The I Am’s of John “THE TRUE VINE”

^“I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.  Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.” John 15:1-3 (KJV)

The grapevine was an everyday sight in Israel so much that the vine became the national symbol of Israel. There were times where those vineyards had been fruitful (Isaiah 27:2-6) and there were times that it wasn’t (Jeremiah 5:10-11). When we come to this part in the Gospel of John we are in the Upper Room, there has been a foot washing and much truth is being spoken. Jesus has pretty much declared that He is the true redemption of Israel…”In days to come Jacob shall take root, Israel shall blossom and put forth shoots and fill the whole world with fruit.”

This metaphorical “I Am” is followed by a very clear explanation by Jesus. We can’t just rest on John 15:1 without a further reading of this passage of Scripture. Jesus is the true vine, letting us know that our fruit bearing rests on His truth. With His Father being the husbandman we can’t go wrong. Even though The Father may have talked often of Israel as a vine in the Old Testament, Jesus is the genuine article. A vine that is consistently and carefully pruned by the husbandman will bear much fruit. The whole nation of Israel was never a vine like Jesus Christ.

All of the past, present and future believers are branches of this Vine. Keep in mind that the root is unseen because our life is hid with Christ. The branches of the vine are many, yet, meeting in the root, are all but one vine; thus all true Christians, meet in Christ. His Father is the Ultimate Husbandman. My main man, Matt Henry says that “Never was any husbandman so wise, so watchful, about his vineyard, as God is about his church, which therefore must prosper. We must be fruitful.” Yeah…but it’s funny about being fruitful ain’t it?

Ya know from a grapevine, we look for grapes. One very simple fruit, BUT the fruit we look for from a Christian are many. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…nine different varieties of fruit that need to blossom on your branch there Christian. And if your branch beareth any of these fruit they shall be purgeth but if it ain’t bearing any fruit The Husbandman will prune you and take your branch away. It would seem that a fire would be the fittest place for withered branches. Hope that wouldn’t be a lake of fire ‘cos that means eternal separation from the Vine, very uncool.

When we have our noses in our Bibles, the Word of Christ is spoken to all of us. As it works out any corruption with the renewing of our minds it will also work God’s grace into our transforming lives. It helps us stay attach to the vine or as I’ve heard it said we will ABIDE in HIM!! It will also help us be better fruit bearers because the more fruit we bear the more our Lord is glorified and that is a good thing. Jesus wants all His disciples to understand that apart from Him we can do NOTHING. It’s just up to us to keep that faith muscle exercised so we have the strength to stay on the Vine. – Chris Hughes is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and contributes regularly to Freedom Fighter 

Team YOU: Isaiah 15-16; Proverbs 24; Galatians 3

Motivations: “Let us seek to live more simply on the fullness of Christ, and to grow more fruitful in every good word and work, so may our joy in Him and in His salvation be full.”—Matthew Henry

Practice to Remember: Level 1:James 1:2-3; Level 2: James 1:1-8

Powered Up: Prayer is other than meditation; it is that which develops the life of God in us. – Oswald Chambers