We have looked at Jesus in several ways. Jesus the True Shepherd - John 10: 1 - 6 Jesus the Good Shepherd - John 10: 7 - 18, Jesus the King of Glory - Psalms 24: 7 - 10, Jesus our righteousness - 1 Corinthians 1: 30, Jesus our Stronghold - Psalms 18:2, Jesus The Way, The Truth and The Life - John 14:6, Jesus the Light of the world - John 8:12, Jesus our Redeemer - Matthew 26: 36 - 46, and there are others but today we are going to have a glimpse of Jesus been the True Vine.
John 15: 1 - 8
I am the true vine, and My Father is the vine dresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He [a]takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
The amplified version
I am the true Vine, and My Father is the vine dresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that continues to bear fruit, He [repeatedly] prunes, so that it will bear more fruit [even richer and finer fruit]. You are already clean because of the word which I have given you [the teachings which I have discussed with you]. Remain in Me, and I [will remain] in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself without remaining in the vine, neither can you [bear fruit, producing evidence of your faith] unless you remain in Me. I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him bears much fruit, for [otherwise] apart from Me [that is, cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in Me, he is thrown out like a [broken off] branch, and withers and dies; and they gather such branches and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you remain in Me and My words remain in you [that is, if we are vitally united and My message lives in your heart], ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified and honoured by this, when you bear much fruit, and prove yourselves to be My [true] disciples.
Jesus is speaking to everyone around Him including the disciples. Jesus is explaining to them that He is the vine and His Father is the vine dresser and if we can remember the words of Jesus that always points to His father, He will say to everyone that He only says what His Father says and He only does what his Father does. Jesus was always glorifying His father and depended on His father and not on Himself and this is why He had a successful ministry.
Jesus never did anything outside of His Father's will and purpose. In His time here on earth , He came to fulfil the desire of His Father and He made it known in His ministry that He was sent by His Father and several times God spoke highly of Jesus who came as the True Vine.
Looking at the definition of a Vine in the dictionary. I would say that Jesus is saying that He is a plant or a tree and we as His children are the branches and His Father is the Vine dresser - who does the work of always pruning us as branches so has to bear more fruit to His glory. God will always prune the branches so as to perfect everything for us Son and the WORD actually records to us the love that God as for His Son.
There are scriptures we can refer to about this parable
Jeremiah 18: 1 - 6
The Potter and the Clay
The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying: “Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear My words.” Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something at the wheel. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make.
Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?” says the Lord. “Look, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel!
God as the vine dresser is the potter and we as the branches are the clay in His hands and He wishes to build us up as he desires and we as branches we cannot say to the vine dresser that we do not want to be the clay in his hand. God is our creator and looking at the first chapter of Jeremiah He said these in verses 4 to 12 that we need to meditate on
Jeremiah 1: 4 - 12
Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you;
Before you were born I sanctified you;
I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”
Then said I:
“Ah, Lord God!
Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.”
But the Lord said to me:
“Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’
For you shall go to all to whom I send you,
And whatever I command you, you shall speak.
Do not be afraid of their faces,
For I am with you to deliver you,” says the Lord.
Then the Lord put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me:
“Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.
See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms,
To root out and to pull down,
To destroy and to throw down,
To build and to plant.”
Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?”
And I said, “I see a branch of an almond tree.”
Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I am ready to perform My word.”
God the vine dresser knew us even before we came forth from our mothers womb. He desires a relationship with us as His branches and like Jesus He had a relationship with His Father and this is why He bore fruits and still bearing fruits through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus is the True Vine!
Jesus said that every branch that does not bear fruit is taking away and every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that there can be more fruits for his Kingdom. God as the vine dresser is continuously working on the branches that does bear fruit. The body of Christ cannot be lukewarm we need to do what the vine dresser has called us to do.
Revelation 3: 14 - 22 records this
The Lukewarm Church
And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write,
‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
This is what the vine dresser says to us His church - his body because the Bible records that we are the body of Christ. The body of Christ is loved by the vine dresser and He is saying to us do not be lukewarm so as not to vomit you out of my mouth .
And in the book of Hebrews 12: 3 - 11 the vine dresser says this to the branches
The Discipline of God
For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons:
“My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord,
Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
For whom the Lord loves He chastens,
And scourges every son whom He receives.”
If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, after ward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Therefore, we as the branches need to be pruned by our vine dresser so as to bear fruits of righteousness, we are to submit to his correction or chastening as sons of God. The discipline of God is one of love and looking at it Jesus Himself endured a lot of pain so as to bring many sons to glory.
The Father's plan is to bring us to maturity and as his children we should not be surprised when God disciplines us, we are his disciples and apprentices to Jesus Christ learning to live as He lived which was in complete dependence and obedience to His Father. The vine dresser corrects us for our spiritual growth.
In the process of our growth we are encouraged by Jesus who is the True Vine to abide in Him and abide in His words and by doing so we bear fruits to his glory. Jesus gave us a promise that by abiding in Him and His words we are to ask what we desire and it will be given to us and through this His Father is glorified. And this will cause us to be His disciples.
Jesus the True Vine!
God the Vine Dresser knows more about us than we can ever imagine. Psalms 139 records God's perfect knowledge of His branches:
O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.
You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.
You have hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it.
Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.
If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,”
Even the night shall be light about me;
Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You,
But the night shines as the day;
The darkness and the light are both alike to You.
For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.
How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
When I awake, I am still with You.
Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God!
Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men.
For they speak against You wickedly;
Your enemies take Your name in vain.
Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?
I hate them with perfect hatred;
I count them my enemies.
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.
The Vine Dresser created us and knows everything about us because we are His creation, made in His own image and likeness. Our Father cares so much for us His branches that He put all of Him into us so as to bear fruits.
We the branches came into this realm from our Father's Kingdom and all that He as put in us must come forth and it's all for His Kingdom. We are not here in this realm for our own purpose but for the Kingdom's purpose alone. The Bible records that the kingdom of Heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force in Matthew 11:12. The WORD also says God has made known to us the mysteries of His Kingdom in Matthew 13:11, so as to bear more fruits to please Him.
Jesus is the True Vine and His Father is the Vine Dresser.
The parable of the sower by Jesus the True vine
Matthew 13: 1 - 25
On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
The Purpose of Parables
And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?”
He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the [a]mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:
‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand,
And seeing you will see and not perceive;
For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
Their ears are hard of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed,
Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them.’
But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
The Parable of the Sower Explained
Therefore hear the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
Jesus is giving us a beautiful example of how to bear fruits for His Kingdom and He says to us that we are blessed for our eyes can see and we can hear what He says to us as his branches.He desires us all to bear a hundred fold fruits that will please Him. We are not to let the circumstances of life hinder us from going into His WORD but we are to become more fruitful by abiding in His WORD.
Jesus also said in His WORD that we have been given a Helper to remind us of what He said in the book of John 14: 15 - 18
Jesus Promises Another Helper
If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
And in John 16: 5 - 15
The Work of the Holy Spirit
But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgement, because the ruler of this world is judged.
I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.
We have the Holy Spirit to help us in our weaknesses. And we are to trust in Him by involving Him in every area of our lives. The Holy Spirit is our Helper , Comforter, Advocate , Teacher, Strengthener and Stand - By.
Holy Spirit our Helper - John 14:26
Holy Spirit our Comforter - John 14:26 ( KJV )
Holy Spirit our Advocate - 1 John 2:1
Holy Spirit our Teacher - 1 John 2:27
Holy Spirit our Strengthener - John 15;26
Holy Spirit our Stand - by - John 14:16
Jesus is the True Vine and the Father is our Vine Dresser.
Jesus is the True Vine and His Father is the Vine Dresser let's submit to His pruning in our lives so as to bear fruits for His Kingdom.
Stay blessed in His presence always.
