Good Morning! 2010.06.22 - John 15:1,5 - The True Vine and Branches

Good Morning!

 

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

 

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in

 

him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can

 

do nothing.  (John 15:1,5)

 

The disciples who were listening to this lecture on grapes were governed by Jewish concepts. Their thinking was governed by the Old Testament writings.  A thing can be true as compared to that which is false. Or there may be a shadow of the real thing. God made the sun which is the great light source. He also made the moon which does not generate light but is an excellent reflector of light.

John the Baptist was a reflecting light but Jesus was the true light. As Christians, we are to reflect the light of Christ who is the light of the world. Moses gave bread/manna in the wilderness, but Jesus Christ is the true bread.  Here in this passage Jesus is saying that the nation of Israel is not the genuine vine but that Christ is the true vine. This is very important.

If they are to get it right, they must understand that their essential connection with God is not going to come from the Nation of Israel. Their connection must be with the Messiah/Christ of Israel.  Their relationship with the nation of Israel and the Jewish religion is not the important thing. Their relationship to the promised Messiah and Savior is the important thing.

We are to identify with Christ! We are baptized into the Body of Christ by the Holy Spirit the moment we trust Christ as our Savior and are born again as a child of God.

In the Old Testament, God is the owner of the vineyard and has servants to take care of it. Here, He, himself is the keeper or farmer. Jesus is the Vine and the Father takes care of him. It was prophesied in the Old Testament that Jesus would grow up before the Father as a tender plant and as a root out of a dry ground. The Father had to intervene often to save Jesus from the Devil who wanted to destroy him. The Father cared for the vine and also cared for the branches.

This passage is talking about fruit bearing. It is not talking about the salvation of the sinner and not talking about the security of the believer.  For the branches to bear fruit they must at all times be connected to the vine in a healthy manner so that sap can freely flow through the vine into the branches.

God made us with a free will and we can exercise that free will to break fellowship with God by allowing coldness and disobedience into our lives. When we do that, it is like turning off the hose faucet that sends water to plants in our garden.

It is a good thing to ask ourselves: "Am I connected to God through the Holy Spirit and the forgiveness of my sins through the blood of Christ." It is also good to ask ourselves: "Can the life-giving sap of God's life flow into my life by the Holy Spirit?"

 

Nothing between my soul and the Savior,

Naught of this world's delusive dream;

I have renounced all sinful pleasure,

Jesus is mine there's nothing between.

(C.A. Tindley)

 

This article can also be viewed at www.bibleliving.blogspot.com

 

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