1. This is the last in our series of studies regarding the “I Am…” passages. I hope you have enjoyed and benefitted from this study. I personally have enjoyed the study and preperation for this series. These passages allow us to see Jesus in an interesting way. Not as men have portrayed Him; rather as He has revealed Himself. These passages highlight relationship, how to approach Him, serve Him and live in Him and as such they are exceedingly important.
As we have noted in each of these lessons, the “I am…” passages of John use figures to illustrate how we relate to Jesus as the divine person that HE is
This passage goes even further in that it provides a framework and a vocabulary to use in discussing the idea of relating to God at all
We use terms like “relationship,” the NT uses the term “fellowship,” John speaks of “eternal life”
John 15:1-17

2. For those who practice the truth and obey the Son Jn 3:15-16, 21, 36
Eternal Life
For those who practice the truth and obey the Son Jn 3:15-16, 21, 36
For the true disciple Jn 6:54
For the sheep who hear His voice and follow Jn 10:9-16
We use terms like “relationship,” the NT uses the term “fellowship,” John speaks of “eternal life”
John 3:15-16,21, 36 - Eternal life is for those who believe, they practice the truth and obey the Son
Jn 6:54 - Eternal life belongs to the true disciple, the one who imbibes the life of Christ and follows in sacrificial service
Jn 10:28 - Eternal life belongs to the sheep who hear his voice and follow
In John 15, we see a graphic description of what eternal life looks like - it belongs to the fruitful branch that abides (has life) in the vine

3. Common Old Testament figure for Israel Always points out their failure
The Vine
Common Old Testament figure for Israel
Always points out their failure
THE OLD TESTAMENT FIGURE
The vine is a common OT symbol for Israel, the covenant people of God (Ps. 80:9–16; Is. 5:1–7; 27:2ff.; Je. 2:21; 12:10ff.; Ezk. 15:1–8; 17:1–21; 19:10–14; Ho. 10:1–2)
Whenever this figure is used of Israel, it points out their failure to bear fruit the the resulting judgment that God intends to bring upon them

4. 1 Let me sing now for my well-beloved A song of my beloved concerning His vineyard. My well-beloved had a vineyard on a fertile hill. 2 He dug it all around, removed its stones, And planted it with the choicest vine. And He built a tower in the middle of it And also hewed out a wine vat in it; Then He expected it to produce good grapes, But it produced only worthless ones. 3 “And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, Judge between Me and My vineyard.
Isaiah 5:1–3 (NASB95)
Is 5:1-7 is the most notable of these passages in which we find Jehovah planted a vineyard on a “fertile hill. 2 He dug it all around, removed its stones, And planted it with the choicest vine. And He built a tower in the middle of it And also hewed out a wine vat in it; Then He expected it to produce good grapes, But it produced only worthless ones.?”

5. Common Old Testament figure for Israel Always points out their failure
The Vine
Common Old Testament figure for Israel
Always points out their failure
Jesus is the “true vine” i.e. the one to whom Israel pointed, the one who brings forth good fruit.
In Jn 15 we find that Jesus is the “true vine” i.e. the one to whom Israel pointed, the one who brings forth good fruit.
In John, Jesus has already superseded the traditions of the elders, Moses, the feasts and the temple. Now we find that He supersedes even Israel as the reality of fellowship with God

6. John presents the perfect vine
The Vine
John presents the perfect vine
The “fruit” is what is required for eternal life
Submitted will
Obedient life
Love for one another
THE NEW TESTAMENT FIGURE -“I am the true vine”
John 15:1-5 presents the metaphor, vs present the explanation
In this figure the vine itself is perfect, it gives what the branches need in order to bear the fruit the vinedresser desires

7. Life is realized as the branch bears fruit
Life is in the Vine
Life is realized as the branch bears fruit
“abide” - to remain or stay (BDAG) sense is to continue
If we remain in Him He remains in us
THE PRODUCT OF INTENTIONAL ACTION
vs Notice that this life is realized in the vine, as the branch bears fruit, and the vine dresser removes the dead and prunes the living
vs The Lord sees His disciples as the “earthly organs of His fruit bearing” and calls us to choose this life
“abide” - to remain or stay (BDAG) sense is to continue
If we remain in Him He remains in us, and He possesses an unlimited capacity to supply life and He promises this to us
Here we see shadows of Jn 6, I am the bread of life; I will sustain you through the difficult life of the disciple
In this same conversation, Jesus has pointed out difficult times coming for the 11, and yet He says “Do not let your hearts be troubled….I am the way” - choose the life I have shown you and I will not abandon you
This principle holds true for you and I today.
The life of a disciple will be difficult, we must choose to endure these difficulties and remain in Christ, He will not abandon us; rather He will sustain us - ex. the warning label on a prescription

8. Those who fail to “abide" will be cast off and burned
The Vinedresser
Those who fail to “abide" will be cast off and burned
The one who does abide will be pruned
This pruning aids in the production of fruit
vs. 6 - The one who does not make this intentional choice is cast off and burned
Many attempt to read this passage and maintain their OSAS doctrine
Claim that it is Christ who preserves the branches etc.
However, this renders the passage meaningless - notice the condition of the relationship in vs.4-5 “abide in me and I in you”
If I do not actively choose this life I will be cast off
vs. 2,7 - Secondly, the one who does make this intentional choice will be pruned
This pictures the necessity of cutting back the branches from time to time lest they waste their resources making wood rather than fruit
vs. 3 offers insight as to how this pruning takes place - it is the product of the word (Heb 12)
What the figure reveals to us is the intentional work of the Vinedresser/Father in pruning, i.e. aiding the branch to produce its desired fruit
When we choose to study and meditate on His word we actively participate in this process
When we fail to utilize the Word as intended we choose to push away the Father’s efforts in molding us into fruitful branches
Consider the 12 in John 13-14:6 and the distress they demonstrate because they have not properly considered the words of Christ and allowed it to influence their thinking
vs. 7 - The vinedresser, through the word, aids us in focussing on those things that are essential to bearing fruit
What have we done with His word in our lives every day?

9. The Submitted Will - Jn 15:7-9 The Obedient Life - Jn 15:10-11
The Fruit We Must Bear
The Submitted Will - Jn 15:7-9
The Obedient Life - Jn 15:10-11
The Love of “His Friends” - Jn 15:12-17
THE SUBMITTED WILL - JN 15:7-9
The first fruit the disciple must bear is submission of will which leads to focus on the mission
How do we reconcile Jn 15:7 and 2Cor 12 in any other way
This passage does not guarantee a “yes” to anything that is not sinful, but support when the will is submitted
What should the disciple “wish” that is not consistent with life in the vine? What would the disciples in the context “wish” if not those things that would aid in carrying out their work
2Cor 12: Here we see this pruning, focussing process in action
Paul is asking for the “thorn” to be removed, however God refuses
The thorn was there to aid Paul in bearing the fruit God desired
Paul’s choice was to accept this and become stronger
We must have complete confidence that what we are provided is what we need to bear fruit and participate in life
Far from a guaranteed “YES” we see a focus and submission that eliminates those things that distract us from service in the kingdom
Through this we glorify the Father even in the requests we make of Him
THE OBEDIENT LIFE - JN 15:10-11
The submission of will we have noticed leads naturally to a submission of life
VS. 11 reminds us of the 1Jn 1:4-10, where we find the connection between obedience, righteous living, and fellowship with God
John goes on and uses the same language as Jn Jn 2:3-6, 10, 29; 5:13
The fruit that we must bear in order to be in Christ, have unity with God, enjoy eternal life is an obedient life - not one of forced servitude, but the result of the submitted will
THE LOVE OF HIS “FRIENDS” - 1JN 15:17