The past couple weeks, Pastor Bill has lead us through a couple different parables that Jesus taught. Turn with me to the Gospel of John chapter 15. Technically, it’s not quite a parable, it’s still an important teaching of Jesus and very much comes across like a parable.
As always, I like to put the passage into greater context so we have a solid idea of what’s actually going on. John 15 is at the tail-end of Holy Week. Jesus has already ridden into town on the donkey. The Last Supper is taking place in chapter 13, Judas Iscariot betrays Jesus and runs out of the upper room. Jesus has already predicted that Peter would deny him three times before the rooster crows. This is the whole “Upper Room Discourse” found only in the Gospel of John. In chapter 14 Jesus continues teaching his disciples all while still in the upper room. No real “action” takes place until the very last sentence when Jesus says “Come now, let us leave.”
Continuing into chapter 15 we gather they have left the upper room and are en route to the garden of Gethsemane, perhaps they’ve made a couple stops along the way. Regardless, this is all taking place hours prior to his arrest and ultimately his crucifixion upon the cross. Of which, Jesus knows it’s coming. As you go through and read these chapters of scripture, you may notice blocks of teaching, or paragraphs where Jesus speaks and relays some new information- for example in chapter 14:15-31 where Jesus promises the Holy Spirit.
There are several other one-liners sprinkled throughout the chapters as well. Some of Jesus’ most beloved and comforting words are from the Upper Room Discourse:
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)
“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.” (John 15:5)
“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13)
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
The purpose of John’s gospel is to prove Jesus is the Son of God and that all who believe in him will have eternal life. As John writes his Gospel, he incorporates a specific theme of Jesus’ teaching. He is sure to highlight the seven “I AM” statements that Jesus uses throughout his teaching that connects him to God the Father.
Jesus is not speaking about himself in some abstract way; no, each time he uses the phrase “I am”, he makes a specific claim about his Divine Nature and Equality with God the Father. Each time he describes himself in such a manner, he deliberately draws on Yahweh’s first description of himself to Moses: Exodus 3:14 “14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”
“I am the Bread of Life” (John 6:36)
“I am the Light of the World” (John 8:12)
“I am the Gate” (John 10:7)
“I am the Good Shepherd” (John 10:11)
“I am the Resurrection and the Life” (John 11:25)
“I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6)
And lastly, where we’ll land this morning: (John 15:1) “I am the True Vine”
- Vine. Gardener. Branches.
John 15:1-8
“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 remain in me, you are like a branch that is 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.
In this scene, Jesus is addressesing his remaining disciples, but the message is plenty applicable to us today as disciples, or followers of Christ.
Oddly enough, the very disciples who Jesus is talking to have been by his side for the last 3 or so years. They walked with him, talked with him, camped out and traveled all over with him. They’ve heard him preach and teach. They’ve seen him do miracles for the masses and healings from a distance. All they’ve been doing these last few years has been remaining in Christ. They’ve been with him since they were first called.
Although it’s a great message, it seems it’s preached to the wrong group. If the point is: Remain in me, why is it being taught to the group who has remained with Jesus nonstop?
But let’s keep in mind, that moments ago, in chapter 13 Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus.
Followed by a conversation of Peter telling Jesus he would lay down his life for him and Jesus responds by telling him he would actually not do that, instead he is going to deny him three times before the rooster even crows.
Jesus knows what lies ahead of him. Jesus knows that he will soon, realistically in the next few hours, be leaving his disciples. That things are going to be drastically different for them upon his death and resurrection. Jesus knows they will have a choice to make. So he urges them with this teaching in a way they will understand it!
There’s a historical aspect to this teaching that the disciples would understand. The Old Testament often uses the vineyard or vine as a symbol for Israel, God’s covenant people. It’s there we see the connection of God the Father as the Gardener tending to his vineyard, Israel, only to end up with only bad fruit.
Isaiah 5:1-7 The Song of the Vineyard
1 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?
When I looked for good grapes,
why did it yield only bad?
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.
6 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;
for righteousness, but heard cries of distress.”
Unfaithful Israel failed to produce fruit. By contrast, Jesus is “the true vine” and those who remain in him will produce fruit.
- The Gardener Cuts Off and Cuts Back
Although this passage in John 15 is not technically a parable, He is using an analogy of a Vine and Branches, a Gardener and bearing fruit. Jesus does assign different roles to different characters. Clearly, he is the role of the “true vine”, and his Father is the Gardener. It’s not until verse 5 where he gives the disciples their role of the branches.
Each role assigned then has an action they ought to perform. God the Father, as gardener, cuts off every branch in Jesus, the vine, that doesn’t bear fruit and on the flip side, every branch that does bear fruit gets pruned, so it can bear even more fruit! Our role as branches, is quite simple, it’s to stay connected to the Vine, who is Jesus. Pretty straightforward, right?
Jesus tells them there are two kinds of branches. The branches that do not bear fruit, and the branches that do bear fruit. Every fruitless branch will be cut off. And every fruitful branch will simply be pruned, in order for it to grow even more fruit!
There is a distinct difference between the two kinds of pruning. There is the Cutting Off and the Cutting Back. The Cutting Off is due to the lack of fruit produced. It’s done. It’s fruitless. So it is cut off and removed. Whereas fruitful branches are “cut back” to promote growth. Either way there is a “cutting” involved. God, uses his sharpened shears to shape our lives.
In other words, there are times where God will discipline us in order to strengthen our character and our faith and as a result: bear even more fruit than before.
I’m reminded of the story of Joseph in the second half of Genesis. He is the favorite son of Jacob, he’s given the coat of many colors. But his brothers are so jealous that they sell him into slavery in Egypt! He is then bought by Potiphar, a captain guard of Pharaoh, and works for him. Potiphar’s wife tries to seduce Joseph, and he is falsely accused of making advances towards her, and as a result he is thrown in prison-and yet, the Lord has been with him every step of the way.
The Lord remains with Joseph as his story goes on. He interprets dreams while in prison, eventually being asked to interpret Pharoah’s dream, and once he does, he is promoted to governor and put in charge of all of Egypt. Joseph then wisely rations Egypt’s produce to prepare for the famine-saving Egypt. Which then leads to family reconciliation with his brothers and is reunited to his father, Jacob.
The story concludes with one of my favorite verses: Genesis 50:20 “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”
The Lord was constantly with Joseph, during all the high moments and the low moments. There was a continual theme of “rise and fall” in the events of his life. The Lord used Joseph in mighty ways, and was continually pruning him, and doing some “course-corrections” on his life, and it lead him from being sold as a slave by his own brothers, to overseer of the entire land of Egypt.
The Lord remained with Joseph, as Joseph remained faithful to the Lord. And as a result, Joseph bore more and more fruit.
I’ve shared before from this very stage how God called me into ministry. Each year of high school I had a completely different idea for how I wanted my life to turn out, soley based on my own interests at that time. Everything from enlisting into the Marines, being a chef, to being an actor in movies! And I was pretty set on that last one! I went through a pruning process of mine own called college. I shared in detail on that in a sermon earlier this year. How I had plans for my life that were for my good, and also for my glory.
But God never left my side, and even as I battled feelings of inadequacy and discontent that my life wasn’t gonna be about me and what I want. Instead, it would be far more fruitful for the kingdom of God that I remain in Christ and follow the plans he has for me.
None of this would have been possible with God at work behind the scenes. There would have been no fruit had Joseph abandoned his faith. Instead, he held on to it and the Lord was with him every step. Joseph remained in Christ, as Christ remained in Joseph.
It was no different back in Genesis, it was no different for Jesus’ disciples, and it’s no different for us today; which is why Jesus tells his disciples in John 15:4 “…No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.”
It’s not just a botanical fact, there is practical spiritual application for us today. We cannot bear fruit unless we remain in the vine.
Jesus is the vine. The vine is the source of life to the branch. A branch cut off and by itself cannot grow fruit, because there is no life in it.
Jesus is the source of life!
Several times throughout the Gospel of John Jesus reminds us of that. To name a few:
John 6:35 Jesus says “I am the bread of life”
John 8:12 “…“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 10:9-10 “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
John 14:6 “I am the way, and the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me.”
Jesus goes on to further explain this to his disciples. He repeats himself, I’m guessing so they can better understand and remember his point. Stating again that he is the vine, and you (disciples then and followers today) are the branches.
He reminds them yet again, that “if you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” As we just looked at in the life of Joseph. As we just said because Jesus is the source of life, and to be connected to the vine, is to be connected to life and to bear fruit.
Three separate examples Jesus gives to his disciples. He tells them the action they could choose, and the result of that action.
“If you remain in me and I in you…”.that’s one choice of action. The result will be that you bear much fruit, he says, reminding them that apart from me you can do nothing.” That’s not a threat. That’s a fact.
Jesus isn’t introducing a new command or a new idea to his followers. It’s a common theme throughout scripture to be bearing fruit. “Fruit” isn’t always a tangible or visible outcome. Scripture defines fruit in terms of spiritual qualities. We think first of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23 “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…”
There are also other fruits. Praise and worship given to God is also fruit. (Heb. 13:15)
Supporting others by meeting their needs. Acting in a righteous, God-honoring way- as was Paul’s prayer for the Colossians that they would be continually “bearing fruit in every good work.” (Col. 1:10)
When you bear fruit, it will be evident to those around you.
In recent weeks and months, I’ve seen some fruit from a couple dudes in my small group. An 8th grader and a 9th grader. It’s evident to me, as their youth pastor and small group leader who sees them just about every week.
I see it in the way they interact with others, ask and answer questions in our small group. I hear it in the way they pray, and what specifically they’re praying about. Personally, I know it’s most real when they voluntarily tell me what they’ve been learning about in their bible reading on their own time!
There’s been growth in each of these students, and as a result I’m beginning to see fruits! Over time they have switched from a “me first/I do what I want” attitude to willingness to serve and be of help!
Hear me say this though: It was not an overnight change. There were some tough and uncomfortable conversations. Some discipline, or “Course-Correction” as I like to call it. There was some intense pruning that was necessary for the growth to occur.
Hebrews 12:5b-7a “…“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, 6 because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.” 7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?…”
Hebrews 12:10b-11 “…but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”
The second example that Jesus gives his disciples, is the opposite, or the contrasting example.
This time he says: “If you do not remain in me…” the opposite of the first. “Then you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers.”
In the first four verses Jesus didn’t really explain the second type of branch. There is the branch that does bear fruit, get pruned and bears more fruit. There is also the branch that does not bear any fruit and is cut off.
Jesus gives more insight on the second branch, the one with no fruit. Saying if we are not connected to the vine, we are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.
There is a parable Jesus shares in Luke 13 about a similar instance.
Luke 13:6-9 “6 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. 7 So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’
8 “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. 9 If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”
That’s the extent of the parable. And yet, it’s pretty simple to understand. No fruit? Cut it down! the tree has had plenty of time to grow fruit, we’ll give it a little more time, but the patience won’t last forever.
Even before Jesus said either of these, his cousin, John the Baptist, who came to prepare the way for Jesus says in Matthew 3:10
“The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
*The warnings are present to the Christian who bears no fruit.*
Personally, I like it when the bible has contrast. When the instructions say “do this, don’t do this” I like that because I know both what to do, and what to avoid. These passages are no different. I know the importance to remaining in Christ and what will happen as a result. And I know what to avoid and why.
The third example that Jesus gives his disciples is positive again. With the choice being ours. Saying “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”
James, the half-brother of Jesus writes in his book a couple things that both compare and contrast to these words of Jesus.
In James 4:2-3 he writes “…You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”
And in the very next chapter he says: “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16)
My ESV study bible states: “Two conditions are given for answered prayer: abiding (remaining) in Jesus, and his words abiding in believers (thus transforming their thinking). If God’s people truly abide in Jesus, they will desire what he desires and will pray according to his words, and those prayers will be pleasing to him.
Jesus concludes this passage with the final promise of following through with the command to remain in Christ.
It’s twofold: 1. As we remain in Christ and bear fruit-we glorify God our Father. Thinking back to the Old Testament passage of Isaiah when God was the gardener and he looked for good grapes, but only found bad grapes.
“Unfaithful and Unfruitful Israel did not glorify God.
“And he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed;
for righteousness, but heard cries of distress.”
And 2. As we remain in Christ and bear fruit- we prove ourselves to be disciples of Christ. We will be known by the fruit we produce.
I know for me, I don’t want to be cut off and thrown into the fire. I don’t want to disconnected from Jesus, the source of life. I don’t want to be found not bearing any fruit when God, the gardener comes looking.
As we conclude and head right into communion, I’d like for you to do some self-reflection. Examine your life.
Which branch are you? The one that has fruit? Or no fruit?
Are you remaining in Christ?