The True Vine And The Branches

THE TRUE VINE AND THE BRANCHES

Study Text: John 15:1-16

1 I am the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser.

Joh 15:2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away. And every one that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bring forth more fruit.

Joh 15:3 Now you are clean through the Word which I have spoken to you.

Joh 15:4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.

Joh 15:5 I am the Vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

Joh 15:6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered. And they gather and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

Joh 15:7 If you abide in Me, and My Words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done to you.

Joh 15:8 In this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, so you shall be My disciples.

Joh 15:9 As the Father has loved Me, so I have loved you; continue in My love.

Joh 15:10 If you keep My commandments, you shall abide in My love, even as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.

Joh 15:11 I have spoken these things to you so that My joy might remain in you and your joy might be full.

Joh 15:12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

Joh 15:13 No one has greater love than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Joh 15:14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.

Joh 15:15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master does. But I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.

Joh 15:16 You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give it to you.

- Jesus is pictured for us as the True Vine and His disciples as the branches

- If His deciples were to carry on the work of the Lord, then they needed to know how to produce tthe right kind of fruit in their lives.

- God is still working through the followers of Jesus Christ to accomplish His work and will in the world today.

- Many of us may sit idle and wonder how we are supposed to do the work of the Lord and how we can produce fruits in our own lives.

- Well, the answer is found in these verses. Because this passage is all about being becoming a genuine Disciple and about how to bear fruit for the glory of the Lord.

- Let's take some time to view this portrait of Jesus: The True Vine and see how we can become more like Him.

- We shall discuss this study under three sub-headings:

1. The Personality of the True Vine

2. The Purpose of the True Vine

3. The Promise of the True Vine

I. V. 1-3 THE PERSONALITY OF THE TRUE VINE

A. The Genuineness Of The True Vine - Jesus and Jesus alone possesses life within Himself, John 14:6. All other vines are counterfeit. He alone is the true source of everlasting, abundant life.

B. The Gardener Of The True Vine - The word "husbandman" refers to the vine dresser, the gardener, the one who has the responsibility of caring for the vineyard. Jesus says that the Heavenly Father is the Gardener.

- The key phrase in verse 2 is "in me". This lets us know that we are dealing with genuine believers. Jesus is n't speaking about those who profess Christ and yet have never possessed Him, He is not talking about wheat and tares, but only wheat.

- The Gardener is involved in everything that has to do with the Vine. This verse zeros in on three specific duties the Gardener in regard to the Vine.

1. Protection - That is, the Gardener provides tender watch care and protection for the Vineyard. - Aren't you glad that the Lord sees it all? I praise the Lord for the sure knowledge that nothing passes the gaze of my heavenly Father - Pro. 15:3

2. Purifying - The Gardener uses three primary methods of purifying his vineyard.