I am the true vine

“Abiding in Christ”

John 15:1-11

Last “I Am” Statement of Jesus’Significant for several reasonsAccording to the OT, it depicts the

nation of Israel. It was known to allthe ancient Israelites that the nation of Israel was God’s fruitful vineyard or vine

Psalm 80:8-19; Isaiah 5:1-7; Jeremiah 2:21; Ezekiel19:10-14; and Hosea 10:1

Last “I Am” StatementChapter 15 is about Relationships and

ResponsibilitiesThere are 4 elements in the allegory

Jesus used about the vineWe must understand them to benefit

from this teachingSo, I guess you know how many ‘points’

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. 5 I am the vine,

you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much

fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. 9 Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. 11 These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.

John 15:1-11, NASB

The Grapevine symbolizes Israel…Their cultivation was important

both to Israeli life and economyThe doors to Herod’s Temple

were covered with a golden vine and grapes

Jesus may have been walking past them when He said this

Last “I Am” Statement Temple doors made in Greece, covered in golden vines and grapes design

4 Elements to this allegoryThe vine was familiar to every

JewNot a new image to themOver the next 2 weeks, we’ll

see two pictures of the BelieverBranch and FriendTo understand, examine first…

1. The VineActually 3 different vines

described in ScriptureThe Past Vine was the nation of Israel

But instead of producing the “fruit” God wanted, sin

So God chastised the vine

1. The VineThe parable of Matt 21:33-46There is also the Future VineDescribed in Revelation 14, it

is the Gentile World System coming to Judgment

Believers/Branches in the “vine of Heaven”, unsaved- vine of the Earth

The VineAllegory here is; Believers get

their sustenance and satisfac- tion from Jesus Christ

The lost world, connected to its vine, gets its fulfillment from this world

See the difference?

The VineThe 3rd “vine” of Scripture is the

Present VineJesus! The TRUE vine, the

original, and we are the branchesAll others are a COPYWe have a living relationship

with Him, and MUST be attached!

2. The BranchesA branch, by itself is weak, uselessGood for bearing or burning, but

not for building…A branch cannot produce its own

life; it must draw that from the vineSpiritual Communion with Christ

makes fruitful life possible

2. The BranchesThe sooner we figure this out, the

better we relate to the LordWe then know our weaknessesAnd confess the need for His

Strength on a daily basis!The key word here is “abide”, used

11 times in these 11 verses

The BranchesParameno’– means to keep in

fellowship with Christ so that His Life can work in and through us to produce fruit

Reading Bible, Short Accounts so that nothing hinders communion

Obeying Him because we love Him

How do I know I’m Abiding?Unmistakable Evidences appearWhen you abide, you produce fruit (cultiv.)When you produce fruit you

experience the father’s pruningYour prayers are answeredExperience a deepening LoveExperience Joy despite “stuff”

3. The VinedresserHe is in charge of caring for the vines–

Jesus said this is the work of the FatherHe prunes the branches so they will

produce more fruitNotice the progression– no fruit V2, more

then much fruit Vv5, 8.We ask to be fruitful, but hate the pruning

3. The VinedresserVinedresser prunes in two waysCuts off dead wood; breeds

bugs and diseaseCuts away living tissue– so that

the life of the vine will not be dissipated and the quality of the crop will not be jeopardized

3. The VinedresserThe greatest judgment God

could dump on you would be to leave you alone, no pruning

Because He loves us he prunes the vine to encourage us to produce more for His glory!

He’s never nearer than when pruning!

4. The Fruit Several kinds of Spiritual

fruit in the BibleWinning the Lost to JesusGrowing in Holiness and ObediencePaul said financial giving was fruitChristian Character is “fruit of the Spirit”Good works and Praise from the heart is

4. The Fruit“Fruit” is the evidence of

abiding in ChristWhere the vine is attached

and alive there WILL BE fruit. Period.The dead branch that doesn’t produce will

be cut off and burnedNo loss of Salvation, proof it never existed

Take Away!All of John’s Gospel has

been about Love—Here’s the 2 take-home points for this wkAs branches in the vine, we have the…Privilege of Abiding andResponsibility of Producing Fruit