Studies In Christianity

Christian Living #1 Being Fruitful

We learned that our faith is but the first step in our walk with God. virtue, knowledge, self-control, patience godliness, brother kindness, love

II Peter 1: 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins.

II Corinthians 13: 5 Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test. Galatians 5: 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such

This lesson will focus on John 15 : 1. The story of the vine is not a parable. 2. The vine was the perfect allegory. 3. Jesus is the life-giving vine. 4. Christians are branches. 5. God is the vine dresser.

is not a parable, it is an allegory. I. The story of the vine in John 15 is not a parable, it is an allegory.

In the original language : The word parable is from the root word “paraballo” or in the Greek “parabole.” This compound word comes from “para” which means “to come along side or compare” and “ballo” which literally means “to throw” or “see” with.

An allegory is an expanded metaphor An allegory is an expanded metaphor. The metaphor is a figure of speech where a comparison is made between two objects for the purpose of illustration. It constitutes a more dramatic mode of teaching than by means of a simple prosaic narrative. … The allegory draws the comparison, but without the use of common comparative terms (e.g., as, like, such like, even as, etc.). ( Wayne Jackson )

The allegory in John 15 has a lesson from each of the cast of characters. 1. The vine dresser is God the Father. 2. The life-giving vine is Jesus. 3. The branches are Christians.

branches was a perfect allegory II. The story of the vine and the branches was a perfect allegory for the occasion.

Numbers 13: 23 Then they came to the valley of Eshcol and from there cut down a branch with a single cluster of grapes; and they carried it on a pole between two men, with some of the pomegranates and the figs. Joshua 24: 13 I gave you a land on which you had not labored, and cities which you had not built, and you have lived in them; you are of vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant.

Metaphorically, Israel was God’s vineyard. Isaiah 5: 7 For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel and the men of Judah His delightful plant. Jeremiah 2: 21 Yet I planted you a choice vine, A completely faithful seed. How then have you turned yourself before Me into the degenerate shoots of a foreign vine?

Everything God created, He created to be fruitful and multiply. Genesis 1: 27 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it

Christians are created to reproduce. Ephesians 2: 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Matthew 28: 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

the vine which gives life. III. To the Christian, Jesus is like the vine which gives life.

Bread , Light , Door , Shepherd John 1: 1 I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Exodus 3:14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ” Bread , Light , Door , Shepherd Way, Truth & Life, Vine

IV. Each individual Christian is a branch of the vine.

Abides is used 10 times in these 11 verses John 15: 5 I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. Abides is used 10 times in these 11 verses It is used at least 40 times in John’s writings It appears 118 times in the New Testament

Pruning encourages the branch to bear fruit. The objective is to grow fruit, NOT lreaves. Busy does not necessarily mean fruitful. No branch can bear fruit after it is cut off.

The branches do not bear fruit for themselves. John 15: 8 My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.

V. God is the Father vinedresser.

All fruitful branches are pruned John 1: 1 I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.   All fruitful branches are pruned And all unfruitful breaches are cut off.

It is the nature of man to seek to accumulate for himself so we don’t like the cutting off involved with pruning.

I John 2: 15 Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.

God reigns with absolute soverienty but it is His pattern to leave most individual judgments to the end. Matt 13: 24-30, Acts 17: 30-31, Rev. 2-3

Faith keeps us attached to the vine. Each branch MUST bear fruit to the glory of the vine.

This is an allegory about the Christian’s relationship with God. The objective in life is to glorify God and move ever closer to Him.

Are you a branch ? Are you attached to the branch ? Are you bearing fruit to His glory ?

Around this table we remember the sacrifice Jesus made for us

11th Annual Area-wide Singing in the Park This Saturday 2:00 – 4:30