I am the branch

John 15:1–11 NASB95

1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. 3 “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. 6 “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. 7 “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. 9 “Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. 10 “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. 11 “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.

I wish to exhort you my brothers and sisters today morning from yet another familiar passage, one that we have heard preached many times in this church. But repetition is good for the soul and faith comes by hearing the word of Christ.

Jesus uses the allegory of a garderner and His vine to show the Christian’s communion with the Godhead. He ends this allegory in v11 saying,

John 15:11 ESV

11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

Have no doubt beloved that the Christian life is a life lived in the fullness of joy.

And this allegory is meant for us to know and experience that fullness of joy.

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John 15:1 ESV

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

Here, in this inner trinitarian picture, we see the Father delights in His Son as a gardener delights in His vine.

Jesus is the true vine, the truest that ever was and ever will be. True vine in the field of Viticulture or (wine-growing) would have meant that particular brand or essence of vine that was the purest, unique and truest to what a vine is supposed to be. And Jesus is the purest and truest to what He is, God in flesh, truly man and truly God.

And the Father is the vinedresser.

John 15:2–4 ESV

2 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. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.

Repeated throughout this allegory is the life of the branch that is attached to this vine. The life in this vine is ever flowing and never ending. At no point does this vine run out of life and this vinedresses run out of delight and glory in His vine.

The branch that abides in this vine, has the sap of life flow in its veins producing the fruit of life, but a branch that does not abide in this vine, has no life giving sap flowing through and it withers. Such branches are cut away.

John 15:6 ESV

6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.

For that is what a good vinedresser would do, for who would want their vine to be filled with fruitless and withering branches. Such a vinedresser would be condemned and considered sloppy. But the Father who love His vine and is good in every way has the most magnificent vineyard eyes have ever seen. The withering branches are purged from His vineyard.

What must we do then? The only thing Jesus tells us is to do, is Abide

Like a branch that cleaves to the vine so must we cleave to Christ, that by any and all means that He has provided we are able to drink of the life giving sap that flows from this vine.

As the allegory continues we read that abiding in Him also means that He abides in us. His words are the sap that flows through our veins in v7.

And to abide in Him to hold fast to His love and to keep His commandments.

The Father prunes. [Sower and the Seed]

Beloved, my exhoration to you today is that you have the mindset of a branch that longs to abide in the vine.