This document discusses Jesus' statement in John 15:1-11 about being the "true vine." It explains that Jesus used the metaphor of a grapevine, which would have been familiar to Jews, to teach four main points: (1) Jesus is the source of life and sustenance for believers, (2) believers are called to abide in Christ to bear fruit, (3) God the Father prunes believers to encourage greater fruitfulness, and (4) fruitfulness is evidence of abiding in Christ. The key is for believers to remain in close fellowship with Christ through obedience, prayer, and Bible reading in order to bear the spiritual fruits of winning souls, holiness, and good works.

2. “Abiding in Christ”
John 15:1-11

3. Last “I Am” Statement of Jesus’
Significant for several reasons
According to the OT, it depicts the
nation of Israel. It was known to all
the ancient Israelites that the nation of
Israel was God’s fruitful vineyard or vine
Psalm 80:8-19; Isaiah 5:1-7; Jeremiah
2:21; Ezekiel19:10-14; and Hosea 10:1

4. Last “I Am” Statement
Chapter 15 is about Relationships and
Responsibilities
There are 4 elements in the allegory
Jesus used about the vine
We must understand them to benefit
from this teaching
So, I guess you know how many ‘points’

5. “I am the true vine, and My Father is the
vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not
bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that
bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear
more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of
the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in
Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit
of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither
can you unless you abide in Me. 5 I am the vine,

6. you are the branches; he who abides in Me and
I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me
you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide
in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries
up; and they gather them, and cast them into
the fire and they are burned. 7 If you abide in
Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever
you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 My
Father is glorified by this, that you bear much

7. fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. 9 Just as
the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you;
abide in My love. 10 If you keep My
commandments, you will abide in My love; just
as I have kept My Father’s commandments and
abide in His love. 11 These things I have spoken
to you so that My joy may be in you, and that
your joy may be made full.
John 15:1-11, NASB

8. The Grapevine symbolizes Israel…
Their cultivation was important
both to Israeli life and economy
The doors to Herod’s Temple
were covered with a golden
vine and grapes
Jesus may have been walking
past them when He said this

9. Last “I Am” Statement Temple
doors made
in Greece,
covered in
golden vines
and grapes
design

10. 4 Elements to this allegory
The vine was familiar to every
Jew
Not a new image to them
Over the next 2 weeks, we’ll
see two pictures of the Believer
Branch and Friend
To understand, examine first…

11. 1. The Vine
Actually 3 different vines
described in Scripture
The Past Vine was the nation
of Israel
But instead of producing the
“fruit” God wanted, sin
So God chastised the vine

12. 1. The Vine
The parable of Matt 21:33-46
There is also the Future Vine
Described in Revelation 14, it
is the Gentile World System
coming to Judgment
Believers/Branches in the “vine of
Heaven”, unsaved- vine of the Earth

13. The Vine
Allegory here is; Believers get
their sustenance and satisfac-
tion from Jesus Christ
The lost world, connected to
its vine, gets its fulfillment from
this world
See the difference?

14. The Vine
The 3rd “vine” of Scripture is the
Present Vine
Jesus! The TRUE vine, the
original, and we are the branches
All others are a COPY
We have a living relationship
with Him, and MUST be attached!

15. 2. The Branches
A branch, by itself is weak, useless
Good for bearing or burning, but
not for building…
A branch cannot produce its own
life; it must draw that from the vine
Spiritual Communion with Christ
makes fruitful life possible

16. 2. The Branches
The sooner we figure this out, the
better we relate to the Lord
We then know our weaknesses
And confess the need for His
Strength on a daily basis!
The key word here is “abide”, used
11 times in these 11 verses

17. The Branches
Parameno’– means to keep in
fellowship with Christ so that His
Life can work in and through us to
produce fruit
Reading Bible, Short Accounts so
that nothing hinders communion
Obeying Him because we love Him

18. How do I know I’m Abiding?
Unmistakable Evidences appear
When you abide, you produce fruit (cultiv.)
When you produce fruit you
experience the father’s pruning
Your prayers are answered
Experience a deepening Love
Experience Joy despite “stuff”

19. 3. The Vinedresser
He is in charge of caring for the vines–
Jesus said this is the work of the Father
He prunes the branches so they will
produce more fruit
Notice the progression– no fruit V2, more
then much fruit Vv5, 8.
We ask to be fruitful, but hate the pruning

20. 3. The Vinedresser
Vinedresser prunes in two ways
Cuts off dead wood; breeds
bugs and disease
Cuts away living tissue– so that
the life of the vine will not be
dissipated and the quality of the
crop will not be jeopardized

21. 3. The Vinedresser
The greatest judgment God
could dump on you would be to
leave you alone, no pruning
Because He loves us he prunes
the vine to encourage us to produce more
for His glory!
He’s never nearer than when pruning!

22. 4. The Fruit
 Several kinds of Spiritual
fruit in the Bible
Winning the Lost to Jesus
Growing in Holiness and Obedience
Paul said financial giving was fruit
Christian Character is “fruit of the Spirit”
Good works and Praise from the heart is

23. 4. The Fruit
“Fruit” is the evidence of
abiding in Christ
Where the vine is attached
and alive there WILL BE fruit. Period.
The dead branch that doesn’t produce will
be cut off and burned
No loss of Salvation, proof it never existed

24. Take Away!
All of John’s Gospel has
been about Love—
Here’s the 2 take-home points for this wk
As branches in the vine, we have the…
Privilege of Abiding and
Responsibility of Producing Fruit