I AM the true vine John 15

 Read: John 15; Sing: The Revelation Hymn (lyrics here)

John 15: 1-3

The last I AM statement from Christ as uttered in the book of John. I am the true vine. The vine in the OT is often the imagery used for the people of Israel. Jesus is declaring that he is the true vine ( true as in genuine) and His Father the Vinedresser. We are about to study several verses over the course of the next few days, that are both beautiful and terrifying. Ones that we need to slow down and study and truly understand what is being said and what this means. 

The imagery of farming is found time and time again in scripture. I think of the parable of the seeds, the father and the vineyard the list goes on and on. Here we are confronted with an I AM statement, and a truth that cannot be looked away from. Jesus has come. He is the true vine. He is the way to the Father. We must abide in Him. Jesus says right away in verse 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit He (being God takes away), and every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes that it might bear more fruit. 

Let us pause here. Those who do not bear fruit are removed. This is talking about more then works here. This is genuine fruit in the life of a believer. One day those who say Jesus yet, were truly not in Him, he will say "depart, I never knew you." We can fake it to the entire world, but God is not fooled. Going to church, does not make you Christian. Being a scholar of the Bible does not make you a Christian. Being raised in a Christian home, does not make you a Christian. It is by grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone that we come to salvation. It is through the works of Jesus Christ that we are a Christian- IF- we truly repent and believe in follow Him. This would be a good day to pause an examine your heart. Is your profession of faith found in a church, or a pastor or simply in saying I think there is a God? Or is it rooted and grounded? Have you been grafted into the Vine that you may be part of Him? I am not talking about a life of shallow perfectionism of what we think Christianity can be, duct taping fruits of the spirit all over your vision board of Christianity while still living for yourself. No, I am talking about the full surrender and deep abiding love of Jesus Christ as the means and justifier of your faith and salvation. A complete dependence on Christ because we know without Him we are unsaveable. Or are we caught in between like the rich young ruler who says " I have kept all the commands," yet can't give his heart to the Lord. He loves this world too much.

Jesus follows this statement with those who are in the vine bearing fruit the Father will prune so they bear even more. Oh, pruning. If you are around me often, you know I talk about the painfulness of sanctification and the remarkable amount of pruning I apparently need. So often we can look to our Father and be like, "Hey, I made this!" and its a little bud of a flower. We are excited...not even thinking all the power and nutrients and capability to make said flower bud came strictly from the fact we are in His vine and He is supplying all our needs. And our Father answers back...great! Nice bud... now if I cut here ( OUCH) and here ( DOUBLE ouch) and here....and as we cry out why are you doing this... we stop in our tracks. Because now our little bud under His care is a branch of blossoms. We get in the way so often trying to take credit or do things on our own. But if we abide in Him, and allow Him to work in us and through us, He will not only make the fruit but remove things from our hearts and minds that prevent it, or stand in the way, or keep us from being Holy as He is Holy. Sanctification. Different than salvation, it takes a lifetime to work itself out not being complete until we are with Him. 

I am reading Matthew Henry's Methods of Prayer this year. It teaches how to pray with and through scripture in such a beautiful way. Like nothing I have ever experienced. Today's prayers were so fitting as the topic was, " That where it has begun it may be carried on and at length perfected, and the foundation that has been well laid may be happily built upon." I will leave you with the last 3 verses to pray through today.

"Fulfill in us every resolve for good and every work of faith by your power. 2 Thes. 1:11"

"Let the God who began a good work in us bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Phil. 1:6"

"Fulfill, O God, Your purpose for us; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever: do not forsake the work of your hands. Ps 138:8"

Prune us, oh Lord, we pray. Amen.