I AM the True Vine

Introduction

Today, we come to the last of the I AM statements of Jesus, “I am the true vine.” Jesus has drawn pictures for His disciples to the bring abstract into something that was solid: The Bread of Life, the Light of the World, the Gate, the Good Shepherd, the Way or the road that leads to God, and today, we are going to look at the picture of a Grapevine, a Gardener, and branches.

John 15:1–8 (NIV)

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.

He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.

You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.

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.

“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.

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.

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciple.

I am the True Vine

When I look at a grapevine, there are several things that I notice. There are similarities to other trees that produce fruit, but a grapevine is unique to an apple tree or some of our fruit trees around here.

When we take a look at a tree the most noticeable part of the tree isn’t the most important part of the tree. Most of what we see would consist of leaves and fruit, but there can be no leaves or fruit without the trunk and the roots.

John 15:5 (NIV)

“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.”

Paul the apostle uses an illustration that we are like wild olives that have been grafted in to the vine.

Jesus is our very source of life. We do not and cannot have life apart from Christ.

John 10:10 (NIV)

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

When we look at the illustration of the tree, we know that the roots bring nutrition through the vine.

Romans 11:15–16 (NIV)

For if their rejection brought reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?

If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches.

How Plants Get Water and Nutrients - dummies

I got my information from here because I needed to use words that I understand myself. It’s been a long time since I studied Biology in school so this is a bit of a refresher.

“Plants absorb nutrients and water through their roots, but photosynthesis — the process by which plants create their fuel — occurs in the leaves. Therefore, plants need to get fluids and nutrients from the ground up through their stems to their parts that are above ground level. Just as animals, plants also contain vascular tissues (xylem), which transports water and minerals up from the roots to the leaves, and phloem, which transports sugar molecules, amino acids, and hormones both up and down through the plant. The leaves of plants also contain veins, through which nutrients and hormones travel to reach the cells throughout the leaf. Veins are easy to see some leaves (a maple tree, for instance). In some plants the veins are hard to see, but they’re in there. Sap is the mix of water and minerals that move through the xylem. Carbohydrates move through the phloem. There are several different “modes of transportation” through the xylem and phloem; their main function is to keep all cells of the plant hydrated and nourished. Inside the cells of the root, there is a higher concentration of minerals than there is in the soil surrounding the plant. This creates root pressure, which forces water up out of the root through the xylem as more water and minerals are “pulled” into the root from the soil. This force results in guttation, which is the formation of tiny droplets on the ends of leaves or grass early in the morning. The reason the droplets are seen in the morning is because transpiration — the loss of water from leaves — doesn’t occur at night, so the pressure builds until morning. Those droplets are not just water, they’re sap. And, those sap droplets are proof that water and minerals get pulled up from the soil and transported through the entire plant. Guttation may work well for small plants, but gravity works against the upward movement through larger plants, so more active processes are involved.” Plants can’t survive without the roots and the trunk, the vine. We can’t live without Jesus either. We are fed through the Word of God and prayer.

Psalm 1:1–3 (NIV)

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,

but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.

That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.

The Gardener/Vinedresser

John 15:1–2 (NIV)

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.

He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.

For someone who has fruit trees or somebody that is a gardener understands that to have the most productive plants, you have to do the necessary work to make them productive.

In a garden, we pick the weeds so that they don’t take the nutrients from the good plants, so it is with a grapevine or a fruit tree that the vinedresser cuts out the dead and the unproductive branches. I remember talking to a friend of mine that told me that with tomatoes, he would take the unproductive shoots off so that his tomatoes would produce good big tomatoes instead of small tomatoes.

If you want small cobs of corn, plant them close together. Instead of getting a cob that is 10-12”, you’ll get one that is three to four that hasn’t properly developed.

We understand gardening, so we understand that God the Father cuts off the branches that are not producing any fruit and He prunes those that are to make them more fruitful.

You are the branches

John 15:5 (NIV)

“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.”

Our goal this morning is to leave knowing that we are fruitful or that God wants to work in us to make us more fruitful.

The purpose of a branch of a grapevine is to produce fruit. It’s not to produce leaves. It’s not to take up space on a tree. The only way for a branch to bear fruit is to remain in the vine.

Remain - μένω mĕnō -abide, continue, dwell, endure, be present, remain

Strong, J. (2009). A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible (Vol. 1, p. 47). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.

John 15:4 (NIV)

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.

There are two kind of branches. Those that bear fruit and those that don’t. God does two things to branches: He prunes and He removes (cuts off).

Whether God prunes us or cuts us off has a lot to do with us. It has to do with our hearts. Are we willing for God to work in us or do we reject God’s correction? Do we remain, abide, dwell, continue with God or did we ask Jesus in our hearts and then keep on living them same way that we always have?

John 15:6–7(NIV)

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.

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

In this chapter, we find a warning, and yet we find much encouragement. God’s heart is to prune us, but we need to be willing. His heart is that we bear much fruit, but He has to prune out those things that hold us back.

When it comes to overcoming sin, it’s a both and. God wants to work in us to help us overcome, but we need to be willing.

Ephesians 4:31–32 (NIV)

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Much Fruit

John 15:8 (NIV)

This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

When we give our lives to Christ, we become new creations. A friend of mine said that he lost one of his languages when he got saved. He gave his heart to Christ, and it was like that’s it, but God started to do a work in him. He wife noticed what God was doing and within 5 days, she gave her life to Christ too.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV)

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

When we give our lives to Christ, we become part of the family of God. We become branches and we are brought from death to life.

What fruit?

Changed life

Galatians 5:22–23 (ESV)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Bringing others to Christ

Philippians 2:14–18 (NIV)

Do everything without grumbling or arguing,

so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky

as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.

But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.

So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

Answered prayers

Matthew 6:10 (NIV)

your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

The more we remain in God, the more we get to know His will. As we get to know God’s will, it makes us more effective in our prayer life. When we ask we don’t ask amiss.

Two fruits of remaining: Obedience & Love

John 15:9–12 (NIV)

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.

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.

I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

In Matthew 22:37-40, Jesus responded to a question, “What is the great commandment:” Jesus kept it simple.

Matthew 22:37–40 (NIV)

Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’

This is the first and greatest commandment.

And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

What covers a multitude of sin? Love. Why did Jesus go to the cross? Love.

1 John 4:15–18 (NIV)

If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God.

And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.

This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

How do we show love?

We show God’s love by loving one another. Offense can take place so quickly, and yet we are called to forgive. God’s will is that we forgive just as we have been forgiven.

None of us are worthy of the Father’s love, and yet Jesus said, “As the Father has loved Me, so I have loved you.” We are commanded to love just as we have loved. Jesus said, “Remain, abide, continue in My love.” At times it’s not easy, but neither was the cross.

Sometimes we might think that if we forgive or if we love somebody that doesn’t deserve to be loved, they’re going to get off too easy. Judging isn’t in our job description. God will take care of that.

To close,

Colossians 3:12–17 (NIV)

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.