Jesus not only said that He is the vine, but that He is the “TRUE” VINE! He is the source of truth, not deception!
John 15:1 -8 – I AM THE TRUE VINE, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 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. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 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. 5 “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. 6 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. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
Special note: These verses contain words of encouragement, a challenge, warnings, and blessing…
Acknowledgement: “The True Vine” by Andrew Murray was used as a primary resource for this message…
“I AM THE TRUE VINE” – JOHN 15:1
The vine is the living Lord who speaks, and gives, and works all that He has for us. He is the crucified One, who won perfect righteousness and a divine life for us through His death.
All the Vine can ever be to its branch – Jesus is to us!
MY FATHER IS THE HUSBANDMAN/VINEDRESSER
A vine needs to have a husbandman/vinedresser to plant and watch over it to receive and rejoice in its fruit!
The vine is dependent on a husbandman for the place where it is to grow, for its fencing in and watering and pruning,…
Jesus was entirely dependent upon the Father to do the Father’s will.
John 14:10 – The words that I say unto you, I speak not from Myself; but the Father abiding in Me does His works.
As He trusted God, let’s trust God that everything we ought to be and have, as those who belong to the VINE, will be given us from above.
BRANCHES
A Vine needs branches.
The branch is dependent upon the Vine. The Vine provides all nourishment needs for the branches.
WHAT IS A BRANCH?
It is simply a bit of wood, brought forth by the vine, for the one purpose of serving it in bearing its fruit.
The branch is exactly like the Vine in every aspect – the same nature, the same life, the same place, the same work. They are inseparably one.
Believers need to know that they are partakers of the divine nature, and have the very nature and spirit of Christ within them. Their one calling is to yield in perfect conformity to Christ! The believer is, and is to be, the perfect likeness of Christ.
The ‘Branch’ is a perfect likeness of the vine — the only difference is: The one is great and strong, and the source of strength; The other little and feeble, ever needing and receiving strength.
The ‘Branches’ are and have nothing but what the vine provides and imparts! (vs. 5)
Believers are called to a life of entire and unceasing dependence upon Christ. Day and night, every moment, Christ is to work in him all their needs.
The Vine and branch picture emphasizes complete dependence and the need for constant connection.
Special note: In todays world, connection is a very important part of maintaining communication, electricity flow, internet, etc… Constant connection is imperative — disconnect is not productive! There are many things in the world that try to cause us to disconnect from the Lord. We need to remain in Him! Stay committed! Apart from Jesus we are nothing! Keep directly connected to the VINE!
It is so sad when Christians quit — when they give up, and depart from the faith they once had! When they stop attending services, reading the Bible, serving in the church, etc… It is impossible to bear the right kind of fruit when we are disconnected from the VINE! When we are ABIDING, we are safe, provided for, and FRUITFUL!
Let’s not just be satisfied in sitting, listening, but doing nothing. Let’s be productive! Let’s be involved, and FRUITFUL! EVERYONE is to be a minister! We are ALL called into the ministry, to serve one another in love!
FRUIT
The fruit is the one thing that the branch is created for.
The Vine is the glory of the husbandman; the branch is the glory of the Vine; the FRUIT is the glory of the branch.
Every “Branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away“… The branches that are taken away are not properly abiding in the vine.
Every branch that bears fruit He prunes: The vinedresser cleans up with careful pruning the fruit-bearing vine so it will bear more fruit.
Special note: What kind of FRUIT are we bearing? How much FRUIT are we bearing? Are we content with little, or do we want MORE FRUIT…? The MORE FRUIT, the more our Father is glorified!
Below is a picture of an avocado from the avocado tree in our yard that we picked last week. It’s an amazing tree, and the avocado’s it produces are sweet and delicious!
CLEANSING BY THE WORD
John 13:10 – “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you…”
Special note: There is an initial cleansing, and then a continuing cleansing.
Ephesians 5:26 – …that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the Word…
Special note: The word of God is a cleansing agent. It condemns sin, it inspires holiness, it promotes growth, and it reveals power for victory. Jesus continues to wash His people through the Word
John 17:17 – Sanctify them by the truth; your Word is truth.
Special note: What is our Word intake? Are we systematically & consistently reading through the Bible?
THE VITAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE BRANCH AND THE VINE
“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. 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.”
“Abide in Me, and I in You!” (Vs. 4) STAY CONNECTED TO THE VINE!
Colossians 2:6 – So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him…
As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine: It is impossible for the branch to bear grapes if it isn’t connected to the vine.
“He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit“. (Vs. 5) Fruit bearing is inevitable with abiding. The quality and quantity of the fruit may differ, but the presence of fruit will be inevitable.
The price of not abiding and the promise to those who do abide
“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. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.” (Vs. 6-8)
“If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered.” A branch only has life as it is connected to the stock of the vine; a disciple only spiritually lives as they are connected to the Master.
“They gather them and throw them into the fire” This reference to burning and fire raises the association of punishment in the life to come and warns of the great consequences of failing to abide.
2 John 1:9 – Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son.
“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire and it shall be done for you” (Vs. 7)
“My words abide in you.” Jesus connected abiding to the idea of faithfulness to His words,
John 14:23-24 – Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. 24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.
“You will ask what you desire…” (Vs. 7) Jesus connected abiding to the idea of answered prayer… Do you want your prayers to be answered? Stay connected to the VINE!
John 14:13-14 – And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.
Abiding in Jesus means abiding in His words, and having His words live in the disciple. “We should not overlook the importance of the reference to ‘my words’. The teaching of Christ is important and is not lightly to be passed over in the interests of promoting religious feeling.” (Morris)
“The connection is maintained by obedience and prayer. To remain in Christ and to allow his words to remain in oneself means a conscious acceptance of the authority of his word and a constant contact with him by prayer.” (Tenney)
“By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit.” (Vs 8) The purpose of fruit bearing is to bring glory to God, not to the disciple. A branch that bears much fruit brings honor to one who cares for the vine, and a disciple who bears much fruit in a spiritual sense brings honor to God.
Husbandman will do all that is needed to make us bear more fruit. All He asks is, that we set our heart’s desire on it, entrust ourselves to His working and care, and joyfully look to Him to do His perfect work in us.
LET US JOYFULLY LOOK UP TO OUR DIVINE HUSBANDMAN AND OUR HEAVENLY VINE, TO ENSURE OUR BEARING MORE FRUIT… MUCH FRUIT!
John 8:31-Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of mine.”
Colossians 2:6-Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him…
Colossians 3:1-3-Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth…
1 John 2:6 -t …he one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.
John 6:56 – He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.
1 John 3:6 – No one who Abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him.
John 12:46 – I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.
Psalm 125:1 – Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever.
Proverbs 19:23 – The fear of the Lord leads to life, And he who has it will abide in satisfaction; He will not be visited with evil.
Psalm 91:1 – He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
John 15:9-10 – “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 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...
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Special Acknowledgements: Thanks to Evelyn Asuncion for preparing & sharing this message at our online service.
