes to fit anyone;
…and
mine were just my size.
They
were made in lots of designs;
…and
mine was chosen to match my personality.
My
friend said they would do anything I wanted them to do.
That
they would help me to do better work;
…and
bring much delight to my life!
I
couldn’t wait to try out this special gift.
I
thought about all the things that could be done with these gloves.
So,
I said: “Gloves, I need to go and visit my friend to thank her for
giving you to me so that I can get a lot more things done. Would you
wash the clothes, and prepare supper from the recipes on the counter,
and while you’re cooking, would you make a loaf of bread and take
it to my neighbor that has been sick and tell them that I send my
love; and a batch of cookies for the children when they get home from
school. Dear Gloves, thank you for helping make my life much more
fruitful.”
When
I returned from my pleasant visit with my friend, I noticed my
special gloves right where I left them and nothing had been done that
I requested. I was very disappointed and called my friend to tell
her that the gift has not proven to be all that she said it would.
My
friend lovingly said, “The gloves will only work when your hands
are inserted, then they will do ANYTHING your hands will do!”
Recorded
in John 15, Jesus said that He is The Vine of God The Father (The
Holy Spirit) and everyone who belongs to Him will become a Branch of
Him and produce fruit of His likeness. He said “if” the Branch
remains living in Him, The Vine, then it would produce more fruit
(because The Holy Spirit is now the life of the Branch.) He added
that if the Branch remains living in Him, and His Words are living in
them, then they would bear much fruit and bring glory to The Father
who is the Gardener. If the branch does not produce any fruit of His
likeness, it will be pruned, cutting off the useless branch so that
it will bear fruit. If the branch still does not produce any fruit,
because of unbelief in The Vine, it has no life and will die and be
removed from The Vine. Verse 5 says if He is not living in the Branch
it can do NOTHING. However, in verse 7 Jesus says, IF His Spirit and
His words are living in the Branch, THEN the Branch can ask for
ANYTHING and The Vine/Sprit will do it! That’s Almighty Power from
God The Father, and The Branch becoming entirely HIS making the
Person, Power and Presence of God known to the world!
Just
like the gloves, The Branch (Believer/Disciple of Jesus) can do
ANYTHING The Vine/Holy Spirit can do! THAT’S POWER that delights
The Father!
…Do
you believe it?
