John 15:1-11

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