I AM - I AM the Vine
June 24, 2018
John 15:1 (p. 752)
Introduction:
Marvin Yeager was almost 90 years old when I met him. I’d gone to visit his wife, Vernice at the hospital and then had her funeral after she lost her battle with cancer…Marvin was more country than any man I’d ever met. He always wore overalls and a red flannel shirt, whether it was 5 degrees or 105 degrees.
Marvin called me at 1 am one time and said, “Come over!” I said “Marvin, is everything OK?” And he said, “I just got home from catfishin’ and I want to show you something.” And when I got there Marvin was yelling at the cats who had chewed up the tail of the giant catfish he wanted to show me (ironic huh?)
Marvin would grind up aspirin and mix it with WD40 and put it on his arthritis…he swore it helped…I loved Marvin, he was my friend…I helped bury him at the age of 95.
But, one of the things I remember most about Marvin was his tomatoes…He called them “Big Boys” and they were…bigger than most grapefruit, almost perfect, and they tasted even better…He used to tell me, “You’ve got to “sucker ‘em.” And I’d say, “I’ve got no idea what you’re talking about Marvin.” So he showed me…He grew them next to a fence and when we walked over he checked each vine and with his pocket knife he carefully cut off some of the lower branches…He pruned them with expert hands…He said, “I do this so the good juices can get to the best places.” Marvin knew more about growing the most beautiful and delicious tomatoes than anyone I’ve ever met, before or since. “Plant at the full moon near Mother’s Day, put a catfish head in with each plant, water ‘em early and sucker ‘em just right - and son, you’ll grow some whoppers.”
Jesus knew more about growing disciples than anyone who’s ever lived…and in John Chapter 15 He gives us some of His insight.
“I AM the true vine and my Father is the Gardener. 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.”
Jesus is using the analogy of a vineyard and growing grapes, but He’s really talking about a much more important crop. He’s talking about His kingdom…He’s talking about disciples who follow Him…and some of the same principles Marvin used to grow tomatoes in Washington County, Jesus uses to grow disciples.
The point Jesus makes is a simple one. He is the main vine in the vineyard and his followers are the branches that grow from Him. God the Father is the Gardener…The overseer of the vineyard who will do what’s necessary to have the best crop…which involves:
I. PRUNING FOR PRODUCTIVITY
Marvin would cal it “suckerin’”
But Jesus says, “God the Father, the Gardener cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that does not bear fruit He prunes.”
In verse 6 of this chapter Jesus says:
“If anyone does not remain in me they are like a branch that is thrown away and withers, such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.”
It’s a pretty simple plan…God the Gardener wants a vineyard that produces fruit…when He sees branches that never produce fruit, He cuts them off the vine, throws them in a pile, that pile of branches withers away and they’re burned. It just becomes much more intense when we realize He’s dealing with people…not branches.
Here’s what we know for sure…God’s the Gardener…Jesus is the one true vine…and we are the branches that grow from the vine…branches that do not produce fruit are eventually cut off and thrown in the fire…and even those which do produce fruit are pruned so they bear more fruit. Would you agree that this is an accurate summation of Jesus’ story in John 15?
If it is, that means there were people at one time connected to Christ who never produced fruit or stopped producing fruit. And God the Gardener removes them from the vine.
Listen when I hear these words it troubles my heart…I understand in the whole context of scripture that Jesus isn’t talking about a “works” theology…a theology that believes if you do enough “kingdom stuff” you earn a salvation paycheck.
What He is saying very clearly is we are saved by a “relationship theology.”
“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. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers…these branches are burned.”
I do not lose the freedom to choose whether I will remain in Christ or separate myself from Him after I’m saved.
Jesus isn’t using reverse psychology or scare tactics here…He is simply stating the truth about one of God’s greatest gifts. The gift of having an ongoing relationship with Him through Jesus and His Word.
READ v. 6-11 (p. 752)
We need to remember that the Vineyard is God’s Kingdom…He’s the Gardener…Jesus is the one true vine…and the goal of any Gardener or Farmer is “a bountiful crop.” The Gardener or Farmer is not going to consider it a success if the plants are really lush and beautiful, but no fruit is ever produced. He’s not going to consider having a lot of branches tangled together a success…The only reason He planted the garden, or vineyard, was so there would be a Harvest. The reason branches are connected to the vine is so grapes will be produced. As one person said:
“God the Gardener does not want religious activity…He desires Kingdom productivity.”
[During the 1986 Rose Bowl Parade the Standard Oil Company float got to lead the parade…It won this honor by being voted the most beautiful float. Standard Oil is one of the largest producers of petrol on the planet. During the parade the float broke down…They discovered it had run out of gas.
How’s that for irony - the float was beautiful but they’d neglected to use the company’s vast resources of oil to keep going forward…The parade stopped while someone went to fill up a 5 gallon can.]
People who do a lot of stuff but never lead anyone to Christ are like this float…They look good but they never avail themselves of the resources from the owner of the company…and they run out of gas in the middle of the parade.
John the Baptist said this to a group of religious people… “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.” The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” (Matt. 3:8,10)
Please, please, please understand…We are not saved to look like pretty floats or branches…We are saved to reach people for Christ and grow His Kingdom…John the Baptist concludes this warning with these words:
MATTHEW 3:11-12 (p. 676)
When was the last time you shared Christ with a real person and trusted the Holy Spirit to be the power that brings people to repentance? When was the last time you invited someone to Church because you wanted them to be part of the family of God? Does your ministry and your life make this a priority? It flows through you naturally if you are connected to the vine.
So let me end with this question…
II. HOW DO WE BECOME BRANCHES THAT BEAR FRUIT?
There are two different kinds of fruit that branches or (Christians) connected to the Vine (Jesus) produce in the New Testament.
One is the fruit of the Spirit…and this fruit is produced when we “walk by the Spirit of God” instead of gratifying ourselves. Listen:
GALATIANS 5:16-26 (p. 813)
This fruit takes time to develop as we mature in Christ…There are no shortcuts…It requires a conscious denying of self…and listening to God’s prompting over your desires…All these characteristics grow like a cluster of grapes in a born again believer’s life…There is no law that can make you have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self control…Only a continuous connection to Jesus through His Word and the Holy Spirit can grow these in our lives.
But this fruit of the spirit exists and is given so the second fruit can be produced…And that fruit is “the making of other disciples.” It’s why Jesus, the Vine says…
“This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”
Clearly Jesus is saying…“The fruit of a disciple is another disciple…It’s why God planted the Vineyard we call His Kingdom…
How do you know if an apple tree is an apple tree…it produces apples!!! How do you know that someone is a disciple of Jesus…They produce disciples…
Jesus said, “Good trees cannot produce bad fruit, and bad trees cannot produce good fruit. You will know them by the fruit they produce.
You’ll know over time what kind of tree…or vine someone is by the fruit they produce in their lives.
[The word “remain” or “abide” is used 11 times in 11 verses here in John 15. What does it mean to “remain” or “abide” in Christ…like in verse 5 where Jesus gets specific and says, “If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit.” And then in verse 6 where He says, “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.”]
George Whitfield conducted outdoor evangelistic campaigns in the 1700’s during a period of revival called the “Great Awakening.” Thousands responded to his Gospel message. After one of his sermons, someone asked Whitfield how many people were converted. He replied: “We’ll know in five years.” In other words, the passing of time would show which decisions were superficial and which were genuine. Some would ABIDE, others would not.
We are told to ABIDE because it is something we can do…or not do. We have a part to play. In practical terms, we have a daily choice to make. Will we spend time in prayer? Will we open the Bible and read? Will we focus on Christ? Will we spend time with other believers? If we fail to see that ABIDING is our job, we miss the message of this whole chapter.
The one who fails to abide is in a dangerous state. Jesus gives us reassuring promises for those who stay connected, but chilling warnings for those who turn loose.
This isn’t talking about mountains and valleys in our life, or dry periods…it’s taking about “abiding,” “remaining” and Jesus clearly says…All you have to do to know if someone is abiding in Him…remaining in Him…is look for the fruit.
