“I AM THE VINE, YOU ARE THE BRANCHES”
JOHN Chapter 15:1-8
~ In Chapter 15 we have three insights:
I) Our FATHER is the
II) We are to
III) Let’s have a
- In this chapter we have the seventh and last “I AM” found in The Gospel According To John revealing the deity of Jesus Christ:
I AM the
I AM the
I AM the
I AM the
I AM the
I AM the
I AM the
~ Let us understand the Vineyard of God:
- Israel the Vineyard of
My Well-beloved has a vineyard
On a very fruitful hill.
2 He dug it up and cleared out its stones,
And planted it with the choicest vine.
He built a tower in its midst,
And also made a winepress in it;
So He expected it to bring forth good grapes,
But it brought forth wild grapes.
3 “And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah,
Judge, please, between Me and My vineyard.
4 What more could have been done to My vineyard
That I have not done in it?
Why then, when I expected it to bring forth good grapes,
Did it bring forth wild grapes?
5 And now, please let Me tell you what I will do to My vineyard:
I will take away its hedge, and it shall be burned;
And break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down.
6 I will lay it waste;
It shall not be pruned or dug,
But there shall come up briers and thorns.
I will also command the clouds
That they rain no rain on it.”
7 For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel,
And the men of Judah are His pleasant plant.
He looked for justice, but behold, oppression;
For righteousness, but behold, a cry for help.
- Israel the Vinedressers that reject the owner of the vineyard – In Matthew 21:33-41 – Jesus explains The Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers - “Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers? “They said to Him, “He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.” (ref. - Matthew 23:29-39 for killing of God’s true prophets.)
I) Our FATHER is the VINEDRESSER (v1-3)
(v1) Jesus is the “TRUE VINE” - “true”- Gk.- alethinos - genuine. Jesus uses various metaphors to illustrate himself and his work (the light, John 8:12; the door, John 10:7; the shepherd, John 10:11; the vine, John 15:1). The vine was common in Palestine. “On the Maccabean coinage Israel was represented by a vine” (Dods).
- Jesus is the genuine Messianic vine - Psalm 80:8-9 - You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it. You cleared the ground for it, and it took root and filled the land.
(v2) The VINEDRESSER (the FATHER) takes away (Gk. – arei – take away to judgment; Mt. 24:39) branches that do NOT BEAR FRUIT. This is a picture of apostate Christians who never genuinely believed and will be taken away in judgment (v. 6; Matt. 7:15-23; 13:18-23; the World’s vine - Rev. 14:14-20).
~ Dear friends be a
- Jesus said in Matthew 7:15-23 - “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
- Jesus shared another warning in Matthew 13:18-23 - “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.”
In the Great Tribulation we read about the judgment of the worldly vine - Revelation 14:14-20 - Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped. Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.” So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses’ bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs. (4 feet high by 180 miles)
God will
(v3) The disciples were
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.)
II) We are to
(v4-5) Key to fruitfulness: ABIDE (used 11 times in vs.1-11) - Gk. – meno - to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy), continue, dwell, endure, be present, remain, stand. Jesus said, “Abide in Me, and I in you … Bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” (cp. - Psalm 1)
- Warren Wiersbe writes, “We must remember that the branches do not eat the fruit others do. We are not producing fruit to please ourselves but to serve others.”
~ What is bearing fruit? We must produce the:
- Fruit of
Fruit of the
Fruitful
Fruitful
Fruitful
Fruitful
(v6) “withered branches are thrown into the fire” - This FIRE is HELL, and it is an everlasting punishment!
- Let us understand HELL from the Nelson’s Bible Dictionary - In the time of Jesus the Valley of Hinnom was used as the garbage dump of Jerusalem. Into it were thrown all the filth and garbage of the city, including the dead bodies of animals and executed criminals. To consume all this, fires burned constantly. Maggots worked in the filth. When the wind blew from that direction over the city, its awfulness was quite evident. At night wild dogs howled and gnashed their teeth as they fought over the garbage.
Jesus used this awful scene as a symbol of hell. In effect he said, “Do you want to know what hell is like? Look at the valley of Gehenna.” So hell may be described as God’s “cosmic garbage dump.” All that is unfit for heaven will be thrown into hell.
The word Gehenna occurs 12 times in the New Testament. Each time it is translated as “hell.” With the exception of James 3:6, it is used only by Jesus (Matt 5:22,29-30; 10:28; 23:15,33; Mark 9:43,45,47; Luke 12:5). In Matt 5:22; 18:9; and Mark 9:47, it is used with “fire” as “hell fire.” So the word hell (Gehenna) as a place of punishment is used in the New Testament by Him who is the essence of infinite love.
In Mark 9:46 and 48, hell is described as a place where “their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.” Repeatedly Jesus spoke of outer darkness and a furnace of fire, where there will be wailing, weeping, and gnashing of teeth (Matt 8:12; 13:42,50; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30; Luke 13:28). Obviously, this picture is drawn from the valley of Gehenna.
The Book of Revelation describes hell as “a lake of fire burning with brimstone” (Rev 19:20; 20:10,14-15; 21:8). Into hell will be thrown the beast and the false prophet (Rev 19:20). At the end of the age the devil himself will be thrown into it, along with death and hades and all whose names are not in the Book of Life. “And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever” (Rev 20:10b).
III) Let’s have a
(v7-8) “ASK what you desire and, and it shall be done for you” - This incredible promise to answer prayer will come to fruition as we abide in Christ and pray according to His Word, then our prayers will be answered and the Father will be glorified! Always pray in Christ’s name!
~ We read in:
John 14:13 – “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”
John 15:16-17 – “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.”
John 16:23-24 - “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.”
- The words pray, prayers, or prayed are found 232 times in the Scriptures. Jesus said in Luke 18:8 - “Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”
~ What do you need to pray for?
A better marriage or desiring to find that special someone to marry.
To overcome a sinful habit.
Salvation, to know you’re forgiven, or to have peace in your life.
For a wayward child, or grandchild.
Maybe you need healing (physical, emotional, mental, spiritual).
Maybe a financial difficulty.
A closer relationship with Jesus, boldness to witness.
(Memory verse: John 15:7-8)