I am the Vine Ps 148:1-14; Isa 5:1-7; Gal 5:16-24; John 15:1-11

Introduction   https://youtu.be/Jv75xF4zhhU

Whilst I’ve been preaching on the subject of Jesus’ “I Am” statements for some weeks now, it has only been this week that I have felt under direct spiritual attack. On Monday my restless state of mind seemed to be the opposite of what today’s message is advocating. While John 14:6 (….) is popular with active Christians, I find John 15 is most loved by more meditative believers. “I am the vine and you are the branches” attaches our lives intimately to the life of Jesus’ life and so is a favourite subject of spiritual writers[1]. With respect to the type/genre of literature John 15 is what we call an allegory, allegories are similar but not identical to parables. Jesus’ parables[2] are ordinary stories about life which are symbolic of certain features of God’s kingdom reign. The kingdom of God is “like” such and such, there is no one to one correspondence between the parable and God’s reign. The Vine and the branches expounds hidden or deeper spiritual truths about Jesus and his people by using common images with which the people are familiar[3].

Exposition

v.1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.”

Talk of the vine would immediately take the disciples minds back to the Old Testament where Israel is symbolised as God’s choice vine (Ps 80:8-9) or vineyard which tragically fails to bear fruit (Hos 10:1). The Lord himself laments “Yet I planted you a choice vine, wholly of pure seed. How then have you turned degenerate and become a wild vine?” (Jer 2:21 cf. Isa 5:1-7). In Adam we are all the planting of the Lord that has borne that bad fruit which Paul calls, “the works of the sinful nature, sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarrelling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties” (Gal 5:19-21). In ourselves we lack any ability[4] to ever be able to bear fruit fully pleasing to God[5]. In declaring, “I am the true vine” Jesus testifies that he is what we were always meant to be as humans, and that he will do what we could never do, live a life worthy of the kingdom of God

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.… 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.” (vv.2-3, 6)[6]

I do a lot of walking around our neighbourhood and by glancing at people’s gardens it is obvious of how caring they are of their plants. As a good gardener tends her/his bushes, so God is a good Father who is always pruning our lives, cutting off dead and useless thoughts and actions[7]. Whilst we shouldn’t form a theology of hell out of this allegory, Jesus has already taught soberly in John, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains/abides on him.” (John 3:36). How does the loving heavenly Father feel about casting unfruitful lives into the “fiery furnace” (Matt 13:42, 50)?  It was said of the great evangelist George Whitefield that every time he spoke of hell he wept profusely.[8] That’s how God feels. Remember Jesus weeping over Jerusalem who in rejecting his protection had her fate of being destroyed by the Romans sealed (Matt 23:37-38). Genuine disciples however, according to the Lord’s word, have already been cleansed/pruned by his word (v.3) i.e., forgiven [9]. So when the Father looks at us he sees something of the likeness of Christ in our lives, and this is infinitely precious to him[10].

vv. 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.

Various translations have tried to convey what this word “abide”[11] means through using “remain” “dwell”, “stay united”, “stay joined”, “live in”, “get life from”. It is certainly equivalent to the apostle Paul’s “in Christ” language[12]. Abiding in Jesus speaks of a deep intimacy of having allowed Jesus into our heart. The best explanation I know of what it means to “abide” in Jesus is the suggestion that to abide in Christ is that by faith we are working to stay in the same sort of relationship with Jesus that he maintained towards his heavenly Father (Arthur Wallis). As Jesus was utterly dependent on the Father[13] we must be utterly dependent on Jesus[14]. His emphatic statement, “apart from me you can do nothing” (15:5)[15] means that without relying on Jesus we cannot do anything that is from its roots upward Christ like. The fruit of abiding in Christ is the expression of his own life through us[16]. This means that the foundational sin is trying to be your own vine, trying to produce fruit by your own efforts. As I said last week about Jesus being the Way (John 14:6), it’s trying to create a way to the way when Jesus alone is the Way.

I remember around 1990 someone made an appointment to see me and said, “Instead of resting in Christ you’re striving, you’re trying to make something happen in your preaching and ministry”. Was he right, Yes, did I listen to him, No. What about you, are you trying to make something happen in the spiritual realm? Whilst the scriptures never exhort us to struggle to get into Christ, they do command us to remain/stay in him[17].

7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

The promise of sure answered prayer depends on allowing Christ’s words to live in us. When this is the state of our lives we will ask in union with what Jesus is currently praying in heaven (Rom 8:34; Heb 7:16) and those prayers are always answered (John 11:41-42).  To say that the Father is glorified in our bearing “much fruit” is simply to say that when more of God’s children look and live more like Jesus the purpose for which he created the world is fulfilled. He is, in this sense, a proud Father.

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.

Its quite something to know that Jesus loves us as he was loved by God[18]: perfectly, unconditionally, constantly (cf. 1 John 4:17).

11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

Abiding joy is a sign of the presence of the kingdom of God (Rom 14:17), that is, the presence of the Lord’s just and loving reign. Sadly, there is significant truth in the words of the famous anti-Christ figure Friedrich Nietzsche, “They would have to sing better songs to make me believe in their Redeemer: his disciples would have to look more redeemed.” I was praying for Donna and the women in the Church recently and sensed the Lord saying, “I want to increase their joy.” Wherever Jesus is the sole Lord of our lives leading us to repent of all known sin joy abounds. Remember this promise associated with Christ’s coming at Christmas. “You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil.” (Isa 9:3).

Is there a secret to such deep abiding? According to John the Spirit of Jesus and his Word already dwell/live in us (John 14:16-17; 15:7). This is something the great 19^th century pioneering missionary to China Hudson Taylor had to learn.  Early in his career he was driven almost to a breakdown by self-effort, then a time of great transformation came. He wrote, “We get the key to the whole question of fruit-bearing, which is the subject of this chapter, in the first two words: “I am.” It is not what you are, but what He is, that is the all-important thing. “I am.”…“I saw it all. I looked to Jesus, and when I saw, oh how the joy flowed!” What had transpired in the life of Paul was communicated once again to Taylor. “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Gal 2:20).  When Paul ceased trying to be the vine and was content to be a branch Jesus’ life lived itself in and through him.

These things can be more subtle than we realise. Some years ago Donna and I attended a church whose pastor believed that spiritual revival depended on a certain pattern of Christian meditation. Unfortunately, his emphasis on the method of abiding became the focus[19] so little fruit followed.

Once dimension of abiding that seems sadly neglected is a factor that has plagued much Christian mysticism/contemplation from its beginnings. For whom are we abiding? As Jesus bore fruit for the glory of his Father we are called to bear fruit for the glory of the Lord by reaching out to others. We are his branches, a part of him whose resources are limitless for the blessing of those around us. When I used to lecture on the fruit[20] of the Spirit[21] I used to focus on the fact that all the fruit, “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control” (Gal 5:22-23) are dimensions of the life of Jesus. They are all to be manifestations of his life for the other person. Realising that the Vine exists for others makes us conscious that generally we are too self-centred. Let me come to a conclusion.

Conclusion

The totality of how a human being knows God[22] is summarised in what it means to abide in Christ. This is a big claim, but when the God-human Jesus commands us to remain in him as he abides in his Father’s love (John 15:4, 10) no other conclusion is possible. Infinite abiding/dependence of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit on each other is the very essence of God. It’s easier to identify a failure to abide than it is to abide[23]. We could ask, “Is this sermon the fruit of abiding in Christ or some sort of self-effort?” Most likely it’s a mixture of sorts. Is your life the fruit of a spiritual walk that leaves you feeling tense, anxious, fretful, fearful and feeling some sort of spiritual failure. If so, stop then trying to be the Vine and allow Jesus alone to be our Vine. When we allow Jesus to be the Vine marvellous things happen[24]. Jesus must be our sole vision, and this requires all our power of self-reliance to be broken off so we become humble branches. I could never listen to the truth of what that brother spoke to me all those years ago until I came to a point of confessing that I could never produce the fruit the Father was looking for in my life.  Jesus alone is sufficient for every good work. Do you want transformation in our family relationships, marriages, workplaces….In believing in Jesus as God who is the Vine for us, before we know it we are abiding. Here is the definition Jesus himself gives of abiding. “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.” (John 15:10).