John 15, Part 1

The Relationship of Jesus to the People of the World

Jesus was facing the most terrible scene in all human history. The Son of God was about to be murdered at the hands of men. All that He had to face was weighing ever so heavily upon His mind, in particular the reaction of everyone to Him and their fate. He had come to save them all, and few were responding in a genuine way. He was even facing the collapse of His own inner circle. Most tragically, they were falling away.

⇒ One disciple was in the very process of betraying Him (Judas).

⇒ The leader of the disciples was to deny Him three times, even by cursing (Peter).

⇒ The other disciples were to flee and desert Him.

And then, there was the world of men who were rejecting Him: the religionists who strongly professed to know and live for God, and the non-religionists who had no attachment to God and professed none.

He had come to save them all and not one was standing with Him in His most needful hour. As the thought of it all raced through His mind, He recalled the vine of God so often described in the Old Testament. In it He saw a graphic lesson that the disciples needed to learn, the great lesson of “The Vine and the Branches”—the relationship of Jesus to the people of the world.

There are four stages of fruit-bearing given: (1) no fruit (v.2), (2) fruit (v.2), (3) more fruit (v.2), and (4) much fruit (vs.5, 8).

What does it mean to say a Christian is to bear fruit? It means to bear converts, to bear righteousness, to bear Christian character or the fruit of the Spirit. Note also the conditions for bearing fruit in life: cleansing, abiding in Christ, and obedience. A true Christian is a person who really does abide in Christ. John said that to abide in Christ means eight things.

1. A person walks in open confession before God. He walks through life opening up his life to God; he confesses all known sin. He does not walk in sin, and he does not allow any sin to go unconfessed.

2. A person walks and fellowships with Christ. He lives and moves and has his being with Christ. He communes and lives in a consciousness of God’s presence, and from God’s presence, he learns of God and he draws the strength and authority to live victoriously day by day.

3. A person continues in the church; he has not gone out from the church.

4. A person possesses confidence, an unashamedness in life, that prepares him for eternity.

5. A person does not walk in continuous sin. He experiences constant victory over sin.

6. A person actively surrenders himself to obey God’s commandments.

7. A person experiences the indwelling presence and witness of the Spirit.

8. A person dwells in love and unity and fellowship with all other believers.

Acts 15:1 ESV

1 But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”

Jesus is the Vine; God is the Vinedresser or the Cultivator or the Gardener; and men are branches.

a. Jesus is the true Vine. He is the genuine vine, not a false, counterfeit vine. In fact, He is opposed to the counterfeit, the sham, the deceitful, the pretender. (See DEEPER STUDY # 1, True—Jn. 1:9.)

b. God is the Vinedresser. He is the One who carefully planted the Vine (Christ) and waters and feeds the Vine. He is the One who cares for, looks after, and watches over the Vine and the branches. He is the One who prunes and purges, cleans and protects, the Vine and its branches.

c. Men are branches. And note, they are all judged on the basis of how they relate to the True Vine. They are …

• either unfruitful (v.2) or fruitful branches of the true Vine (vv.2–3)

• either unattached (v.4–6) or attached branches of the true Vine (vv.7–8)

John 15:2 ESV

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.

there are the unfruitful branches. They are taken away. Note that these are attached branches. They differ from the unattached branches (vv.4–6). Jesus said that they are “in me,” but they have a problem: they bear no fruit.

a. The unfruitful branches did become attached to Christ. They did have some organic relationship to Him. There was a time, a point, when they began to bud and sprout. They even grew into branches. They …

• listened to Jesus and the gospel

• opened their ears

• made a profession

• were baptized

• seemed capable of bearing fruit

• appeared to be fruitful branches

b. The branches are unfruitful. They are “in” the Vine, a part of it, but they simply bear no fruit. What does this mean? (See outline and notes, Judas—Jn. 13:18–30; The Sower and the Seed—Mt. 13:1–9.)

1) Unfruitful branches do not relate enough to Christ; they do not draw enough nourishment from Him …

• to draw life

• to bear fruit

• to continue in the Vine (see Mt. 24:13; 13:13)

2) Unfruitful branches are not genuine enough to bear fruit. Their profession is …

• more profession than possession

• more pretending then being

• more deception than truth

• more counterfeit than real

3) Unfruitful branches become apostate and deserters—men and women who abandon the faith. (See 1 Jn. 2:19.)

“He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful” (Mt. 13:22).

“He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none” (Lu. 13:6).

“They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate” (Tit. 1:16).

“Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God” (He. 3:12).

“And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices” (2 Pe. 2:13–14).

c. God taketh away (airei) the unfruitful branches. The word means to take away and to remove. In relation to the vine, the branch is pruned, removed, and taken away. This is a severe warning to every branch “in” the vine, to make sure his profession is genuine enough to bear fruit.

Scripture says at least two things about the judgment of unfruitful branches that sin.

1) The unfruitful branches that sin are taken away and removed from the Vine and destroyed by fire.

The unfruitful branches that sin are chastened and disciplined by being taken away and removed through death (see note—1 Jn. 5:16). The Bible warns professing believers of severe chastening, the chastening of …

• sinful behavior that causes loss of all reward by fire—a loss so great a man is stripped as much as a burned-out building. It is the loss of all except the very salvation of a man (1 Co. 3:11–15, esp. 15).

• sinful behavior that destroys the flesh so that the Spirit may be saved (1 Co. 5:5).

• sinful behavior that causes death (1 Co. 11:29–30; 1 Jn. 5:16).

• sinful behavior that merits no escape (He. 2:1–3; 12:25f).

• sinful behavior that prohibits man from ever repenting again (He. 6:4f).

• sinful behavior that causes man to miss God’s rest (He. 4:1f).

• sinful behavior that prohibits any future sacrifice for sins and merits terrible punishment (He. 10:26f). (See DEEPER STUDY # 1—1 Jn. 5:16 for more discussion.)

The point must be heeded, for Scripture gives severe warnings to believers, that is, to the branches “in” the Vine. The branches must make sure they are bearing fruit or else face severe judgment.

John 15:3–4 ESV

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.

Fruitful branches are pruned. All bad spots, useless buds, misdirected shoots, and discolored leaves are pruned off. Even fruitful believers have spots, buds, shoots, and leaves that are bad, useless, misdirected, and discolored. Believers have areas and things that must be cleaned away and cleared up

The purpose for pruning is onefold: to prepare the branch to bear more fruit. The purpose is not to punish, not to hurt and damage the branch.

Note how the fruitful branches are pruned (katharoi) or purged and cleansed. There are three ways.

1) Branches are cleansed by the words which Jesus has given to men, by the Word of the Lord Himself. The Word of God refines men by purging away all the dross and contamination, pollution and dirt that clings to them.

2) Branches are cleansed by the mirror of the Word of God. When a man looks into the Word of God, he reflects both himself in his shortcomings and Christ in His perfection. The Word of God forces man to measure himself against Christ.

3) Branches are cleansed by “abiding” in Jesus (see DEEPER STUDY # 2, Abide—Jn. 15:4). Note exactly what Jesus said: “Abide in me, and I in you.”

John 15:5–6 ESV

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.

The unattached branch is “out” and off by itself; it is not abiding in the Vine and not attached. Note the words “of itself” (v.4), off by itself. To say that a branch must be attached and abide in the vine may sound redundant at first. But the truth is pointed: there is no life and no fruit in life apart from Christ. Just as a branch suspended out in mid-air or lying on the ground without any attachment to the vine is lifeless and meaningless, so a man on the earth without attachment to Christ is lifeless and meaningless.

Those who seek life and meaning someplace other than in Christ are doomed to failure. The unattached and suspended branch is of and by itself—all alone upon this earth—and it is doomed to be by itself.

b. The unattached branch cannot bear fruit, not real and permanent fruit that is acceptable or pleasing to God. It cannot bear …

• any good or righteousness that is acceptable to God (Ro. 6:21–23)

• character that is acceptable to God (Ga. 5:22–23)

• converts to the saving grace of God (Ro. 1:13; Tit. 2:11–15)

c. The unattached branch does not understand the nature of bearing fruit in life: the fact that he can do nothing—cannot live and produce life—apart from Christ. No one bears fruit apart from Christ …

• no one lives or experiences life (See DEEPER STUDY # 2—Jn. 1:4; DEEPER STUDY # 1—10:10; DEEPER STUDY # 1—17:2–3 for more discussion)

• a man is helpless to find the meaning, purpose, and significance to life

d. The unattached branch is doomed. He is cast forth to wither and to be gathered and cast into the fire and burned.

1) Cast forth (eblethe exo): to be plucked off and cast out, thrown away, discarded, disposed of. The unattached branch chooses to be unattached, so God lets it. It is given over and given up to be unattached. God abandons it. It is cast out of the way and left to itself to do as it chooses. (See outline and notes—Ro. 1:24–32.)

2) Withered (exeranthe): to be dried up, wrinkled, peeled; to become sapless and bare; to lose energy and strength. The unattached branch experiences everything withering away—its …

• gifts and abilities

• life and body

• family and friends

• fate and destiny

• hopes and dreams

• confidence and assurance

• purpose and meaning

3) Gathered (sunagousin): the day of judgment arrives. In the Greek text, who it is that gathers is not given. The Greek simply says, “they gathered.” This is probably God having His angels gather up all the unattached branches, “all that offend, and them which do iniquity” (see Mt. 13:41).

4) Cast into the fire and burned (kaietai). (See DEEPER STUDY # 2—Mt. 5:22; note—8:12; DEEPER STUDY #4—Lu. 16:24. See Mt. 13:42, 50; Re. 20:15; 21:8.)

John 15:7–8 ESV

7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

There are the attached branches, and the results and promises made to them. These are the same as the fruitful branches mentioned earlier (vv.2–3). Jesus had already covered the pruning or the disciplining of the branches, so here He covers the promises made to them and the results of their “abiding” in Him. Note that the promises and results are conditional: “If ye abide in me.…” Note also that the words of Christ must abide in the believer. The thought is that a believer must take the Words of Christ and …

• study and learn them

• have his thoughts and desires controlled by them

• be motivated and controlled by them

The promises and results of abiding in Christ are threefold.

a. The attached branch receives nourishment, that is, answered prayers

b. The attached branch glorifies God by bearing much fruit. Remember what the fruit is. righteousness, Godly character, converts

The attached branch proves he is a disciple by bearing fruit. There are ways to tell if a person really is attached to Christ:

⇒ Does he bear fruit?

⇒ Does he live righteously or do shameful things (Ro. 6:21–23)?

⇒ Does he bear “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness

LEADERSHIP MINISTRIES WORLDWIDE: The Gospel according to John, The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible. Chattanooga, TN : Leadership Ministries Worldwide, 2004