Be Transformed
By Warren W. Wiersbe
Chapter 3

Two pictures of the believers
Branches – privilege of sharing His life and the responsibility of abiding
Friends – privilege of sharing of knowing
His will and the responsibility of obeying
Branches – We Must Abide (15:1-11)
The vine
The seventh and last of the “I am” statements

Three different vines
Past vine: the nation of Israel (Ps.
80:8-19, Is. 5:1-7, Jer. 2:21, Ez. 19:10-14, Hos.
10:1) God “transplanted” Israel into Canaan but vine produced wild grapes: oppression & unrighteousness
Future vine: the vine of the earth (Rev.
14:14-20) Gentiles world system ripening for
God’s judgment.
The present vine: our Lord Jesus
Christ the vine includes the branches similar to that of the Head and the body. We have a living relationship to Christ and belongs to Him.

Union living loving lasting
The branches: weak and useless; good for bearing or burning, but not for building
Cannot produce its own life and it must draw life from the vine
Communion with Jesus through the Spirit who makes the bearing of the fruit (Gal. 5:22-23)

Images of union & communion
The bride and the Bridegroom
Marriage creates union, but it takes daily love & devotion
The sheep and the Shepherd
To maintain the communion, the shepherd brings the sheep in the flock, but the sheep must follow the Shepherd to get protection & provision
Key word: abide
11 times in John 15:1-11

Abide? To keep in fellowship with Jesus so that
His life can work in and through us to produce fruit
What requires to abide?
The Word of God
The confession of sin (John 15:3)
Obeying Him (15:9-10)
How can we tell?
Fruit (15:2)
Pruning so we can bear more fruit
(15:2)
His prayer answered (15:7)
Experience a deepening love for Christ
& other believers (15:9, 12-13) & joy (15:11)

Abiding relationship is natural to the branch & vine but it must be cultivated in
Christian life
It is not automatic
Abiding demands worship, mediation on God’s word, prayer, sacrifice & service
Vinedresser: in charge of caring for the vines
The work of the Father
Purge or prune so they will produce more fruit
Progression: no fruit (15:2), fruit, more fruit, much fruit (15:5,8)

Two ways in pruning cutting away dead wood that can breed disease & insects cutting away living tissues higher quality
God wants both quantity & quality
For Christians pruning process hurts, but they will produce more & better fruit.
Father is near to you when He prunes you.
He cuts away dead wood which may cause trouble and often He cuts away living tissue

How the Father prune us?
God’s Word to convict & cleanse us (15:2,
13:10, Eph. 5:26-27)
Chasten us (Heb. 12:1-11)
More abiding, more fruit; more fruit, more pruning
Fruit
Result is not a Bible concept
Take time & cultivation to produce fruit
Produce fruit to serve others, not to please ourselves
Feed others by our words & works (Prov.
10:21)

Kinds of spiritual fruit
We bear fruit when we win others to Christ
(Rom. 1:13)
As we grow in holiness & obedience, we bear fruit (Rom. 6:22)
Christian giving to be fruit from a dedicated life
(Rom. 15:28)
Christian Character that glorifies God & make
Jesus real to others (Gal. 5:22-23)
Good works growing out of our abiding life (Col.
1:10)
Praise coming from lips & hearts (Heb. 13:15)
Part of the harvest (John 4:35-38)
Real spiritual life has in seed for more fruit, not deception
Fruit – more fruit – much fruit

When there is life, there is fruit
If no fruit, branches are worthless, useless, unfruitful as believer
Main truth – fruitful life of the believer
John 15:6 divine discipline
I John 5:16
Love, Joy, Peace – first set in Gal.
5:22-23

Friends – We Must Obey (15:12-17)
Most of us have many acquaintances, but very few friends
Our friendship to each other & to Jesus is not perfect but His friendship is perfect for us
Friend in Greek word mean “friend at court”
Inner circle around king or emperor
Friends of the king would be close to him, know his secrets but subject to him & obey his commands; No conflict between being a friend & servant
Example: Abraham, a friend of God and yet a servant (Gen. 18)

Relationship of love for Jesus & each other
No competition in inner circle for attention, promotion, but to serve the King
Christian love is not a feeling, but an act of will (I
John 3:16)
Treating others the way God treats us
Our friendship with Jesus involves love, obedience & knowledge
He treats us as friend if we obey His commands like Abraham did (Gen. 18:19)
Friendship with the world means enmity with
God (James 4:1-4) like Lot

Servants know what’s going on like the servants at the wedding (John 2:9) & nobleman’s servant when the son was healed (John 4:51-53)
Privileges as His friends learning to know God better
Getting in on (knowing) God’s secrets fruit
Why as friend? GRACE
As branches we share His love & bear
As branches we are pruned by the
Father; as friends we are instructed by the Son and His Word controls our lives
Ordained means appointed. It’s an act of setting someone apart fro special service

Purpose: to go into the world & bear fruit
The evidence of the sonship, discipleship (John 15:8) & friendship
(15:15) is fruit. “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them” (Matt. 7:20)
Privilege of prayer
Friends share their burdens & needs
Friends of Jesus can speak to Him at any time
John 15:15-16, Jesus chose us, not we choose Him

“The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will show them his covenant” Ps.
25:14
We must be attentive and alert
The purpose of His friendship: we obey Him and get His work done
“Love one another” given to Eleven in John 13:34-35 & again twice in John 15:12, 17
Friends of the King must love Him and one another
The study began in the vineyard and ended in the throne room
“Without me you can do nothing” (15:5)