I Am the True Vine
John 15:1-8
Service Order:
Welcome: Pastor Paul
Prayer, Prelude, and Candle Lighting: Pastor Paul
Special Song: Tonya Theis, “Scars in Heaven”
Special: Men’s Group, “How Deep the Father’s Love for Us”
Congregational Song: “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross”
Special Song: Kyleigh Lash, (TBD)
Bible Reading: John 15:1-8
Meditation: Robert Theis
Congressional Song: “Because He Lives”
Candle Dimming, Prayer, and Dismissal: Pastor Paul
Scripture:
Sermon:
Thank you all for attending our Lenten service tonight and thank you for allowing me to share God’s word. Let us pray:
Lord, thank you for allowing us to gather here tonight for the Lenten service. Please open our ears to hear and our eyes to see as we read your word. Bless us with discernment so we can understand the meaning of John 15. Thank you for all you do, everything we have we owe to you, in Jesus name, AMEN.
“I AM”
I have really enjoyed the Lenten services. Last year was my wife and I’s first time being in a church that participated in these events. Tonight I will be covering, “I AM the True Vine” found in John 15.
There are seven such declarations found throughout the Gospel of John. The Greek used for “I AM” is “Ego Eimi,” which is a phrase used for self-identification. “I am or I exist, such as I am a husband.” After the man who was blind since birth was given sight by Jesus in John 9, that man was asked if he was the one who was previously blind. He answered, “ego eimi,” meaning, “I am the man.”
I mention this because the use of “I AM” is a bit different when Jesus says it throughout John. It is not different in form, but in context. When John quotes Jesus saying, “I AM”, it is within the context of Jesus establishing His authority and His unique identity.
When Jesus says, “Truly, Truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am,” in John 8, He is referencing the name for God told to Moses in Exodus 3.
Jesus is God:
I want to take a moment to focus on the divinity of Jesus. Jesus’ divinity is important for understanding these “I AM” declarations found throughout John, but His divinity is also important for understanding the entirety of scripture.
I was recently asked by a friend, “I want to start reading my bible, where do I start?” I replied and told her, “Start with the Gospels. Start with the accounts of Jesus life and ministry, and the rest will make sense.” After a week, I asked her how the Bible reading was going and she replied, “I haven’t started yet. I ordered some books to help and I’m waiting for them to arrive.” It left me remembering when someone said, “The Bible is impossible to understand.” As I was preparing for tonight, I thought, “How should I have replied to my friend?”
Thinking about Jesus saying, “I AM the true vine,” and the meaning behind it, it reminded me of the many views people have of Jesus. In Jesus’ day, many did not accept His claims of divinity. They picked up rocks to stone Him for blasphemy because He was making claims to be equal with God and to be God, but they did not believe it. Fast forward 2000 years, many people still do not believe it. Many people claim to be spiritual and religious, many people claim to follow “God,” yet they deny Jesus’ nature.
That is why I love these Lenten services because they emphasize Jesus’ claims leading up to the Crucifixion and the Resurrection. A lot of people think of Jesus as just being a “good moral teacher,” a kind of “hippie guru.” Jesus, in His own words, left no room for this view. People like to take a few passages from this book and chapter, and combine them with a few verses from another chapter, and all they end up with is a recipe to glorify themselves. Unfortunately, the only thing that recipe will make is a path to damnation.
That is what makes our role, as fruit bearers, so important. Our role is to speak truth, point to the one who gives life, all while showing love and kindness. People should be able to look at us and see the work God is having in our lives. To answer the question, “How should I have replied to my friend?” I told her she has everything she needs to get started, a loving, living God in Jesus Christ and when she knows Christ as her LORD, she is indwelled with the Holy Spirit who is our helper.”
Don’t get me wrong, I love a good Biblical commentary, but God makes the impossible possible.
Context for John 15:
Before we dive into John 15, let’s take a moment to remember the events leading up to Jesus sharing this allegory with His disciples.
Jesus is sharing this shortly after the Last Supper, after Judas had taken his leave. In John 13, Jesus was troubled and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” Scripture goes on to tell us after Judas received the bread, which was in indication of who the betrayer would be, he immediately went out from among them.
In light of this context, we can read John 15 with a better understanding of how the other 11 disciples may be interpreting what Jesus is about to say, since they chose to remain with Jesus when Judas had broken away.
John 15:
Pausing here, “You are clean because the WORD.” These disciples are clean because they have heard the truth and chosen to abide in Christ, unlike Judas.
Also, “Every branch that DOES bear fruit, the Father prunes, that it MAY bear MORE fruit.”
It is important to remember, abiding in Christ does not always lead to earthly rewards. When we abide in Christ, sometimes the “pruning” comes in the form of loss. A loss of a job, a loss of a friendship, or the loss of possessions. We cannot see the ending from the beginning, but HE can. Trust in Him because He is good. Take refuge knowing God is in control, AMEN.
“Abide in me,” meaning to remain in Christ. We are all given free will, and we can choose to use that freedom to walk IN Christ or turn away and be separated from Him. God gives us that choice, and he loves us too much to force us to be in His presence. Judas made the choice to be apart from Christ. Do not be like Judas.
“Apart from me, you can do nothing.” Wow, so much for people thinking they can do good apart from God! Our role is to abide in Him, praise Him, and share the fruit He has provided. Apart from Him, we are dead in our sin.
The Father is glorified when we remain IN Christ because the truth remains in US and we bear fruit. It is easy to read, “Ask whatever you wish” and think, “I could use a raise, and a new Playstation 5.” Unfortunately for those wanting a new Playstation, the context of “Ask whatever you wish” is in reference to the fruit we bear to glorify God. That fruit being when we share His Word, preach His Truth, and helping others to know Him.
I’m not sure if a new Playstation fits within that category, but I’m not God, so I would say, “keep praying for one and see.”
Challenge:
When we are disciples of Christ, others can see the Spirit working in our lives and in our ministry, which reflects the character of God and His Glory.
I want to end today with a challenge:
Easter is a time of remembrance. To remember the price Christ paid for us, to remember He rose up three days later, and remember that we love because He first loved us.
During this Holiday, remember those who are unable to attend church. Shut-ins and the elderly that are now residents of retirement communities and nursing homes. We are fruit bearers and we have the blessings we do because of the Vine. Make an effort to reach out and include them, letting them know they are loved and that they are missed. The fruit they bear will benefit you as much as you benefit them.
Thank you and God bless.
Before Tonya’s Song:
Before I sing today, I wanted to explain why I chose the song “Scars in Heaven.” The line, “The only scars in Heaven are on the hands that hold you now” is a beautify way of expressing that we have eternal life, free of pain and worry, and we are made righteous because of Jesus’ completed work on the cross. He paid the debt we deserve so we can be with Him in Heaven. He is the true vine that gives us life and removes our pain.