02-04-07 - I AM the true vine - John 15.1-8 - NSB
NTSK (Verse 1) – TBKC (vv. 1-8) – McGee (vv. 1-8) – The Bible Reader’s Companion (vv. 1-8) – The Nelson Study Bible (vv. 1-8) – Preach for a year vol 4 – The Outline Bible – The Bible Exposition Commentary – JFB - KJV Bible Commentary – MacArthur Study Bible -
We continue our study of looking at what Jesus said about himself.
Not what other people’s opinions were.
As we look at the several, “I AM” statements that the Lord made and that are recorded in the Gospel of John.
Tonight we look at an allegory or a parable that Jesus used to teach the disciples (and us).
Concerning what we are to do to glorify God
In 14:31, Jesus says, “Arise, let us go…”
So, now we are on the path on the way to the Garden of Gethsemane or maybe in the garden?
And…
Once again He uses things that would have been easily understood by the listeners.
It is probably not a coincidence that this entire section revolves around things that may have been in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Vines, Branches, fruit (grapes?)
Jesus is going to use these things as symbols or illustrations to teach what glorifies God.
Now personally, I always find it easier when someone tells me what to do if they also tell me how to do it.
And in this passage Jesus tells us what is pleasing to God but he also reveals how we achieve it.
So, tonight we are going to look at the symbols, the steps, and the success in glorifying God.
Let’s stand and read together, if you will – John 15:1-8
Jesus Begins:
John 15:1 (KJV) 1I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
Guys:
He is not a shadow
He is not a type
He is not a copy
He is not an imposter
He is the True Vine
To the Jews who were listening to Him this could mean:
It is no longer correct for you to look to your Jewish roots as the true vine.
I am the true vine.
Then to you it means:
It is not your affiliation or association with a religion or an institution that is essential.
But, you must be with Jesus – For He is the true vine
And then we see in the second half of verse one that…
The Father is the gardener who cultivates the vine and cares for and protects the branches
He is the husbandman, He is the vinedresser. (Depending on your translation)
He is the one who owns the vineyard and takes care of everything in it.
And…
We can read for ourselves in Scripture how He cared for Jesus
Caring for Him even before He was born by sending an angel to Joseph.
Protecting Him when He was a baby and the politicians sought to kill Him
Providing care for Him in the desert during His time of tempting
Watching over Him and empowering Him during His ministry.
And……….
On more than one occasion giving heavenly endorsement of His work.
So, you know that…
God cares for the true vine… Jesus
And God cares for you as one who is united with the true vine.
Just as we see in Scripture how God cared for Jesus, I know that…
Many of you could report with personal testimony of how He has cared for you.
So, in verse one we see the first two symbols in this passage
The Son is the true vine
The Father is the gardener.
But…
To get the third symbol, let’s just glance at verse five.
Because it will help you to understand verses 2-4
Because …
See, in verse five you are mentioned. You are the third symbol in this parable.
We have talked about God as the gardener and we have talked about His Son as the true vine.
But verse five places you in this illustration as the branch.
And the main thing you need to know about the branch is:
The branch gets its life from the vine.
Let me say it this way -
Apart from the vine, the branch is nothing.
The branches from the vineyard in Gethsemane were good for two things.
Producing Fruit
Being thrown into the fire.
And then also you need to know that the branch is where the fruit is produced.
So, this passage is really about communion between you and Jesus
But…
You must understand that there is no communion where there is no union.
When your married your life partner, a new union was made
That may have been many years ago.
But, because of your union you can have communion.
That is, intimate fellowship with one another.
Ted said this morning that since he and Sue have been married, they have become
best friends.
We should be able to say that about Jesus.
So, the symbols Jesus used are:
The vinedresser is our heavenly Father
The vine is the Lord Jesus
And you are the branches.
Ok, we have seen the symbols now let’s look at the steps to glorifying God
Look at verse 2 -
2Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
It is pretty clear from verse two that the purpose of the branch is to bear fruit.
It is the only purpose and without union with the vine it is not even good for that.
Now if the branch (that’s you) is going to bear fruit for the gardener, then you know that you must be in union with the vine.
So…
Because, for life to get from the vine into the branch the branches must be joined to the vine
Look at verse two closely
First of all there is a mention of no fruit and there is a mention of fruit and there is a mention of more fruit.
(And as we progress through these verses we are going to see another category - much fruit.)
And what I want you to know is that you are in one of those categories
The key is to be in the category that glorifies God.
The first one is the category that is producing no fruit – If you are in that category then you may need to be saved.
It is not natural to be born again of the Spirit of God, washed in the blood of Jesus and have no fruit to show for it.
But what if you are in the category of some fruit. What happens to that branch?
The KJV of the Bible says that it is purged.
But it helps me to translate the word as pruned instead of purged.
The word actually means, cleansed.
If you are in the some fruit category then God wants to clean things out of your life so you will produce more fruit.
So, the first step is to submit to pruning by the Father.
How does He do that?
Sometimes He simply uses the Word to convict and cleanse us.
Look at Eph 5:26-27 and Hebrews 4:12
Sometimes He must chasten us (Heb. 12:1–11).
It is not pleasant but the desired result is what in verse two?
He prunes us so that we might produce more fruit.
Did you know that you need to be pruned and cleaned spiritually.
Every year in Palestine gardeners prune their vines. They cut off the dead wood which has no life in it and trim the living branches so that their yield will be greater.
Just like a branch that needs to have the bugs and disease removed
I need to have things removed from my life that have started to affect my fruitfulness.
I need to have dead wood removed so decay will not spread
Sometimes I need to have two or three good things removed so that I can invest my resources into greater things.
We are cleansed or purged for the purpose of bringing forth more fruit.
You may have some things that need to be pruned in your life.
You may not be producing any fruit.
Or maybe with some pruning, you are capable of producing MORE fruit.
What could God do with a church full of people who would yield themselves to His pruning?
They would produce more fruit.
Just as bugs and disease and insects and mildew and fungus are removed from the branch
Worldly things need to be removed from the church and from our individual lives.
But let’s not skip over the part of this verse that says that the branch that does not bear
fruit, “…he taketh away…”.
Who are those people?
Pretenders
Thos who seek communion without having the union
People who need to be saved
Then look at what He says to the disciples:
3Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
[1]
We can learn a lot from this verse -
or already ye are clean
This verse would seem out of place if we did not know that the word translated as, clean is the same word used in verse to as, prunes.
He is telling the apostles that they have already been involved in this pruning process.
And, what we see here is one of the agents that purges, prunes, or cleanses someone.
It is the Word of God.
It cleanses you as it convicts you of some things and guides you to other things.
Filter it through your life – Filter your life through the Word.
So, the first step is, “Submit to Pruning.” – But look at verse 4.
4Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
Uh-Oh – Is this the catch?
Three times in this verse we see the word, abide.
Well this is the second step in producing fruit.
The first step was to submit to pruning but the second step is to abide.
We touched on this earlier
To be born again is the union
But to abide is communion
Are you in communion with Christ?
Can you say that you close to Jesus?
Would He say the same thing about you?
Do you keep close to Christ so that His life can work in you to produce fruit.
Do you read His Word?
Do you confess your sins?
Do you pray?
Do you keep His commandments?
Look at John 15:10
Do you depend on Him?
This is important because…
A branch draws all – not some – not a portion – not a part – but all of its nourishment form the vine.
So we abide in Christ by spending time in prayer, reading and obeying His Word, fellowshipping with His people, and being continually in contact with Him.
To abide really means to stay where you are
So, here is the question -
Are you as close to God as you were when you first got saved?
Look at verse 5 -
5I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
“Without me” – or apart from me or if you are disconnected from me.
You can do nothing –
Now you may know people who do not have Christ in their life and yet they are doing a great many things.
Yes, but none of those things have any lasting spiritual value.
Look at verse six:
6If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned
The branch is good for one of two things
It is good for fruit or it is good for fire
See Ezekiel 15:1-5
What is at risk for the Christian who does not abide in Christ?
Is he at risk of losing his salvation?
The Bible teaches no such thing.
1.) Fellowship is at risk
2.) Loss of reward
3.)
(3) The “burned” branches refer to professing Christians who, like Judas, are not genuinely saved and therefore are judged. Like a dead branch, a person without Christ is spiritually dead and therefore will be punished in eternal fire (cf. Matt. 25:46). Judas was with Jesus; he seemed like a “branch.” But he did not have God’s life in him; therefore he departed; his destiny was like that of a dead branch.
[2]
We have seen the symbols
God is the vinedresser
Jesus is the vine
You are the branches
We have seen the steps
Submission to the father’s pruning
Abiding in the Son
Now, in verses 7 and 8, let’s look at the success of allowing the pruning and abiding in Christ.
The first thing is answered prayers.
. 7If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
This is a conditional statement, isn’t it?
It really says that sin in your life affects your prayer life.
But…
If we abide in Christ in His words abide in us then it makes sense that we will pray in a way that is pleasing to Him.
Because….
What He wants will be the same thing that we will ask for in our prayers.
So, what is the secret to a successful prayer life?
Abiding – Having a close connection to Jesus.
Isn’t that the same thing that James said?
James 5:16 (KJV) 16Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
And then what is the second success from pruning and abiding?
The Father is glorified
And here is the goal of what we have been talking about.
8Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
We saw the Bible speak about no fruit – but that is not where it said that God was glorified.
And it was not after speaking of some fruit and it was not after speaking of more fruit but what we see is that our goal should be, much fruit!!!
Are you bearing fruit?
You say, “How do I know?” “What does it look like?”
We bear fruit when we win others to Christ (Rom. 1:13).
Can you think of the last two people you introduced to Jesus?
We bear fruit when we are a part of the harvest (John 4:35–38).
As we grow in holiness and obedience, we are bearing fruit (Rom. 6:22).
Paul considered Christian giving to be fruit from a dedicated life (Rom. 15:28).
Johnny Hunt says, “We are no more like Christ than when we are giving.”
Then we can look at Galatians 5:22-23 for a list of fruit That glorifies God and makes
Him real to others.
Galatians 5:22 - 23 (KJV) 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
The writer to the Hebrews said, The praise that comes from our hearts and lips is actually fruit to the glory of God (Heb. 13:15). [3]
So, it manifests itself in many ways
But if you are walking close to Jesus producing fruit will be the natural results of abiding in Him.
It is natural for the branches of a fruit tree to produce fruit
The symbols are, God is the vinedresser, Jesus is the vine and you are the branches.
The steps are be open to pruning and be in close communion with Jesus
But the success comes in glorifying God
Without Christ we can do nothing
With Christ we bear fruit and glorify our Father.
----
[1]John F. Walvoord, Roy B. Zuck and Dallas Theological Seminary, The Bible Knowledge Commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1983-c1985), 2:325.
[2]John F. Walvoord, Roy B. Zuck and Dallas Theological Seminary, The Bible Knowledge Commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1983-c1985), 2:325.
[3]Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, "An Exposition of the New Testament Comprising the Entire 'BE' Series"--Jkt. (Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1996, c1989), Jn 15:1.