Stay Connected!

For Thursday, April 30, 2026:

John 15:5 NLT, Jesus speaking: “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”

Jesus is restating the vine/branches example. But the last sentence adds a stern warning: “Apart from me you can do nothing.”

Believers have been endowed with incredible power. Jesus wants us to do the things he did, impossible as this seems. He sent disciples to disparate cities to spread the Good News that the Kingdom of God was now with them; that Jesus was the long-expected Messiah; and that there now is forgiveness through Jesus which leads to renewed hope for eternal life. Those sent were told to heal the sick including leprosy, raise the dead and cast out demons. Seems like a tall order, but those serving were on a first-name basis with Jesus. They were connected to the vine, as are we! Before Jesus ascended into heaven, he left instructions for us to do these same things.

Jesus said believers could ask a mountain to move in his name, and it would obey. Nothing frivolous, of course. But if you needed to move a mountain to block a stream and save 200K people in the downstream village from drowning, it’s possible, but only if your branch is still connected to the vine.

There are no Lone Rangers in Heaven. We can’t go off on our own and accomplish anything. But believers have been drafted to play on Team Jesus. That one vine can feed many little branches, and Jesus has invited you to be a part of the action! So get in the game, (already!)

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Vines and Branches!

For Thursday, April 23, 2026:

John 15:4 NLT, Jesus speaking: “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.”

When Jesus walked on earth, almost everyone was a part of the agricultural industry, albeit on a small scale. If your family had apple trees, you could take some to market and barter for olives or figs. Or grapes and a little meat. Even children would know how to grow things, how to raise a crop. So Jesus uses an example that everyone would understand.

He calls himself the grapevine, and Father God would be the gardener, the one with a lot of wisdom about such things. If a branch no longer produces fruit, it’s worthless, so the gardener cuts it off, and into the fire it goes. Branches producing a bountiful harvest are pruned judiciously, so they can produce even more.

Jesus tells them, “You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you.” Ah, I get it! Believers are the fruit of Jesus’ ministry!

But this isn’t the time to coast. Don’t even consider quitting. There’s still plenty of work to do. Stay connected with Jesus and with fellow believers. A branch cannot produce more fruit for the Kingdom if it’s separated from the vine.

Today, there are about 2.6 billion Christians on our Earth. Every one of them is the result of Jesus being the vine that can support many branches. Just before Jesus left us to return to the Father, he commanded, “Go and make disciples of all nations.” Our work will be done when everyone has had a chance to learn the Good News!

Jesus says the harvest will be plentiful so we could use a few more workers!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Connected!

For Friday, November 14, 2025:

John 15:5-6 NLT, Jesus speaking: “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me, you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned.”

In Jesus’ day, the economy was largely agricultural. Most people would have known the basics of tending sheep, and vineyards were abundant. So this vine/branches analogy helps clarify our relationship with Christ.

If a branch is severed from its host vine, it will wither and die, only to be tossed into the fire. But mankind will thrive when connected to the Creator, the source of life.

Knowing this, how could any of us ever get separated from the host? Neglect seems to be a key factor. Your vineyard needs water and fertilizer. Pruning away the unproductive branches leaves more nutrients for those focused on Jesus’ mission. Maintenance of our heavenly connection should top our list of “things to do today.”

Jesus promises a reward for our persistence. “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!” He sums it up like this: “When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.” Let’s put a smile on God’s face today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Vine, Branches, Vineyard!

For Sunday, November 9, 2025:

John 15:1 NLT, Jesus speaking: “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener.”

Jesus is teaching people who have tended vineyards, who know more than a wee bit about growing grapes. So it makes sense that he’d use an agricultural analogy as his example.

The Father is the gardener. He not only planted this vineyard, but he cares for it deeply and watches over it constantly. In fact, he planted his Son in the midst of everything!

Believers are the fruit of the Son’s mission. As long as believers are connected to the Son, the vine, they will thrive. But if severed, a lake of fire lies in their future. Total destruction!

Christians do their best to stay connected. We’re advised to join a local church, a community of like-minded believers. We’re told to study our Bibles daily. Belong to a small group. Hang out with like-minded people. Believers love the Lord and love their neighbors without fail. It’s an all-in, 24/7 commitment.

God knew that mankind would do better as a group, where we could lean on one another, where we could be accountable to one another. Satan’s temptations still haunt us, but God said that we won’t be tempted beyond our ability to resist.

As followers of Jesus, we have become children of God. So our religion has now become family business!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Grow the Kingdom!

For Tuesday, April 8, 2025:

John 15:5 NIV, Jesus speaking: “I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”

Jesus continues his urgent last-minute teaching as he prepares to go to the cross. He wants current believers to be locked in, so that they won’t forget about him and drift away. Historically, that has been the Israelite’s trend. God is good to them, everything’s going OK, and then they say, “Thanks, God, but I can take it from here!” And God gets put on the back burner. Jesus expects better than that from his followers.

2K years ago, the economy of Israel was largely agricultural. Therefore Jesus uses an agricultural metaphor to make his point, something everyone at that time would understand. A grapevine is a large stem that grows from the ground. It sprouts smaller branches that actually produce the grapes. That branch must remain connected to the vine to produce fruit. By the way, if it no longer produces fruit, it must be pruned from the vine so as not to waste resources.

God gave Moses commandments on Mt. Sinai and on the journey from Egypt to the Promised Land. Apart from that, Jesus is our only source of heavenly teaching. So he tells us to remain connected to his words which are now immortalized in our Bibles. Tell everyone and teach truth to newcomers. Remain connected to other believers and to the Church. Stay true to the source so you’re not pruned from the vine.

Apart from Jesus, we can accomplish nothing beneficial to the Kingdom. But with Jesus, each of us can accomplish great things!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship