Introduction. Among the many things which the gospel of John records for us that Jesus taught on the night before His death, there are eight verses at the beginning of chapter fifteen which are especially powerful. Tonight we will focus on these eight verses and the lessons which they teaches us.

I. I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser (vs. 1).

1. Christ is the sole source of life (John 6:33-35).
2. God alone knows who is truly His (Acts 2:47; II Timothy 2:19).

II. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit (vs. 2).

1. There are two works which the vinedresser does…
   1. He "takes away" (Gr. lifts; takes away, brings to an end - later Gr. kills) unfruitful branches (Revelation 2:4,5).
   2. He “prunes” (Gr. cleans - as in vs. 3).

III. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you (vs. 3).

1. The word is the means by which the Father prunes (James 1:23-25).
2. The word of God has the power to clean the soul who clings to Christ (I Thessalonians 2:13).

IV. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me (vs. 4).

1. Christ commands us to abide (Gr. remain) in Him.
   1. There is no need to command what happens automatically.
   2. It is possible not to remain in Christ (I Corinthians 15:1,2).
2. The only way that our lives will be fruitful is by abiding in Christ.
   Note: Two different things 1. Abiding in Christ; 2. Bearing fruit. They are not synonymous [i.e. simply abiding in Christ ­ bearing fruit]
   1. We abide in Christ by holding to His word, worshipping Him faithfully, avoiding sin and doing what is right (John 15:9,10).
   2. We bear fruit by growing in our service to Him. [i.e. reshaping our character, becoming more Christlike, leading others to Christ, growing in faith (Galatians 5:22,23) I Corinthians 16:15 speaks of the household of Stephanas as the “firstfruits of Achaia.”

V. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing (vs. 5).

1. The Vine & Branch relationship.
2. Abiding and fruit-bearing are not the same but one cannot happen with out the other.

VI. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned (vs. 6).

1. There are two conditions under which one may be cut off from the vine…
   1. Failure to bear fruit (vs. 2). Vinedresser “takes away” such a one.
   2. Failure to abide in Christ (II John 9).
2. There are three consequences of being “cast out”:
   1. The branch is withered (Gr. to become dry, parched). Note: We may never see this because we may not realize when one has been cast out from Christ - but they are spiritually a dry branch. E.g. Sometimes a branch that is green and one that is dry look the same on the outside II Peter 2:17 speaks of such as “wells without water” (Jude 12).
   2. They are gathered. I.e. put together with the ones that are like them. Note: How sad it will be one day for the one who has imagined themselves as a child of God one day to be grouped with infidels! Acts 1:15 ASV speaks of Christians “gathered together” for worship (Matthew 13:30).
   3. They are thrown into the fire and burned (Matthew 13:40-43).

VII. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. (vs. 7). After warning about the perils of not abiding in the vine Jesus then offers to us a present benefit of abiding in the vine.

1. The child of God has the promise that God will listen to and grant our requests.
2. All requests within the will of God will be granted (I John 5:14,15).

VIII. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. (vs. 8).

1. It should be our concern to glorify God through our lives.
   1. When we let our light shine we cause God to be glorified (Matthew 5:16).
   2. We should seek to glorify God in all things we do (I Peter 4:11).
   3. Even in sufferings Christ can be glorified (I Peter 4:16).
2. True disciples bear fruit.