If you find a branch lying on the ground, you can be sure that it will not bear fruit, leaves, or anything else.  A branch no matter how hard it tried, cannot produce fruit by itself.  A branch must be connected to something greater than itself to bear fruit.  Not just anything, but the vine or tree.

But it isn’t automatic.  Some branches are attached to the vine or the tree, but they are dead.  The best thing a farmer or vinedresser can do is to cut off that branch.   This is the illustration Jesus uses.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful (v. 1-2)

Even the good branches of the vine get cut to produce life.  But the branches that produce nothing are completely cut off.

How does one stay alive?  And united to the branch?  It is by union with Jesus.  Jesus calls it abiding or remaining.

You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.  Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me (v. 3-4).

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.  If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.  If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.  This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples (v. 5-8).

What is it, then, to abide in Jesus?  To remain in him?

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love (John 15:9-10).

This isn’t to scare us.  It is an invitation.

I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete (v. 11)

He tells us his commands are not burdensom (1 John 5:3).

For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure (Php 2:13)

His commands are for our well-being.  But they are also there to protect the relationship.  Every relationship has boundaries.  They are boundaries of trust, honor, respect, confidence and more.

We are just a branch.  Without him we can do nothing.

With him, we can bear much fruit.