In John 15:1 Jesus begins to teach by illustration what He had been teaching through proclamation.  He said that whoever loved Him and kept His Word would enjoy fellowship with He and the Father.  How close would this fellowship be?  As they leave the Upper Room and make their way to the Garden of Gethsemane, they pass through the Kidron valley up the Mount of Olives and past grape vines growing near the city.  As they are walking Jesus illustrates what He has been teaching and adds an important piece of information.  He tells the disciples that He is the True Vine, the Father is the Vinekeeper and they are the branches.  The Vine and the branches are one!  That is close fellowship.  Of course the goal of the Vinekeeper is maximum fruit production.  Having the appearance of life without fruit is not the point...bearing fruit is the purpose of the Vine and this fruit is found on the branches.  There are two parts to God's part and one part to our part.  God lifts up and prunes.  We abide.  When God is doing His part and we are doing our part, there will be much fruit.  That fruit is described in various places in Word but one of the clearest is in Galatians 5:22.  So, who is fruity?  The believers who are abiding in the Vine.  Have you seen some fruit lately?

I have struggled for a long time with the tension between my desire to see life honored at all stages and the legalization of the taking of life.  I believe strongly that our only response should be peaceful, prayerful love.  I believe that we should find ways to overcome evil with good.  I believe the way of Christ and the apostles is right, just and good.  However, emotionally I still struggle and wonder if we should be more aggressive in facing this scourge of abortion that we face in this country.  Those who are killing the pre-born are the enemies of life!  They are persecutors of life and abusers of women.  Worst of all they attack the image of God at the most vulnerable stage of life.  The warrior spirit comes out of me when I think of such things.  Then I go to the cross.  I realize that the One who took on flesh died for me and for the enemies of life!  He took the just wrath of God upon Himself so they could be forgiven too.  Wow, the provision of Christ at Calvary was greater than I can comprehend!  "Amazing Love...Wonderful Grace of Jesus...reaching the most defiled."  Then I shudder to think what will happen to them if they refuse to receive what Christ has offered.  The wrath that Christ was willing to take for them they will have to take themselves!  The justice that we long for has been or will be cared for.  This is why we can pray for our enemies.  The Just and Holy God has made every provision for injustice.  It may not come in the way we want it or in the time we want it to come but the Word of the Lord stands forever and the promises are true.