Abiding in the Vine
Study No. Twenty-five Chapter 15:1-27
To my beloved eleven disciples: (We must be cautious as we apply any of Jesus’ conversation here, to ourselves.)
“These are my last words to you before I leave
The Holy Spirit, when He comes will bring these words back to your remembrance.
Do not be afraid or troubled because I have told I am leaving. I am leaving my peace with you … and, if you think about it, there are many reasons for you to be at peace.
Furthermore - you should actually be glad for Me that I am returning to the Father.”
“The Prince of the world is coming – to arrest me, to try me, to find me guilty, to execute me … although they will find nothing on me. I am innocent of all accusations. Actually … I am sinless.
I need to go through this so that the world will see my commitment and faithfulness to the Father … even right in the face of death itself.
So … let’s get on with it.” 14:25-31
I am the true vine …
Husbandry:
Every year the gardener must
1. Lift up and set each branch in place .
2. Prune the branches for maximum fruit production
3. Take off and burn the dead branches.
Relating to point number 1 above:
???? (ah’-ee-ro)
AV-take up 32, take away 25, take 25, away with 5, lift up 4, bear 3, misc 8; 102
1) to raise up, elevate, lift up
1a) to raise from the ground, take up: stones
1b) to raise upwards, elevate, lift up: the hand
1c) to draw up: a fish
2) to take upon one’s self and carry what has been raised up, to bear
3) to bear away what has been raised, carry off
3a) to move from its place
3b) to take off or away what is attached to anything
John 15:2 "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He lifts up and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
“You are clean” --- at the moment no pruning necessary.
Verse 4 implies that we are branches … Jesus states it more clearly later.
A new thought is expressed here; branches must stay attached to be of any use at all.
It is obvious that branches do not have a mind of their own when it comes to remaining attached to the stem, so here is where the analogy moves away from what is true in the natural world.
Verse 5:
Jesus is the vine (or stem)
We (believers) are branches.
We must be committed to ‘abiding’ in the stem.
Connected to Jesus (we are in Him and He is in us) we bear (much) fruit.
If we decide to ‘let go’ or disconnect from Jesus, we die.
If we remain attached to Him and He (that is His words) in us … we bear fruit (it shall be done)
The Father wants much fruit.
Jesus abiding in us (v5) is stated as ‘my words abiding in you’ in verse 7
Now, in verse 9 our abiding in Him is called … abiding in His love. We are abiding in Him by faith, but also by relationship.
Now Jesus says that this enhanced fruit-bearing relationship (abiding in His love) is contingent upon our doing His will.
There is a none ending cycle portrayed here. We are attached to him, experience His love, this love motivates us please Him more, The more we serve Him the more we discover even other aspects of His love which in turn want us to sacrifice even more for Him.
What a joyful relationship develops here!
Jesus now enlarges on the love relationship … it is to include our fellow believers v 12.
As we look at this growing relationship between ourselves and Christ and between ourselves and each other we read about a change in classification. Servant to Friend.
Especially is this true in the sense of the information Christ shares with us v14. However, in a general sense He again refers to us as servants in verse 20.
Verse 16. “You did not choose Me”. John 6:70 Jesus answered them, "Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?"
A warning for the future: Love one another 12, 17
1. because if you don’t … you won’t have anyone to love you at all, because the world will hate you.
2. because this will greatly affect your fruit bearing. chapter13:34 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
Living Godly lives results in persecution - 2Timothy 3:12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
And it is so much easier to bear if we know we are not alone in it.
Verses 22 – 27
IF … Jesus had not spoken to them
IF … Jesus had not performed miracles like never before in history.
What has been the effect? Guilt?
Jesus was not finished with them yet.
The ‘helper’ will testify of me. …. More guilt. John 16:8 "And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
You will testify of me ………… more guilt.
The gospel message can not be watered down.
All have sinned – they must come face to face with their guilt and shame.
All must believe that their sin has earned them a place in hell.
All must believe that Jesus, God’s son, came from heaven to pay for sin.
All must call out to Jesus to be saved.
To my beloved eleven disciples: (We must be cautious as we apply any of Jesus’ conversation here, to ourselves.)
“These are my last words to you before I leave
The Holy Spirit, when He comes will bring these words back to your remembrance.
Do not be afraid or troubled because I have told I am leaving. I am leaving my peace with you … and, if you think about it, there are many reasons for you to be at peace.
Furthermore - you should actually be glad for Me that I am returning to the Father.”
“The Prince of the world is coming – to arrest me, to try me, to find me guilty, to execute me … although they will find nothing on me. I am innocent of all accusations. Actually … I am sinless.
I need to go through this so that the world will see my commitment and faithfulness to the Father … even right in the face of death itself.
So … let’s get on with it.” 14:25-31
I am the true vine …
Husbandry:
Every year the gardener must
1. Lift up and set each branch in place .
2. Prune the branches for maximum fruit production
3. Take off and burn the dead branches.
Relating to point number 1 above:
???? (ah’-ee-ro)
AV-take up 32, take away 25, take 25, away with 5, lift up 4, bear 3, misc 8; 102
1) to raise up, elevate, lift up
1a) to raise from the ground, take up: stones
1b) to raise upwards, elevate, lift up: the hand
1c) to draw up: a fish
2) to take upon one’s self and carry what has been raised up, to bear
3) to bear away what has been raised, carry off
3a) to move from its place
3b) to take off or away what is attached to anything
John 15:2 "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He lifts up and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
“You are clean” --- at the moment no pruning necessary.
Verse 4 implies that we are branches … Jesus states it more clearly later.
A new thought is expressed here; branches must stay attached to be of any use at all.
It is obvious that branches do not have a mind of their own when it comes to remaining attached to the stem, so here is where the analogy moves away from what is true in the natural world.
Verse 5:
Jesus is the vine (or stem)
We (believers) are branches.
We must be committed to ‘abiding’ in the stem.
Connected to Jesus (we are in Him and He is in us) we bear (much) fruit.
If we decide to ‘let go’ or disconnect from Jesus, we die.
If we remain attached to Him and He (that is His words) in us … we bear fruit (it shall be done)
The Father wants much fruit.
Jesus abiding in us (v5) is stated as ‘my words abiding in you’ in verse 7
Now, in verse 9 our abiding in Him is called … abiding in His love. We are abiding in Him by faith, but also by relationship.
Now Jesus says that this enhanced fruit-bearing relationship (abiding in His love) is contingent upon our doing His will.
There is a none ending cycle portrayed here. We are attached to him, experience His love, this love motivates us please Him more, The more we serve Him the more we discover even other aspects of His love which in turn want us to sacrifice even more for Him.
What a joyful relationship develops here!
Jesus now enlarges on the love relationship … it is to include our fellow believers v 12.
As we look at this growing relationship between ourselves and Christ and between ourselves and each other we read about a change in classification. Servant to Friend.
Especially is this true in the sense of the information Christ shares with us v14. However, in a general sense He again refers to us as servants in verse 20.
Verse 16. “You did not choose Me”. John 6:70 Jesus answered them, "Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?"
A warning for the future: Love one another 12, 17
1. because if you don’t … you won’t have anyone to love you at all, because the world will hate you.
2. because this will greatly affect your fruit bearing. chapter13:34 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
Living Godly lives results in persecution - 2Timothy 3:12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
And it is so much easier to bear if we know we are not alone in it.
Verses 22 – 27
IF … Jesus had not spoken to them
IF … Jesus had not performed miracles like never before in history.
What has been the effect? Guilt?
Jesus was not finished with them yet.
The ‘helper’ will testify of me. …. More guilt. John 16:8 "And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
You will testify of me ………… more guilt.
The gospel message can not be watered down.
All have sinned – they must come face to face with their guilt and shame.
All must believe that their sin has earned them a place in hell.
All must believe that Jesus, God’s son, came from heaven to pay for sin.
All must call out to Jesus to be saved.