Vines trained on trellises Photo: Galló Gusztáv - Adobe Stock
Jesus The True Vine
In John 15:5-8 Jesus describes the spiritual life as being like a grapevine, as in the diagram here:
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The Roots grow down deep into the ground to receive nourishment in the form of sap needed for the vine to grow .
The Trunk supports the branches
The Branches support the leaves, shoots and grapes
" I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."
Rooted & Grounded In Christ
In Ephesians 3:14-19 Paul prays that the Christians in Ephesus might be rooted and grounded in the love of God through their relationship in Christ by being filled with the Holy Spirit every day.
" For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
The way that we do this is by practising the disciplines Jesus practised and taught his disciples.