John: The Vine

Exegetical Point:

Homiletic Point:

Intro

There are 7 “I am” Statements in John, what are they?

Jesus has said:

I am the Bread of Life

I am the Light of the World

I am the Door of the Sheep

I am the Good Shepherd

I am the Resurrection and the Life

I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life

Now...

I am the True Vine

This is the last one in John!

We are making our way through John, section by section, week by week. We’ve tried to strike a balance between looking at small sections in great detail, and looking at larger sections to get more of the sweep of the story and structure. It means that we sometimes bite off more than we can chew! So, if there’s anything glossed over that you want to talk about, text in that question, or track me down later on!

Remember, this book, the Gospel of John, was written so that you may believe and have eternal life. All along as John has been telling us the story about Jesus, who he was, what he did, and what he said, each part connects to this over arching theme. Each part gives us more reason to believe Jesus is who he said he was, that really was the Son of God who came to rescue people. People like us in this room today.

But, for those of us who believe Jesus, and become Christians, how should we live? This part of John’s Gospel that we’re looking at today is part of a “Discipleship Intensive” that Jesus has with his 12 Disciples the night before he is executed. He know what’s coming and he is using his last quality moments with those guys to prepare them for the next stage of Jesus mission, post death, resurrection & ascension.

That’s when we’re living right now! Post death, resurrection & ascension! We are living in that part of Jesus mission, while he’s not bodily here on earth, but continuing His work by the Holy Spirit, and working in and through disciples of Jesus - i.e. Christians.

In our passage today, Jesus is teaching his disciples about how to be fruitful, productive disciples.

Iv’e broken the passage into 2 Main points with several sub points. So it’s really a 7 (?) point sermon parading as a 2 point talk. But don’t worry! we won’t be here all day, we’ll move quite promptly through each section. I’m channeling the puritans with these sub-points - if you’ve ever tried to read books by the puritans you’ll now that they love thier poinst and sub points and sub-sub-points. Here’s 20 applications from three words (smile!).

Alright, so lets get stuck in.

1. Abide in Jesus (v1-11)

This is the first of our two main points. This is the application, meaning this the the crux of what we are to do in response to these words for God: Abide in Jesus!

But how are we to do this? What does it look like?

Jesus uses an allegory to demonstrate what this is like, and the consequences of failure to follow through on this essential point.

1.a Allegory of the Vine

So, unless you’re from the ancient Mediterranean, or you work at a winery, you may not be familiar with this kind of imagery. But it’s pretty straightforward, so lets flesh it out.

Where we need to start, is not with the nature of ancient wine-making, but with the Old Testament.

Jesus was speaking to regular Jewish folk who new their Bible. And in their sacred writings we see that God’s People are sometimes described as a vineyard, or a vine. We read one of those passages from Isaiah 5.

God’s People Israel under the Old Covenant were like a vineyard. They were saved from slavery in Egypt, and given the Promised Land. God described them like a fresh vineyard, that the had planted. He set them up for success, with good soil, a good fence to keep the pests out and then he came looking for grapes. He planted a grape vine, and so he expected the fruit - grapes!

Yet, the people of Israel didn’t produce good fruit. Theirs was poor and pitiful.

So, what do you do with a grape vineyard that doesn’t grow grapes? … You get rid of it.

Yet, there was still a glimmer of hope for God’s people. He has in other places promised to rebuild His people. God has promised to cat back Israel to a stump, but from that stump would come a special Branch of restoration.

So what Jesus is doing in John 15, is playing on that old imagery, of a failed vineyard, and saying don’t be like God’s Old Covenant people, but be a fruit-bearing vine, and the way to do that is by abiding in Jesus. Let’s look in v1:

John 15:1–3 NIV

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off 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. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.

Note first here that Jesus is the True Vine - the fulfillment of Israel. Unlike the shadows and types that had come before, Jesus is the TRUE vine. The Viney-est vine. The real deal. He would succeed where Israel would fail. And God the Father? In this allegory He is a gardener who’s managing the vineyard, and looking for a big crop of fruit.

This means, that when there are dud branches, he lops them off. They’re of no use if they don’t bear fruit. There’s no need for ornamental branches that look the part, but don’t DO anything.

But, the fruitful branches don’t survive unscathed. While the fruit-less branches are completely cut away, the good branches still get pruned. Why? So they can bear even more fruit!

This is where it’s important to have the inside info about how vines work. They’re kind of like rose bushes. How do you get the best and fullest bloom of roses in Spring? A certain number of weeks beforehand, you have to prune the rose bush. You have to really cut it right back. It looks like a few dead stumps.

Yet,

Amazingly a few weeks late it brings forth a wonderful crop of Roses.

Grapes do something similar. If you want the best crop of grapes, you have to prune the vine back at the right time. A Good Gardener knows when to prune, and how much to prune to get the best results.

Jesus then drops in an aside about the disciples - you’re already clean (pure). But you may be saying, hang on, what does cleansing have to do with pruning? Well, the Greek word for pruning carries with it a sense of cleansing. A pruned vine is cleansed, and Jesus says that those disciples are already “pruned” because of the words Jesus has spoken to them. This means that A) Jesus is identifying that the disciples are the branches in the story, and B) There is something about the message of Jesus enables his disciples to bear more fruit!

He goes on to flesh it out:

John 15:4–5 NIV

Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

Jesus commands his disciples to “remain” in Him. They must abide in Jesus. But this isn’t a one-time deal, where you can just do it and forget about it. This is a state of being for Jesus disciples. It is who they are, they are those who always remain in Jesus. But, they are also those that have Jesus abiding in them.

It is not one way, as they abide in Jesus, he is abiding in them.

Even though this command is for Jesus disciples to remain, it is somewhat passive. Jesus is telling us not to move. Stay put. The thing you are to do is not go anywhere.

How are disciples temped to move away from Jesus? Don’t chase after the latest fad. Don’t try to have love for the world and love for Jesus. Don’t try to layer up extra traditions and obligations as burdens you have to carry.

At this point I think we can make some important conclusions about who Jesus is talking about in this story. It is His covenant people. As we said, Israel of old was the vineyard, but it is being fulfilled with the True vine, Jesus. Jesus brings a New Covenant, and this new covenant people is called the Church. They are all the people who are connected in Jesus. It includes the faithful Jews who beleive in Jesus, and anyone else who is grafted into this vine.

What are the signs that you are under the New Covenant? Baptism to enter, Lord’s Supper perpetual reminder. External signs should represent inward work, the evidence? Good fruit!

What is good fruit? the Productive Christian life! It starts with the core elements of character pervaded by the HS: Fruits of the Spirit, and this under-girds a life of obedience to Jesus Commands. These commands are the framework within which we pursue fruitful Christian lives.

Like a backyard fence fro Kids - “abide” in the yard for security and then within the boundaries you can play and explore and invent and worship and rest and relish. Too often we see the boundaries as a chore, where we have to white-knuckle obedience - denying the pleasures of the flesh. Sure, at times we will feel the pull to indulge our passions, but what would replace that desire is a joy in God’s design and law. It is a pleasure to know God and obey. It is good!

The best vines are trellised and trimmed! Disciplined! The modern wisdom says let the vines go free and be themselves, but this produces low quality fruit rotting on the ground. Just like your tomatoes that are not stung up! We must be “cleaned” (pruned) by Jesus’ word. The same word that the HS teaches us!

John 15:6 NIV

If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.

Like Israel of Old, not all Israel is Israel - The way Jesus talks about the vine it’s as if there are people who were “in Jesus,” disciples, who were once following Jesus, but have now gone astray and been cut off. I think Jesus is talking about the vine from the “on the ground” perspective. Theologians call it the “visible church”. There are those who look like they’re part of the church but they are impostors.

The bible talks about these kind of people in various ways. Including like seed that grows up on rocky ground or among weeds. They are those who appear to be genuine for a time, but do not endure. Eventually the going gets tough, or they are tempted away, and they no longer abide in Christ and they don’t bear good fruit.

There are those who have grown up under the visible signs of the covenant, but who yet will spurn Christ. They for all intents and purposes look like they are part of the vine. But they are dead wood.

Practically on the ground some people will remove themselves from Christ’s Church - they stop coming, reject the faith. Sometimes they’re actively cut them off through excommunication - after many warnings and calls to repentance, they are kicked out of the church.

They are handed over to Satan. We hope and pray that they will repent and return, but if they do not, they are burned in hellfire. A harsh word, but a harsh reality for those who will not abide in Jesus! I say this not to scare you into faith, but to seriously warn you of the road that leads to destruction outside Jesus.

1.b Abides in Jesus and Ask

Yet for those in Christ, if they remain in Him, with the Words of Jesus, they have a wonderful access to the power of God.

John 15:7 NIV

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

Theologians call this doctrine we’ve been talking about Union with Christ - important Christian doctrine. It is about our location and identity.

We are not just people wandering around with a ticket to heaven - Christians are In Christ. We are united to Him. Connected to Him. Secured in Him. Our life comes from Him.

It means we are powered by Christ to do what we’re called to. It means we have “inside” access to God.

The saying is “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know” If you know the right people you always seem to get the best deal, or the inside information, or the best seats. If we abide In Christ, we “know” the right guy to get us all the best stuff. Not the “best” in terms of worldly thinking. He’s gonna hook us up with the best stuff in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Note here, this verse also reminds us that Fruitfulness comes from Jesus - not own strength. We need to remain in him, with his word, then he can supply our need. He is the source, the guide and the provider of our life.

1.c Abide in Jesus’ Love

Now Jesus does what he has done all across the pages of John. He demonstrates how interconnected he is with God the Father.

John 15:9–10 NIV

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.

Jesus is doing what the Father is doing. He Loves, now I love, now you love.

Now the disciples are told to abide in that love. Remain in it. Don’t move!

How do Jesus disciples do that? Abide by obedience - keeping the commandments.

This is not earning Jesus love, with is given freely without merit, but if you would know that you are loved by Jesus, keep his commands! It is the fruit that shows you are connected to the True Vine!

Jesus is the example of this once again.

1.d Joy-Full

Where does this lead us. Why has Jesus been telling the disciples this? For their good, for their joy, for His own Joy:

John 15:11 NIV

I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

Jesus wants his disciples to have joy, joy from Jesus himself. A Complete joy. a Full Joy!

That means, if you would want true Joy, you should start by abiding in Jesus

Words in you

obey his commands

Pray to him to supply your needs

Here is a remedy for complete joy. Will you take it? It is medicine for you soul, sitting here ready to be applied. Will you take up this soothing balm for your heart?

2. Love One-another Like Jesus (v12-17)

2nd big point is one of Jesus overarching commandments - to love one another. And he uses himself as the key example of this!

Lets see how Jesus demonstrates what true love looks like.

First.

2.a Love = The Great Command & Example

Jesus, as the perfect man, and God in flesh, is the perfect example for everything. But he is an ample example in a special way:

John 15:12–13 NIV

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

This is a command - not just for when disciples are in the mood. But, if you activley love by obedience, you may find the mood changes. How often do you dread a big task, only to find that if you push yourself to get stuck into it, you enjoy it immensely and want to do it more? Love each other!

Each other? Disciples - God’s people. This is a resounding command throughout NT. We should certainly love all God’s image bearers, including those outside the church and even our enemies. We love our neighbor as our self. Yet, these is a special way that brothers and sisters in Christ are to love one another. Familial relationships naturally exact special love, spiritual family relationships are a “higher” love than just for the every-man on the street.

What does that love look like? It’s sacrificial!

Jesus sacrificed his life to save us. He died on the cross of our sin, defeated death! In our place, to give us life!

This is the model for our love to one another - sacrificing our own desires, plans, rights and resources in order to love others.

You should start in your home, especially husbands being the example to everyone about how this is done. If you men would lead your families, and lead your communities, and lead in the church, the lead by example like Christ. Show us what Christ is like!

Ephesians 5:25 ESV

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,

Brothers and Sisters, the sooner we give up ourselves, and stop being inward focused the sooner we will find ourselves becoming like Christ.

Your life is secure with God. Like banks these days are often backed by a federal reserve. They can afford to be a bit risky with their money, because they have someone who can bail them out.

You have been backed by God in Christ. Your life is secure with him. Now go put it all on the line to glorify God! In fact, “whoever loses his life for Christ’s sake will find it.”

Charge into the pagan jungles of the amazon!

Risk your life proclaiming the Gospel in <????> to save souls.

Risk a jail sentence calling your LGBTQI+ friend to repent and find life in Jesus.

Sign letters to your authorities, calling them to walk in Righteousness.

Mention to your neighbors that you believe in Jesus.

Be willing to regularly serve your church family.

Read the bible and pray with your family, even if it’s awkward.

Whether it’s the crazy life-risking mission, or the hard yards of regular faithfulness in everyday life - Love one another with a sacrificial love. Lay down your life for others.

2.b Love = Friends of God

Here’s some good news. Even though we are called to obedience, we’re not left in the dark.

John 15:14–15 NIV

You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.

Once again, the reminder is that those who are with Jesus obey him.

But interestingly, he calls his disciples friends. He’s making a rhetorical point, that unlike slaves, we get this inside scoop. Slaves don;t need to know why they’re doing what they’re told to do. Like kids really “Why do I have to tidy my room”, what does that parent say? “Because I told you to do it!” - Right! But when we are calm and not frazzled we might have the patience to explain how tidying our house makes a nice place to live, and you’re practicing looking after your belongings etc.

Jesus gives his disciples that insight - we get to see what’s happening under the hood. He has clearly taught us about what God is doing, and in that sense we’re friends, not mere subordinate functionaries.

This is one way he shows his love - by making us his friends.

2.c Love = Chosen By God

Lastly, we are shown the love of God by virtue of being chosen by him:

John 15:16–17 NIV

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.

The inter working between divine sovereignty and human responsibility. In this passage there are clear commands to abide and to obey and to love, yet here we are told that disciples are chosen to bear fruit! Which is it?

It is both! Jesus isn’t being inconsistent, he is laying out the structure that makes it all possible.

God uses means - commands, warnings, HS, teaching, community, etc. to accomplish his purposes.

They didn’t first choose Jesus, he chose them, and he chose them for a reason! To bear fruit! But how is he going to bring this about? But teaching them and instructing them and warning them and sending the HS to bring it all to fruition!

This is how it works with disciples even today! He love him because he first loved us. And in choosing his disciples, he appoints us to go bear fruit! How does he achieve it? Ordinary means - commands, warnings, HS, teaching, community, etc.

Examples...

So What?

Abide in Christ.

Love one another Like Jesus

Jesus sacrifice in communion.

References:

Carson’s Pillar Commentary on John.

Hutcheson’s commentary on John

Hendrickson’s commentary on John

Sermons by Richard D. Philips,

Sproul, R. C., ed. The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version. Orlando, FL; Lake Mary, FL: Ligonier Ministries, 2005.

Phillips, Richard D. John. Edited by Richard D. Phillips, Philip Graham Ryken, and Daniel M. Doriani. 1st ed. Vol. 1 & 2 of Reformed Expository Commentary. Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2014.