March 2, 2025
Morning Service

John 14:20 At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.

          Last week Jesus revealed to us that when we believe in Him and commit to being His follower, He comes to us (through the Holy Spirit) and abides in us.  Here Jesus compares this new relationship to the one between He and His Father (read).  We who believe have become part of an intimate relationship with our Creator and Savior.  We are not just servants or slaves, but He has adopted us into His family as His children.  Look how Paul explained it so well to the Roman church.

 

Romans 8:14-17 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.  (15)  For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father."  (16)  The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, (17) and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

            This relationship with God now defines who I am.  “I am a child of the most high God and most high God is for me.”  We don’t just follow Jesus; we are part of His family.  We are adopted into it as His children and are so close that we “cry out Abba, Father:” which is like calling God lovingly, “Daddy.”  I know Him and He knows me.  He loves me and I love Him.  He is never too busy for me and treasures each and every time I come to spend time with Him.  As His child, I join Christ in being “heirs of God” making me in line to inherit all that He has for me in the land of many mansions.  If God is for me, who could be against me? (Romans 8:31)

            When you think of your relationship with God, is that how you feel towards Him?  Is your relationship with Him one in which you feel you could call Him “Daddy?”  Do you feel His presence even in the times when you are all alone?  Many Christians feel God is in the heavens and watches us from a distance. They believe He is there, but only comes when we need Him, or when we mess up.  Jesus promises to us that God “dwells with you and will be in you.” (Jn. 14:17) He is not far away, but is always very close to you; never leaving you or forsaking you. (Heb. 13:5) To enjoy the true peace of God, we must understand this fact and embrace it!  Our songs this morning spoke to exactly that point.  “I am a child of the most high God and the most high God is for me!”  “He walks with me and He talks with me and He tells me I am His own.”  Can you sing those words and mean them from your heart?  If so, you are on the right path and you can say “amen” to what I have said so far.  If not, you are not fully enjoying the most precious part of following Jesus; relationship.  The scriptures tell us that the intimate relationship that is alive within a marriage is to represent what our relationship with Jesus is to be like (Eph. 5); close intimacy, trust, respect, a desire to please one another and a deep love for one another.  This is what God desires from you.  In fact, He died on the cross to make that relationship possible.

            In our study of John today, Jesus gives us a parable to help us to understand this beautiful relationship.  He uses the last of His seven “I AM” statements to make His point.

 

John 15:1 "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 

            Grapevines were widely known in this culture as grapes were a big part of their diet and also the source of their wine.  A single vine supports numerous branches which in turn produces many grapes.  In the OT, grapes were a symbol of Israel’s fruitfulness in doing God’s work.  In the Passover meal the fruit of the vine symbolizes God’s goodness to His people.  Here again Jesus uses something His listeners understand to help them grasp onto a deeper spiritual truth.  He tells them He is the Vine and His Father the Vinedresser.

 

John 15:2-5 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.  (4)  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.

           

 

 

 

He is the Vine and we are the branches that grow out from Him and it is God who cares for us.  It is He that removes the branches that are dead and not producing fruit.  But the ones that are producing He prunes, cuts them back to make them even more fruitful.  Pruning promotes growth in a branch as it does in our lives.  When we are tested, disciplined and tried that is God pruning us to spur our growth.  It is through trials that we grow as we are given opportunities to put our faith into action in order to become overcomers.  Another comparison for that would be lifting weights.  The more weight we use the stronger our muscles become.  If we do not exercise the muscle, we lose strength.  Pruning can be painful, but is necessary for growth for both the grapevine and for me.

            Notice the relational side of this parable.  Jesus invites us to “Abide in Me, and I in you.”   He is the Vine and we are the branches that grow out from Him.  We all have a home where we abide/live.  It is a vital part of our life as we eat, sleep, feel loved, feel safe and call it our home base.  He invites us to make Him our spiritual home base or foundation.  We receive everything we need from Him, as we saw earlier in Colossians “we are complete in Him.”  Unless we abide in Him, we “cannot bear fruit” on our own.  In fact, without Jesus, “you can do nothing.”  He is the source of our life, strength, and fruitfulness.  Our fruit is the works we produce in living our lives following Jesus which He uses to build His kingdom stronger.

 

Gal 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.

            These actions are the evidence that we belong to God and have a relationship with Him.  He then uses those fruits in our lives for His glory. Jesus now explains deeper as we continue.

 

Joh 15:6-8 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.  

            If we are not embracing Jesus in an intimate relationship (abiding/dwelling in Him), then we will eventually wither and fall away.  He, as the Vine, is the source of our nourishment and life.  If we remove ourselves from our source of life, we will not be fruitful, but we will eventually wither away and die.  BUT, if we do enjoy that close relationship with God (abide in Him) we will be given all that we desire and will be used of Him.  We bring glory to God by bearing much fruit and that is made possible solely through our relationship (abiding) with Him.  Do you want to glorify God and bear fruit?  Strengthen your relationship with Him, abide with Him, and follow Him.  It all begins and ends with relationship of knowing Him and loving Him which allows Him to work in you and through you.  Jesus summarizes this nicely for us now.

 

Joh 15:9-11 "As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.  (10)  If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.  (11)  "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.

            Relationships are based on love and Jesus makes it very clear here that He loves us and invites us to love Him back.  He then tells us (as He did three times last week) how to do that.  “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in My love.”  Last week He simply told us, “If you love Me keep My commandments.”  Willful, sincere obedience is the key to us abiding in the love of God.  He who loves/abides with God will obey Him.  This obedience to follow Jesus is a vital part of the process that changes us from the inside out becoming more like Jesus.  When we abide in Christ, are attached to Vine and receive our life from Him, we will produce fruit and glorify our Creator.  It really is all about relationship!  Jesus tells us the reason behind this teaching is to bring us joy.  “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.”  Jesus is the only thing that will bring you true lasting joy!

 

Heavenly Father, open our hearts to understand how great Your love is for us and how much You desire to have a close intimate relationship with each one of us.  As we draw closer, grant to us the peace You give to us and help our joy to be full!