Transcript LESSONS FROM THE LORD’S VINEYARD.

John 15:1-8
The Vine and the Branches
1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts
off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every
branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be
even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the
word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain
in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in
the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in
me.
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me
and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you
can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a
branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are
picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain
in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish,
and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory,
that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my
disciples.
LESSONS FROM THE LORD’S
VINEYARD. (1)
JOHN 15:1-8
Introduction
Have you ever struggled in your
walk with the Lord?
“How can I make Christianity
work in my life?”
In verse 16, Jesus talks about His
will for our lives.
God designed each and everyone
of us to be fruitful.
Are you bearing the fruit God
designed you to produce?
What kind of fruit is God looking
for in your life?
God wants the character, works,
will of Jesus to be expressed
through you and me.
The Context
Jesus is about to leave the upper
room where He had the Passover
meal with His disciples.
As they walk past the Garden of
Gethsemane, Jesus begins to talk
about vines, vine dressers and
fruit.
Why? Several possibilities.
A. The temple door had great
vines carved into its doors.
B. It was a symbol for the nation
of Israel – Psalm 80:8-10,
Isa. 5:1-2
C. This vine (Israel) had not lived
up to its intended purpose.
–Jer. 2:21, Hos.10:1
So, the True Vine, Jesus Christ
had come into this world.
What Israel had failed to do,
Jesus will accomplish.
Jesus wants to teach us the most
vital relationship in our lives.
Why give such a message?
Jesus was going away.
His work is going to continue
through His disciples – John 14:12
The only way to be fruitful for
the glory of God is to abide in
Him, the True Vine.
Lesson about Relationships.
Why is it so important to
understand our relationship with
Jesus?
Needed to learn how to allow
God’s life to flow through us.
Let Him accomplish His purpose
through us.
A. New Birth
V.2 – “In Me” – Jesus is speaking to
people who are in a vital, life-giving
with Him.
He is speaking those who are saved.
No one is considered a branch in
the Lord’s Vine unless there is a vital
connection to Him
How many times is this phrase
mentioned?
How does one get to be “in”
Jesus?
When does “new birth” happen?
When I see myself as a sinner.
Sense the conviction of sin and
the calling of Jesus to come to
Him.
When I respond by faith to the
finished work of Jesus at Calvary.
Rom.10:9,13; Acts 16:31
Many are “in” religion, “in”
church but that does not mean
that they are “in” Jesus.
(Matt.7:21-23)
Need to be grafted into the True
Vine – Rom.9:17
Before you can have hope of
heaven or forgiveness of sin, you
must have a relationship with Him.
We need to receive the “divine
nature” – 1 Peter 2:4
We are “new creatures”.
– 2 Cor.5:17
Can you pin point a time in your life
when this happened?
B. Total Dependence
The branch has no life of its own.
It is dependent upon the vine for
its life.
The vine produces the fruit
through the branch.
I am dependent upon Jesus as
the vine to supply His life flow in
me.
My life is an extension of His life.
We must think, act and live
according to this truth.
Our Problem: We think we are the
vine and Jesus is the an attachment.
He is there to help us in our goals,
our desires, our work etc.
He is not an attachment to our
lives. We are dependent upon Him.
Conclusion
Jesus is calling us to be
connected with Him.
Live in fellowship with Him
Is that the experience of our life
today?
LESSONS FROM THE LORD’S
VINEYARD. (2)
JOHN 15:1-8
Introduction
In our first lesson, we learnt that:
A. Jesus calls us into a relationship.
B. This relationship involves new birth.
C. It demands a life of total
dependence.
Lessons About Our Responsibility
1. Bearing Fruits
A vine has one distinct purpose:
bearing fruit.
This is delegated to the branches.
Note the progression in v.2 –
“no fruit”; “more fruit”; “much fruit”
– v.8
What does “bearing fruit”
mean”?
There are three basic fruits that
the Lord bears in the lives of His
Children.
a. Sanctification – becoming
more like Him. (Rom.6:22; Phil
1:11; Col.1:10)
b. Spirituality – We behave more
like Him. (Gal.5:22-23)
c. Souls – We are burdened like
Him. (Rom.1:13)
Are we bearing fruit for His
glory?
We are recognized by our fruit –
Matt.12:33
2. Remain In Me
We are called upon to remain (v.4)
What does it mean to remain in
Christ?
A. Do not leave. (Heb. 10:35-39)
Need to persevere to do the will of
God.
Continue to believe in Him.
B. Remain in His Love –v.9
God love for us is everlasting and
unconditional.
Our disobedience can remove us
from the benefits of His love.
Luke 15 – the prodigal son left his
father’s loving presence.
The father never ceased to love him.
By his own decision he landed
into hardship and trouble.
But when he returned, he
experienced his father’s love
again.
Jude v.20 – “Keep yourself in
God’s love.
C. Obey His commands (v.10)
We must not think we can ignore the
revealed will of God.
Or do whatever we want.
Obedience is linked with love.
The key to remaining is Obeying.
What happens when I disobey?
I remove myself from the flow of
God’s Spirit.
I grieve the Spirit. (Eph.4:30)
John 14:15 – If we really love
God, we will obey Him.
3. Allow Pruning
Sin blocks the flow of life in me and
robs me of fruitfulness.
There may be cares of life,
distractions worldliness, attitudes,
jealousy, pride that need to be cut
out of my life. (v.2)
The Father is pruning us to produce
more fruit.
It is a ministry preformed on
“every branch”.
V.6 says that not all respond
properly to the challenging and
cleansing work of the Gardener.
i. There is loss of fellowship –Cast
out.
ii. There is loss of vitality –
withered. No life. Dead and
dried up.
iii. There is loss of reward.
Conclusion
Being a branch means:
a. Bearing fruits
b. Remaining in Jesus
c. Allow pruning.
Has the Gardener performed His
purifying and pruning ministry in
your life?
LESSONS FROM THE LORD’S
VINEYARD. (3)
JOHN 15:1-8
Lessons on our Rewards.
There are some wonderful things
that happen when we live in this
intimate communion with Christ.
1. We experience joy. (v.11)
Jesus wants to share His joy with
us.
How does this happen?
When there is intimacy and
fellowship with Him.
His joy fills my heart and I am full
of joy.
2. It causes us to love one another.
(v.12)
This is a high standard of love.
How has Jesus loved us?
He loved us before we loved Him.
Loved us enough to sacrifice Himself
for us.
Loved us unconditionally.
Is this possible?
Only when I abide in His love.
When I allow the life and
character of Jesus to flow
through me by the Holy Spirit.
3. It makes us become His friends.
(v.15)
The obedience we are invited to
walk in with God is not a blind
obedience without purpose or
relationship.
It is an obedience that is in
partnership with the one we love.
Abraham was called a friend of
God.
Heb.11:8 – A friend can be
trusted with information.
Jesus links friendship with
obedience – v.14
4. It makes our prayers effective.
(v.7)
There are two conditions for
effective prayer
1. Remain in Me.
Be obedient to the Lord. Stay in
the realm of His will.
Stay in fellowship with Him.
2. Remain in His Word,
Allow God’s word to be
engrafted in our hearts so that
we start thinking right.
Then we start doing right.
Then we pray right – according to
the will of the Father.
5. Allow Pruning
Sin blocks the flow of life in me and
robs me of fruitfulness.
There may be cares of life,
distractions worldliness, attitudes,
jealousy, pride that need to be cut
out of my life. (v.2)
The Father is pruning us to produce
more fruit.
It is a ministry preformed on
“every branch”.
V.6 says that not all respond
properly to the challenging and
cleansing work of the Gardener.
i. There is loss of fellowship –Cast
out.
ii. There is loss of vitality –
withered. No life. Dead and
dried up.
iii. There is loss of reward.
Conclusion
Jesus is telling us to:
-
Stay connected with Him.
Live in fellowship with Him.
Draw our life and strength from Him.
Obey Him.
Depend upon Him.
Always move towards Him not away
from Him.