Series Beholding The Lamb
#29- “ARE YOU ATTACHED TO THE VINE?”
John 15:1-17
Intro(Prayer- Our Father we thank you that we have been allowed access into
the upper room to look upon such a holy scene at our Lord and His
disciples! We thank you for allowing us to hear the words of comfort Christ
shared to those disciples whose hearts were troubled. Now Lord, we ask
that you might impart to us, a holy desire to be fruit bearing Christians that
will bring honor to your holy name.)
According to George Barna Research, everyday in America, 10
churches close their doors forever; While, 7 new Churches spring up!
At that ratio, we are still losing ground. It is predicted that by the year
2050, Christianity will no longer have a viable influence on society.
Polls show us that every year 2.7 million people walk away from the
Church. So what is the cause of Churches losing ground? Why are so
many people becoming discouraged and walking away? Is it because many
have merely a form of religion and not the real thing? It’s because of the
fact that they are not staying attached to the vine! The reason the
Fundamental Church is losing ground is because Christians are not
living fruitful lives. And therefore their Christian Life has become dull and
dormant. And it has become dull and dormant because they have lost
fellowship with Christ.
Notice the setting of scripture. 14:31 “…Arise, let us go hence.” Jesus
spoke these words on the way from the upper room to the garden of
Gethsemane. (Bear in mind these are the closing words of Jesus to his
disciples. He is not trying to pump them up into a frenzy saying – YOU CAN
DO THIS. Rather He is saying the ONLY WAY you can do this is IF YOU
ABIDE IN ME. The word abide is mentioned 15 times in the first ten verses.
Abiding has to do with fellowship. To put this whole sermon in shoe
leather- Jesus was saying If you are going to bear fruit like you are
supposed to, you have to stick close to me! )
As we look at this passage of scripture I want us to consider three
questions: Are You Attached to the True Vine? Are You Aware of the
True Vision? And Are you Available to the True Vineyard?
I. ARE YOU ATTACHED TO THE TRUE VINE – (vs.1a)
A. THE TRUE VINE: THE LORD JESUS
Jesus said to the 11 disciples, (because Judas had departed to go betray
him) “I am the true vine”. Remember, Jesus is walking with his disciples to
the garden of Gethsemane. It’s very likely that while they walked and talked
with our Lord, Jesus pointed out a lovely vine. Keep in mind it’s April, the
spring time of the year and there would have been plenty of vines blooming.
And Jesus says to them, I am the True VINE, But why a vine?
Because in Scripture there are three horticultural symbols associated with
the nation of Israel.... the Vine- the Fig- & the Olive. The Vine represents
Israel as a witness for God in the Past. The Fig Tree is a picture of Israel in
the Present. Remember The Fig is fruitless and barren. (Matt 24:32)
The Olive indicates Israel repentance and restoration bearing fruit for God
in the Future. (Rom 11:16) Thank God Israel is going to bloom again!
Israel was God's Vine. “Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou
hast cast out the heathen, and planted it. “ (Psalms 80:8) (God literally
caused His People to grow in the land of Egypt. And then He plucked
them out of Egypt, carried them across the sands of the wilderness,
passing by Sinai, and planted them in the Promise Land. ) – Does this
sound familiar to you? God raising up a people from the midst of a
dark sinful world- giving them a new name and calling them OUT of a
world of darkness IN to a place where there’s light!
BUT Israel was a Vine that was Barren. Israel’s vine bore no fruit.
Isaiah 5:1,2 1Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his
vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: 2And he fenced it,
and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a
tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it
should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.
Jeremiah 2:2121Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then
art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?
Hosea 10:1 “Israel is an empty vine,”
That’s why Christ said, I am the TRUE VINE!
That word “true” means “genuine” or “the real thing”. Aren’t you glad he’s
the Real Thing? He’s not a fake or an imposter! He’s the True Vine! He’s
not a cactus or a plant! He’s a VINE. Do you know what a vine is? It is a
source of life! This world has no source of life. The only life giving source is
Jesus! He is a vine that will not wither. He is a vine that will not wander.
He is a vine that will not wilt… Why because he is the True Vine! Are you
abiding in the vine? Let me put it like this, What is your vine?
What is it that you are attached too? Is it your bank account? Is it your
education? Is it your possessions? Is it your church membership?
Membership at A.O.H. want even buy you a bowl a soup, let alone get you
into Heaven. Your bank account may disappear…you education want do
it…your possessions are going to rot or be sold in a yard sale! You better be
Attached to JESUS!
B. THE VINE DRESSER: THE FATHER –(vs1b)
“my Father is the husbandman.”
“Husbandman” means “gardener”... means “farmer”.
Have you ever thought about GOD being a farmer? Jesus did not say,
my Father is the CEO, as if to say He just sits in some wonderful office. But
the fact that He’s a farmer suggests to me that He’s interested in His crop.
He’s in charge of the cultivation! He’s in charge of the fertilization! He’s in
charge of the propagation! And He’s in charge of the beautification.
(I bout had a spell when I realized that. I don’t have to worry about how
fruitful you become! I just have to get a hold of God- grab hold of His
message and fling it out into His Garden!)
Have you ever met a farmer who was lazy? When I was preaching for that
Church in South Georgia, those farmers talked about being up way before
day light so they could eat a good breakfast and get a head start on the
heat. They worked all the way to lunch time. Barely took a lunch break then
worked till dark thirty. Can I just remind you that we serve a GOD who
NEVER sleeps or slumbers! But He’s ALWAYS on the job! And Him being a
Farmer wants His Church to be Fruitful!
Some things about a Husbandman or a farmer:
1- A Farmer is in charge of the PLANTING-the seed doesn’t decide When
and Where it’s going to be planted, The sower does! I want you to know that
some 2000 years ago, God planted a vine on a hill called Calvary. It’s a Vine
of Salvation. It’s a Vine of Satisfaction. Are you attached to this vine?
2- A Farmer is in charge of the PRUNING-vs.2a “every branch in me
that beareth not fruit he taketh away:” Pruning is a necessary process.
Pruning is necessary because it helps to strengthen the branch. Those 11
disciples were like embryonic branches waiting to shoot forth on the day of
Pentecost. They had just experienced the Father’s pruning of Judas. He
was a false disciple with a false profession. These disciples were going to
go through some major pruning themselves having to overcome troubles
and trials. Peter thought he was a strong branch and invincible, yet God
humbled him after his denial of Christ making him totally dependent on
Christ. (God’s been doing some pruning around here. You say Well I don’t
like it! May I remind you, this is His Vineyard! His pruning tells me He has a
plan for this vineyard! God only prunes to strengthen the branch so it can be
fruitful.)
3- A Farmer is in charge of the PURGING-vs.2b “and every branch that
beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.” In those
days, instead of using insecticides to get rid of harmful insects on the vines,
water was poured on the vines to wash off insects which would damage a
vine and hinder fruit production. (Are there any insects on your life that is
causing disease? Insects of sin that God wants to rid you of so you can be
fruitful?)
4- A Farmer is in charge of the POURING- vs.3 “Now are ye clean
through the word which I have spoken unto you.” Thank God for the
water of His Word.
C. THE VINE-BRANCHES: THE BELIEVERS: (Vs.5)
“I am the vine, ye are the branches” Remember Jesus is talking to the
disciples here. Jesus said to them YE are the branches. Each disciple is a
branch! Do you know what a branch is? A piece of wood, brought forth from
the vine. The branch only exist because of the vine. The branch is a product
of the vine. It cannot survive apart from the vine. Have you ever asked
yourself Who am I? What am I doing here? What Am I Here to do? Here the
Lord answers those questions! Christ says, "Ye are the branches .... "
II. ARE YOU AWARE OF THE TRUE VISION?
5
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same
bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. (John 15:5) Here lies
the Promise of Fruitfulness 5a… and the Peril of Fruitlessness 5b…
A. THE PROMISE OF FRUITFULNESS IS CONDITIONAL
1- ABIDE THROUGH PRAYER- vs.7 “If ye abide in me, and my words
abide in you, ye shall ASK what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”
a- This speaks of an EXERCISE of prayer- “If ye abide in me and my
words abide in you”… are you willing to stay close to the Lord in Prayer?
This means praying regularly, praying often, praying without ceasing.
b- This speaks of a NECESSITY of prayer- “ye shall ASK what ye will”
Do you know the true desire of every branch? It is to be fruitful. Are you
willing to come in prayer and ASK the Lord to make you fruitful?
c- This speaks of a Success in prayer- “and it shall be done unto you”
Is that not good news? Do you have a desire to be a fruit bearing Christian?
Come before him and ask Him…!
B. ABIDE THROUGH PRAISING- vs.8 …Do you want GOD the Father to
be glorified? Bearing fruit glorifies God. Bearing fruit makes a farmer happy.
If you want to bear fruit, it’s through Prayer and Praising!
B. THE PERIL OF FRUITLESSNESS IS CONDEMNING- “for with me ye
can do nothing.” The Church in this 21st century has come a long way
since Pentecost. Never before has the Church had so much yet we
have so little. We’ve got a lot of gadgets but very little of God! We have
a lot of talented people but very little true power! Oh how we need Him!
III. ARE YOU AVAILABLE TO THE TRUE VINE?
Is there a desire in you to bear fruit? Did you know, that’s our True Purpose
as a Local Church- to be Fruitful? Not FRUITY but FRUITFUL.