Abide - Meditation #2 on John 15
Read the intro to this series of mediations on John 15, here
meditation #2
John 15:1-2, (Amplified Translation)
“[a]I am the true Vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that continues to bear fruit, He [repeatedly] prunes, so that it will bear more fruit [even richer and finer fruit].
“I Am …”
Jesus says this often, in fact this is the 7th of a series of statements He makes.
“I Am …”
He wants us to know Who He is.
He wants me to know Who He is.
His desire is to reveal Himself.
He is mysterious and big and wild and gentle and unpredictable and a bit revolutionary and there is so much that must have been confusing to the people who heard His voice.
Yet His purpose was to reveal. To reveal Himself and in doing so He reveals the Father.
I love that Jesus starts with Who HE is, then points to The Father and only after these revelations talks about who I am.
When I know Who Jesus is, I know the Father. And ONLY after this revelation, can I begin to know myself. My purpose. My design.
What’s the point in knowing I’m a branch if I don’t know Who the Vine is, or the One who planted and tends this vineyard that I am a part of? Just a branch would be pointless. (more on this later!)
“I Am the true vine …”
This idea of the “true” vine has always felt like a little speed bump to me. If Jesus is making a point to identify that He is the “true” vine, then there’s a reason for this distinction.
Here, the original Greek word for “true” comes from the root word:
“alēthēs” which is to be unconcealed; something not concealed!
So there it is again… this understanding about Jesus, this facet of Who He is, is NOT concealed. He is showing Himself to us!
The full word that “true” is translated from is:
“alēthinos” and it means:
that which has not only the name and resemblance, but the real nature corresponding to the name, in every respect corresponding to the idea signified by the name. Real, true, genuine.
So why this speed bump, Jesus? Why did you make this point?
Is it because You knew there would be other vines, trying to present themselves? Other sources that would call themselves “The Vine”, but would not be the One, True Vine?
Other things that would draw me or cause me to want to attach to them, rather than You?
Other things that I would look to for life?
For strength?
For nourishment?
For growth?
For purpose?
Jesus, only YOU are the real deal! Only You are Who and What You say You are.
Only You have the real nature corresponding to the name, “Vine”.
Only You can ever, ever satisfy my greatest needs.
If I try to grow from any other source, I cannot survive.
When I am attached to the True Vine, I will thrive.
Thank You for revealing Yourself to me and for making it clear that You are it! You are the one I was designed to grow from. You are The True Vine.
Now I need some more revelation…
what have I tried to grow from?
what have I thought was true but it is not?
what have I been misled to believe is my true source of life and growth and nourishment?
where have I allowed my purpose in life to become skewed, based on being attached to an “untrue vine”?
... how thankful I am that You are faithful to your nature ... You reveal...
... Yourself, The Father, and me.
