Bible Study - The Budding of the Tree or Vine - John 3:16-21 and John 15:1-8 - November 16, 2025

 Bible Study – The Budding of the Tree or Vine – November 16, 2025

The bud on a fruit bearing tree or vine is a sign that there is potential for fruit.

There is a lot the gardener has to do to prepare the tree or vine to grow and produce its intended fruit. The sight must be selected, the soil has to be prepared where the vine or tree will be planted i.e., rocks removed, soil tilled, fertilized, water, weeds removed, sun, rain, watching over and tender love and care. Likely, much more from those who are gardeners.

GOD knows our heart and prepares those who are to receive salvation. Some, HE knows, have hardened their hearts to block the Holy Spirit from ministering to them. Hardening your heart prevents the Holy Spirit from revealing the truth of JESUS and HIS redemptive plan.

The good news is, if you are worried that you have committed the unpardonable sin, you haven’t because if you had, you would not be worried.

What was and is the purpose of GOD sending JESUS into the world?

John 3: ¹⁶ For God loved the world in this way:^[e] He gave^[f] his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. ¹⁸ Anyone who believes in him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God. ¹⁹ This is the judgment: The light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. ²⁰ For everyone who does evil hates the light and avoids it,^[g] so that his deeds may not be exposed. ²¹ But anyone who lives by^[h] the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be shown to be accomplished by God.”

JESUS gave us a beautiful example in The Vine and the Branches in John 15:1-8:

15 “I (JESUS) am the true vine, and my Father (GOD/YAWH) is the gardener. 

First, as humans we have to be grafted into the vine or JESUS through faith that JESUS is the promised Messiah sent by GOD to pay, in full, for the sins of every person who places his/her faith in JESUS and HIS Passion.

When any person recognizes his/her need for salvation, JESUS, knocks on that person’s hearts door as confirmed in Revelation 3:20

Christian Standard Bible

²⁰ See! I (JESUS/THE HOLY SPIRIT) stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

JESUS respects the privacy of the individual. HE knocks and it is up to the individual to respond to HIS knock. When HE knocks will you open the door of your heart?

Revelation 3:20: ²⁰ See! I (JESUS) stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

When an individual opens his/her heart’s door, JESUS enters. Being GOD, HE already knows where we hide the things we do not want HIM to see. We need to open the door and invite HIM into our lives and tell HIM our house is in a mess. Ask HIM to guide us in how to clean it, which may be to seek wise counsel from a fellow Christian, or our pastor or priest or Christian counselor.

Just think, when we let our physical house get into a mess, it is often difficult for us to get motivated to Spring clean it. But with GOD’S help, when we do, how much we appreciate living in a clean home.

The same is true when we confess our sins and ask GOD to forgive us.

However, the secret is to keep our life clean through confession of our sins, prayer, Bible study, fellowship with fellow Christians, and responding to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. When we try to hide our sins, doing so gives Satan a clue that we are subject to compromise.

Back to our scripture – John 15:2-8:

2: Every branch in me that does not produce fruit he (GOD) removes, and he (GOD) prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. ³ You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴ Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. ⁵ I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me. ⁶ If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers. They gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned. ⁷ If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. ⁸ My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be^[a] my disciples.

GOD, THE FATHER, GOD, THE SON and GOD, THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE THREE ARE ONE – THE TRINITY. THE THREE EQUAL UNITY.

We read in Genesis 1: ²⁶ Then God said, “Let us make man^[e] in^[f] our image, according to our likeness. They will rule ----

The Trinity was present when earth was formed, and mankind was fashioned to live upon planet earth.

We fast forward to 2 Corinthians 5:4-6:

⁴ For while we are in this tent (human body), we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. ⁵ Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

⁶ Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord.

The destination of all Holy Spirit redeemed people is heaven but while we remain in our human, “Spirit-born” bodies through faith in JESUS, GOD has work for us to do upon earth as HE leads and directs all who are “born-again”/ “Spirit-born.”

GOD in HIS foreknowledge planned HIS redemption plan for humans. First, GOD revealed Himself to Moses The Law and then Grace through the life, death, resurrection, ascension into Heaven, JESUS!

GOD’s Grace through faith in JESUS equals being “born-again,” eternal life, citizenship in Heaven, ambassador for JESUS, and so much more.

So much more!!!                                                                 

If you have not asked JESUS to forgive you for your sins and for HIM to come into your life, please do so now:

Dear JESUS thank YOU for leaving YOUR home in Heaven to come to earth to pay, in full, for all of my sins. I place my faith in YOU, JESUS, as proven by YOUR sinless human life upon earth, human death, burial, bodily resurrection on the third day, as the first to conquer physical death. I ask YOU to come into my heart now and through the miracle of Spiritual birth make me an eternal child of GOD.

It is not saying the right words, it is all about your heart. Some people have said, “LORD, I give up and want to be YOUR eternal son or daughter. In the twinkle of your eye, you are Spiritually born-again into the eternal family of GOD, never to be Spiritually unborn.

Welcome my brother or sister to the Family of GOD in the powerful name of JESUS.

Blessings!!!