Jesus had already said, “I am the bread of life, the light of the world, the gate for the sheep, the good shepherd, the resurrection and the life, the way, the truth and the life.” Now he says, “I am the true vine.” All are titles of deity.
In the Old Testament Israel was God’s vine through which God’s covenant blessings flowed to the world. But Israel proved to be a fruitless, unfaithful vine. Jeremiah 2:21; Hosea 10:1-2
Israel’s apostasy made it an empty vine, and disqualified it as the channel for God’s blessings. Those blessings now come only from union with Jesus Christ, the true vine.
Jesus says, I am the true vine, (true and genuine in distinction from imperfect, false, or counterfeit).
The Father is represented as the One who tills soil and takes care of the vine and its branches. The branches need much care in order that they may bear fruit.
II. THE MARK OF A TRUE DISCIPLE 15:2
A branch that did not bear fruit was worthless and detrimental to the health of the vine. So the vinedresser would cut off the dry, lifeless, withered branches and take them away.
That these branches bear no fruit mark them as false disciples since all true Christians bear the fruit of the indwelling Holy Spirit and so prove to be Christ’s disciples.
The wording in Me describes those who profess to be in Christ but who bear no fruit to prove it. Such people will always be present in the church.
Those who are truly in Christ (true branches) bear fruit to prove it, and are continually pruned (kathairō – to purge, to cleanse, to trim off, to purify) by the Father so that they may bear more fruit (karpos – figuratively of holiness, righteousness, Christ-likeness).
The Father, through the Holy Spirit and other means, prunes true branches (true believers in Christ the Vine) by cleansing them and removing anything that would hinder them from fruitful growth.
The Father cleanses and purifies His children through His word. Psalm 119:11; Ephesians 5:26
The Father’s pruning involves cutting away anything that limits righteousness, including the discipline that comes from trials, suffering, and persecution. Hebrews 12:7-11; Romans 8:28
III. THE WORDS OF CHRIST BRING CLEANSING 15:3
By the washing of regeneration through the word the disciples were brought to faith in Christ and, being declared righteous (justified), they had become clean (as clean as they will ever be in the eyes of a holy God). Titus 3:4-8
The Holy Spirit takes the Word of the Father and the Word of the Son Jesus Christ and uses it to cleanse the sinner from the time of his new birth to his final glorification.
The Holy Spirit of God uses the Word as the pruning knife in the believer’s life. It has been said that hardship and suffering are the handle of the Father’s pruning knife; the blade is His Word and the Word of His Son.Hebrews 4:12; Psalm 119:67, 71
IV. CONDITIONS OF FRUIT-BEARING 15:4-5
The believer’s vital relationship with Jesus Christ is depicted in this passage in the form of an analogy. Just as a branch depends entirely on the vine for life, growth, and fruit, so believers depend completely on Christ (the true vine) for their spiritual life, growth, and development.
The Greek word for “abide” (menō) describes something that remains where it is, continues in a fixed state, or endures. In this context, the word refers to maintaining an unbroken communion with Jesus Christ.
The Lord’s command “Abide in Me” is an imperative to not just profess to be in Christ but to actually possess Christ, that is, to be “in Christ” and “Christ in you.”
As to being “in Christ” we see three things from Scripture.
First,we are in Christ by God’s doing(1 Corinthians 1:30).
Secondly,if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; old things pass away behold all things become new (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Thirdly, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh (the sinful nature) but after the Spirit (Romans 8:1)
As to Christ being “in you” we see three things from Scripture. See the Big Screen
First, If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. Romans 8:10
Secondly, you have been crucified with Christ; and you no longer live, but Christ lives in you; and the life you now live in your earthly body you live by faith in the Son of God, who loved you and gave Himself up for you. Galatians 2:20
Thirdly, Christ in you was a mystery God willed to make known under the New Covenant, Christ in you the hope of glory (the only hope of heaven). Colossians 1:27
The Lord’s command “Abide in Me” is primarily a plea to false disciples of Christ to repent and express true faith in Him bringing forth fruits of repentance. It also serves to encourage genuine believers to abide in Him in the fullest, deepest, most complete sense as an expression of their love for Him.
The Bible defines fruit in terms of spiritual qualities such as righteousness, truth, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faith, & discipline. Those Christ-like traits mark those through whom His life flows. Do they mark you?
Audio of Lesson
