I Am the True Vine
March 18, 2018

Scripture: John 15:1-5

I. Since Jesus is the true vine, you need to produce fruit.

A. By saying He is the true vine, Jesus is clearly saying that there is a fake vine out there. In the Old Testament, on many occasions, the nation of Israel was referred to as God’s vine. Let’s read one example of this teaching from Psalm 80:7-8: “Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved! You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it.” Israel was supposed to be God’s vine that produced good fruit, but it failed. Jesus then is the true vine that produces the good fruit God wants. And Christ’s expectation is that those connected to Him will also bear much fruit (vs. 5).

B. We can see the type of fruit that God the gardener wants from your life in the rest of John 15. He wants the fruit of obedience (vs. 10), witness for Him (vs. 16), and the fruit of the Spirit (vs. 11 and 12). Galatians 5:22-23: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” Do these words describe you? If they do, that is evidence that you are connected the true vine of Jesus and you are truly Christian.

II. Since Jesus is the true vine, you need to be united with Jesus.

A. What is the one thing we as Christians must do in order to produce fruit? We find the answer in vs. 5. “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” Because we are branches we must stay connected to the vine if we want to produce fruit. According to Jesus, how much fruit will we produce if we are disconnected from Him as the true vine? Nothing.

B. When we have no real union with and no real love for Jesus, it’s impossible for us to produce the good fruit Jesus wants us to produce. So, how can you stay close to Jesus? You can’t have love and union without communication. Jesus talks to you through His Word in the Bible. And you talk to Jesus through prayer (John 15:16). If you want a connection with Jesus, you also need to worship Him with His people on a weekly basis. You also need to find some place where you can serve Him. Serving Jesus is a way to express your love for Him.

III. Since Jesus is the true vine, you will be pruned.

A. What does God the gardener do to all of the branches that are connected to Jesus the vine according to vs. 2? He prunes them. And pruning is painful. But the reason that God the gardener brings pruning and pain into your life is for your good according to vs. 2: “Every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” God wants more love, joy and peace in your life. He wants more obedience to Him so that your life can go better. He wants more people to come to faith in Him through your fruitful witness. To get these good results God the gardener prunes you. One thing that God uses to prune you and make you clean is the word of Jesus that you find in the Bible (vs. 3). The words of the Bible can cut you like a surgeon’s scalpel. But they cut you in order to heal you. They cut you to produce more fruit.

Application:
Remain in a loving union with Jesus and you will produce the fruit that brings joy to God’s heart.

Sources:
The Gospel of John
Commentaries on John by D.A. Carson and Richard Phillips.