Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

We are starting the final “I Am” saying of John’s Gospel.

Last week, we finished up “I am the way, the truth, and the life” found in John 14:6.

This next study will take us through the month of April.

And, then, starting in the month of June, we begin an extensive look at the names of God.

Our text for tonight is John 15.

Verse one gives us our last and final “I Am” statement to wrap up this study.

This one verse is an important verse that could lead us to study the entire chapter.

However, for the sake of time, we will limit our study to just the first six verses.

So let’s read them.

Let’s begin by noting who Christ is speaking to in this chapter.

Remember back to our study of chapter 14.

It started with Christ teaching His disciples.

In fact, the setting is Christ alone with the disciples.

They just finished their supper in the upper room.

Towards the end of the supper, Judas leaves so that he might betray the Lord.

Therefore, Christ’s teaching which spans chapters 14-16 is directed to the eleven.

There are no unbelievers present.

It was not a mixed audience.

Look back to John 13:1

Because of His love for them, He spent a considerable amount of time and teaching preparing them for what was to come.

Chapters 13 and 14 focused all that Christ would do for them as He was away.

These are things that He is currently doing for us.

He is maintaining communion with us, preparing a place for us, manifesting Himself to us as well as supplying our every need through His Holy Spirit.

We will learn more about John 15 as we go into our study this evening.

However, the essence of this chapter is who we are to be and what we are to do for Him while He is absent from us.

You might say that chapters 13 and 14 is the freeness and fulness of His Divine grace.

Whereas, chapter 15 is all about our responsibility to bear fruit.

Now, look at the ending of chapter 14.

In verse 27, Christ said John 14:27 “27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.

Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

Christ said John 14:31 “31 But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do.

Arise, let us go hence.”

Everything said in chapters 13-14 were said sitting at the supper table.

Remember it is there that Christ gave the emblems of His death.

Now, he gets up from the table, and as they are walking Christ continues teaching them.

His first statement after arising from the table is then

Vines are all about giving life.

In fact, the whole reason we can be fruitful is because we are ALIVE in Him.

My point is this.

Christ goes from resurrection to life.

The supper table was about His death.

Now, it is all about His resurrection.

You see before there can be fruit there must be life.

His resurrection is life, thus, for that reason, we can be fruitful.

This entire chapter is all about fruit bearing and the conditions required for fruitfulness.

Christ uses the word “fruit” eight times in this chapter.

However, his use of the word “abide” out matches the word “fruit.”

Christ uses “abide” fifteen times in the first ten verses.

His use of the word “abide” references fellowship.

Only those who are “born again” have the ability to “abide” (fellowship) with the Father and the Son.

Christ purposefully used the analogy of a vine and its branches for several reasons.

However, the most prominent reason is the a vine and its branches express oneness, a common life, shared by all, with the branches completely depending upon the vine for life and fruit bearing.

Thus, right here and right now, we are to glorify God the Father by bearing much fruit.

Look again at verse 1.

Remember that the words “I AM” directly relate Christ as Jehovah God.

It is a simple statement of complete divinity.

In all our other studies of this saying, Christ led up to the words “I AM.”

However, in this chapter, Christ leads with the words “I AM.” Thus, everything said from verse one to the end of the chapter is based on the fact that He is God.

The TRUE Vine

So Christ says, “I am the ???? vine.”

What word is used to describe Him as the vine?

It is the word “true.”

A word that Christ used multiple times of Himself.

Over in Hebrews 8:2 we learn

The word “true” is more than just opposition to what is “false.”

The essence of its use is that Christ the perfect, essential, and enduring reality of which everything else is nothing but reflection of Him.

For example, He was the TRUE Light in comparison to John the Baptist, His forerunner, who was but an instrument (light bearer) pointing to the TRUE light.

By that same thought, Christ was the “true bread” from Heaven as contrasted with the manna Israel ate in the wilderness.

Hebrews then teaches us that Christ is the “true tabernacle” as contrasted with the one Moses made, which was Hebrews 8:5 “...the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.”

The True VINE

We now turn our attention to Christ use of the word “vine.”

He did not arbitrarily select this term.

No, He chose it because it was the exact representation of Christ and His people bringing fruit to God.

Just like Christ’s use of “bread” so there is also a double type surrounding the “vine.”

Note the Holy Spirit’s use of a vine in the Old Testament.

God raised up Israel to be a vine or a vineyard.

Their whole purpose was to be fruitful for Him.

However, Israel gave wild grapes instead of good grapes.

They were a worthless vineyard who failed in their responsibility to God.

Israel represents the failure and degeneracy of man.

Christ, however, in contrast is the “true Vine.”

He fulfilled and continues to fulfill all expectations of the Heavenly Husbandman.

Note the second part of verse 1.

The Husbandman

Again, going back to the Old Testament, it often represents God the Father as the Proprietor of the vine.

Here, Christ calls Him the Husbandman.

In other words, He is the Cultivator, the One Who cares for the Vine.

A description that speaks of God’s love for His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and His people.

God lovingly watched His Son as He [Philippians 2:7] “...But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:” Then, God the Father watched over Him as He grew [Isaiah 53:2] “...up before him as a tender plant, And as a root out of a dry ground...”

You might recall how God prevented Joseph from putting away Mary as his wife.

Soon after Christ’s birth, God the Father bade Joseph to flee into Egypt as Herod sought to destroy Christ.

Are these not proofs of the Husbandman caring for the True Vine!

There are three principal thoughts suggested when considering God the Father as the Husbandman.

His protecting care.

God watches over the Vine as well as each branch growing from the Vine.

This means that His eye and His hands see and tend to the weakest and tenderest shoots.

His watchfulness.

There is nothing that can escape the eyes of God.

He knows just when each branch of the Vine needs watering, training, and pruning.