## Jesus: The True Vine

## John 15:1-11

The philosophy of this world is that a person can find joy through a change in circumstances. Get an upgrade, take a vacation, win the lottery, get a better paying job, lose some weight, etc. etc. But Jesus has a different plan for our joy.

Read: v1-11

We have been moving through the Gospel of John looking in each of the chapters and finding a picture and description of Jesus Christ. Some of the pictures are more familiar to us than others, but all are very significant to us as we seek to know Christ more fully. In the last verse of chapter 14, we find Jesus and the eleven disciples leaving the upper room on their way to the Garden of Gethsemane. Imagine that as they made their way through the streets toward the garden they would pass by vineyards. Perhaps Jesus reached out and picked up a cutting from the vine and used it to illustrate His point as they walked along. He speaks of four important subjects in this passage. He spoke of the vine, the husbandman, the branches, and the fruit. He closes the passage with this explanation. "These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." v11

What makes this important to you and me is that Jesus was very near the end of His earthly ministry. Following the events in the garden would be the crucifixion on Calvary. These final words of instruction of His disciples were then, and continue to be now, of great importance to those who would follow Him.

I. The Four Elements of this Passage.

A. The Vine.

1. Jesus makes it clear that He is the 'true vine'.

2. No substitutes here…He is the original or genuine vine.

3. He isn't just 'a' vine; He is 'The True Vine'.

4. The significance of this is that the vine is the source of life for the branches.

(John 15:5) I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

B. The Husbandman.

1. The Husbandman was the vinedresser who plants and cares for the vine, the branches, and the fruit.

2. He is the One who carefully watches over the vine to make sure that the branches bear much fruit (which is the whole purpose of the vine being planted in the first place).

3. Jesus tells us that the Father is the Husbandman.

4. It is God Himself who placed Jesus here on this earth to accomplish His purpose.

C. The Branches.

1. This is where we come in.

2. This morning, if you are a child of God, then you are a branch of the True Vine.

3. Our life comes from our union with Christ, and we are totally dependent upon Him.

4. Jesus reminds us that 'without Him, we could do nothing'.

a. But with Him…abiding in Him…there is much promise to the child of God.

b. The promise of answered prayer. v7

c. The promise of fruitfulness. v4

d. The promise of His love.

(John 14:21) He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

e. And there is the promise of joyfulness. v11

(John 15:11) These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

D. The Fruit.

1. The fruit is important; because the plan of the Father is that the branches bear much fruit.

a. There are branches that bear no fruit.

b. There are branches that bear some fruit.

c. And there are branches that bear more fruit.

d. But it is the branch that bears much fruit that brings glory to the Father!

2. What kind of fruit?

a. Fruit is the outward expression of the inward nature.

b. If I walk through the woods, I know a tree if I see one, but I cannot tell by looking at the bark or the leaves what kind of a tree it is.

c. However, I can spot a walnut tree or a hickory tree when I see the nuts on the ground around it.

d. The same is true with apple trees and peach trees.

e. The fruit is the outward expression of the inward nature.

3. Jesus explained that it is unreasonable to expect fruit contrary to the nature of the tree.

(Mat 7:16) Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

4. In the case of a believer, these principles of fruitfulness apply.

a. That means that the nature of Christ (Who dwells within us in the person of the Holy Spirit) should be expressed outwardly.

b. Fruit is not something that can be manufactured; it is the natural product of a believer's life in Christ.

c. Fruitfulness can be increased and enhanced by our relationship to Christ and to His Word.

(John 15:7) If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

5. The result of a fruitful Christian life.

a. God is glorified

b. Our lives are filled with joy.

II. The Application.

A. Jesus is the True Vine; there is no other.

B. It is His desire is to live through our life so that we might bear fruit unto the Heavenly Father.

C. As we close, there are a couple of questions that need to be asked right now.

1. Are you "in the True Vine"?

a. In other words, have you ever been saved? Born again?

b. If not, may I invite you to come and trust Christ this morning?

c. There is no real joy apart from Christ.

2. Christian, are you "abiding in the True Vine"?

a. Are you drawing your strength from Him so that He is able to produce is fruit through your life?"

b. Are you bearing His fruit today?

c. Where do you stand with Jesus today?

d. If God has revealed areas in your life that need to be dealt with today, then I challenge you to come to Jesus and let Him take care of your need.