1. Harmonica Story: A young American engineer was sent to Ireland for a year. When he left, his fiancé gave him a harmonica. She said, "I want you to learn to play this: it will help to keep your mind off those Irish girls."
He wrote to her often and told he her that he was practicing his harmonica every night. After a year she met him at the airport, he grabbed her to kiss her and she pushed back and said, "Wait before you kiss me, I want to hear you play the harmonica."
The girl knew that the man’s love would be reflected in what he did. If he’d done what he’d promised – she’d know it by his actions.
2. John 15.1-11
3. God has used several symbols to represent his people and his relationship to his people – olive tree – indestructible quality (we are grafted into this metaphor through the actions of Yeshua (Jesus) and our faith in him – Romans 11); also the Vineyard –
7 For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts
is the house of Israel,
and the men of Judah
are his pleasant planting; Isaiah 5.7a (Cf. Matthew 21.33-46)
I. The True Vine – Yeshua (Jesus)
If I had been making up this parable/illustration, I would have had God as the vine and Yeshua as the “Branch” (a Messianic title) and the Disciples as the fruit – but that is not what He did – Yeshua (Jesus) is the Vine; WE are the branches; and the Father is the vineyard owner/dresser of the vine; which produces fruit
A. As the Vine Yeshua (Jesus) is the Source of:
1. Life – attached to roots, source of nourishment/water
a. God always turns water to wine through the vine
b. Yeshua turned water to wine miraculously in Cana
c. Dionysius was said to have turned water to wine on his birthday (annually)
2. Fruit
a. Through the branches – connected to the vine – connected to the roots
b. No fruit = no connection or blockage of sin
c. SOME fruit brings cleaning/pruning to produce more – painful process for us
B. As the Vinedresser the Father
1. Cleans the vine – by the word Yeshua speaks (v. 3)
2. Lifts the vine/takes away (v. 2)
3. Four possible meanings:
• Lift up/pick up as Simon lifting the cross of Yeshua (Jesus)
• Lift up figuratively as eyes or voice (John 4.35)
• Lift to carry away
• Lift to remove
4. Unproductive is thrown away (v. 6)
a. Baptism of fire (Luke 3.16)
b. Lake of fire (Revelation 2.10)
c. Gehenna (Mark 9.48)
d. Coming judgment – Luke 12.49-50
“I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! 50 I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished!
5. God is honored by our fruit production – v. 8
II. The True Branches – The Disciples
A. The Necessity of Being Connected to the Vine (Yeshua) – 15.4-6
A missionary in Africa lived in in a facility which had a small generator to supply current for his church and his small house. Some natives from an outlying mission came to visit the pastor. They noticed the electric light hanging from the ceiling of his living room. They watched wide-eyed as he turned the little switch and the light went on. One of the visitors asked if he could have one of the bulbs. The missionary, thinking he wanted it for a sort of trinket, gave him one of the extra bulbs.
On his next visit to the outlying mission, the missionary stopped at the hut of the man who had asked for the bulb. Imagine his surprise when he saw the bulb hanging from an ordinary string. He explained that one needed to have electricity and a wire to bring the current to the bulb.
We may share an understanding smile at the innocence of the African native, (P) but we may not be much better. In our text for today, Jesus tells a story about the importance of our connection to the true source of life and the true source of power.
B. There Is No Life Apart from Him
1. Enamored with many things that are alluring but disappointing -- There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. Proverbs 16.25
2. An example
The spending habits of the American public illustrate our priorities. One survey taken a few years back showed the American mentality. We spent 16 billion dollars for amusements, 2 billion for travel, 325 million for pet food, 304 million for chewing gum, and 76 million for lipstick. During the same period, the total given for foreign missions by all Protestant churches of the United States was said to be only 145 million dollars—less than half of what Americans spent on chewing gum. If these figures are only reasonably accurate, isn’t it evident to you and me that people are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God? (Contributed to Sermon Central by James O. Davis)
III. The True Fruit – of the Spirit
A young executive excitedly came home following an important company meeting. The Founder and CEO of the company had decided to retire and announced a unique way to select his replacement. He gave each executive a seed to plant in a container. At the end of the growing period, the potential CEO’s were to bring their respective pots to the boardroom and the winner would be announced.
The young man planted the seed in a small container. He faithfully watered the seed; put it out in the sun in hopes that his plant would grow the best. All the while he dreamed with his wife of the possibilities of attaining this new position.
After a few days he realized that his seed was not growing. The other executives were talking about the growth of their plants and over the next few weeks they began boasting of the size and color of each. His seed continued NOT to grow.
Deeply discouraged, the young executive spoke with his wife the night before the special meeting. He thought that he did not have a chance to win the coveted position and that he might just call in sick. His wife talked him into going to work and attending the meeting.
The day of the meeting found the boardroom packed with executives, each with a large plant – except the young man. The CEO walked into the room to announce the new CEO of the company.
He selected the young man whose seed had not grown in its container. The reason? The CEO explained to the group that he had boiled the seeds he had given each of them. There was no way the seeds could have grown into plants. The only honest one in the room had been the young man – all the rest had cheated by buying seeds that they assumed their boss had given them. The fruit of this young executive’s honesty was a promotion to a higher responsibility.
A. We Must Abide to Bear Fruit
1. Stay/remain; Perseverance/faithfulness
Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. Hebrews 3.12
a. Disciples remained with their rabbi
b. They absorbed his words to become just like him in theology and lifestyle
c. They endured the tests he would give them (as limited commission)
2. To abide we take the word in (v. 3)
3. To abide we live the word out – Philippians 2.12
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,
B. Fruit Reveals Truths – Matthew 7.16-20
16By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
1. That we are connected
2. That the HS is within us (Galatians 5.22-23)
3. Reminder that my life is not for me – as Yeshua – laid down his life
a. Branches live to bear fruit
b. Fruit I bear is not mine of for me – it is for others
1. A place of Abiding – Psalm 1
1 Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
3 He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6 for the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
2. Abiding in the Love of Yeshua (Jesus)
Paul Gustave Doré was born in Strasburg, January 10, 1833. He was well-known for illustrating many works, including a version of the Bible. (You can download the set of pen and ink drawing from Project Gutenberg.) The story is told that on one occasion he was putting the finishing touches on the face of Christ in one of his paintings, when an admiring friend stepped quietly into the studio. She stared with delight at his work, mouth open at the beauty and lifelikeness.
• Doré sensed her presence and said graciously, “Pardon, madam, I did not know you were here.”
• She answered, “Monsieur Doré, you must love him very much to be able to paint him so truly!”
• “Love him, madam? Oh, I do love him, but if I loved him better, I would paint him better!”
Something similar is true of each of us. If we love Yeshua (Jesus) better, we will serve him better; we will delight in his will and his ways; we keep his commandments. The deeper our love for God, the greater is our fellowship with God. Love deepens the fellowship which necessarily produces faithfulness.
