Connected To Jesus the True Vine John 15

Connected To Jesus, the True Vine John 15: 1 – 17

THE GOLDEN VINE OF THE JERUSALEM TEMPLE Connected to Jesus the True Vine John 15: 1 -17

I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: My loved one had a vineyard on a fertile hillside. 2 He dug it up and cleared it of stones and planted it with the choicest vines. He built a watchtower in it and cut out a winepress as well. Then he looked for a crop of good grapes, but it yielded only bad fruit. 3 “Now you dwellers in Jerusalem and people of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard. 4 What more could have been done for my vineyard than I have done for it? the True 15: only 1 -17 bad? When I looked for good Jesus grapes, why Vine did it. John yield 5 Now I will tell you what I am going to do to my vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it will be destroyed; I will break down its wall, and it will be trampled. 1 Connected to Jesus

I will make it a wasteland, neither pruned nor cultivated, and briers and thorns will grow there. I will command the clouds not to rain on it. ” 7 The vineyard of the Lord Almighty is the nation of Israel, and the people of Judah are the vines he delighted in. And he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; Jesus the True Vine John 15: 1 -17 for righteousness, but heard cries of distress. (Isaiah 5: 1 – 7) 6 Connected to Jesus

GOD AND ISRAEL • God the gardener: • He delighted in His vine • He cared for His vineyard • Israel the vineyard: • Despised God and pursued other god’s • Yielded bad fruit • Pruning • Judgement

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not Jesus the Truethat Vine is. John 15: 1 -17 remain in me, you are like a branch thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. 1 Connected to Jesus

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything Jesus the True Vine 15: 1 -17 that I learned from my Father I have made. John known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other. (John 15: 1 – 17) 9 Connected to Jesus

GOD THE FATHER, JESUS AND LIFE IN THE SPIRIT • God the gardener: • He delighted in His vine • He cared for His vineyard • Jesus the true vine - He is fruitful and bears good fruit. • Life in the Spirit: • Jesus invites us to be one with Him • In Jesus we are fruitful

GOD THE FATHER, JESUS AND LIFE IN THE SPIRIT • • What is the Nature of the Care that you will Receive? What is the Nature of the Vine you Grafted into? What is the Nature of the Connection? Fruit bearing is not about the things we have to do, rather, it is the outcome of our connection with Jesus.

WILL YOU REMAIN/ ABIDE WITH ME • Meno: to remain in or with someone, i. e. , to be and remain united with him, one with him in heart, mind, and will; • Jesus is leaving His disciples, He is sending them the God the Holy Spirit. Through the Holy Spirit He remains one with them. • Jesus is asking the disciples to contemplate over what it mean to ‘abide’ with Him so that they would know and be clear about their decision to remain. • Would you choose to remain or walk away.

WILL YOU REMAIN/ ABIDE WITH ME If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; REMAIN in Me • Remain in me as I remain in you. • If you remain in me you will bear much fruit • If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; • If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. • 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love,

WHAT IS THE NATURE OF THE CARE THAT YOU WILL RECEIVE? • The Father loves the son. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. (John 1: 12 – 13) • Through Jesus Christ we have access to every Spiritual blessing. • We receive the love of the Father. • Nothing can separate us from the love of God. • 12

UNFRUITFUL BRANCHES ARE CUT OFF • • • He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, (John 15: 2) Immediate reference “Judas”. 12 None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction (John 17: 12) There is no fruit when the connection is superficial. There is no life without Jesus Christ. To be cut off: Judgement 2

THE PRUNING PROCESS every branch that does bear fruit he prunes 16 All Scripture is God so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are -breathed and is already clean because of the word I have useful for teaching, spoken to you. (John 15: 2 – 3) rebuking, correcting • The word translated ‘to prune’ (kathairō) can and training in also mean ‘to clean’ or ‘to purify’. righteousness, 17 so • The disciples have already been made clean that the servant of through the word spoken by Jesus Christ. God may be thoroughly equipped • The word of God is essential in the pruning process. for every good work. (2 Tim 3: 16 – 17) • 2

WHAT IS THE NATURE OF THE VINE YOU GRAFTED INTO? • • True Life/Fruitfulness : Apart from me you can do nothing. Love: I am the vine you are the branches. There is an organic connection between the vine and branches. There is flow or giving of all that is good. Jesus dwells in us and we dwell in Him. We are His Body.

WHAT IS THE NATURE OF THE VINE YOU GRAFTED INTO? • • Jesus loves us and He laid down His life for us. (John 15: 9, 13) Jesus considers us friends and not servant. (John 15: 15) Jesus makes known to us everything He has learned from the Father. Ask and it will be given to you. (John 15: 7) He lives for the Father’s Glory. His word and His love matters. He wants us to love one another.

WHAT IS THE NATURE OF THE CONNECTION? • The followers of Christ are with Him. • 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last (John 15: 16) • Jesus choose us, we did not choose Him. • The invitation is to remain. “ Will you stay? ” • You are my friends

WHAT IS THE NATURE OF THE CONNECTION? OBEDIENCE : The inner life of intimacy. It cannot be superficial. Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. John 14: 23 -24 23 Even though we are in the world , we are still connected to Him.

WHAT IS THE NATURE OF THE CONNECTION? OBEDIENCE : The right response all Christ is to us. 1. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. (4) 2. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; John 15: 6 3. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you John 15: 7 4. 9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

LIFE WITHOUT THIS CONNECTION • You cannot do anything. • You will be cut down. • You will be cast into the fire.

THE CONNECTION AND THE FRUIT • • Gratitude (loved, chosen, joy, friend) Love, Friend Knowledge and understanding My joy will be with you. Obedience ( Servitude and humility) Words Answered prayer A Family