Isreal in the old testamant is often depicted as a vine In Psalm 80:8-18 we see a picture of a vine that would spread out and fill the whole of the promised land with its branches to bring shade to even the mountains and the mighty ceadars. This is a picture of God's plan for his chosen people Israel that they might bring a blessing to the world and that rooted in God they would produce fruit. But this is a task Israel continually failed to do. Here in this passage we see that Jesus calls himself the true vine. He is the fulfilment of this imagery of what the church (God's chosen people) should be. In the old covenant Israel were to be God's chosen people, the church, planted firmly in the promised land that they might produce fruit. In the new convenant Jesus achieves what Israel failed to achieve by becoming the embodiment of God's chosen people. The church can achieve where Isreal failed because we are in Christ. Whereas before when God planted Israel they produce a fruit in accordance with their nature. Isaiah 4:6
"he looked for justice,
but behold, bloodshed;
for righteousness,
but behold, an outcry!"
But now when God plants his church in this world the fruit is different because the church he plants is the body of Christ. This body of Christ has a new nature that produces fruits of the spirit. Not in its own strength but because as a church we continue to abide in Jesus, the true vine... he is the source of our fruitfulness.
Let us remember that the next time we get out of bed determined to live the day doing good in our own strength. It will never work unless each moment we draw our fruitfulness, our actions, from the source of all fruitfulness...
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