1. I Am The Vine John 15:1-8 Only in John’s gospel.
The branches are not denominations.
John 15:1-8

2. Pruning the Branches with the Word
John 15:1-3 "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
Dead wood must be cut off
Branches that are pruned bear more fruit.

3. Dead Wood Cut Off
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us. cf. Matthew 10:34-36, Galatians 4:16
God’s word separates the world – those who will accept the truth and those who will not.

4. Living Branches Pruned
Hosea 6:4-5
2 Timothy 3:16-4:4

5. Abiding in Jesus
John 15:4-8 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
A branch separated from the vine is dead.
We can do nothing outside of Christ.

6. Abiding in Jesus
We must get in the Vine. Galatians 3:26-27 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

7. The Nature of the Abiding
4 Abide in Me, and I in you.
7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you,…

8. The Nature of the Abiding
Ephesians 3:17a that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith;…
1 John 2:24 Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.
1 John 3:24 Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

9. The Nature of the Abiding
1 John 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.
Hebrews 3:12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;
How it relates to our fellow man:
Don’t murder, don’t steal, be faithful to your spouse, the golden rule
God wants a relationship with us.
James 4:8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

10. Bearing Much Fruit
John 15:2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
v. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

11. Receive the seed and then scatter the seed
Matthew 13:23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
Luke 8:11 “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
John 12:20-25
Cf. Gal. 2:20, Luke 9:23, Rom. 12:1

12. Use Our Talents
Matthew 25:15-16 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. 16 Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self- control. Against such there is no law.