The True Vine of God

Read

John 15:1–6 ESV

1 “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 does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.

Opening Prayer

Two Misuses of this Passage

#1 – That this passage shows you can lose your salvation.

Arminian theology - teaches that you can lose your salvation.

Federal Vision theology - a specific, small presbyterian group that teaches:

You can lose your salvation.

Your salvation is dependent on your covenant faithfulness.

Baptismal regeneration

And, many other false views of Scripture.

This view was espoused by people like Doug Wilson.

This view was condemned by the OPC, PCA, and others culminating in a synod of Reformed Presbyterians in 2010 that condemned it as heresy.

One of the most prominent, and adamant opponents of the Federal Vision theology was R.C. Sproul who called it another gospel.

To the false doctrine of losing your salvation, we say, in John 6 & 10 Jesus has specifically, explicitly, and robustly taught that all who believe upon Him will be saved, kept to the end, not cast out [covenant language, i.e. NC], no one can snatch them out of His, nor the Father’s hand.

It’s the will of the Father that He lose none of those the Father gave Him. Christ always accomplishes the Father’s will.

You never interpret a few verses out of the context of chapters/books.

#2 – Many of our Presbyterian brethren believe this passage shows their doctrine of a two separate covenant people with Christ.

They do not espouse, that I know of, that this passage teaches their two type covenant doctrine.

However, many, not all, do use their two type covenant doctrinal position as an explanation of this passage.

“Two Type” Quick Summary

Just a quick summary of their two type covenant doctrine of the church:

They believe that infants of believing parents should be brought into the visible church, which they teach is being in covenant with Christ.

They believe some of those will prove to have faith in Christ bearing fruit.

They believe some of those will prove to not have faith in Christ, not bearing fruit.

Those who prove to not have faith are cut way from the vine, Christ.

Those who prove to have faith bear fruit and are pruned.

So, they say, see here you see that you have two types in covenant with Christ:

Both are in Christ.

The unbelieving type gets cut away from Christ.

That, in a quick summary, shows why they baptize infants.

That, also, in a quick summary shows you how doctrine affects church government and church membership.

“Our View” Quick Summary

[I would be remiss if I did not give a quick rebuttal.]

We believe that the NC is different than the OC.

We believe that the NC has a narrowing of it’s membership.

We believe that the visible church is called to only allow those who profess faith in Christ.

And, the purity of the church is kept by such professions of faith in Christ being maintained.

And we govern church membership, and we believe this way, because those who are in the NC, we are told by God:

have been regenerated by the Spirit.

have the Law of God written on their hearts.

have their sins forgiven.

have the HS, a guarantee of their inheritance.

have a heart of flesh that loves God.

have been brought into a covenant that they cannot break.

—> nor be exiled from.

So, we only allow into church membership, those who profess faith in Christ and show to some degree that faith is working itself out.

Now, what I want to do this morning is show you that neither of those misuses are being taught by Jesus in this passage.

What Is Jesus Really Teaching Here?

So, the first thing we want to ask is who is the immediate/original audience?

—> The eleven.

What ethnicity/nationality are the eleven?

—> Jewish. Israelites.

Jesus is speaking to eleven Israelites, of the nation of Israel.

—> Of the physical seed of Abraham.

Already, in John’s gospel we have seen conversations regarding this, right…

John 8:39 ESV

39 They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, [Abraham believed]

They do not believe.

And, so Jesus goes on to tell them that their father is the Devil.

As I spoke to last week regarding all unbelievers.

So, the downfall to the Israelite mind and misunderstanding of the covenants was…

They believed all the promises are Yes and Amen in circumcision.

Because circumcision was identifying with Abraham.

But, the reality is…

That all the promises of God are Yes and Amen in Christ who was the true seed of Abraham…

And, your inheritance of those promises were not via circumcision, but through faith.

To be sure:

Circumcision gave you citizenship into the Nation.

Circumcision gave you title to the tribal land.

Circumcision gave you the privileges of Judaism.

Circumcision gave you access to the:

Temple.

Ceremonial Laws.

Judicial, theocratic laws.

Festivals and Celebrations.

But, Christ fulfilled all of those truths.

The spiritual promises were only Yes and Amen in Christ to those who believe God.

And, the greater, physical eternal promises were inherited by the same as those who inherit the spiritual promises…

Namely, those who believe upon Christ.

As we’re told in Hebrews 11...

Abraham understood the temporal promises in contrast to the eternal promises.

His physical sight of the temporal, physical land of Canaan went much further with spiritual sight to actually see the new Jerusalem made by God.

Jesus is teaching a truth from the OT, that Jesus is…

The True Vine of God

Vine imagery is throughout the OT.

It most often depicts the vine as the nation of Israel.

However, and interesting to note, when historic Israel is referred to under this figure of the vine of God it is the vine’s/nation’s failure to produce good fruit.

Turn with me to Isaiah 5…[the Song of the Vineyard]

Isaiah 5:1–7 ESV

1 Let me sing for my beloved my love song concerning his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. 2 He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines; he built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it; and he looked for it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes. 3 And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard. 4 What more was there to do for my vineyard, that I have not done in it? When I looked for it to yield grapes, why did it yield wild grapes? 5 And now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard. I will remove its hedge, and it shall be devoured; I will break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down. 6 I will make it a waste; it shall not be pruned or hoed, and briers and thorns shall grow up; [curse of the garden] I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. 7 For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his pleasant planting; and he looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold, an outcry!

This is God putting Israel on trial.

God is prosecuting the nation.

He’s letting them know they have broken the covenant.

And, He is going to exile them out of the land as judgment.

v.4 …What more could I have done?

I rescued you from Egypt.

I formed you into a nation.

I gave you land flowing with milk and honey.

A land that you did not build.

I gave you the Law.

I gave you Moses to explain the law.

I gave you the prophets.

I defeated your enemies and surrounded you with peace.

I gave you King David.

I prospered you in such wonder that the Nations around you stood in awe.

I did everything I said I would do.

But, what did you do in return? … [v.2/v.4/v.7]

God Is Bringing Judgment

—> because they broke the covenant.

But, the beauty of it is God also gives them a vision of the ideal, perfect Vineyard that is coming.

—> There’s hope coming in the future.

Look with me at…

Isaiah 27:1–6 ESV

1 In that day the Lord with his hard and great and strong sword will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan the twisting serpent, and he will slay the dragon that is in the sea. 2 In that day, “A pleasant vineyard, sing of it! 3 I, the Lord, am its keeper; every moment I water it. [divine nurturing] Lest anyone punish it, I keep it night and day; [it is secure] 4 I have no wrath. [the peace that Christ gives] Would that I had thorns and briers to battle! I would march against them, I would burn them up together. [no unforgiven sin] 5 Or let them lay hold of my protection, let them make peace with me, let them make peace with me.” [the peace that only Christ can give] 6 In days to come Jacob shall take root, Israel shall blossom and put forth shoots and fill the whole world with fruit. [vineyard of nations]

There’s a lot to say here and in other passages we could turn to…

But, God is telling of the perfect Vineyard that is coming.

—> There is future hope.

It is a perfect Vineyard because God is doing all the work.

This Vineyard has no wrath.

There is no unrighteousness.

There is no condemnation in this Vineyard.

It’s a Vineyard open up to inhabitants, not just of Jewish ethnicity…

—> But people from all Nations.

The Kingdom of God or of Christ.

The perfect Vineyard is the perfect Kingdom…

In order for them to move from broken covenant of judgment…

To the Covenant/Vineyard of Peace...

Is to put their faith in Christ.

Now, I want to read a parable of the Lord in…

Matthew 21:33–46 ESV

33 “Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and leased it to tenants, and went into another country. 34 When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his fruit. 35 And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. 36 Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them. 37 Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ 39 And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. 40 When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” 41 They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.” 42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “ ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? 43 Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. 44 And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.” 45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them. 46 And although they were seeking to arrest him, they feared the crowds, because they held him to be a prophet.

The RL’s understood what those tenants deserved.

This is like Nathan’s confrontation with King David.

David knew what the rich lamb thief deserved.

—> He deserved death.

And, when Nathan revealed that David was the man.

David confessed his sin and repented of it before the Lord.

The RL’s and the sad history of the nation of Israel is that when they were confronted with their own sin and wickedness…

—> They killed the prophets.

—> Here, they want to kill Jesus.

Kill the prophets that speak of our sin and guilt.

Raise up the prophets that God did not send that cry peace, peace when there is no peace.

Look at v.43…read.

The kingdom of God is going to be taken from you and given to a people producing fruit.

And, this has been Jesus’ message, has it not?

Israel was abiding in a broken covenant and under judgment.

John the Baptist has already stated…

Luke 3:8–9 ESV

8 …And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 9 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

The physical benefits of being in Abraham will no longer abide upon you unless you bear fruit.

That fruit, as Jesus has been teaching, is faith in the true seed of Abraham…

—> Jesus Christ.

The Nation of Israel

The nation of Israel was supposed to be building the Kingdom of God…

By preserving the Law of God.

By teaching the shadowy gospel to one another and the nations.

By listening and hearing the prophets of God.

They were very much to do the work of John the Baptist.

Preparing themselves for the coming Lamb of God.

Preparing the world for the coming of the Lamb of God.

But, instead of doing that they whored after idols.

They created, invented through great ingenuity ways to look righteous while actually breaking the Law of God.

They killed the prophets of God.

They joined the pagan nations in false worship.

Instead of being a land of Law and Order.

It was a land where people cried for help for great injustices.

Instead of being a land filled with the sweet wine of God’s goodness…

It was a land of murder and bloodshed.

With the ultimate act of injustice being the murder of God’s beloved Son.

The nation of Israel was privileged in so many ways…

—> And, a part of God’s plan to birth the Messiah.

But, once the Messiah arrived in order to continue enjoying the blessings of God…

You needed to be more than the physical lineage of Abraham.

You needed to be the spiritual seed of Abraham.

And, the beauty and grace of God is so wonderful to behold…

That, in spite of the gross sin of the Nation, God still called them to enter into this new covenant.

To the Jew first and second to the Gentile.

Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem.

How often I’ve wanted to gather you under my wings like a hen with its chicks…

—> But, you would not.

The New Covenant Is Birthed from physical Israel.

But, only those who believe upon Christ will continue in covenant with God.

They’ve broken the old covenant.

They’re in need of a new one.

Only to those who believe upon Christ will enjoy the eternal promises of God…

Which are exclusively Yes and Amen in Christ.

Let’s think about this...

This passage is not speaking at all about losing your salvation.

This passage is not speaking at all about New Covenant members being cast out.

This passage is teaching that there is a transition from the Old Covenant, that Israel broke…

And, the New Covenant that Christ is inaugurating…

And, the way to move forward under the blessings of God…

Is to believe upon Christ.

The plea is this, dear sinner, come to Christ:

Only in Him can you find true peace with God.

Only in Him can your burden of sin truly be taken away.

Only in Him can your condemnation be removed.

Come to Christ.

—> He will not cast you out.

Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Closing Prayer