(during this message, although I use the example of the vine like mentioned by Jesus in John 15, I intersect with an example of a tree, the stem(trunk), branch, and fruit.)
Text:
Galatians 5:22-23 & John 15:1-9 (ESV)
This morning let’s answer five questions about John 15:1-9.
#1 Who is speaking? Jesus
#2 Who are those receiving these words? The disciples
#3 What is the time that Jesus is giving this teaching to them? The night of his betrayal and arrest
#4 Where did they receive this teaching? The upper room
#5 What is the purpose of this teaching? For that answer, lets get to the Word of God.
Jesus gives a word picture, by this I mean that as he describe the vine, the branch and the fruit, we begin to get a picture in our mind of what he is saying. Now do you know what a vine is? Let me give you another example. Think of the bitter kola tree that is right outside. It has the same structure as a vine, like Jesus talked about. You see the stem (trunk or base) goes into the ground and up very high. Then off of that stem are branches. Then the branches can produce leaves, or even like the bitter kola tree, they produce fruit. This is the same thing that Jesus is talking about when he talks about the vine. I vine is a long plant that has a stem, then the branches grow off the stem, and off the branches grow fruit.
Why does Jesus give us this word picture? To give us a good understanding that anything that we do, any good thing we do, only comes from him.
Look at John 15:1 : I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.
Think about a vine, or even the stem of a tree. This is the portion of the plant that gives life. The vine, or stem goes into the ground, it draws water and nutrients from the soil to give the vine life. Jesus is saying that “I am the true vine.” Now we know that God gives us life, like that of when you are born, but Jesus is saying that He is the true vine, the only one that gives true life. What is this true life that he speaks of? It is a life, that goes beyond this life that we live right now. It is the life that is given because you have placed your faith, hope, and trust, in Jesus by what he did on the cross for you. In the chapter before, Jesus said “I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6) Jesus is the true vine he is the source of true life.
Then in verse 1 Jesus goes onto say …and my Father is the vinedresser.” In the KJV it says he is the husbandman. Both the vinedresser and the husbandman are the same meaning, which simply means the vine worker or the pruner. In other words, he manages the vine, he cares for it, and maintains it, to keep it growing. How does He do this? Look at verse 2:
…every branch that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that bears fruit he prunes, that it may bear fruit.
When a vinedresser, or the person that cares for the vine and makes sure that it grows, looks at the vine, he can see whether a branch is good, or if it is bad. He knows this simply by what the vine is producing. If it is not producing, it is taking up valuable space of the vine. It may even be taking food from the trunk or stem that can be used for branches that can produce fruit. So what does the vinedresser do? He cuts it away. He removes it so that branches that are producing can grow and produce more fruit.
But a vinedresser has another job, to prune back the branches that are producing fruit. The is a difference in pruning and cutting away. When the vinedresser cuts away he is completely removing the branch because it is not producing fruit. But when a vinedresser prunes a tree, he simply cut it back a little bit after it has produced fruit, so it is ready to produce fruit again.
Now in verses 1 & 2, the word picture has been set. We understand what a vine is. We understand the relation that a branch and fruit have to the vine, and we understand the part that a vinedresser plays. So why is Jesus telling us about a vine? Is he giving us an agriculture lesson? Or do you think he is giving us a principle on how to live our lives that is pleasing to him? Look at verse #3…
In verse 4, he then says Abide in me, and I in you. That word “abide” means to dwell, to come in and rest. So, when Jesus says that we are to abide in him, he is saying that we need to draw close to him, rest in him, dwell in him. And he says that when we dwell in him, he will dwell in you. And then he goes onto say…”As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.
Now in verses 1, 2, 3 & 4, the word picture has been set. We understand what a vine is. We understand the relation that a branch and fruit have to the vine, and we understand the part that a vinedresser plays. We also understand that a branch cannot bear fruit on its own, it depends on the vine. So why is Jesus telling us about a vine? Is he giving us an agriculture lesson? Or do you think he is giving us a principle on how to live our lives that is pleasing to him?
Now he tells is how all of this is a lesson for the true believer. Before we go to verse 5, look back at verse 3:
Verse 3: Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.
Now remember Jesus is speaking to his disciples here, and when he says, “you are clean because of the word,” he is saying because you have followed me, because you are obeying my teachings, because you have believed I am who I said I am, you are clean. In other words, they are followers of Christ.
And he continues in verse 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.”
Now Jesus ties together this word picture about the vine and what it means to us. The first thing that he says is I am the vine. Remember that the vine, like the stem of a tree in the true source of life for the plant. The branch cannot grow of operate without the vine. It is a must. So Jesus is the vine, and we are the branches. If you are a Christian, do you depend on Jesus, of course. Just like a brand depends on the stem or the vine for it’s very life, as a believer in Jesus Christ we depend on our vine, our source.
So as a branch, when we cling to the vine, we will bear fruit. What is this fruit? What does it look like?
Galatians 5:22-23
A branch that is connected to the vine and is growing and maturing produces fruit. Just like a believer that is connected to Jesus, growing and maturing is producing these fruits: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Then Jesus says something very important…for apart from me, you can do nothing. Just like a branch cannot produce fruit on its own, away from the vine or stem, you cannot produce any of those things that Paul talked about… love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. You cannot do any of these things on your own. It’s not possible.
Verse 6: If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers: and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.
Jesus now addresses what will happen to those who do not abide, or dwell in him. He says if someone it not attached to him, like a branch is to the vine, then he will throw them in the fire. He will removed them.
Matthew 25:31-36 Jesus speaks of the final judgement and uses sheep and goats as an example.
One day, you and I, and everyone will stand before Jesus, and we will be judged on our lives. Not if we are good people or bad people, but whether you have chosen to follow Christ and continued to want to please him in everything you do. Jesus says in those verses he will separate the sheep from the goats, he will separate those who are truly his, and those who are not. And I believe there are many people in this world, in Nigeria, in Nsukka, and even in church this morning who think they are sheep, but they are really goats.
Verse 7: If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
This is one of the most misunderstood verses in the Bible. Many Christians say, well I abide with God, he abides with me, so God I am asking for 1 million Naira. God I want to go to Brazil, God I want to be the best footballer in the world. Does it work that way? No. Why? Look very close at the words of this very….. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you…
If you truly are abiding, dwelling in Jesus, and his words truly abide and dwell in you, are you going to ask for God to give you 1 Million Naira? No. What are you going to ask? God, your will be done. Just like Jesus did in the garden before he was taken to the cross and died. He said, God if it’s your will, take this cup from me, but, whatever happens, your will be done.
I don’t know why there are some people in the world who make millions and millions of naira, or why there are some people that God allows to be very, very rich, and yet they will deny him. I don’t know why. But whatever God has for us, know that it is his will and we should be satisfied and walk in obedience to that.
Jesus wraps up this story with these words in verse 8: By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and prove to be my disciples.
If you are a believer and follower of Jesus Christ you are a disciple. Just because you were not part of the 120, the 12, or even Matthias, if you follow Christ, you are a disciple. If Jesus were to return today, and we were all caught up into heaven and was standing in front of him, would you be a sheep or a goat?
You may say Pastor, now I believe in God and I believe that Jesus died on a cross for me, and I have prayed a prayer and have even been baptized. That’s great! I am glad to hear. But I want you to look at your life right now. If you look at your life, and see yourself as a branch, is there fruit on the end of your branch? Is being attached to the stem or vine, helping you to produce fruit? Or are you a dead branch, just hanging on to the vine, but not producing fruit? The good news is, that if you are not producing fruit, today that can change.
