Sep 25 2009
The Vine and the Branches
THE VINE AND THE BRANCHES
(John 15:1-11, 7.26.09)
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Sept. 04, 2009 = INTRODUCTION
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Sept. 06, 2009 = EXPLANATION
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Sept. 08, 2009 = REMAINING IN THE VINE
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Sept. 10, 2009 = ASKING, PRAYING, SEEKING…
Archive for the 'John 14:21' Category
Sep 08 2009
REMAINING IN THE VINE
This passage also has a second equally important theme and that is the theme of abiding in Christ. Christians who bear fruit in their lives also are connected to the vine and abide in the vine. What identifies us as Christians is a growing, healthy relationship with Jesus Christ
The passage identifies two main characteristics of living branches.
Living Branches remain in the vine… therefore they grow and bear fruit.
This passage indicates that the branch must abide in the vine. In order for the vine to share its life giving nutrients, the branch must cling on to the vine. This illustration finds its meaning in:
John 14:21 and 23
21Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.” 23Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
Just as a branch is connected to the vine to find its nourishment from the vine, a Christian must love the Lord Jesus by obeying His commands. In this way, he remains in Christ. The meaning of “remain” comes from the Greek word that means “to live or dwell”. It means to live or dwell in close proximity to something. If we love Jesus by obeying his commands we walk with him and are in close proximity to Him. This is found in
I John 2:3-6 where it says,
3We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. 4The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love[a] is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: 6Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.
God’s love abides or lives in the life of a believer when a believer makes a choice to obey the commands of Christ, and walk as Jesus did. We love God by obeying Jesus and walking as He did (meaning following His example in all things in life).
Not only do Living Branches remain in the vine.
Living Branches have nourishment from the vine..
When a branch finds its nourishment in a vine, it takes the nutrients from it. The vine becomes the life source and the branch becomes the receiver of that life source.
A Christian must love God by retaining His Word.
Verse 7 it says, 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.
Jesus makes this concept of “retaining His Word” more easy to understand. In Luke 8 he tells a parable of the sower and the different kinds of soil. Either they retain the word of God, or they let it go.
Luke 8: 11“This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. 14The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.
The good soil produces a growing plant, because the soil retains the seed. The seed represents the Word of Truth (Scriptures and the meaning of the Bible). If a person learns to read and understand the Bible as God’s truth, they will grow to become a mature believer, because the truth is in them and gives them life. There are three things that make for a good soil (noble heart- heart that responds to God).
1. Hearing God’s Word
2. Retaining God’s Word
3. Producing fruit of righteous living
1. A Christian should find many opportunities to hear the truth of God, either through sermons or personal reading, or bible study in a fellowship group. A Christian pursues the truth of the Bible, so that they can hear from God and listen to His voice. God speaks to us through the Bible so that as we read it and hear it, we can understand it and know more about Him.
2. A Christian not only listens to the truth of God but retains it. This word “retain” is the same word in the greek for “remain”. It means that the word of God dwells in the life of the believer. It is kept in the heart of the believer, and affects his emotions, will and ultimately how he lives his life.
3. A Christian not only retains the truth of God, but because he has a new life in Christ, there is a desire/will to live out what he has learned. God does not plant the truth in our life to let us keep it hidden. He helps us to live a life that is glorifying to Him.
So there are three things I talked about today that identify you as a true Christian (true branch).
- 1.) Bears Fruit- Identifies us as believers in Christ.
- a.) Fruit of Repentance
- b.) Fruit of the Spirit
- c.) Fruit of God-honouring works
- d.) Fruit of Holiness/Sanctification
- 2.) Obeys the commands of Jesus (Bible) – Remain in me
- 3.) Listens and Retains the Word of God – My word abides in you.
