God’s Desire That His People Produce Abundant, Good Fruit

(Isaiah 5:1-7)

God: The Husbandman/Gardener/Vine Dresser (Psalm 80:14, John 15:1)

God cultivates

Selects Vines (Isaiah 5:2, John 15:16)

Plants (Isaiah 5:2)

Protects (Watchtower, Isaiah 5:2, Hedge & Wall, Isaiah 5:5, see also Matt. 21:33)

Prunes/Cleans Branches Bearing Fruit (John 15:2)

In Greek, the word for pruning can also refer to cleansing.

In the usual practice of viticulture the branches are pruned back each year in order to
cleanse them. That is, a vine produces certain shoots (called "sucker" shoots) which
start to grow where the branch joins the stem. If allowed to continue to grow, they
would dissipate the life of the vine through so many branches that the vine would
produce little or no fruit but would produce leaves instead. So every vine dresser
knows it is important to prune away these little sucker shoots in order that the vine may
produce more fruit. And since they grow right where the branch joins the stem, creating
a tight cluster where dirt, leaves, and other debris collect, the pruning is therefore a
cleansing process.

Merrill Tenney wrote in his commentary on the Gospel of John this observation on the
vine dresser or viticulturist and the pruning process.

. . . In pruning a vine, two principles are generally observed: first, all dead wood
must be ruthlessly removed; and second, the live wood must be cut back
drastically. Dead wood harbors insects and disease and may cause the vine to
rot, to say nothing of being unproductive and unsightly. Live wood must be
trimmed back in order to prevent such heavy growth that the life of the vine
goes into the wood rather than into fruit. The vineyards in the early spring look
like a collection of barren, bleeding stumps; but in the fall they are filled with
luxuriant purple grapes. As the farmer wields the pruning knife on his vines, so
God cuts dead wood out from among His saints, and often cuts back the living
wood so far that His method seems cruel. Nevertheless, from those who have
suffered the most there often comes the greatest fruitfulness (Merrill C. Tenney,
John: The Gospel of Belief. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Pub. Co.,
1948, pp. 227–28).

When pruning, God seeks to cut off those characteristics in us which are contrary to
the fruit of the Spirit such as resentment, anger, bitterness, selfishness and pride

God prunes by means of his word (John 15:3)

Israel: The Vine (Isaiah 5:7, Psalm 80:8-9, see also Ezekiel 15:1–6; 19:10–14)
 Down through Jewish history the vine became the symbol of Israel. During the Macabees period of
history, the symbol of the vine was on the coins of Israel. It was over the main doors of the
synagogues. Josephus in describing Herod's Temple in Jesus' day says, "under the crown–work was
spread out a golden vine, with its branches hanging down form a great height, the largeness and the
workmanship of which were an astonishing sight to the spectators" (Antiquities of the Jews, 5.5.4).

Jesus: The True Vine (Isaiah 53:2a, John 15:1 & 5)

The vine feeds the branches and thereby produces the fruit. Grapes do not have to work at growing,
they just have to stay connected to the vine. Likewise, if they become disconnected, they wither away
(John 15:4-5)

We stay connected, or abide in Christ (John 15:4), by hearing and keeping God’s commandments
(John 15:7, 9-10) and by prayer, including confession/repentance.

Christians: The Branches (John 15:5)

The Fruit (see also Col. 1:10-12 and Titus 3:14)

A vineyard is planted not for ornamentation, but to bear good fruit. (Isaiah 5:2)

Every branch failing to bear fruit with be cutoff (Isaiah 5:5-6, John 15:2 & 6)

God came looking for the good fruit of justice and righteousness in Israel & Judah; instead he found
the sour fruit of bloodshed and cries of distress (Isaiah 5:7).

The good fruit that God is looking for in us is the fruit of the Spirit described in Galatians 5:22-23.
The fruit, in other words, is Christ-likeness.

Answered prayer is one of the first signs of a fruitful life. (John 15:7)

Joy is another sign (Gal. 5:22, John 15:11)

Our fruitfulness brings glory to God. (John 15:8)