The goal of A Fruitful Year is to focus on abiding and bearing fruit with a focus on the fruit of the Spirit.

There are two scripture passages that are foundational for A Fruitful Year. One is John 15:1-17; this is the passage where Jesus says, “I am the vine.” The other passage is Galatians 5:16-25 which is the passage with the fruit of the spirit. My plan is that once a month I will just focus a bit on either one of these passages giving encouragement from there to keep going.

Let’s start this month with John 15:1-17. We are jumping in the middle of a book and so let’s quick get some context. The author, John, was one of Jesus’ 12 disciples. He refers to himself as “the one Jesus loved.” He is writing from his own experience with Jesus, listening to him teach, seeing the miracles, and writing so that people might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (John 20:31).

This specific passage in John is part of a longer passage when Jesus knew he was about the die (John 13:1). This is part of that last teaching, the words that Jesus wants to leave with his disciples.

Jesus begins by saying, “I am the true vine.” There are not many vines where I live in England and so it doesn’t have the same meaning to me today. To the disciples listening to Jesus it was something that they understood. They walked through the country and saw vines. The disciples knew that vines were for growing fruit. That is the purpose of the vine.

Even more then just that bit of gardening knowledge they had an understanding of the vine in the Old Testament. The desire of everyone in Israel was to have a house with a vine (I Kings 4:25). A bit like the house with a picket fence that we might dream of today. The disciples knew these references from the Old Testament.

When Jesus said those five words, I am the true vine,  he is telling the disciples that he, Jesus, is the fulfilment of the desire for a vine. What they desire and long for can be found in Jesus. Jesus is the true vine. Think about that, Jesus is the fulfilment and our longings. Do you see that truth in what is being said here? Pause and think about Jesus fulfilling all our longing. How does that change your think about your desires?

What does a vine do? The vine is the source of life for the branches. Our source of life comes from Jesus. It is because of what Jesus has done that we have life. The nutrients for the branches come from the vine. The nutrients allow the branches to continue to grow.  The branches are nothing without the vine. The nutrients that we need to grow spiritually come from Jesus and our relationship with him.

Do you see Jesus as the fulfilment of all your desires? Are you running and desiring other things? Can you find fulfilment in Jesus?

As we begin this year, I challenge myself and you to find fulfilment in Jesus. Sent your priorities to finding fulfilment in Jesus and not in getting things done.