ABIDE

This is a teaching built on a living illustration grape vines were all around them and they were one of the exports of the nation of Israel. I am The true vine - suggesting there are other vines that are not true. My Father the gardener -has the job of deciding what will happen to unproductive vines. The vineyard is in business to produce fruit. If some of the vines are not productive - He cuts off every individual branch that bears no fruit. On the other hand those that are productive He prunes to make them even more productive.

Father the gardener - He cuts off every individual branch that bears no fruit.

John in writing this part of the narrative suggests that they may be walking through the city toward the Garden of Gethsemane. To better understand what is being taught I am going to use the word ABIDE as an outline for our teaching about this chapter.

This suggest to us that being in dynamic union with Jesus produces growth and fruit

How does the word ABIDE fit as an outline for this chapter

Being in dynamic union with Jesus produces growth and fruit

The concept of what Abiding in Jesus provides both in therms of salvation, growth, spiritual renewal and relationship to Jesus in life and prayer is the heart of what Jesus is saying. Along with that comes a negative impact from the world as they hated Jesus so they will hate His disciples. We will not be able to cover all 27 verses today but we will share together the first 11.

Our first letter is “A” It stands for

A. Abound

V.2 Pruning - How can this be? We have a hard time imagining it until we think of the pure innocence in the Garden of Eden and the fall. This pruning is for the purpose of bearing more fruit.

V.3 Clean - Potentially in Christ but yet to be realized by the disciples through the teaching of Jesus and will become real through Pentecost.

V.5-8 Remain/ Bear much fruit - The Christian life is productive gives us the fruit of the Spirit. (NIV84) “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,”

Next we come to “B”

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

B. Benefits -

V.1 The True Vine- Israel was the vine of the Lord but was not ideal or complete. Jesus is the perfect, complete Vine and the one we are to emulate. Israel did not fulfill her role as a leader of men to the Messiah but Jesus is the one true Vine the Messiah

V. 3 Jesus makes us clean so we can produce more fruit

V.4 Reproduction - We cannot produce fruit of ourselves but as we remain in the Vine the true one we can. It is a natural process. Dynamic connection with the Vine produces fruit. Abide and keep on abiding.

V.5 Accomplishment - Apart from the Lord we can do nothing. We must remain in Him to accomplish good and His purposes. Through Him all things were made, without Him nothing was made that has been made.

V.6 Security - The branches that do not remain in the Vine wither and die. They are good for nothing but to be burned.

V.7 Assurance - Remain in me, My words remain in you. Ask, what you will and it will be given.

V.8 Discipleship - A disciple brings glory to the Father and bears much fruit. We are not disciples because we attend church or pay our tithe but because we bring glory to God by bearing fruit.

V.9 Love - Jesus calls us to come and remain in His love for us and let that love flow through us to a lost world. The same love that is established between the Father and the Son is also between the Son and us.

V.11 Joy - This joy comes from obedience and being in a complete relationship with the Father and the Son, Christ Jesus. This Joy is not the fleeting happiness of the world that comes and goes dependent on circumstances this is a joy that come out of the True Vine and being in relationship with Him. This comes from knowing and doing the Father’s will and living according to His purpose.

I. Involvement -In the work of the Kingdom with Christ.

V.8 The glory of the Lord is seen through us as we grow in the Fruits of the Spirit and Win others to Jesus . Jesus as any husbandman of the vineyard is praised and seen as joyful because the vines produce great crops of fruit. This also vindicates our claim to discipleship.

V.9 In Divine Love - Abide/Remain in My Love. The kind of love the Father has for Jesus so Jesus has for us. Christ’s love for us is not in the moment but is continuous in every moment. Remain and keep on remaining and you will know and keep on knowing Christ’s love.

There is much to receive from our life in Christ. It is not just for ourselves but for the world. We will learn next week more about the world and how they will respond and God’s grace for us. But for today it is enough to bask in the wonderful love of Jesus and allow His love to flow through us to a lost and dying world that they may also know His love.

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