JOHN 15 I AM THE VINE YOU ARE THE BRANCHES.

H A Ironside "the Lord uttered these words as He and His disciples were passing through the city of Jerusalem, having left the Upper Room to go out to Gethsemane. As they went by the temple they may have noticed a beautiful golden vine sculptured upon one of the temple gates, and the Lord Jesus turned to His disciples and said, "I am the true vine" (John 15:1). The emphasis would be on the word true. Herod's Temple was Herod's Temple; and the vine there would have double meaning. Israel was the LORD'S vine. Psalm 80 "Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt."  It was the national symbol of Israel. That picture of the vine is used frequently in the Psalms and in the Prophets to represent the people of Israel. In separating Israel from the Gentile world it was the will of God that they should be His testimony in the earth, to bear fruit for Himself. They were His vine.  The vine had become so much a symbol of Israel that it appeared on coins minted during the Maccabean period, which was between been the Old and New Testaments. During the time of Christ, Herod's Temple had a tremendous vine on it overlaid with gold that some have estimated was worth millions. And on Herod's temple's doors it may have lost a little of its significance.  Israel was to be different to the world around. But Herod was the most worldly ungodly ruler who built that Temple and put that Vine on the doors!
A vine is of very little use other than as a fruit bearer. You cannot build houses with the wood of a vine. You cannot make furniture from it. It is of very little use even as fuel, for when cast into the fire it flames up a moment or two, and then not much heat after that. A vine was intended to bear fruit. God intended Israel to bear fruit for Him to glorify His name before all the nations of the world. But He says sadly, through the prophet Hosea, "Israel is an empty vine, he brings forth fruit unto himself" (Hos 10:1). That is, he had gone all to wood and leaves, but there was no real fruit for God. Isaiah pictures the vine in chapter 5, and God says, "I looked that it should bring forth grapes, [and] it brought forth wild grapes" (Isa 5:4).  And so God rejected that earthly vine. It wasn't doing its job in being different to the world and testifying to the world of the reality of God.

Israel was supposed to know God!  They didn't!

Israel was supposed to reflect God's character! They didn't!

Israel was supposed to obey God! They didn't!

Israel was supposed to be like a fruitful vine!  They weren't!
The Lord Jesus, seeing all this, says, "I am the true vine." He and His would take Israel's place in testimony and bear fruit in the world.
He is the vine! and then all those redeemed to God by His precious blood who have found in Him their Saviour and Lord are the branches in that living Vine here in the world to bear fruit for the Father.  The great theme of these eight verses is fruit bearing, and that happens when his disciples, you and I, experience union with and communion or fellowship with the Lord.

The Essence of Being In The Vine

The Branches' Partnership         Now what does it mean to abide in Jesus? Well, to abide in Jesus means that I am to be to Jesus the same thing that a branch is to a vine. What a branch is to a vine, I am to be to the Lord Jesus Christ. Now what does the branch do? The branch accepts the vine's purpose for it. Now what is the vine's purpose for the branch? Well, look in verse 4 of this chapter.

The Branches' Purpose        Jesus said,  "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 does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned."

A BRANCH IS CONNECTED TO THE VINE! IF IT ISN'T CONNECTED THE SAP DOESN'T GO THROUGH FROM THE VINE TO THE BRANCH TO PRODUCE THE FRUIT!

Now what is the purpose of the branch? It's to bring forth fruit. It's to bear fruit. Now what am I to do in my relationship to Jesus? I am to so be a part of Him and allow Him to so be a part of me that my life is in Him, His life is in me, our lives are so co-mingled together, not only do I have union with Him, but communion with Him, so that in my life there is fruit. And when there is that fruitfulness in my life, then I am the kind of a person who can pray. Now let me tell you what a branch is. A branch is a holder for grapes. That's all it is. It's just something to hang grapes on. It's something that bears grapes and holds grapes. And the grapes in clusters are to hanging from the branch. Now that's what I am to be to the Lord Jesus. He is to be producing His fruit in me. Now if you don't have fruit, you're not abiding. Now suppose you go to Aldi to get some fruit, and they're selling nothing there but  branches, grape branches. And you come home with a plastic bag full of grape branches. And you put some grape branches on your husband's plate and some grape branches on your plates and all the kids, and you all sit around and, and chew on the branches. Well, that doesn't make sense, does it?  The branches are not important in themselves. The only purpose of the branch is to bear fruit. Look in verse 16 of this chapter. "You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain…" And so the wood of the vine, the wood of the branch is absolutely useless if it doesn't bear fruit. What good is it if it's not bearing fruit? Did you know that rabbinical law said that you could not even use the wood of the grapevine in the temple sacrifices to build a fire with? It didn't even burn good. You couldn't carve it. You couldn't make furniture out of it. You couldn't make fires out of it. It could be burned up, but itself produced very little energy. It was good for nothing except to be gathered and to be burned and to be gotten out of the way.

Bye the way, that is about what happened to that glorious Temple built by Herod.  The Romans came and burnt it down. Even that beautiful carving in gold of the vine on the Temple doors!

Now I am to be abiding in Jesus. And if I am abiding in Jesus, there's certain things that are going to be true. I am going to be producing fruit because of my union with the Lord Jesus Christ. I don't produce fruit because I try. I produce fruit because I abide. You've never seen a little branch out here worrying and writhing and squirming and saying, "What are you doing?" "I'm just trying to bear grapes." That's none of his business. He doesn't have to worry about that. All he has to do is to cling to the vine and let the life of the vine come into him and he will automatically bear grapes.

Grapes are produced when we abide in the vine. There is the fruit that is produced. Now not only is it produced, but, dear friend, the very fact that it is there proves our relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ, our union with the Lord Jesus.

The Evidence of Abiding in the Vine

The Proof of Abiding in the Vine

Now what is this fruit that we're talking about, these grapes, what are they?

Paul tells us in Galatians 5:22-23: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience,  kindness goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control."

When I abide in Jesus, all of these things are going to be in my heart. And what are these things? His character flowing into us just like sap goes through the vine into the branches.  The life of the Lord Jesus Christ is to be in my heart. You see, the inward nature of a Christian is Jesus Christ. And when this fruit is hanging from my life in gorgeous clusters for you to come and to pick and to enjoy, because I don't bear the fruit for myself. I bear the fruit for you. You don't bear the fruit for yourself. You bear the fruit for me. And when you can pluck from my life this fruit, and when you can see in my life the character of Jesus, the love, the joy, the peace, the gentleness, the good, when you can see the patience, when you can see all of that in my life, then you can say that man is abiding in Jesus. If you can't see it, there's no way that you can know who I am or what I am.

Sometimes it is hard to see the fruit in professing Christians.

Did you know that it's hard to tell which fruit trees are which many times?

The house may family lived in at Gymea Bay as a boy was probably the oldest house in Gymea Bay. Before it was owned by my parents it was owned by an old sea captain. And there were treasures to be found there! Truly!  My dad and I were going through the old shed at the back there. It was full of stuff, including a big old black snake. I remember my dad who would have been about 30 at the time, taking off and running so fast up the hill to the house.  Chased by this big black snake!

I got a couple of frights too. We had mulberry trees behind the garage, and that snake didn't like me picking them.  I am pretty sure I could have outrun my dad!  We dug up an old rusted pistol. We dug up an old steel chest with all sorts of aboriginal stones, which the old captain had labeled, and my dad took to the museum, when we discovered it was illegal to have them. And we had big trees. Trees that old sea captain had brought back from all over the world.

There was  a pear tree, a peach tree. Tangerines, orange tree,  a grapefruit tree,  a cumquat tree, a squash tree.  And a macadamian nut tree.  I fell out of that once into the old steel garbage bin, you can still see the creases on my head and the scar on my forehead!

Now we didn't have two cents to rub together for food sometimes, but we had plenty of fruit and nuts. 

And when I see the fruit, I can say, "Hey, I know what that one is. I know what this one is. I know what that one is," But I couldn't really tell one tree from another until I saw the fruit. It bears that kind of fruit. Didn't Jesus say, "By their fruits ye shall know them?"  It isn't which seat you occupy in church that counts, it is what Jesus is pouring onto your life and out of it of His character. It the fruit that others can see for themselves.         The proof that I'm in Jesus is not what I say to you, or what jobs I do in the church; it's the fruit!   If you see the fruit in me, if I see that fruit in your life, not only is that fruit produced by Him, but it is proof that I'm in Him.

Let's think for a moment about the Product.

The Effect of Abiding in the Vine

The Product on the Branch       

When it is produced by Him, and when it is proof that I'm in Him,  that fruit will remain and it will persevere through Him. It will be permanent because I'm in Him. See vs 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 abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

Now if I am really abiding in the Lord Jesus Christ, what I am doing right now and what I'll be doing tomorrow and the next day, and what I have been doing, is going to last. It's not going to be wood, hay, and stubble at the judgment seat. Sometimes in a town an evangelist will blow through. He'll put up a tent. He'll hold a big crusade. And he'll have what he calls a lot of decisions. And you come back six months from then and you can't find the people. I am surprised to read that a certain Australian evangelist claims a million people have become Christians under his ministry.  Honestly I don't think there are a million genuine Christians in Australia!  Now when the Lord comes to measure our work, He doesn't measure decisions; He measures disciples. 

Jesus said, "When you abide in me, you will bring forth fruit, and your fruit will remain." That fruit is produced by Him. That fruit is proof that I'm in Him. And that fruit is permanent through Him. It will remain when His life is in me and my life is in Him. I remember reading about Dwight L. Moody, who was a great evangelist, but I'm sure he had some fruit that didn't remain. One time he was on a street corner and there was an old, drunk came up to him and said, "Mr. Moody." He said, "Yes." He says, "Don't you remember me?" Said, "I'm one of your converts." And Moody said, "Well, you must be one of mine; you're not one of the Lord's." I think so many times that we have fruit, but it doesn't remain, because we have not been abiding in the Lord.

The Enjoyment of Being in The Vine

The Promise of Abiding in the Vine    Now look at this again. From verse 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I 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, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

Steadfast Joy in Sorrow   Oh Joy that sleekest me through pain…

Triumphant Joy in Troubles 2 Corinthians 7:4. He said, "I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulations."

Abundant Joy in Afflictions 1 Thessalonians 1:6 "And you became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy [Spirit]."

Lasting Joy in Losses   Hebrews 10: 32 But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings,33 sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated.34 For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one.

Joe Scriven sailed from Ireland to the USA to be a missionary to the Iroquois Indians over 100 years ago, and he loved God with a full heart, loved God, I suppose, as much as anybody in this room loved the Lord. He left his fiancée in Ireland;  she was a beautiful lass. He loved her so much; they were going to get married. Finally, she sailed across the ocean and met this young missionary. They were planning their wedding, but shortly before the wedding she was killed in a tragic accident. And here was a man that loved God. He had to bury his fiancée with his own hands. Later on, he wrote a letter home to his mother;; a year later, he wrote these words— we love to sing them:

What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and grief's to bear!

What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?

We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer. (Joseph M. Scriven)

The Enlargement Of Being In The Vine

How do you and abide in the Vine?

¹² "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.¹³ Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command you.¹⁵ No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.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 abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.¹⁷ These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

Abiding.. remaining in Christ is the Source of this joy.

ABSOLUTE DEPENDENCE  "5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing"(John 15:5).

COMPLETE RESTFULNESS.  7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you Rest in the promises of His word.  Read God's Word for new promises every day! Pray! that's how you rest yourself on God's promises.

¹⁵ No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.

ULTIMATE SURRENDER   9 As the Father has loved me, so have I 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. Jesus told his disciples, and hence us, "If you love me, you will obey what I command" (John 14:15). "Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me" (John 14:21). "If anyone loves me he will obey my teaching" (John 14:23).

Have you ever brought all of the issues of life into one burning focus and you say, "I have no greater ambition, no greater zeal, no greater desire, no greater responsibility, no greater love, than just to abide in the Lord Jesus Christ"? Love and obey Him.

INTIMATE FELLOWSHIP   ¹² "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.¹³ Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command you.  ¹⁷ These things I command you, so that you will love one another.  Did you notice that all of those fruits of the Spirit are relational?

Love joy peace patience kindness goodness faithfulness gentleness selfcontrol.. They are about you and how you relate to others and yourself when others are not around. Do you lay awake at night thinking of how others have hurt you?

John 15:2, Every branch of mine that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.   Last year our lemon tree got the dreaded blackspot on the leaves. I wasn't sure what to do. So I googled it. We bought some spray from the local Bunnings store ad sprayed it. And we cut it back savagely. When Lorelle gets out with a saw! Look out! That tree got a real haircut! And the spray again. This year instead of 20 inedible scrawny strange lemons, we have had 400 fresh beautiful lemons. The tree just keeps producing more and more. The Lord wants you to produce fruit. There are many areas of our lives with the dreaded blackspot of sin on them. And the father has to do some radical surgery to cut off the bits that are killing the fruit.  God knows what it will take to clean up the back spots in our hearts minds and lives. And He will do it so you can produce good fruit.

 

 

 

 

 

F. B. Meyer was a great preacher. He lived a few generations ago. He was a man whose life has blessed my life by his writings—the things that I've read, and so forth. F. B. Meyer, however, always the saintly man that he came to be, as a matter of fact, he had an intense struggle in his heart and in his life. He didn't have the peace and the joy. And he wrote about it. And I want to share with you what F. B. Meyer said. He said there came to his church on one occasion a young man to preach;; he was a guest preacher. And there was such a fullness of joy in that young man's life, such an effulgence in his face, such a spark of life, such a spontaneity, such a peace with God, such a joy like a river that was flowing in the heart and life of that young man, that when F. B. Meyer looked at his own life, he realized that young man had something that he did not have and that he desperate needed. He decided he would talk with the young man about it.

They met that night and they talked it over;; or at least they met the next morning, he said, at seven, and talked it over. And he said to the young man, "Would you mind telling me the secret of your joy?" And the young man looked at F. B. Meyer and said, "I want to ask you a question. Have you given to Jesus Christ everything?" And F. B. Meyer said, "Well, yes, in a general way, I have." He said, "No, have you given to Jesus Christ everything?" It went like a dart to his spirit. He could not get it out of his heart, out of his mind. All day long he thought about it. That night he went into his room, F. B. Meyer did, locked the door behind him, and purposed that he would not come out of that room until he had the joy of the Lord in his heart.

And he started to wrestle with the Lord and to agonize with the Lord. And as he prayed and tried to give to God everything, he said he carried around with him a ring of keys in his pocket similar to this ring of keys. And he said that it seemed as though the Lord would have him take that ring of keys out of his pocket to symbolize the things that he was giving to the Lord, and he just turned them over one at a time, and he said, "Now Lord, I give you the key to this part of my life, and Lord, I give you the key to this part of my life, and Lord, I give you the key to this part of my life, and to this part, and to this part, and to this part." But he said there was one little key that he took off to just a small cabinet, saying to himself, "The Lord doesn't need that one; He doesn't want that one."

Then he said it seemed as though the Lord said to him, "Have you given me all the keys?" "Well," he said, "yes, Lord, I've given you all the keys, well Lord, except for one small key that's really not of much consequence." The Lord held out His hand and said, "My son, the key." And the devil whispered in F. B. Meyer's ear and said, "Don't give it to Him. Don't do it. Don't give Him all the keys. If you give Him everything, there is no telling what He might ask you to do. Don't give it to Him." And F. B. Meyer toddled that thing in his heart and in his life, that unclean thing, that habit—whatever it was he never said—but something that was there that was not completely, totally yielded, and something he was not free or willing to let go of.

And finally he said to the Lord, "Lord God, I'm so weak I don't even know whether I can give it to you or not; but here it is, Lord. Take it." He said, "The Lord gently opened his fingers and took that key and went straight to that closet in his mind and opened that cabinet. And," he said, "when he did, he was appalled at the filthiness and the dirt and the selfishness and the rebellion that was there in that small cabinet that he pictured in his mind. The Lord went in and cleaned it all out." F. B. Meyer said, "That night I felt a cleanness, I felt a freshness, a relationship that I'd never known. And," he said, "as I awakened the next morning," he said, "it was not a matter of shouting, it was not a matter of leaping or dancing, but just a sweet spirit, just the presence of the Lord. And," he said, "all day long I said to myself, 'I must have said it a hundred times: I'm His, I'm His, I am completely His,' and there was the joy of the Lord."