Jesus uses the metaphor of a grapevine to teach the disciples. He is the true vine and the Father is the vinedresser. The disciples are the branches that must remain connected to the vine to bear fruit. Unfruitful branches will be cut off, while fruitful branches will be pruned to bear more fruit. Christians must also remain connected to Christ through obedience and faith to produce good works, and God may prune believers through difficult circumstances to strengthen their faith.

1. I Am the True Vine

2. Introduction
• John 15:1
• Context:
– Nearing the crucifixion of Jesus
– Preparing the Apostles for their work
• Just after Jesus’ last Passover meal
– Broad context of John 13-17 limited to the
Apostles
Matthew 26:19-20
19 So the disciples did as Jesus had
directed them; and they prepared the
Passover.
20 When evening had come, He sat down
with the twelve.
John 15:16
16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you
and appointed you that you should go and
bear fruit, and that your fruit should
remain, that whatever you ask the Father
in My name He may give you.

3. Introduction
• Some things only applied to the Apostles
• Much of value for us as well
– Chapter 17: Jesus prayed for the Apostles,
and for all believers
– John 17:12-23
• John 15 is spoken to the Apostles, and
applies to them
– However, there are lessons for us as well

4. Examining the Text
• John 15:1-8
• Jesus uses a horticultural example
– One of Jesus’ typical teaching methods
– Jesus describes the caring of a grape vine
• Jesus identifies the component parts
– He is the vine
– His Father is the vinedresser
– The Apostles were the branches

5. Examining the Text
• He describes what will happen to the
branches
– The main vine never changes
– The branches must be fruitful
• Unfruitful branches would be cut off
• Fruitful branches would be pruned
– The Apostles were to “abide in” Him
• Can branches survive if cut off from the plant?
• By abiding in Christ, the Father would be
glorified

6. Lessons of the Vine
• Jesus is the vine
– Jesus is the giver of life
– The Apostles relied on Jesus for their
nourishment
– Much like the image in chapter 6
John 6:51
51 I am the living bread which came down
from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread,
he will live forever; and the bread that I
shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for
the life of the world.”

7. Lessons of the Vine
• Jehovah is the vinedresser
– Judge over the vine
– He decides which branches are pruned, and
which branches are cut off
– Responsibilities of the vinedresser
• He disciplines
• He does the “cutting off”
– We learn of God’s justice in this illustration
• He is willing to judge, and willing to “cut off”

8. Lessons of the Vine
• The Apostles were the branches
– Instructed to “bear fruit”
• Productivity in their endeavors
• Spreading the gospel
• Converting men and women to Christ
– Fruitful branches are to be pruned to bear
even more fruit

9. Lessons of the Vine
John 15:3
3 You are already clean because of the word
which I have spoken to you.
in a similitude, like a vine cleansed by
pruning and so fitted to bear fruit.
Strong, J. (1996).

10. Lessons of the Vine
• The Apostles were the branches
– Instructed to “bear fruit”
• Productivity in their endeavors
• Spreading the gospel
• Converting men and women to Christ
– Fruitful branches are to be pruned to bear
even more fruit
– They had already been pruned
– Judas had already left
• Perhaps he was in Jesus’ mind when speaking of
some being “cut off”

11. Lessons of the Vine
• The Apostles would have a great benefit:
Verse 7
– They would be able to work miracles
– The miracles would prove the message that
they were delivering
John 14:12-13
12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who
believes in Me, the works that I do he will
do also; and greater works than these he
will do, because I go to My Father. 13 And
whatever you ask in My name, that I will
do, that the Father may be glorified in the
Son.

12. Lessons For Us
• We must look to Christ as our vine
– He is the source of life
– The phrase “in Christ” is used often

13. Ephesians 1:1
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will
of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus,
and faithful in Christ Jesus…

14. Philippians 1:1
1 Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus
Christ, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who
are in Philippi, with the bishops and
deacons:

15. Romans 6:3
3 Or do you not know that as many of us as
were baptized into Christ Jesus were
baptized into His death?

16. Galatians 3:27
27 For as many of you as were baptized into
Christ have put on Christ.

17. Lessons For Us
• We need Christ in us
– If I live faithfully, I can say I have “Christ living
in me”
Galatians 2:19-20
19 For I through the law died to the law that
I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified
with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but
Christ lives in me; and the life which I now
live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of
God, who loved me and gave Himself for
me.

18. Lessons For Us
• We can understand how Christ “lives in
us”
Romans 8:9
9 But you are not in the flesh but in the
Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in
you. Now if anyone does not have the
Spirit of Christ, he is not His.
1 Corinthians 6:19
19 Or do you not know that your body is
the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you,
whom you have from God, and you are not
your own?
John 14:23-24
23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If
anyone loves Me, he will keep My word;
and My Father will love him, and We will
come to him and make Our home with him.
24 He who does not love Me does not keep
My words; and the word which you hear is
not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.
Acts 2:38
38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and
let every one of you be baptized in the
name of Jesus Christ for the remission of
sins; and you shall receive the gift of the
Holy Spirit.
Acts 5:32
32 And we are His witnesses to these
things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom
God has given to those who obey Him.”
Ephesians 1:13
13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard
the word of truth, the gospel of your
salvation; in whom also, having believed,
you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of
promise…
Ephesians 4:30
30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,
by whom you were sealed for the day of
redemption.

19. Lessons For Us
• We will be pruned by the Father
– Hebrews 12:5-11
– God chastens us as children
• Many ways that God can prune us
– Through His word
– Through our brethren
– Through our circumstances
• We must be willing to heed the chastening
of the Father
James 5:19-20
19 Brethren, if anyone among you
wanders from the truth, and someone
turns him back, 20 let him know that he
who turns a sinner from the error of his
way will save a soul from death and cover
a multitude of sins.
2 Corinthians 12:7-8
7 And lest I should be exalted above
measure by the abundance of the
revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given
to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me,
lest I be exalted above measure. 8
Concerning this thing I pleaded with the
Lord three times that it might depart from
me.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
9 And He said to me, “My grace is
sufficient for you, for My strength is made
perfect in weakness.” Therefore most
gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities,
that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities,
in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in
distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I
am weak, then I am strong.

20. Lessons For Us
• We will be cut off if we do not abide in
Christ
– Contradicts “once saved, always saved”
• New Testament supports the idea that we
can be separated from God
– Galatians 5:1-6
• They had become “estranged” from Christ
– Hebrews 3:12-4:1
• The Israelites fell short of the Promised Land
• We can fall short of our reward—Eternal Life

21. 3 Doctrines Not Supported
• Denominationalism
– Jesus is the vine and the denominations are
the branches?
• “One church is as good as another”
– Jesus is addressing individuals
• Note particularly verse 5

22. 3 Doctrines Not Supported
• Modern Day Miracles
– Many think this is a general passage, and
therefore verses 7-8 apply today
– But, this passage is limited to the Apostles
– Jesus was making no promise of miraculous
gifts to Christians of all time

23. 3 Doctrines Not Supported
• Predestination
– Verse 16 tells us that Jesus chose His
disciples
– Does He choose all disciples in some
miraculous way?
– We are not chosen by God to be saved
without some response from us
– We must hear, believe and obey the words of
Jesus
– They had to be obedient, and so must we!
John 15:7
7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide
in you, you will ask what you desire, and it
shall be done for you.

24. Conclusion
• Jesus is the True Vine
• We will be pruned by the Father
• We must grow and bear fruit