Sunday Sermon John 15:1-8 Part 2
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Introduction
Introduction
Good morning and welcome to First Community Church of Milton-Freewater, OR, church at home.
Why church at home? For this season God has called us to worship Him in Spirit and Truth one verse at a time from the comfort of our own home, due to the coronavirus.
However, the good news is the things are starting to open up and we will be meeting to discuss opening the church again.
Currently you can gather with social distancing with up to 25 people. The good news is that are church is big enough for us to do this. So be checking your email boxes this week as we move forward.
It is my hope that we will be fully back open sometime in June.
Prayer-
Prayer-
Lord, please bring peace to Minneapolis and else where there is protesting, lawlessness, looting, and violence. Please send the laborers there to help out. Comfort the family and friends of George Floyd and all involved in the tragedy as well as others. Immerse them all in your grace and love and father for the officers involved we pray for salvation.
Read John 15:1-8
Read John 15:1-8
Review
Review
Last week we talked in detail about what a carnal Christin looks like.
Lets look at the definition of the word carnal again:
Carnal- sarkinos- worldly ⇔ fleshy adjs. — characteristic of this world and its attributes and concerns as opposed to the supernatural; Governed by mere human nature not by the Spirit of God. Having the nature of flesh, i.e. under the control of the animal appetites.
2. We also talked about how the Lord is always giving us invitations to Come to Him, to do this or that for Him.
3. After service last week, Scott connected with me and said he struggles with this text:
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
As I was talking with him, I realized our walk with the Lord is somewhat like a scale. One one side of the triple beam you have God and on the other-side you have the world.
The question is: Which side weighs more? Does God side weigh more? or the world? If so, you might be carnal!
When the Lord invited you this week, how did your respond? Did you respond with joy or did you miss the invitation? Or did you quench the Holy Spirit as he was calling?
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
All through the Word, God is inviting or calling us to himself. And God is so rich in mercy that when we are sliding or hiding, and not abiding, he sends us a messenger.
Today Church, the messenger will be from John the beloved apostle of Jesus.
John not only wrote the Gospel of John, but 1,2,3 John and Revelation
He was the brother of James and the Son of Zebedee
John had fruit in his life because we see him move from John the son of Thunder to John the Beloved>>> Look at what the Word says about him:
Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.
When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!”
Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it), and plunged into the sea.
This disciple is never specifically identified, but the identity of the disciple whom Jesus loved is clear.
It was John, Jesus loved John
Church, stop and think about this. Although Jesus loves all of us, the word mentions in several places that John was loved by Jesus. What did John do, to bring the Lord to the place of inspiring the gospel writers to write such a thing?
I believe that John truly abided in the Vine.
I believe that John surrendered to Jesus’ Lordship
I believe John was hungering and thirsting for righteousness
I believe that John was a true disciple of Jesus
I believe if we read the writings of John, we can clearly see how Jesus transformed his life.
Church historians believe that John was the last surviving apostle. John lived some where into 90 AD’s.
This is why John when he was in his 90’s could write like this:
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
John knew how to abide and here in John 15 he lets us know what this will look like if we are abiding in the Vine and not abiding in the Vine.
In John 15 the word abide is mentioned 11xs, but throughout the Gospel of John is mentioned 40xs.
Do you think God is trying to his point across to us? Do you think he knows we would struggle with this?
Are you abiding ? or sliding or hiding?
Did you know that there is actually a Vine at the Hampton Court Palace in England that is 252 years old> it was planted in 1768.
Do you think it is still producing black grapes?
Yes, it is. About 600#s a year.
There is a husband a wife team that are the gardeners.
The spend about 3 months pruning this huge vine.
Its called The Great Vine.
God is going to spend a lot of time pruning us throughout our lives.
As we move into John 15, I wanted to share that this is the last of the 7, I AM statements here in John:
Jesus’ “I am” statements would have particular significance to the first-century Jewish listener. God had revealed Himself to Moses with a resounding “I AM” (Ex. 3:14). Jesus used the same words to describe Himself (4:26; 6:20; 13:19).
Below is a list of Jesus’ seven “I Am” statements in the book of John.
“I am the bread of life.” (John 6:35, 41, 48, 51) As bread sustains physical life, so Christ offers and sustains spiritual life.
“I am the light of the world.” (John 8:12) To a world lost in darkness, Christ offers Himself as a guide.
“I am the door of the sheep.” (John 10:7,9) Jesus protects His followers as shepherds protect their flocks from predators.
“I am the resurrection and the life.” (John 11:25) Death is not the final word for those in Christ.
“I am the good shepherd.” (John 10:11, 14) Jesus is committed to caring and watching over those who are His.
“I am the way, the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6) Jesus is the source of all truth and knowledge about God.
“I am the true vine.” (John 15:1, 5) By attached ourselves to Christ, we enable His life to flow in and through us. Then we cannot help but bear fruit that will honor the Father.
Before Abraham was, I AM. (John 8:58) Jesus was saying he was eternally before Abe there father.
Jesus claims deity again here in John 8:24 >> Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for is you do not believe that I AM He, you will die in your sins. If you do not believe that Jesus is God, the text says that you will die in your sins. This challenged the theology of the Jews.
~Nelson Study Bible Notes~
Jesus throughout his life and ministry He claimed that He was God and the Jews knew exactly what he was doing and became very angry to the place of taking his life
The Backdrop of John 15
The Backdrop of John 15
Chapters 13-17 of John records what we have come to know as the Upper Room Discourse or in soem circles the Farewell discourse. The met in secret in the Upper room because Jesus was wanted. This is Thursday night of passion week and Thursday was when the Galilean Jews would celebrate passover. We know that Jesus will become the passover lamb on Friday. In these five chapters we see intimate teaching about Service, Love, the Holy Spirit, Heaven, Salvation, our Union with Christ, abiding in the Vine and Prayer as many other things.
In John 13
Jesus Washing the Disciple’s Feet (13:2 -10)
Jesus had the passover meal with the disciples , the last supper
Jesus calls out his betrayer, now there is only 11 disciples left
Jesus gives details about his departure
In John 14
Jesus continues to teach on what lies ahead, the time of his departure is at hand
Jesus promises the Holy Spirit
Jesus promises peace in Him
Jesus shares that he is the way, the truth, and the life, that no one can come to the father expect through him.
Salvation is implied in John 14
In John 15 we moving from knowing Jesus Christ, to growing in Him or sanctification.
It is interesting to me, that in the center of the discourse is this great teaching on Abiding, on bearing fruit.
Scholars believe that it is about 24 hours before the Jesus will go to the cross.
Jesus is preparing them for His departure, but as you know they were having a difficult time grasping what he was teaching.
Do you ever feel this way? I certainly do!
So Jesus moves from salvation to sanctification.
But before we move into our text for today, I need to share a verse from Chapter 14 that clarify that Chapter 15 did not take place in where Chapter 13 & 14 did, but rather somewhere else.
But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do. Arise, let us go from here.
Jesus called them and said Arise let us go from here. So here we they are leaving the upper room and headed to Gethsemane via the Kidron Valley.
Gethsemane is where Jesus sweat drops of blood in John 18, crying out to the Father to Jesus said, If you can take this cup from me, but not my will, but yours be done!” He surrendered, then Judas showed up. He sold Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. Jesus is arrested and taken to the High Priest.
And we pick up here:
I think it is important to realize the backdrop of this text is Jesus calling out his betrayer.
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
When Jesus says that He is the Vine, He is employing an image that is very familiar to His followers.
Church, when He says I am the true Vine, he is claiming Deity, and we get this from when Moses came to God in the wilderness at the burning bush. God hear the cries of his people Israel and here at the burning bush tells Moses he is going to Pharaoh to say let my people go. Moses responds to God, “Who do I say that sent me?” God says:
And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ”
He often used elements from nature to illustrate His teaching – water, seeds, soil, wheat, fig trees, flowers and birds.
Grapes were common everywhere and have always been central to Israel’s agriculture and economy.
In fact, the grapevine was the emblem or was symbolic of Israel, much like the Bald Eagle is for us.
Grapes appeared on coins during the period between Malachi and Matthew.
At the time of Jesus, a golden vine hung over the entrance to the Temple.
When you look at different scholars on this text there are a few different views:
As I just shared there was vineyard all around and Jesus might have used them as an object lesson here. During this time of year there would have been a full moon casting light on a variety of vineyards on the lower slopes of the hill as they’re walking to Gethsemane. It’s likely Jesus stopped and held up a vine filled with blossoms of a promising harvest and said, I am the true Vine.
Some scholars believe since this is Passover season that they were walking by the temple at night and it was a full moon. When the looked at the temple doors that a gold inlayed vines on them, they glistened and Jesus said:
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Fifteen: Relationships and Responsibilities (John 15:1–17)
The present Vine is our Lord Jesus Christ, and, of course, the vine includes the branches. He is the “true Vine,” that is, “the original of which all other vines are a copy.” As Christians, we do not live on substitutes! The symbolism of the Vine and branches is similar to that of the Head and the body: we have a living relationship to Christ and belong to Him.
But the vine is symbolic of Israel. If Jews were talking and hanging out and the vine got brought up, they would know the vine was them.
So here is radical Jesus again, saying He is the true vine.
Do you think Jesus was a radical in his day?
If Jesus said he is the true vine, there must be other vines out there!
Let take a look at what the Bible says about Israel being the Vine:
God has always had “grape expectations” for His followers.
He is so sold on fruitfulness that He breaks out into a sad song in Isaiah 5:1-4. Instead of producing sweet grapes, His people had offered only sour substitutes
Now let me sing to my Well-beloved A song of my Beloved regarding His vineyard: My Well-beloved has a vineyard On a very fruitful hill. He dug it up and cleared out its stones, And planted it with the choicest vine. He built a tower in its midst, And also made a winepress in it; So He expected it to bring forth good grapes, But it brought forth wild grapes. “And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, Judge, please, between Me and My vineyard. What more could have been done to My vineyard That I have not done in it? Why then, when I expected it to bring forth good grapes, Did it bring forth wild grapes?
Isaiah writes that Israel brought forth wild grapes, bitter and not sweet grapes.
Yet I had planted you a noble vine, a seed of highest quality. How then have you turned before Me Into the degenerate plant of an alien vine?
Jeremiah writes that Israel had become a degenerate plant, an alien vine.
Again in Psalm 80 and Ezekiel 19
But in other places as well in the OT
It is amazing how when Israel had fallen from grace and become religious folks that the grapes they produced were wild, they were bitter. It was bad fruit as Jesus said here:
Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
Jesus is the True Vine and his Father, our Father who art in Heaven is the Vinedresser:
Vinedresser- Ge-ōr-gos -refers to one who tills the soil; hence a farmer (2 Tim. 2:6; James 5:7), or a vine-grower. Church, this is a person who operates a farm.
The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops.
Farmer here is : Ge-or-gos.
Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain.
Farmer here is Ge-or-gos as well!
Over the next few weeks we will be running our plows over John 15
This is a story of a Vine, branches, and fruit that proves that you are a disciple of Jesus Christ. It is about the nature of genuine salvation.
This text answers the question of how does one know they are headed to heaven or to hell? Jesus addresses that here: he gives the command that we bear fruit.
I am confidant that we will be encouraged and challenged.
My hope is that we will learn to abide, so that we can bear much fruit for God Kingdom in our homes, families, work places, and communities.
I leave you with one question:
Who is your Vinedresser. Who is the farmer of your field? Or of your heart?
Prayer
Announcements
Just a reminder to connect with one another and rejoice in the Lord.
Be checking your emails as we will be meeting soon to discuss opening our doors.
Be blessed, not stressed, or depressed!
Benediction
Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.
The Lord Bless you!
Your Mission starts now!