Abide In Me As A Calling

Jesus was preparing to participate in the Passover Feast. He shows His disciples, as John 13:1 tells us, “the full extent of His love.” Before their evening meal was served, Jesus washes the feet of each disciple. He even washes the feet of the one that Jesus knew was going to betray Him. He predicts Peter’s denial. Then He tells them:

John 14:1 NIV84

1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.

He does this to give them comfort in a time they cannot understand. He tells them of the coming Holy Spirit that will help guide and direct them. He bids them to leave the dwelling in which they had their meal. We don’t see in John’s Gospel, but I believe that Jesus walked out of the house an into a vineyard because He continues His teaching using the metaphor of a vine. This sets the background for our text today. The Disciples have been called to follow Jesus. They do not understand what all that means, but John gives us insight in chapter 15 of his Gospel. As we look at this beautiful text, we will hopefully develop a greater understanding of what Jesus said.

John 15:1–7 NKJV

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, 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, 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, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.

The first thing we see here the connection.

The Connection (vs. 1)

To help you understand why Jesus would be making the connection between His Father and the true vine, we first must understand what the “untrue” vine could have been. There is a rich connection between the Old Testament and the New Testament. It is important to understand that because there is a prevalent teaching going around that the Old Testament does not matter. In order to fully comprehend this passage in John 15, I want you to see part of the connection regarding vines and vineyards stemming from the Old Testament.

Psalm 80 is a prayer that comes after much despair and defeat. Too often, we use prayer as a panic button summoning immediate help. This week I read a quote that said, “Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?” I have been thinking about that quote as I have been looking at this Old Testament imagery of the vine from Psalm 80. Prayer should be a communication line maintaining relationships with our only Source of Hope. This prayer in Psalm 80 comes from the point of view of a victim. Israel feels abandoned by God. They call themselves a vine our of Egypt. However, because of their disobedience the vine is burned with fire (Psalm 80:16).

Psalm 80:16 NIV84

16 Your vine is cut down, it is burned with fire; at your rebuke your people perish.

Israel at this point has failed the long-term role that it was called to fulfill. Isaiah 49:6 shows us that calling was to be “a light for the Gentiles” to bring God’s salvation to all the earth.

Isaiah 49:6 NIV84

6 he says: “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”

Israel was more attracted to the gods of other countries than they were to sharing the “One True Light.” However, God’s purpose does not fall in defeat. It is given new life by the One who stands in the middle of Israel and among His disciples. Jesus shows that He is obedient and through His ultimate sacrifice, the true purpose of the Israel would find fulfillment. This means that all nations would be reached and as Genesis 12:2 states, “all peoples of the earth will be blessed through you.”

Therefore, Jesus can say in John 15:1, “I am the true vine.” Let me show you a couple other examples.

Genesis 49:11 NIV84

11 He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch; he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes.

Jesus is the true vine typified by Judah’s vine that cleansed with the blood of the grape.

Genesis 49:22 NIV84

22 “Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine near a spring, whose branches climb over a wall.

Jesus is the true vine typified by Joseph’s vine that overcame the obstacle of a wall.

1 Kings 4:25 NIV84

25 During Solomon’s lifetime Judah and Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, lived in safety, each man under his own vine and fig tree.

Jesus is the true vine typified by Israel’s vine which provided safety and shelter.

The True Vine CLEANSES you!

The True Vine CONQUERS for you!

The True Vine COVERS you!

Jesus can say He is the true vine because of His connection to the Father. We should in turn be connected to Jesus. What you are attached to will determine your impact. Jesus is the true vine and He is attached to and cared for by the Father. If Jesus wants us to be connected to Him, there are a few criteria we must accept.

The Criteria and Cleansing (vs. 2-3)

First, the Father wants the vine and its branches to be productive and effective. We are to produce fruit. In fact, to produce more fruit, we are to be pruned. The branches are cut back so the life-giving substances will go to the fruit producing end. I don’t grow grapes, but I do grow tomatoes. I prune back my tomato plants in order that I can get the best tomatoes. The same concept is true with those that are connected to the True Vine. We get the unnecessary stuff out of the way in order to produce fruit. The way we get more production is through a process of pruning. Pruning molds us and shapes us into the direction in which we need to grown

Hebrews 12:10 NIV84

10 Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.

Hebrews 12:11 NIV84

11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

As we are pruned, we are put in the position to produce more fruit. As we are put in this position, are being purified even more so. John 15:3 tells us in the words of Jesus as He is talking to His disciples, that they are already cleaned. They have heard the transforming word of Christ and have established themselves as true followers.

Some people think that this passage about producing fruit is about leading people to Christ and if you don’t you will be thrown into the fire. Now we should all be active in leading others to Christ. However, that is not our fruit. Our fruit does not consist of bodies but of character traits that will be influential to lead others to Christ.

Galatians 5:22–23 NIV84

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

Fruitfulness is a true mark of a Christian! So how do you do that?

The Clarification (vs. 4-6)

We see in verses 4-6 and again in verse 7, one word that is the key to being a fruit producing member of the vine. The word in the New King James Version is ABIDE. The word means to tarry, endure, to remain as one, or more significantly, it means to not become another or to be different.

John 15:4 NKJV

4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

So when Jesus tells us to Abide in Him, He is saying to be like Him. The Father owns the garden, Jesus is the vine and we are His branches. So we are going to be whatever the vine produces. Again, the branch’s purpose is to bear much fruit. We do this by abiding in Him. We become like Him in prayer through His name, obedience to His commands, experiencing His joy, peace and love. In addition, we are to abide for him by loving one another and witnessing to the world. While we are doing this, we abide with Him. The opposite of abiding with Him would be abiding without Him. Did you notice the phrase at the end of John 15:5? Listen again,

John 15:5 NKJV

5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

“Apart from Me, you can do nothing.”

Verse 6 gives us a stern warning.

John 15:6 NKJV

6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.

Fire is something that is terrifying to me. I have great respect for anything that has to do with fire, but one of my greatest fears is to be in a fire. The Bible tells me that the branch that does not abide in Jesus, is cast out and ultimately becomes fuel for fire. There are times when we need to fuel the fire. In fact I talked about that last week in the last message of perseverance and quenching the Spirit. We are to fuel the fire but not be fuel of the fire. Fire here symbolizes judgement and that which is useless. It is a judgement that I do not want to ever know personally. That in itself would be enough for me to abide in Jesus. However, there is a commitment made to you and I if we abide in Him that makes me want it more than ever.

The Commitment (vs. 7)

John 15:7 NKJV

7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.

First there is a pledge. We can approach Jesus with anything and He will hear us.

Second, there is a promise. Not only will Jesus hear us with anything which we come to Him, it will be done for us.

Third, there is progress. The progress comes because fruit is produced and the Father’s purpose is achieved.

Do you want to be spiritually acceptable? Abide in Him. Do you want to do what God desires for you? Abide in Him. Do you want be all that you are created to be? Abide in Him! For without Him, we can do nothing.