From Mike Breen in Covenant and Kingdom.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts of 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… Remain in me and I will remain in you.  No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.”

As Jesus was walking through the streets of Jerusalem toward the Garden of Gethsemane, having left the Upper Room and the scene of the Last Supper, he paints a remarkable picture of the new covenant.  He says that as he and his disciples flourish under the care of their Father, the Covenant unity between Jesus and his followers will always produce new disciples.  The Relationship will sometimes feel “pruned” (cut back), especially after times of great harvest.  Pruning is given by the gardener so that the branch ceases to concentrate on itself and focuses on the source of its life.  The pruned-back branch is much more aware of its need to remain connected to the vine.  The natural consequence of remaining connected to Jesus is that we produce fruit:

“If you remain in me and I remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.  This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”    (Mike Breen, Covenant and Kingdom, commenting on John 15.)