The Vine

The Vine and the Vine dresser (v.1-3)

Verse 1: I am

“I am” statements by Jesus

I am the bread of life 6:35

I am the light of the world 8:12

I am the door 10:7,9

I am the good shepherd 10:11,14

I am the resurrection and the life 11:25-26

I am the way, the truth, and the life 14:6

The Bible often refers to God’s people with language of a vine.

English Standard Version Psalm 80

14  Turn again, O God of hosts!

Look down from heaven, and see;

have regard for this vine,

15  the stock that your right hand planted,

and for the son whom you made strong for yourself.

16  They have burned it with fire; they have cut it down;

may they perish at the rebuke of your face!

17  But let your hand be on the man of your right hand,

the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself!

18  Then we shall not turn back from you;

give us life, and we will call upon your name!

19  Restore us, O LORD God of hosts!

Let your face shine, that we may be saved!

Relationship of God the Father and God the Son

God is the Vine dresser or gardener

He permits growth and gives growth in us

Christ is the vine who we are all rooted into. We are branches of the vine.

Verse 2: Branches & Fruit

Matthew 3:10 ESV

10 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.

1 John 2:19 ESV

19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.

“Prunes”

Pruning is a farming term that means to cut away dead pieces and things like that on the plant so the the branch can grow better.

God will make you responsible for more things once you have done good with and managed well what he has already put you in charge of. So whatever God has put in front of you right now, or put under your care, manage it well and he will continue to give you more to take care of.

Moses as an example: He was sent to free the Israelites and then had to manage them in the desert.

Verse 3: Reconciled with God through Faith

We are made clean by the washing of the Holy Spirit and the Blood of Christ that was shed on the Cross. Cleanliness before God is only achieved by Christ and is given to us by grace through faith.

Romans 8:1–2 ESV

1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.

Abide in Christ (v.4-7)

Verse 4-5: We must rely on and Abide in Christ.

The Saw Story

The story has been told of a do-it-yourselfer who went into a hardware store early one morning and asked for a saw. The salesman took a chain saw from the shelf and commented that it was their “newest model, with the latest technology, guaranteed to cut ten cords of firewood a day.” The customer thought that sounded pretty good, so he bought it on the spot.

The next day the customer returned, looking somewhat exhausted. “Something must be wrong with this saw,” he moaned. “I worked as hard as I could and only managed to cut three cords of wood. I used to do four with my old fashioned saw.” Looking confused, the salesman said, “Here let me try it out back on some wood we keep there.” They went to the woodpile, the salesman pulled the cord, and as the motor went Vvvrooommm, the customer leaped back and exclaimed, “What’s that noise?”

The customer trying to saw wood without the power of the saw to help him is very much like the believer who attempts to live the Christian life without the daily empowerment of the Spirit.

When you go through your day to day life trying to please God, consult the Holy Spirit for help and guidance. By doing this you will be empowered to go through life pleasing God and living by the spirit of God.

Verse 6: Thrown Away

Matthew 7:19–21 ESV

19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

Verse 7: Godly prayers

When we pray for things that are in accordance with God’s will, he will fill those prayers.

For example, if you pray for God to send someone in your path that you can share the Gospel with you better be ready because he will definitely answer that prayer!

Bearing Fruit Glorifies God (v.8)

“God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in Him” -John Piper

Galatians 5:22–23 ESV

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

Notice the word “fruit” is singular not plural. We are not meant to just have one of them but have all of them