Week 1 Day 4: The Branch

John 15:2 "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away."

Key idea: I a am branch of the Vine. I am to be like Christ, receive all I need from Him, and bear for Him the fruit He desires.

Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, I want to be like You. I want to be a fruitful branch, not one that is cast away. Make me a fruit-bearing branch.

- a vine needs branches, without branches it can bear no fruit
- a branch is simply a bit of wood brought forth by the vine for 1 purpose- serving it in bearing it's fruit; it is of the very same nature as the vine and has 1 life & 1 spirit with it

Lessons of the Vine & Branches

1) Entire consecration: the state of being fully devoted to God for His purposes
o branch has one object- to bear fruit the vine is intended to bear


2) Perfect conformity
o branch is exactly like the vine in every aspect- same nature, same life, same place, same work
o branch & vine inseparably one; believer needs to know he is a partaker of the divine nature
o only difference: one is great and strong and the source of strength, the other is little and feeble, always needing & receiving strength
o even so, the believer is & is to be the perfect likeness of Christ

Romans 8:29
For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;

Qualities of Christ
- loving
- patient
- obedient
-gentle
- good
- humble
- forgiving
- kind
- peaceful
- faithful
- strong
- joyful

3) Absolute dependence
o the vines has stores of life & strength- not for itself but for its branches
o branches have nothing but what the vine provides
o believer called to enter a life of entire & unceasing dependence on Christ

Which of the following statements best describes you dependence on the Vine?

__ I have my own strengths. I need the Vine only to fill in the weak spots.
__ I am dependent on the Vine for life and everything I need.

4) Undoubting confidence
o the vine provides all, branch only has to yield itself and receive
o this truth => blesses rest of faith, genuine secret of growth & strength:
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13)

- you only have one things to do: just be a branch- nothing more and nothing less. Just be a branch; Christ will be the Vine who provides all. And the Vinedresser, the might God, who made the Vine what it is, will surely make the branch what it ought to be.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, reveal to me the heavenly mystery of the branch in its living union with the Vine, in its claim on all its fullness. And let You all-sufficiency, holding and filling Your branches, lead me to the rest of faith that knows You work out all things.