I AM= THE TRUE VINE

Prayer: Today, thank you for filling our lungs with your breath. You still have a purpose for us so we won’t give up when things get challenging. May we keep upfront that you are with us, with every step we take. And may we continue to be resilent and fearless in everything. Amen.

FOCAL TEXT:

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 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.

5 “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. 6 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. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 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. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

INTRO

Things are not always as they seem.

Maybe it’s not that we don’t believe God is real.

Perhaps we are unclear about who God really is.

We will provide a clearer visage of God by exploring God’s qualities, characteristics, essence, and overall attributes.

characteristics, essence, and overall attributes.

BIG IDEA: If you listen, God will tell you who He is.

You can’t experience blessings from God without being connected to God.

First let’s deal with Jesus and how Christ functions as the True Vine!

I. CHRIST-John 15:1-11“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.

Christ is the vine, and God is the gardener who cares for the branches to make them fruitful. The branches are all those who claim to be followers of Christ. The fruitful branches are true believers who by their living union with Christ produce much fruit. But those who become unproductive-those who turn back from following Christ after making a superficial commitment-will be separated from the vine. Unproductive followers are as good as dead and will be cut off and tossed aside.

Jesus makes a distinction between two kinds of pruning:

(1) separating and (2) cutting back branches. Fruitful branches are cut back to promote growth. In other words, God must sometimes discipline us to strengthen our character and faith. But branches that don’t bear fruit are cut off at the trunk because not only are they worthless, but they often infect the rest of the tree. People who won’t bear fruit for God or who try to block the efforts of God’s followers will be cut off from his life-giving power.

Christ connected us to God with His blood.

We connect with God by receiving Christ into our hearts...

First let’s deal with Jesus and how Christ functions as the True Vine!

Second, let’s deal with Jesus and how Connection functions as the True Vine!

II. CONNECTION-John 15:4-6 4 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.

5 “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. 6 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.

Remaining in Christ means(1) believing that he is God’s Son (2) receiving him as Savior and Lord (3) doing what God says (4) continuing to believe the gospel and (5) relating in love to the community of believers, Christ’s body.

When we are connected to God, our actions show it!

First let’s deal with Jesus and how Christ functions as the True Vine!

Second, let’s deal with Jesus and how Connection functions as the True Vine!

Third let’s deal with Jesus and how Character functions as the True Vine!

III. CHARACTER-John 15:7-11 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 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. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

When a vine bears “much fruit,” God is glorified, for daily he sent the sunshine and rain to make the crops grow, and constantly he nurtured each tiny plant and prepared it to blossom. What a moment of glory for the Lord of the harvest when the harvest is brought into the barns, mature and ready to use! He made it happen. This farming analogy shows how God is glorified when people come into a right relationship with him and begin to “bear much fruit” in their lives.

When things are going well, we feel elated. When hardships come, we sink into depression. But true joy transcends the rolling waves of circumstance. Joy comes from a consistent relationship with Jesus Christ. When our lives are intertwined with is, he will help us walk through adversity without sinking into debilitating lows and manage prosperity without moving into deceptive highs. The joy of living with Jesus Christ daily will keep us levelheaded, no matter how high or low our circumstances.

APPLY IT!

In conclusion, many people try to be good, honest people who do what is right. But Jesus says that the only way to live a truly good life is to stay close to him, like a branch attached to the vine. Apart from Christ our efforts are unfruitful. Are you receiving the nourishment and life offered by Christ, the vine? If not, you are missing a special gift he has for you.

1. Do you think society has distorted who God is?

2. How might we reintroduce God to a world of sceptics and critics? Who is God to you?