7. (a) Who are represented by “the cultivator,” “the vine,” and “the branches”? (b) We want to find the answer to what question?

⁷ Read John 15:1-5, 8. Note that Jesus told his apostles: “My Father is glorified in this, that you keep bearing much fruit and prove yourselves my disciples.” Jesus described Jehovah as “the cultivator,” himself as “the true vine,” and his disciples as “the branches.”b What, then, is the fruitage that Christ’s followers need to bear? In this illustration, Jesus did not directly say what that fruitage is, but he did mention a significant detail that helps us to determine the answer.

8. (a) In this illustration, why can the fruitage not refer to new disciples? (b) What is a mark of Jehovah’s requirements?

⁸ Speaking about his Father, Jesus stated: “He takes away every branch in me not bearing fruit.” In other words, Jehovah views us as his servants only if we bear fruit. (Matt. 13:23; 21:43) Hence, in this illustration, the fruitage that each Christian must bear cannot refer to new disciples whom we may be privileged to make. (Matt. 28:19) Otherwise, faithful Witnesses who do not succeed in making disciples because of preaching in an unresponsive territory would be like the barren branches in Jesus’ illustration. However, such a conclusion is unthinkable! Why? Because we cannot force people to become disciples. It would go against Jehovah’s loving ways to disqualify his servants for failing to do something that is beyond their reach. Whatever Jehovah asks of us is always reachable.​—Deut. 30:11-14.

9. (a) We bear fruit by sharing in what activity? (b) What illustration will we consider, and why?

⁹ What, then, is the fruit we must bear? Clearly, the fruit must refer to an activity that each of us is able to carry out. What activity makes up the essence of “bearing fruit”? The preaching of the good news of God’s Kingdom.c (Matt. 24:14)

12. (a) What lesson can we draw from Jesus’ illustrations of the vine and of the sower? (b) How does that lesson affect you?

¹² What lesson can we draw from Jesus’ illustrations of the vine and of the sower? They help us to understand that our ability to bear fruit does not depend on the response of the people in our territory. Instead, it depends on our own faithfulness. Paul mentioned that same truth when he said: “Each person will receive his own reward according to his own work.” (1 Cor. 3:8) The reward is according to the work, not according to the results of that work. Says Matilda, a pioneer for 20 years: “It gives me joy to know that Jehovah rewards our efforts.”