Rooted Part 4: Pruning Time

My Bible, My Help, My Hope

Rooted Week 4: Pruning

John 15:1–5 ESV

1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

Introduction

(Illustration) Take the potted plant you’ve been using and get a good pair of garden clippers/snips. To introduce the sermon, which is about pruning, cut off part of the plant. Talk through the process, try to bring the illustration to life by talking about how hard it might be for the plant to lose a part of itself. Highlight the point that as the gardener, you can see the bigger picture and you know that the part you cut off needed to go.

Last week we talked about growth and how it is God who brings growth and how we can all play a part in the process.

This week we will be talking about another aspect of growth called pruning. Pruning is defined as, “to trim (a tree, shrub, or bush) by cutting away dead or overgrown branches or stems, especially to increase fruitfulness and growth.”

Like many aspects of our faith journey, pruning isn’t always easy, but it’s necessary in order for healthy new growth to occur.

Main Teaching/Body

To frame our time today we will be drawing from Jesus’ words found in John 15:1-5;

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

God’s Got a Green Thumb - John 15:1

Two things are communicated in the first verse of chapter 15.

First, Jesus makes it clear that he is the vine.

He wants the listener to understand there is no life apart from him.

Just as all the nutrients needed for a plant to grow travel through the roots to the limbs by the trunk/stem, so all we need for life, life to the full, comes by and through Jesus.

Second, the one who is responsible for cultivating the growth in the lives of people is God.

There is no other being who is more qualified to oversee the growth process than the one who is the author of life in the first place.

God is a divine gardener and he is an expert at facilitating growth.

These two things are incredibly important to keep in mind as we talk about pruning.

It’s crucial to remember who is behind it all and that God, the Diving Gardener, has the bigger picture in mind.

“We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

Elimination and Cultivation

Think back to our definition of pruning, “to trim (a tree, shrub, or bush) by cutting away dead or overgrown branches or stems, especially to increase fruitfulness and growth.”

One of the main jobs of a gardener is to remove dead, fruitless or broken limbs from a plant.

Often a plant will be hindered by a dead portion of it’s branches because that dead portion gets in the way.

Sometimes a plant will waste energy and nutrients to help branches that don’t produce any fruit.

In our lives we often have similar areas that are hindrances to us.

It may be sin that needs to be removed, it may be discipline in our lives that we need to accept, it may even be something good in our lives that is distracting us from something great.

Sometimes it is The gardener will prune these things that we might have a better opportunity to grow.

If the earthly gardener is interested in fruitfulness and healthy growth just imagine how much more so the Divine Gardener and cultivator of the entire Cosmos is interested in the same thing.

When Talking About Pruning,

Less Can Truly be More - Hebrews 12:1

The pruning that God does in our lives is not because he is angry with us and wants to punish us.

Actually, it’s quite the opposite.

According to Hebrews there is a race that has been marked out for us that results in a heavenly prize.

In order to run this race well we have to remove those things that will disqualify or hinder us from reaching the finish line.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us…”

This is not an easy and comfortable process, but in the end as the things are removed that aren’t healthy for us we find something more from life that could not have been found without the pruning.

A Healthy Connection to the Vine will Produce Good Fruit - John 15:4-5

A Christian is someone whose strength comes by living in connection to Jesus Christ.

Galatians 5:22-23 speaks about nine fruits or products of the spirit that should be a part of our lives;

“...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

Think for a moment about the fruits listed in the Galatians passage.

These are areas that most every believer has some desire to grow in.

The only way these fruits are able to grow day to day in our lives is for us to remain connected to Jesus through full surrender and unwavering faithfulness.

As we remain connected, the Divine Gardener prunes away the unhealthy and fruitless parts of our lives.

Remain in Him through adversity, through trial and hardships.

Remain connected to the vine and remember, apart from Him you can do nothing.

As I studied this topic I found four reasons for pruning.

If you are in a pruning season right now or aren’t sure, take a look at this list.

God prunes us for our good so that we can be spiritually healthy and fruitful.

Why Does God Prune Us?

1) To Remove What’s Dead or Dying

As you mature in Christ, there will be things that you no longer desire as your desire for God increases.

There may also be things that you try to hold on to, things that God wants you to let go of.

In both cases, God will remove those items from your life.

He may isolate you by placing you in a new environment.

He could give you insight about someone’s true intentions toward you so you can take the necessary steps to cut ties with that person.

However it happens, remember that it’s crucial to remove dead things so there is space for new things to grow.

2) To Remove What’s Infected or Diseased

An area that is sick will never be able to grow to its full potential.

Until it’s healed, it will always be bound and restricted in some way.

Thought patterns developed in childhood, traumas from the past, and influences from culture have shaped our thinking.

Once in Christ, we have to allow God to renew our minds so we no longer think and act according to the pattern of the world.

This type of pruning may look like God instructing you to guard your heart and mind by changing who you follow and listen to, what you watch, or who you take advice from.

He’ll also reveal the roots of your vices, insecurities, and fears, and teach you how to walk in freedom.

It may mean forgiving that person who abused you, finding love and acceptance in Christ instead of romantic relationships, or seeking counseling to work through childhood trauma.

This type of pruning can be especially painful because it’s like surgery.

God has to open a wound to heal it.

3) To Remove What is Hindering You

God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:10-11

Pruning isn’t solely for removing things that are overtly bad for you.

Sometimes God has to remove good things that aren’t good for you.

If left unchecked, they will hinder your spiritual growth in the long run.

Often, what holds us back aren’t people or environments, but habits and mindsets.

For example, you may be praying to God for a higher-paying job so you can be financially secure, but God says no and tells you to keep the job you have.

This may seem unfair or like God doesn’t have your best interest at heart, but trust me He does.

Maybe you’ve been unfaithful with stewarding the income you have (not tithing, racking up credit card debt, etc…) and He knows you’re not ready to handle more.

He doesn’t want to give you more money because He knows you’ll dig yourself into a deeper hole.

You may think if you had more you’d manage it better but more money doesn’t equal more discipline.

God wants to develop your discipline and self-control.

Another example is God moving you out of your comfort zone.

For me, that looked like moving to a new city where I barely knew anyone.

Sometimes we outgrow our current environment and need to be moved so we can be challenged and stretched.

Your faith is built stronger when you don’t know the answers and have no one to lean on but God.

Situations like this will cause you to seek Him more often and learn to hear His voice in new ways.

Ways you never would have if things stayed the same.

4) To Keep You Focused & on the Right Track

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Proverbs 3:5-6

Without pruning, a tree’s branches will grow in any and every direction.

There is no focus.

For a season, those branches grow leaves and bear fruit, but eventually, too many branches become more of a burden than a blessing.

Practically, this can look like busyness.

We can become so passionate about doing things for God that we forget to do things with Him, and at His pace.

You might start serving in multiple areas at church to bring glory to God.

On the flip side, you may be chasing after your goals - pursuing promotions, dating, starting a business, or growing your influence.

In either case, you need to be intentional not to pursue anything unless God is leading you to.

Otherwise, your attention will be too divided and you will miss out on the thing God wants you to focus on.

We have to allow God to lead us so that we don’t become burdened and overwhelmed with things He never told us to take on; things that will distract us from His will.

For a while, it may look like you have it all together, but in the end, your faith will suffocate and you’ll crumble from the pressure.

Allow God to set your priorities and focus.

Don’t burden yourself trying to keep up with society’s expectations.

Surrender to Christ and take on His yoke.

After all, His burden is easy and light (Matthew 11:28-30).

Don’t Resist It

Pruning isn’t comfortable but it’s a natural and necessary part of following Christ.

At times it will be bearable and other times it may be excruciating, but it’s all for your good.

The pain has a purpose.

Stay focused on Jesus, the author and, perfecter of your faith (Hebrews 12:2).

In Him, you can do all things (Philippians 4:13).

We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, So that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God… Colossians 1:9-10

Conclusion

Spiritual growth does not and cannot happen by accident.

The Christian life is a process that we enter into when the seed of the gospel is planted and we open up our lives to God.

To grow in faith takes intentional effort, fierce determination, and the unquenchable grace of God.

It is true that God loves us just as we are, but it is equally true that he doesn’t want us to stay that way.

What are some specific areas of your life that could use some pruning to allow for healthy growth to happen?

What are some areas that need to be completely lopped off for the sake of future growth?

Are there areas in the past that you now recognize God pruned away in order for healthy new growth to occur?

Trust that God knows what he is doing and even though the process of pruning can be painful, it will also be fruitful in the hands of the Divine Gardener.

Let’s Pray