The Point Jesus is the Vine who empowers us to live productive lives for God. The Passage John 15:1-8 The Bible Meets Life We fill our lives with activity: work schedules, religious activities, sports, and community events. Some people pride themselves on how busy they are. But the question underlying all this busyness is: What s the purpose? Some people fill their lives with activity either to find a sense of purpose or to mask the lack of purpose they feel. When we depend on Jesus and stay close to Him, He fills our lives with purpose. The Setting The setting for this study is similar to that for the previous study Jesus final night on earth relaying necessary truths to His as-yet-unsuspecting disciples with two particular distinctions. It was now somewhat later in the evening. And, the location had shifted out of the upper room (14:31). Perhaps Jesus and the disciples were making their way to the Mount of Olives and Gethsemane, perhaps they had already arrived, or perhaps they had stopped along the way. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 67
What does the Bible say? John 15:1-8 (HCSB) Remain (v. 4) This term refers to existing in a specific state or condition for an extended period of time; in this case, remaining in the presence of Jesus. Glorified (v. 8) This refers to an enhanced reputation, praise, or honor of someone or something. 1 I am the true vine, and My Father is the vineyard keeper. 2 Every branch in Me that does not produce fruit He removes, and He prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in Me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me. 6 If anyone does not remain in Me, he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers. They gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be My disciples. 68 SESSION 6
THE POINT Jesus is the Vine who empowers us to live productive lives for God. GET INTO THE STUDY DISCUSS: Invite your group members to discuss Question 1 on page 53 of the Personal Study Guide (PSG): When do you know you re too busy? Allow time for each person to respond. RECAP THE PSG (PAGE 54): I m sooo busy. We hear that a lot, don t we? Some people may say it with a sigh, but they also betray a hint of pride. Being busy is a badge of honor in our society. It can be a way to convince ourselves we are significant and important. It also can present a problem. 10 minutes Notes TIP: We each process information at different speeds. To allow thoughtful group members time for this, ask if anyone has comments on any part of the lesson before you close. Busyness does not equal productivity. We jam-pack our calendars with activities and projects, but do we ever slow down long enough to ask ourselves what we re really accomplishing? Too often we race around living busy lives, but never really living with purpose. SAY: Ultimate purpose is never found simply in what we do. Purpose is more personal. Finding purpose is about knowing Christ and allowing Him to shape our lives. GUIDE: Call the group s attention to The Point on page 54 of the PSG: Jesus is the Vine who empowers us to live productive lives for God. PRAY: Transition into the Bible study with prayer. Pray for your group members as they tackle busy schedules, multiple responsibilities, and work deadlines. Ask God for wisdom to make wise choices when it comes to their time commitments, so that they will prioritize time with Him this week. PLAYLIST PICK: Abide with Me Matt Redman BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 69
10 minutes STUDY THE BIBLE John 15:1-3 Notes 1 I am the true vine, and My Father is the vineyard keeper. 2 Every branch in Me that does not produce fruit He removes, and He prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. SAY: In John 15, Jesus began teaching about the connection between Himself and His followers. And He did it by talking about a vineyard. ACTIVITY (OPTIONAL): To illustrate the idea of a vine and its fruit, bring in clusters of grapes and distribute some to each group member to enjoy. Discuss how the fruit must have nutrients from the main vine in order to grow. Apart from the vine, the branch cannot produce any fruit. READ: Ask a group member to read aloud John 15:1-3. ALTERNATE QUESTION: How does pruning make us more productive? DISCUSS: Question 2 on page 56 of the PSG: What does this I am statement teach us about Jesus nature and character? SUMMARIZE: With an illustration that would have been instantly understood by His listeners, Jesus conveyed the following spiritual truths: By calling Himself the true Vine, Jesus established Himself as the Source of all that flows from Him through His followers. It is critical that the branches, Christ-followers, are vitally connected to Him. As the Vineyard Keeper, God will remove every branch that doesn t produce fruit. Fruit is visible evidence of a living connection to the vine. God continually works to produce spiritual fruit among Christ-followers. Any spiritual growth we experience is God s work, not our own abilities. Spiritual growth sometimes involves pruning God s work of stripping away things that hurt us or hinder our growth. 70 SESSION 6
THE POINT Jesus is the Vine who empowers us to live productive lives for God. John 15:1-3 Commentary God prunes our lives to make us productive for Him. Verse 1: In the last supper scene in chapter 13, the group likely had partaken of the fruit of the vine. Jesus built on the supper experience and said, I am the true vine, and My Father is the vineyard keeper. The metaphor was instantly recognizable on two levels. One was the common, well-known rural life of the countryside. These men had at least a general understanding of vines, vineyards, and those who tended them. More importantly, though, the second level was religious. The analogy of Israel as a vineyard and God as the vineyard keeper was a common figure of Jewish prophets and poets (Psalm 80:8; Isaiah 5:7; 27:6; Hosea 10:1). Jesus called Himself the true Vine. This qualifier functions as judgment; it infers that some vineyards and vine keepers are not genuine. We already have met these people in John s Gospel. They were the leaders in Israel who opposed Jesus and sought His death at a major festival time when He could be expected in Jerusalem (John 7). They came on stage in the story of the healing of the blind man (John 9). They showed up ominously after Jesus raised Lazarus (John 11). Verse 2: The following warning of branch removal is standard agricultural practice for keeping healthy vineyards. Jesus warned: Every branch in Me that does not produce fruit He removes. Two matters need to be noted here. First, in Me means Jesus is the source of all life that flows throughout the plant. After calling Himself the Vine, He spoke of His disciples as the branches. The only way a branch exists is because the vine gives the branch life. Second, He removes. Branches that are not producing fruit show they already are on their way to decay. Such branches eventually die, because they do not have life in them. Dead branches inhibit growth of vital branches and invite disease for the whole vine. For the sake of the health of the vine, unproductive branches must be eliminated completely. Then, Jesus called upon the idea of pruning. Pruning is good for the plant. Pruning does not hurt the plant; rather it nurtures the vine, actually inducing increased production. He prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. Thus, the normal actions of proper vine care also reveals how God deals with Jesus disciples. Verse 3: You are already clean, seems out of place with the analogy of the vine and vine keeper. That sense of incongruity is why the second level, the religious nature, of the metaphor must be kept in mind. Not bearing fruit included actions such as not recognizing that God was at work in Jesus, not listening to Jesus, and not following His teaching. The corrupt lives of Israel s leaders, opposing Jesus and seeking His death in turn, had corrupted Israel. Spiritually, they were not clean. That is, they were not acceptable to God. The disciples were following Jesus, so they were positioned to reap the cleansing effect of Jesus death. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 71
10 minutes STUDY THE BIBLE John 15:4-7 Notes 4 Remain in Me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me. 6 If anyone does not remain in Me, he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers. They gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. READ: Ask a group member to read aloud John 15:4-7. RECAP THE PSG (PAGE 57): Jesus used one word repeatedly in this passage: remain. He used various forms of this term 10 different times in John 15:4-10 to emphasize the mutual interweaving of His life with the lives of His followers. Remain means to abide or dwell within something, and it carries the idea of personal, intimate residence. ALTERNATE QUESTION: What impact does remaining in Christ have on a believer s prayer life? DISCUSS: Question 3 on page 57 of the PSG: What does it look like to remain in Christ? (Note: Make sure your discussion includes more than Bible study, church involvement, and prayer. We re also called to depend on Christ to provide all we need and to allow Him to work through our lives.) DISCUSS: Question 4 on page 58 of the PSG: How would you summarize the commands and promises in these verses? DO: Instruct group members to complete the activity on page 58 of the PSG on their own. (NOTE: The PSG includes an image of a wilting plant, a budding plant, and a blooming plant.) Dwell in Him: When we remain in Christ, He produces spiritual fruit in our lives. Which of the following images best describes your growth in each area over the past six months? (Circle one for each area.) Sharing with others about Jesus Serving others in Jesus name 72 SESSION 6 Becoming more Christ-like in my character
THE POINT Jesus is the Vine who empowers us to live productive lives for God. John 15:4-7 Commentary We can only bear spiritual fruit when we remain in Him. Verses 4-5: Jesus said, Remain in Me. Now, that is the key. Basically, this translates into maintaining our relationship with Him. Human relationships need contact and conversation to thrive; so do spiritual relationships. In spiritual life, contact is equivalent to reading God s Word. Conversation is equivalent to prayer. To remain in Jesus requires developing a lifestyle of immersion in God s Word and prayer. Following Jesus would not be easy for Jesus own disciples. Jesus was going to the cross. During those dark days, this exhortation to Remain in Me would make follow-through quite difficult! The need for follow-through is why Jesus added, and I in you. The relationship is secured, not because of the ability of disciples to remain, but because Jesus nurtures the relationship. To make clear the source of productivity, Jesus added: Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me. Genuine believers acknowledge they cannot produce fruit by themselves. A vital relationship to Jesus is imperative for producing fruit. In verse 5, Jesus repeated His vine/branches analogy. This time, however, He added a consequent truth even more blunt and forceful: because you can do nothing without Me. Verses 6 7: One problem with analogies is knowing how far to extend their application. Sometimes we may go beyond the author s original intent. Readers face this dilemma with this present analogy. When Jesus spoke of one who does not remain in Me, one thrown aside like a branch and he withers, to whom did He refer? Is this statement about disciples who simply are unproductive, but still disciples? Or is it about the corrupt leaders who were never disciples in the first place? Perhaps we cannot answer these questions with absolute confidence. We can note, however, that the process described happened daily in every vine field. Any branch thrown aside naturally withers, and the vineyard workers gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned. Perhaps the emphasis is simply that a nonproductive branch is useless. In no case, however, should we interpret Jesus words to be suggesting that a true follower of His would be in danger of being cut off from salvation. Remaining in Jesus is evidenced in effective prayer. Jesus brought forward this truth: If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. Personal intimacy increases knowledge of the other person. That knowledge will cause one to conform one s requests to the character of the person to whom the request is made. One knows God s will by knowing God. Along the way to intimacy with God, one s desires conform to God s revealed character. Thus, to abide in Jesus is not action in prayer alone, but prayer accompanied by exposure to the Word. One never will get beyond prayer and Bible study as crucial to a believer s daily discipline. We can bear spiritual fruit only when we remain in Jesus. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 73
10 minutes STUDY THE BIBLE John 15:8 Notes 8 My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be My disciples. READ: Ask a group member to read aloud John 15:8. SUMMARIZE: Bringing glory to God is the goal for every believer. You glorify God when you produce much fruit. When you lead people to faith, accomplish difficult ministry and service, or overcome ingrained personal weaknesses, people will notice. When you humbly acknowledge your inability to generate any of these accomplishments on your own and point to God, He gets the glory. You glorify God when you prove to be My disciples. No one can generate genuine life change on their own, and when others see that change in you, it points to God. ACTIVITY (OPTIONAL): If you began this session by serving grapes, emphasize that those pieces of fruit are visible proof of the kind of vine or tree that it came from. Apples come from apple trees; grapes come from grape vines. Similarly, God desires for our lives to display spiritual fruit that He produces in us. When we yield to His work in us, we prove to be genuine Christ-followers. ALTERNATE QUESTION: When have you seen fruit in someone s life bring glory to God? DISCUSS: Question 5 on page 59 of the PSG: How can we work together to produce fruit? (Note: This is a great opportunity to discuss how group members can encourage each other to remain focused on Christ in the midst of busyness. It s also a perfect time to discuss ways your group can produce fruit by serving a ministry in your church or ministering in your community. Highlight the idea that remaining in Christ will lead us to actively follow what He calls us to do.) SAY: Purpose is found when you step off the ugly treadmill of duty-bound religious busyness and get on the slow-but-sure track to bearing fruit for Christ. A life in Christ is a life with purpose. 74 SESSION 6
THE POINT Jesus is the Vine who empowers us to live productive lives for God. John 15:8 Commentary God is glorified through the fruit we bear for Him. Verse 8: Jesus addressed the need for intimate relationship in 15:4-7 with the expression, My Father. No Jew ever referred to God in this manner. Father, yes, but not My Father. Buried in this brief phrase is an eternity of relationship. Just imagine! Several times in John s Gospel the reader encounters a connection between Jesus special relationship with God and His special commission to accomplish on earth (12:23,28,31-32; 13:31-32; 17:1). Jesus then attempted to help the disciples understand that their daily lives their decisions, how they lived were connected to bringing about the fruitfulness of Israel and, therefore, God s own glory. Jesus said His Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit. Jesus goal is to glorify God. That goal is attained when His disciples produce much fruit. Producing much fruit includes growing many followers of Jesus (15:2b). Tellingly, Jesus answered the question of how anyone would be able to recognize a follower of Jesus. He concluded, and prove to be My disciples. A person cannot prove to be Jesus disciple without producing fruit, no matter how much they practice Bible study and prayer. God is glorified through the fruit we bear for Him. Three implications are clear in John 15:1-8. First, the vine analogy is a call to growth. One cannot read these verses and derive any impression that a genuine relationship with Jesus is stagnant or stationary. If a plant does not grow, we immediately deduce something is wrong. No wonder, then, that Jesus used such a powerful and evocative analogy of a living plant to speak to the matter of maintaining a relationship with Him ( remaining in Him). If we do not grow spiritually and naturally produce other disciples beyond ourselves, something is wrong with our remaining in Jesus. Second, the vine analogy is a call to Christian community. One cannot read these verses and conclude that discipleship is a private matter between God and me. Following Jesus creates community, or Jesus is not being followed. Simply put, any branch not joined in to the vine dies. Church is not an option. When a branch (each believer) is connected to the vine, it is in reality connected to the other branches as well. Following Jesus is not a private spiritual journey divorced from all other social connections. Third, the vine analogy is an invitation to salvation. The cataclysmic event of the cross would have destroyed the community of Jesus followers were Jesus not the true vine. But Jesus is the true Vine, the real Life. He rose from the dead. The resurrection is the one reality confronting the conscience of every human being asking the provocative question, Why would you look anywhere else for life than to the only One who rose from the grave? And why would you look anywhere else for the empowerment to live a productive life for God other than to the One who is the Vine and conduit of that power? BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 75
5 minutes LIVE IT OUT SAY: How can you remain in Christ this week? GUIDE: Lead group members to consider the responses to the Bible study listed on page 60 of the PSG. Review your monthly calendar. Are you so busy that time with God is non-existent or rushed? Are you so busy doing things for God that you re missing out on time with God? If necessary, make a plan to free up some time. Take inventory of times when God has pruned your faith. Recognize moments from your past where God was at work, shaping your character and your faith. Spend some time thanking Him for how He has worked to produce spiritual fruit in your life. Make a point to spend more time in God s Word and prayer this week. Do what you can to prioritize this time and eliminate any distractions. Wrap It Up SAY: Whether your calendar is completely full or a little sparse, real purpose is found in Christ and allowing Him to use you for His glory. Remain in Him and see what He can do in and through your life. Grow with other group leaders at the Groups Ministry blog (lifeway.com/groupministry). 76 SESSION 6