John 15

Jesus, in a moment where His disciples are asking what is to become of Him, goes into a monologue using the metaphor of the vine and branches--straining the fruits from the efficacy of our faith. Israel was often spoken of as a vineyard (in Is 5:1-7), or as a vine (Ps 80:9-17, etc.)

"The vineyard of the Lord Almighty

is the nation of Israel,

and the people of Judah

are the vines he delighted in.

And he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed;

for righteousness, but heard cries of distress." (Is 5:7)

"Why have you broken down its walls

so that all who pass by pick its grapes?

Boars from the forest ravage it,

and insects from the fields feed on it.

Return to us, God Almighty!

Look down from heaven and see!

Watch over this vine,

the root your right hand has planted,

the son you have raised up for yourself." (Ps. 80:12-15)

If we are branches from the vine, all that we do comes from God (and is caused by God) initially. We must remain in God's love, and, through doing what Jesus commanded, be Jesus' disciples. Jesus ends this section by calling His disciples "friends." This is very strange in the history of world theology--gods compelled people to do things, they played around with the lives of humans, in many ways, they treated humans as toys or slaves.

Does this mean we could ever be cut off from the love of God?
Have you loved *as Jesus has loved*?

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