THE PARABLE OF THE VINE AND BRANCHES

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IN JOHN’S GOSPEL, CHAPTER 15: 1-7; WE FIND THE PARABLE OF THE VINE AND BRANCHES. WE WILL DISCOVER THAT THIS PARABLE IS ABOUT THE DEMAND THAT OUR DISCIPLESHIP TO JESUS IMPOSES UPON US AND THE CONDITIONS THAT MAKE IT EFFECTIVE.

 

WHAT IS EASIER TO SAY, I AM A CHRISTIAN OR I AM A DISCIPLE? IT DOESN’T TAKE MUCH TO SAY THAT I AM A CHRISTIAN, BUT THERE IS MORE INVOLVED WHEN YOU TELL SOMEONE YOU ARE A FOLLOWER OF JESUS AND A DISCIPLE.

 

THE TRUTH IS WHAT MAKES YOU A CHRISTIAN IS WHETHER YOU ARE WILLING TO ABIDE IN JESUS AND HIS LOVE.

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 I. THE COMPONENTS OF THIS PARABLE

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   1. JESUS IS THE TRUE VINE.

JOHN 15: 1-2

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JESUS’ DESCRIPTION OF HIMSELF AS THE TRUE OR GENUINE, VINE IMPLIES THAT ISRAEL HAD BEEN AN IMPERFECT FORESHADOWING OF WHAT GOD HAD CALLED ISRAEL TO BE, BUT IT ALSO IMPLIED ON WHAT ISRAEL HAD NEVER BECOME.

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WITH JESUS, THEREFORE A NEW ISRAEL EMERGES, THE MEMBERS WHICH DRAW SPIRITUAL SUBSTANCE FROM HIM ALONE.

 

 

WHEN JESUS SPOKE OF THE VINE, THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL UNDERSTOOD THE CONCEPT OF THE NATION OF ISRAEL BEING

REFERRED TO AS THE VINE; SO HERE WE FIND JESUS CHALLENGING THEIR OLD CONCEPTS ONCE AGAIN.

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JEREMIAH 2: 21-22

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THE PROPHET, JEREMIAH DESCRIBES ISRAEL HERE AS A VINE THAT HAD BEEN BROUGHT OUT OF EGYPT BY GOD AND PLANTED BY HIM IN A GODLY LAND, WHICH HAD FAILED TO YIELD FRUIT TO THE OWNER HE HAD A RIGHT TO EXPECT.

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THEY HAD ALLOWED THE PHILOSOPHIES OF THE WORLD TO BE MOLDED INTO THEIR WAY OF LIFE, OF WHICH WE ARE WARNED AGAINST AS WELL.

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COLOSSIANS 2: 8

 

THE PROPHET ISAIAH DESCRIBES THE SAME CONDITION THAT JEREMIAH DESCRIBES WITH ISRAEL AS THE VINE.

 

ISAIAH 5: 1-2

 

IN THIS PARABLE, JESUS IS SAYING THAT HE IS THE TRUE VINE. IN OTHER WORDS, HE IS SAYING, IF YOU WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE VINEDRESSER, WHO IS THE FATHER, YOU MUST COME THROUGH ME.

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WE SHOULD ASK OURSELVES THE QUESTION, IS CHRISTIANITY TODAY A TRUE REPRESENTATION OF WHAT GOD EXPECTS IT TO BE? ARE WE ABIDING IN THE TRUE VINE OR HAVE WE ADOPTED THE PHILOSOPHIES OF THE WORLD?

 

JOHN 1: 4

1 JOHN 5: 12

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     2. THE FATHER IS THE VINEDRESSER OR CARETAKER WITH A CONCERN FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH.

JOHN 15: 2

 

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JESUS SAID, EVERY BRANCH IN ME THAT DOES NOT BEAR FRUIT, HE (THE FATHER) TAKES AWAY AND EVEN THOSE BRANCHES THAT BEAR FRUIT HE PRUNES FOR THE PURPOSES OF BEARING MORE FRUIT.

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REMEMBER WHAT ISAIAH SAID. HE SAID THE FATHER EXPECTED THE VINEYARD TO BRING FORTH GRAPES, BUT IT BROUGHT FORTH WILD GRAPES. THE FATHER IS CONCERNED THAT HIS NEW VINEYARD DOES NOT BRING FORTH WILD FRUIT SO HE PRUNES IT AND CUTS OUT THAT WHICH IS NOT PRODUCING.

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OUR CARETAKER TAKES AWAY THAT WHICH MAY HINDER REAL SPIRITUAL GROWTH IN OUR LIVES.

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ILLUSTRATION: ORCHARDIST WHO PRUNES HIS APPLE TREES TO KEEP THEM FROM GROWING WILD AND NOT PRODUCING GOOD FRUIT.

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WHAT HAPPENS TO TREES THAT ARE NOT PRUNED? THE FRUIT IS VERY SMALL, UGLY AND DISTORTED.

 

PROVERBS 3: 11-12

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   3. WE ARE CLEAN THROUGH THE WORD.

JOHN 15: 3

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JESUS MAKES THIS POWERFUL STATEMENT: YOU ARE ALREADY CLEAN BECAUSE OF THE WORD WHICH I HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU.

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OUR CLEANING PROCESS COMES AS A RESULT OF THE BLOOD HE SHED FOR US ON THE CROSS. WE HAVE NOW BECOME TOTALLY RIGHTEOUS IN HIM.

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   4. AS BRANCHES OF THE VINE WE MUST ABIDE IN THE VINE TO PRODUCE FRUIT.

JOHN 15: 5

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TO ABIDE IN CHRIST IS TO HAVE CONTINUOUS FELLOWSHIP AND DEPENDANCE UPON HIM. OUR ABILITY TO PRODUCE FRUIT IN OUR LIVES; STEMS FROM OUR FELLOWSHIP AND DEPENDENCE UPON WALKING WITH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST IN OBEDIENCE.

 

2 CORINTHIANS 3: 4-5

2 CORINTHIANS 9: 8

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THE SPIRITUAL FRUIT JESUS WANTS TO PRODUCE IN US IS BROUGHT FORTH BY CONTINUALLY ABIDING IN HIM AND ALLOWING HIM TO BE OUR SUFFICIENCY.

 

1 JOHN 2: 6

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   5. THE BLESSING OF ABIDING IN CHRIST.

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• THE FATHER WILL BE GLORIFIED.

JOHN 15: 8

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• WE RECEIVE THOSE THINGS WE ASK FOR.

JOHN 15: 7

1 JOHN 3: 22

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• THE LOVE OF JESUS WILL REMAIN IN US.

JOHN 15: 10

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• OUR JOY REMAINS FULL.

JOHN 15: 11

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• WE COME INTO A DEEPER RELATIONSHIP AND FRIENDSHIP WITH JESUS.

JOHN 15: 14-15

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CLOSING:

 

ARE YOU ABIDING IN CHRIST? DO YOU WALK AND TALK WITH HIM DAILY? ARE YOU GROWING DAILY? PRODUCING FRUIT, AND REACHING OUT TO THE LOST FOR CHRIST?

 

IF YOU DON’T GROW, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT YOU COULD FALL BY THE WAYSIDE.

 

***ALLOW JESUS TO ABIDE IN YOU AND REMOVE THOSE THINGS FROM YOUR LIFE THAT KEEP YOU FROM BEING THE BEST FOR HIM.

 

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