I shared in the recent announcements, I had the opportunity this week to be in Bordeaux, France, from Sunday through Friday, traveling with my son. He’s here for a 10-day French immersion class in preparation to serve at the UCG Benin Youth Camp in Africa.

As you may know, July 14th—this past Monday—was Bastille Day, a major national holiday in France, much like the Fourth of July in the United States. Since there were no classes that day, we took the opportunity to explore a nearby region called Saint-Émilion, just 45 minutes from Bordeaux. It’s a place renowned for producing some of the world’s finest Merlot wines, with bottles sometimes selling for over $300.

We toured a vineyard and learned about the meticulous process of winemaking. We saw many grape clusters still green on the vine—each one part of the long journey from fruit to wine. As a reference, it takes about 10 clusters to make just one bottle. These grapes will continue to mature over the summer, darkening into a rich blue before harvest.

As I looked at those vibrant, green clusters, still weeks away from ripening, I was reminded of a profound spiritual lesson—one that Jesus shared with His disciples. In John 15:4–5 (NKJV), He said:

“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”

Jesus often used imagery that His disciples would recognize from their surroundings—and vineyards were everywhere in Judea. His message was clear: just as grapes must remain attached to the vine to grow and ripen, we too must remain spiritually connected to Christ if we are to bear godly fruit.

I thought to myself, What if I were to cut off one of those green clusters and set it aside? The tour guide would have surely been alarmed—and rightly so. Once severed, the cluster would no longer receive nutrients. It would never ripen. It would wither. The same is true for us. Separated from Christ, we lose the source of our strength to grow and produce Godly fruit.

That’s the powerful lesson Jesus emphasized: “Without Me, you can do nothing.” Our human efforts alone cannot produce the fruit that reflects the character of Christ. Only through abiding in Him—by God’s Spirit working in us—can we become who God called us to be.

So how do we abide in Christ?

We draw close through daily prayer and supplication—asking, seeking, knocking—for more of His Spirit. We earnestly pray that God cultivates in us the fruit of His Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5). These are not fruits of human will—they are the result of God’s power at work in us.

The apostle Paul expands this idea in Colossians 1:10–12 (NKJV):

“…that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.”

Let’s never assume we can do this on our own. Just as the green grapes in Saint-Émilion cannot grow and ripen without remaining attached to the vine, we cannot grow spiritually unless we are attached to Christ.

If on occasion, you enjoy a glass of red wine, perhaps even a Bordeaux—take a moment before that first sip to reflect on this timeless lesson Jesus gave His disciples nearly 2,000 years ago: stay attached to the Vine.

The city of Bordeaux and the surrounding region are indeed beautiful, but I’m looking forward to being back in Chicago on Friday, and God willing, I’ll see many of you at Sabbath services in Northwest Indiana.  

Have a very wonderful and full spiritual Sabbath!

W.M.Bradford