I am the Vine

Welcome, Thank you Bailey for reading the Word for us!

Gary and Donna Dent (50 years) 1976

Summer draws nearer to the end and school starts back up, I think about how much Summer breaks up our rhythms and routines of life. Sleeping in, staying up late, vacations, sleep overs, friends over, etc.

Then we have to ‘reteach’ our children how to ‘school’ again right?

Bedtimes, alarm clocks, did you brush your teeth? Do you have your practice clothes packed? Did you finish your homework?

Put your shoes away, take the trash out, respect your siblings,

Parenting often feels like a constant ‘reminding’ your kids of things you’ve already told them

The same is true for Jesus. Notice how none of his final teachings are really anything new, but a continuation or a reiteration of the truth that has already been shown.

Jesus continues to teach, to show his disciples the way to life. This life comes from Abiding in Jesus.

Jesus and the Disciples have left the Upper Room and making their way to the Garden of Gethsemane

John 15:1 ““I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.”

Hold Bibles UP.

1. The Vine and the Branches: Disciples of Jesus Abide in Him. vv. 1-11

The Israelites, God’s chosen people, were declared to be the Vine whom God took from Egypt and placed them in the Promised Land.

They were supposed to bear fruit and be a blessing to all nations, however, they often abandoned God and went their own way.

Jesus is telling his disciples “I am the fulfilment of Israel”, I am the Vine.

Here we get the 7th and final “I am statements” of Jesus.

Abide in Jesus

11x “Abide”

“I am the vine; you re the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit...” v. 5a

“What does it mean to “abide”? It means to keep in fellowship with Christ so that His life can work in and through us to produce fruit… Abiding in Christ demands worship, meditation on God’s Word, prayer, sacrifice, and service—but what a joyful experience it is! Once you have begun to cultivate this deeper communion with Christ, you have no desire to return to the shallow life of the careless Christian.” Warren Wiersbe

How can we tell if we are “abiding in Christ”?

Produce fruit vv. 2, 5, 8, 16

Christlikeness.

Galatians 5:22–23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

You become more like Christ.

Your thoughts, your actions, your love, your inward desires.

How do we become more like Jesus?

In the Word.

Bible intake is the #1 indicator of Christlike transformation

How to Read the Bible 8/23.

Evangelistic. v. 16

“...I chose you and appointed you that you should GO and bear fruit and that YOUR fruit should abide...” v. 16b

Trip to Liberia

Lazu and Solomon

Buddy Manspile

Think back over the past year, where have you become more like Jesus in the past year?

Have you grown in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, or self-control?

Ask your spouse

Ask your kids

Ask a coworker

Have you shared your story and the Gospel with someone?

Experience pruning vv. 2-3, 6

The Father is the Vinedresser

John 15:2–3 “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. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.”

The removal of dead, un-Christ-like aspect of your life can be painful in the moment, but it only leads to a more fulfilling life

This is the Holy Spirit convicting you.

You were gossipy about someone rather than going to them to address the situation and the Spirit convicted you.

You ‘treated yourself’ to a shopping spree because life has just been difficult and you deserved it, rather than seeking the presence of Jesus.

You felt a ‘nudge’ to ask the waitress how you could pray for her and you didn’t and now you feel like you missed out what the Lord had for you.

v. 6 makes us think back to Judas, one who was with Jesus, but in the end wasn’t abiding in Jesus, therefore is gathered and thrown into the fire. Many scholars believe this is part of the description of hell.

We should invite conviction and pruning, because only Christlike growth can come from it.

Prayers answered v. 7

Jesus is going back and reteaching John 14:12-14, specifically John 14:14 “If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.”

It’s not name it and claim it, rather whatever Jesus desire is, is also ours!

If we are abiding in Jesus, we will do the things of Jesus! and on the timing of Jesus!

(RECAP first 3)

Produce Fruit

Experience Pruning

Prayers Answered

Experience a deepening love for Christ. v. 9

John 15:9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.”

“Start a fire in my soul that I can’t contain and I can’t control, I want more of you God, I want more of you!”

Deepening love for other believers vv. 12-13

Love for God then flows over into a love for other believers

More on this in a little.

Full of joy. v. 11

John 15:11 “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”

Last week Will Quesenberry was sharing part of his story with a group of guys at my house, one thing after another, after another in his life, but because of Jesus he has found JOY through it all.

a Joy despite what’s going on!

RECAP 6

Produce Fruit

Experience Pruning

Prayers Answered

Experience a deepening love for Christ

Deepening love for other believers

Full of joy

2. The Commandment: Disciples of Jesus Obey His Way. vv. 12-17

1 of the signs that we are abiding in Jesus is a growing Love for One Another

Reteaching, remember John 13:31-35 (the New Commandment)

This love is a self-sacrificing love for the sake of others

John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”

Acts 2:45 “And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.”

Story from Seth Lewis

Rafael and Greicy from Brazil

Rafael-Recent follower of Jesus before moving to Ireland

Greicy was deep into an occult, New Ageism, trained medium, had a thriving buisness as a spiritual guru.

Covid she began to seriously consider the claims of Christianity and she said “I’ve been climbing the wrong mountain. I need to climb back down and follow Jesus.”

She did, she stopped her business, lost income and friends.

Recently she wrote her testimony and send to friend still in occult and told them about JEsus, and now MANY are following Jesus. One of them has asked her to do a bible study to find out more about Jesus.

THEN Rafael loses his job.

His prayer request wasn’t “take care of me” but “Give me strength and grow my faith.”

The small church in Carrigtwohill has sacrificed to see this family without need.

“You are my friend if you do what I command you.” v. 14

This command to Love one another is only made possible BECAUSE of Jesus love for us!

1 John 4:19 “We love because he first loved us.”

I want each of you right now to look to a person around you and I want you to do this, I want you to give them a slice of watermelon.

You cannot give that what you do not have.

Jesus says you are to love because you have been loved.

You are to forgive because you have been forgiven

You are to give grace because grace has been given

You are to live generously because you have been generously given to.

“We cannot truly know the love of Christ without loving one another. Love cannot be abstract but must be concrete, lived out in daily life.” Grant Osborne

God has placed us in peoples lives SO THAT they can make us more like Jesus and we can make them more like Jesus!

Community is the place where this is had!

“The price you pay for community is inconvenience.”

It would be easy to love people if it were always coinvent to us.

Helping a friend move

Bringing dinner by a family in need

Sitting alongside someone in silence as they grieve

Who has God placed in my life so that I can Obey His Commandment to Love one another?