“I am the vine, ye are the branches”
John 15:1-4
These first four verses of John 15 are a reminder to all of us that we are absolutely nothing without Jesus Christ. He is our all. Anything good we do, anything worthwhile that we accomplish is because he has given us the power to do so. Our source of life and spiritual fruit does not come from us, rather it comes directly from him. We must be connected to Jesus Christ to have spiritual life within ourselves. We cannot produce any of the long term good that we seek, nor can we obtain true joy, without him. As we abide in him by keeping his commandments, we follow his example as he had communion with Heavenly Father by obeying him!
John 15:8–14 “The same bringeth forth much fruit”
President John Taylor taught that we need to be humble, faithful, diligent, and obedient if we are going to be fruitful branches:
“As a Saint you say, ‘I think I understand my duty and I am doing very well.’ That may be so. You see the little twig; it is green, it flourishes and is the very picture of life, it bears its part and proportion in the tree, and is connected with the stem, branches and root; but could the tree live without it? Yes, it could. It need not boast itself and get uplifted, and say ‘how green I am and how I flourish, and what a healthy position I am in, how well I am doing and I am in my proper place and am doing right.’ But could you do without the root? No; you bear your proper part and position in the tree. Just so is this people. When they are doing their part; when they are magnifying their calling, living their religion and walking in obedience to the Spirit of the Lord, they have a portion of his Spirit given to them to profit withal. And while they are humble, faithful, diligent and observe the laws and commandments of God they stand in their proper position on the tree; they are flourishing, the buds, blossoms, leaves and everything about them are all right, and they form a part and parcel of the tree” (Deseret News, Dec. 16, 1857, 323).