Sermons
September 29th, 2024 by Pastor Solley092924AM Vine, Branches, and Fruit #3
Sub. Parables
Theme: Parable of the vine and branches.
Text: John 15:1-11
“Vine, Branches, and Fruit” #3 John 15:1-11
Introduction
We continue this morning with the parable of the vine and branches found in John 15. It is a parable that stands out for the born again believer in Christ today because of when it was given and to whom. This is the last parable given by Jesus during His earthly ministry and was given on the way to the Garden of Getheseme. Last words are important and this is the last parable given by Jesus. It was given specifically to those who were born again. It is Jesus and the eleven remaining disciples who would become His apostles, Judas had already left them, so this is to born again believers in Christ. This parable is for those who know Jesus as savior.
I. Within this parable we find warnings, instructions, and encouragement: John 15:1-11 – All three, warnings, instructions, and encouragement need to be considered when looking at this parable.
A. We looked first at the warnings: John 15:2 , 6 Two different warnings to two different groups of people.
1. The first warning to those branches in the vine who allow things in their lives that hinder their bearing fruit for the Lord: Jn 15:2 These branches are in the vine but not abiding the way that the husbandman desires they abide in the vine.
a. Things in our lives that hinder our walk and service for the Lord Jesus Christ need to be removed. We know what these are.
b. The husbandman has every right to remove them if we choose not to. – John 15:2
2. The second warning to branches who appear to be in the vine but are not: John 15:6 These branches are not in the vine, they are pretenders, professors of Christ but not possessors of Jesus Christ. Many claim Jesus but do not know Him just as Judas did.
B. We also looked at instructions: John 15:2-5 The instructions can be summed up with allowing the husbandman to continually purge and prune in our lives. Fruit trees, grape vines, need to be purged or pruned.
1. We should be asking as David did for the husbandman to search us, search our lives and cut back that which continues to hinder us in our service for our dear Lord: There needs to be a constant watch upon our lives to keep us close to our Lord.
2. We need this constant purging so we can abide in Him: John 15:4-5
II. This morning we are going to look at the encouragement found in this parable: There are warnings we need to heed. When God gives a warning we need to pay attention and there are warnings here we need to heed. There are instructions we need to follow. When God gives instructions those need to be followed.
A. We also find encouragement in this parable: Encouragement they needed then and encouragement we need today. The encouragements found in this parable are seen in three different ways.
1. In fruit bearing: John 15:2-5 , 8 The branch is encouraged when it can bear fruit.
2. In answered prayer: John 15:7 A clear promise of answered prayer.
3. In a closeness to our Savior: John 15:15-16 No greater relationship can one have in this world than the one we can have with Jesus, no closeness more special than the one we can have with our Lord and Savior.
B. I want to look as the Lord allows at the encouragement found in this parable:
PROP: Are you in need of encouragement this morning. TS. It is found here for those branches abiding in the vine.
Body
I. The encouragement of bearing fruit for our Lord: John 15:1-8 There are three stages of fruit bearing in the parable, fruit, more fruit and much fruit. Clearly the husbandman is most pleased with those who bear much fruit. – John 15:8 – But all the branches abiding on the vine, abiding in the vine can bear fruit. Every branch that abides in the vine can bear fruit. – John 15:2
A. Most people want to leave a mark in this world, want to be remembered after they are gone from this world: But what can one do in this world that will be lasting after one leaves this world? Is there anything that will endure time after one is gone from the scene?
1. Solomon built a beautiful temple: If you study the temple that Solomon built it is mind boggling. The beauty of the temple, the materials used, the wealth and beauty of the temple has never been matched. Where is Solomon’s temple today? It does not exist.
2. King Nebuchadnezzar had the hanging gardens of Babylon built, one of the seven wonders of the word: Where can one go to see those hanging gardens today? They do not exist.
3. Other strictures by other men continue to exist: But where are those who built them and how long will they last? People want to be remembered for what they have done in this world but time will one day erase the memory of those men and destroy the things that they built in this world. The world and things of the world pass away according to 1 John 2:17
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B. But there is fruit that can be produced that will remain: John 15:16 That word remain means to be present, to endure, to continue. It points to something that will last, that will not be forgotten, something that will survive the test of time.
ILL. Most of the time if you buy fresh fruit it needs to be eaten or used. There are some fruits that will last a longer period of time, but most must be used and all must eventually be used or canned. Fruit does not remain.
1. But the fruit that we bear for the Lord by abiding in the vine will remain: John 15:16 That is what the Bible says.
a. The same word is used of Christ in 2 Cor 9:9 where the Bible says His righteousness remaineth forever.
b. The same word is used of Christ in Heb 7:24 where the Bible says He continueth ever.
2. The Bible says that the believer abiding in the vine can produce fruit that will remain forever: John 15:16 That is an amazing truth set before the child of God. If you want to leave a mark in this world, leave something that will be remember for eternity, then do something for the Lord Jesus Christ. The world will forget but Jesus will not. – Heb 6:10 – You want to produce something that will last, that will survive the test of time? Do something for Jesus.
C. Every child of God can produce fruit for Christ through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit: Remember that without Him we can do nothing according to John 15:5, but with Him all things are possible according to Matthew 19:26
1. We must be open to the husbandman removing branches that hinder us, be open to that continual purging: But when we are fruit will be produced in our lives as we surrender ourselves to the vine and the husbandman.
2. The very fruit of the Spirit will be produced in our lives as we surrender to Jesus Christ: Gal 5:22-25 I don’t want to preach on the fruit of the Spirit this morning but notice this is fruit and not fruits. – Gal 5:22 – These things that are fleeting for most people are produced as one in the branch abiding in the vine.
a. We can know what real love is when we abide in the vine and that fruit produced in our lives. – Gal 5:22
b. We can have real joy when we abide in the vine and that fruit is produced in our lives. – Gal 5:22
c. We can have real peace when we abide in the vine and that fruit is produced in our lives. – Gal 5:22
d. We can be longsuffering, gentle and good when we abide in the vine and that fruit is produced in our lives. – Gal 5:22
e. Our faith will grow and we will remain humble as we abide in the vine and that fruit is produced in our lives. – Gal 5:22-23
f. We will have self control as we abide in the vine and that fruit is produced in our lives. – Gal 5:23
3. A life like this is a fruitful life and it is a blessed and happy life: And this fruit will endure, it will remain.
D. According to the Bible this fruit will follow us to heaven: Rev 14:13 What an encouragement that is to God’s children, that our fruit is going to remain and that it will follow us to heaven.
1. What we do for the Lord will soon be forgotten after we leave this world: But it remains in heaven.
2. What has been done in this local church will soon be forgotten after we leave this world: But it remains in heaven.
E. What an encouragement that our fruit for the Lord will remain:
II. The encouragement of answered prayer: John 15:7 , 16 Here we have a clear promise of answered prayer. – John 15:7 , 16 Those who are abiding in the vine, those who have submitted to the purging, those who are bearing fruit, are promised God will hear and answer their prayers. That same promise is given in Psalm 34, Prov 10, Jer 33, Matt 18, John 14, John 16, Eph 3, 1 John and many, many other places. God promises to hear and answer our prayers. That ought to be an encouragement to you this morning as it is me.
A. It is not a promise to answer every prayer in the way we want it answered when we want it answered: There are times when we pray for things and we do not know exactly what we are praying for.
1. Jesus warned two of His disciples of this very thing: Mark 10:37-38 Those men, much more spiritual than I am were warned about asking for things they fully did not understand.
ILL. As a parent I would rather have given my children everything they asked for every time they asked. But there were things that were withheld from them because they were not good for them at the time, or would have brought them harm over time.
2. There was one so trusted by the Lord that he was given an open invitation to pray for whatever he wanted: 1 Kings 3:5-12 But it should be noted that God gave Solomon this open ended invitation to pray when he was just beginning his reign, when he was walking with the Lord. God trusted Solomon.
3. Ours is not a promise that God will answer every prayer the way we want and when we want: I seldom know what is best for me.
B. But it is a promise that God will move on behalf of those abiding in Him and serving Him: John 15:7 Following the parable this promise comes after the aiding in Christ, after the purging by Christ, after bearing fruit for Christ.
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1. It brings God joy to answer those things offered up in prayer by those following Him, asking for things according to His will, and asking for things that will be for the glory of our heavenly Father: 1 John 5:13-15 The theme of 1 John is a close walk with Christ, of communion with Christ, of walking in His will. Then we have a promise of answered prayer. – 1 John 5:14-15
2. This requests can include the desires of our heart: Ps 37:4-5 Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 5 Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
3. Those requests can include great and mighty things: Jer 33:3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
4. Those requests often go beyond what we ever expected: Eph 3:20
5. What are you praying for today and how are you praying: Praying in His will, praying as a servant, those prayers move God.
C. The promise of answered prayer is a real encouragement:
III. The encouragement of a closeness with Christ: John 15:14-16 Friendship with Christ, that type of a closeness with Christ, that we can have it is encouraging to the child of God. At least it should be because it is a rare thing.
A. Have you ever considered how few friends Jesus had while in this world? Multitudes of people went out to Jesus, large crowds followed Jesus from place to place, people wanted to be near Jesus, people wanted to feel the touch of Jesus, people wanted to but touch his clothing as Jesus passed by. But have you ever considered how few friends Jesus had in this world?
1. From the multitudes we know that seventy were chosen according to Luke 10:1 Not a multitude, but seventy would be a lot.
2. From the seventy twelve were chosen: Twelve is not seventy, but twelve a good number.
3. Of the twelve we have the inner circle of Peter, James and John: From a multitude down to three the number grows smaller.
4. And of the three there is only one that the Bible calls the disciple that Jesus loved: From a multitude to one.
5. Have you ever considered just how few friends Jesus had in this world?
6. In all the pages of Scripture there is only one who is called the friend of God and that is Abraham in James 2:23: Have you ever considered just how few friends Jesus had in this world?
B. Now given the opportunity to be called His friend: John 15:14-16 Your name, my name, will never be recorded in the pages of the Bible, the book is closed, but Jesus Christ wants to call you, call me His friend. Think of the magnitude of that statement.
1. People need friends, I need friends, you need friends: The people in this room this morning I can call friends. We need friends and the Bible tells us that two are better than one, a three fold cord is not easily broken, we need friends.
2. But there is only one that “Sticketh closer than a brother”: Prov 18:24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
3. That one wants to call me friend: John 15:14-16 The truth of that statement overwhelms me most of the time. In heaven today, standing at the right hand of the Father today, making intercession for me today, is one who wants to call me His friend.
C. There is of course a qualifier: John 15:14 There is an “If” in the verse. – John 15:14 – What are the commands? We do not have the time this morning to look at all the commands of Jesus to His disciples, but a few.
1. The command to be born again: John 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
2. The command to follow Him: Matt 4:19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. ; Matt 9:9 And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.
3. The command to deny self and put Jesus Christ first in our lives: Matt 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
4. The command to pick up our cross, to continue even in the trials and struggles of life to follow Jesus: Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
5. The command to present ourselves a living sacrifice to Jesus daily: Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
6. The command to love Him more than any other: Mark 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
7. The command to keep pressing on: Phil 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
8. To keep those commands may seem like a lot: But think of the reward. – John 15:14-15
D. With that closeness, with that friendship, comes something to do for Jesus: John 15:16 Jesus has something for His friends to do for Him. For those who desire to be called friends of Jesus there is something we are given to do for Him. Unworthy, unable, unqualified, uneducated, there is something that Jesus has for His friends to do for Him.
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1. If I have to name a life verse for me this is the one: John 15:16 I want to be called His friend and I want to do something for Him.
2. What we do for Him will count for something, will last for all eternity: John 15:16 It will not be long before the things of this world are forgotten.
a. The Cherry Corner Bible Church will be forgotten over time.
b. The pastors who have stood behind this pulpit, including this one, will be forgotten over time.
c. We all will be forgotten over time.
3. But what we do for Jesus will never be forgotten, what we do for Jesus will remain in heaven: John 15:16
a. That is what it means to lay up treasures in heaven. The things of earth will be forgotten, but not the things of the Lord.
b. lay up some treasures that will last.
E. The encouragement of a closeness with Christ:
Conclusion
We looked at the warnings in this parable, at the instructions in this parable, and this morning the encouragement that is found in this parable. What a blessing the encouragements are.
I. The encouragement of bearing fruit for our Lord: John 15:1-8 There are three stages of fruit bearing in the parable, fruit, more fruit and much fruit. Clearly the husbandman is most pleased with those who bear much fruit. – John 15:8 – But all the branches abiding on the vine, abiding in the vine can bear fruit. Every branch that abide in the vine can bear fruit. – John 15:2
II. The encouragement of answered prayer: John 15:7 , 16 Here we have a clear promise of answered prayer. – John 15:7 , 16 Those who are abiding in the vine, those who have submitted to the purging, those who are bearing fruit, are promised God will hear and answer their prayers. That same promise is given in Psalm 34, Prov 10, Jer 33, Matt 18, John 14, John 16, Eph 3, 1 John and many, many other places. God promises to hear and answer our prayers. That ought to be an encouragement to you this morning as it is me.
III. The encouragement of a closeness with Christ: John 15:14-16 Friendship with Christ, that type of a closeness with Christ, that we can have it is encouraging to the child of God. At least it should be because it is a rare thing.