I Am The True Vine! Series

I am the true Vine

I Am Series

Thesis: Jesus said He is the vine and He is the one that gives life and He is the one that enables a vine to produce fruit. Without Him we can do nothing so it is imperative that we stay connected to the true vine.

Visual Illustration: I have a vine from the garden! Notice what has happened to this branch which is not connected to the vine. It is dead and brittle. It will never produce fruit because it is not attached to its life source the vine!

Text: John 15

1“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He 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. 3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4Remain in me, and I will 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 a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Key Verses: John 15: 1 and 15:5 (NIV)

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener."

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit apart from me you can do nothing."

Note: KJV "Abide in Me" instead of "remain in me."

Introduction:

Jesus said: “I AM THE TRUE VINE!”

The statement "I Am":

The words "I Am" in John’s Gospel is a pivotal assertion by Jesus Christ. Jesus uses this name to reveal who He is. The titles, "I Am" and "Yahweh" come from the same root word. The difference though, in these names is the tense.

"I Am" is first person.

"Yahweh" is third person.

The "I Am" assertion signifies that Christ is the "I Am" who appeared to Moses in Exodus 3. The assertion Christ makes is "The Great I Am is standing right now in your presence.”

The statement "True Vine":

This proclamation by Christ is spoken to show those listening that "I Am" Christ is the Truth. The context makes a comparison to what is true (Christ) and what is false (Jewish religiousness), Israel’s present condition with God. We may take these words in opposition to what is spoken concerning Israel. Israel was referred to as a vine in the Old Testament by God several times.

Psalm 80:8 : You have brought a vine out of Egypt; You have cast out the nations, and planted it.

Isa 5:7: For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts [is] the house of Israel, And the men of Judah are His pleasant plant. He looked for justice, but behold, oppression; For righteousness, but behold, a cry [for] [help].

Jer. 2:21: Yet I had planted you a noble vine, a seed of highest quality. How then have you turned before Me into the degenerate plant of an alien vine?

Historical Background:

Viticulture in the Near East.

The vine has been cultivated in Pal. from the earliest times. The climate of Pal. is peculiarly adapted to viticulture with the country’s bright sunshine and the heavy dew of the late summer nights (Tenney Pg. 882)

Its Cultivation

The cultivation of the vine requires constant care or the fruit will very soon degenerate. After the rains the loosely made walls required repair; the ground must be ploughed or harrowed and cleared of weeds -- contrast with this the vineyard of the sluggard (Prv. 24: 30-31); in the early spring the plants must be pruned by cutting off dead and fruitless branches (Lev. 25: 3,4; Isa 5:6) which are gathered and burned (Jn 15:6). As the grapes ripen they must be watched to keep off jackals and foxes (Cant 2:15), and in some districts even wild boars (Ps 80:13).

I. “The true vine!”

a. The true vine is Jesus – His life, His Word, His death, His resurrection and His teachings are the truth.

i. Jesus is the source of eternal life.

ii. He is the source which enables us to produce eternal fruit.

1. The main point made by "I Am" is that Israel had been the vine and all who wanted to worship the true God had to be grafted too it. But from now on Christ and His teachings are what we must be attached to if we want the truth and if we want to serve the true God.