Lesson Eleven • The True Vine
Elijah Edwards
Throughout March we have been looking at the book of John. In each of these chapters, Jesus speaks to His disciples and the theme in which He is speaking is that He is the only true way for anything. As it is said in John 14:6, “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’”
Right from the start of John chapter 15, Jesus describes again what He is. He uses the metaphor of being the “True Vine,” and through this metaphor, He gives us instructions on how we are supposed to live our lives.
Read John 15:1-12
1. What do you think Jesus means when He says He is the “True Vine?”
2. What does it look like to be a branch that bears fruit?
3. What does it look like to be a branch that does not bear fruit?
4. Why is it important to abide in Jesus as it relates to the fruit you produce?
This passage is very interesting to me because of the metaphor Jesus uses for the vine. Looking back at the Old Testament, we see that Israel is described as God’s vineyard several times. For example, Jeremiah 2:21 says, “Yet I planted you a choice vine, wholly of pure seed. How then have you turned degenerate and become a wild vine?”
The analogy of a vine is used many times and Jesus knew this which is why He used it as an example. Using this metaphor, He presents Himself as being the true Messiah and the true representation of God’s people. What gets me, regarding Jesus using this example, is that not only would the Jews understand the importance of the vine, but also the representation that He has taken all of our burdens and is the true way to God. We no longer are judged as the vine and no longer need to take that burden because Jesus has taken it for us. All we need to do is abide in Him and we will flourish as branches growing from Jesus, the “True Vine.” Think of these questions for a moment.
5. Imagine if Jesus never came to be the “True Vine,” what would the world be like?
6. What would your life look like?
7. How much do you think pride would take over your life?
8. Do you feel that you could handle being your own vine?
Through the reading of John 15:1-12, there can be this feeling of seeing yourself as a branch that deserves to be cut. You see your sin, mistakes, and lack of fruit at times and these things can make you feel like a branch that God should take away.
9. What are some things in your life that you feel makes you deserve to be cut off?
10. What are things that you do that you feel do not bear any fruit?
There are many times in life when we feel we are unworthy of being a part of the vine. Yet, we need to remember that Christ died for us so we could be free to bear that fruit without the punishment for that sin. That is why Jesus calls for us in verse 7, to abide in Him so that way we can bear that fruit. We do not abide in worldly pleasures or abide in our own desires. We abide in His love, His grace, His forgiveness, and His commandments. Through this, we can bear that fruit. In verse 11, Jesus wants His joy to be in us and for us to be full of His joy. None of what we strive for by our own selfish ambition brings us the joy that Christ has for us.
Read verse 12.
Jesus commands that we love one another as He has loved us. As you might know, this is the second most important commandment. We show the first and most important commandment by showing our love for God through our obedience, but we are also commanded to love one another.
11. Why do you think Jesus commands this of us after all He said in verses 1-11?
12. What does it look like to love one another as Christ has loved us?
It is not easy to always follow God’s commandments. Please realize that showing God you love Him is done by following His commandments. Do you always do that? If the answer is anything but no, you are lying. We do not always follow His commandments.
Read verse 10.
Only Jesus was able to truly keep God’s commandments; because of this, we are to follow what Jesus’ commandments are.
13. What are those commandments?
14. What does Jesus call us to do?
Pray and ask God to help you follow His commands.
Right from the start of John chapter 15, Jesus describes again what He is. He uses the metaphor of being the “True Vine,” and through this metaphor, He gives us instructions on how we are supposed to live our lives.
Read John 15:1-12
1. What do you think Jesus means when He says He is the “True Vine?”
2. What does it look like to be a branch that bears fruit?
3. What does it look like to be a branch that does not bear fruit?
4. Why is it important to abide in Jesus as it relates to the fruit you produce?
This passage is very interesting to me because of the metaphor Jesus uses for the vine. Looking back at the Old Testament, we see that Israel is described as God’s vineyard several times. For example, Jeremiah 2:21 says, “Yet I planted you a choice vine, wholly of pure seed. How then have you turned degenerate and become a wild vine?”
The analogy of a vine is used many times and Jesus knew this which is why He used it as an example. Using this metaphor, He presents Himself as being the true Messiah and the true representation of God’s people. What gets me, regarding Jesus using this example, is that not only would the Jews understand the importance of the vine, but also the representation that He has taken all of our burdens and is the true way to God. We no longer are judged as the vine and no longer need to take that burden because Jesus has taken it for us. All we need to do is abide in Him and we will flourish as branches growing from Jesus, the “True Vine.” Think of these questions for a moment.
5. Imagine if Jesus never came to be the “True Vine,” what would the world be like?
6. What would your life look like?
7. How much do you think pride would take over your life?
8. Do you feel that you could handle being your own vine?
Through the reading of John 15:1-12, there can be this feeling of seeing yourself as a branch that deserves to be cut. You see your sin, mistakes, and lack of fruit at times and these things can make you feel like a branch that God should take away.
9. What are some things in your life that you feel makes you deserve to be cut off?
10. What are things that you do that you feel do not bear any fruit?
There are many times in life when we feel we are unworthy of being a part of the vine. Yet, we need to remember that Christ died for us so we could be free to bear that fruit without the punishment for that sin. That is why Jesus calls for us in verse 7, to abide in Him so that way we can bear that fruit. We do not abide in worldly pleasures or abide in our own desires. We abide in His love, His grace, His forgiveness, and His commandments. Through this, we can bear that fruit. In verse 11, Jesus wants His joy to be in us and for us to be full of His joy. None of what we strive for by our own selfish ambition brings us the joy that Christ has for us.
Read verse 12.
Jesus commands that we love one another as He has loved us. As you might know, this is the second most important commandment. We show the first and most important commandment by showing our love for God through our obedience, but we are also commanded to love one another.
11. Why do you think Jesus commands this of us after all He said in verses 1-11?
12. What does it look like to love one another as Christ has loved us?
It is not easy to always follow God’s commandments. Please realize that showing God you love Him is done by following His commandments. Do you always do that? If the answer is anything but no, you are lying. We do not always follow His commandments.
Read verse 10.
Only Jesus was able to truly keep God’s commandments; because of this, we are to follow what Jesus’ commandments are.
13. What are those commandments?
14. What does Jesus call us to do?
Pray and ask God to help you follow His commands.