Session 6 Extra: Pruning?

In John 15, Jesus prepared his disciples for the coming trials by comforting them with the analogy of vine and branches. In his illustration, Jesus described the intimate connection the True Vine has with his followers.

In this session, you’ll explore the Hampton Court Vine, a huge single grapevine in England that has produced over 800 pounds of grapes in one harvest. You’ll also talk about pruning—the process a vinedresser takes to promote fruitfulness from a vine.

brain synapse

Branches are pruned, but did you know that your brain is pruned too? All our brains go through something called synaptic pruning.

When we are born, our brains have 86 billion neurons. By the time we reach adulthood, only about 50% of these neurons are still present.

Synaptic pruning weeds out unnecessary connections and strengthens important ones, making our brain processes more efficient.

So synaptic pruning is an essential part of becoming a mature adult, just as pruning by the Vinedresser is necessary for our growth in Christ.

Use this illustration with your students as you study John 15.

What further insights did your students have?

Click here for more resources for A Study of John 11–21.

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