Message: “The True Vine” from Chris Dillon
Chris Dillon - December 6, 2020
The True Vine
If you’re familiar with vine imagery in the Old Testament, you probably know that the nation of Israel--God’s chosen people of the old covenant--were oftentimes referred to as a vine. And almost every time this connection is made, it’s made in the context of God’s judgment for Israel’s failure to produce fruit. And so when Jesus steps onto the scene and says: I am the true vine, He is in essence saying I’ve come to be for you, what you could never be for yourself. He’s saying I am the true source of life, and apart from abiding in me, your life will be fruitless of anything truly meaningful. Jesus also promised that those who abide in Him, would experience the pain of pruning that would lead to abundance. While painful, Jesus wanted His disciples to understand that many times growth comes through painful means that we would never choose for ourselves. Abiding in the true vine, leads to a fruitful life, which in turn allows us to experience the joy our creator desires us to live in as His chosen and dearly loved sons and daughters!