I Am Jesus: The Vine

Possibly the most important I am statement Jesus makes is this: [change slide]“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)  This subject is VERY important in the chronology of Jesus’ life.

• John 13 – Last Supper
• John 15 – I AM THE VINE
• John 18 – Arrested

Next week, we’ll be talking about how Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and life.” Then he backed it up by coming back to life after dying. I can’t wait for it and I’m so excited for you to be there for that last episode of “I am…” Invite your friends, and make sure you come. Before we jump into the Bible, let me tell you what’s going on here. Jesus is having a conversation with his disciples. He’s eating the last supper, like we saw in the movie on Friday. Then he’s talking about dying, and if you remember the movie, or read John 13 and 14, you’d know that the disciples are like, “no Jesus, you can’t die. I won’t allow it.” And Jesus says, “you silly man, of course I gotta die, that’s why I am alive.” Then the disciples ask Jesus, “Jesus, well, what are we supposed to do when you’re gone?” That’s a great question, by the way. Jesus response to them, “you’re going to get the Holy Spirit, and you’ll also change the world because you believe in me.” Then the disciples ask, “uh… how?” Let’s go to our Bible passage today, we’re in John 15. ¹“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. I want you to circle that word, “true.” Do it in your notes, circle it in your Bibles because that is the key word here—“true”. The implication here is that there are two types of vines, being that truth is on half of a dichotomy. So there is a true vine and false vine. The distinguishing factor between the true vine and false vines is epitomized, and if you don’t what that means, ask somebody, is by the fruit that is produced. Now, if we really think about it, we attach ourselves to a lot of different types of false vines, by my definition of a true vine and false vine. A true vine producing fruit, and a false vine which does not. In order to understand what “fruit” is because John isn’t talking about apples and oranges; he’s talking about “changing the world” type of fruit. This means that if we’re attaching ourselves to false vines, which are vines of success, social status, family… these things don’t produce fruit—meaning those things in of themselves don’t change the world. The truth is that when you attach yourself to Jesus through prayer, reading God’s word, being in Godly relationships, then you will change the world because Jesus is in you and He is moving and shaking the world. He emphasizes here that staying connected to the true vine, that is being aware of what our priorities are and who our priority is, will produce fruit. The first reason why being connected is important is because: STAYING CONNECTED PRODUCES FRUIT. [change slide] Let’s go to John 15:5. Do you see what it says, “if you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit.” [change slide] The second reason why being connected is important is because: BEING DISCONNECTED PRODUCES NOTHING. [change slide] Jesus says, “apart from me you can do nothing.” Let’s keep reading the passage. 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. I want to give you a picture of your lives if you’re not connected to God. I’m not saying this to scare you, but I’m saying this to help you understand something super important on this Palm Sunday. Let’s look at verse 6 again. It says, if you’re not connected to the vine, then you are LIKE a branch that is thrown away and withers. Now, here’s how I see John meaning this verse to be, because this is really a question for us to think about, not a threat. This isn’t even about hell, although people will tell you that it is. John is asking: how would you like to contribute to the change at large? Do you want to be a part of Jesus type of change in the world by being connected to him or do you just want to come and go like firewood—not really good for anything except to keep others warm for a little bit before being dirt and replaced by another insignificant thing to keep warm with. I know, it’s a little hard for you to understand so let me be very clear: do you want to do something with your life so amazingly great that it can only be done when you’re connected with God, or do you want to just come and go, insignificant and worthless? Verse 7, I want to talk about asking for whatever you wish. This verse has nothing to do with what you want or desire; but what you wish to see changed through you because you’re empowered by Jesus and pruned by God, the Father. He wants you to have these words seared onto your hearts and minds all the time. How will you change the world because Jesus is connected to you? And when you ask God for it, He will give it to you because it will bring Him glory. I know that sounds crazy and ethereal, but it’s so for real. The fruit you will bear is what God is going to do through you because you believe Jesus is the vine and you’re connected to Him. I’ll tell you right now that you have no idea about what you CAN do if you’re not connected. If you’re thinking you’re the best right now, I’ll tell you that you can’t be one hundred times better than your best. If you’re just mediocre, then I’ll tell you that when you connect to Jesus, you’ll never be associated with mediocre again. And everybody will know the reason—because you’re Christ’s disciple and you’re connected to the vine. So, how do we stay connected to the vine? Let’s keep reading in John 15:9. 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, 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. The first way we stay connected to the vine: DO WHAT JESUS SAYS. Look at verse 10, “If you keep my commands, you remain in my love…” It’s so simple, isn’t it? Except, you’re probably asking, “well, what are Jesus’ commands?” I hope they’re not as crazy and long winded as the commands given by God in Exodus. Jesus’ commands are simple. Look at verse 9. I want you underline that verse and write next it, “Jesus’ commands.” Jesus says here, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.” That’s it. That’s Jesus’ command—remain in His love. So how do we do what Jesus says? Very simple, fill in this blank, LOVE LIKE JESUS LOVES. Let’s go to verse 12. I’m going to wrap it up here. If you didn’t understand what Jesus was saying in verse 9, he repeats himself in verse 12. Let’s read.   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 that I learned from my Father I have made 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. Let me tell you how you love like Jesus loves. You live your life giving yourself up freely, on your own free will for the benefit of other people around you. That is how you follow Jesus’ command. That is the example he gives us. If you don’t know, this week is what religious people call “holy week.” This is the week people set apart for God. 2,000 years ago, Jesus did something unprecedented—as God, he gave himself up freely for the benefit of people who did not deserve it. He gave up his life, and he called it love because it was his choice. Likewise, I want you guys to spend this week setting yourselves apart from the false vines and give yourselves up for other people. This means that you do like Jesus did and even though he was betrayed by one of his best friends, quite literally, he fed him. This means that despite being abandoned and having left alone, Jesus dies for the people who abandoned him and doesn’t complain. This means, that you stop thinking about yourself and what you’re owed, because you’re owed nothing and in your eyes, that other person’s life means much more to you than your own. Jesus says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Remain in me and bear much fruit.” To do that, we must do as Jesus says. Jesus says, [change slide] “this is my command: love each other. Let’s pray.