Jesus had been at the last supper with His disciples there in the upper room
somewhere in Jerusalem. The fourteenth chapter of John ends with the words,
"Arise, let us go hence." So, at that point, they left the upper room. And they
began their journey which would ultimately lead them to the Garden of
Gethsemane. And whether or not they went through the temple courts or whatever,
we don't know. The gospels do not trace the steps of Jesus. It is possible that
they went on in through the temple gates, because they were left open all night
during the Passover season, so that anyone who wanted to come and pray could
come and pray at any time. And those gates had upon them the carved clusters of
grapes, by which God declared His purpose for the nation Israel, that it be a
fruitful vine and bear fruit for God. And it could be that as they were passing
through the gates with these clustered grapes, the symbol of the nation, the
vine, that this prompted Jesus to make this statement to His disciples
In the Greek it reads, "I am the vine, the true." And though, you say, "Well,
what is the difference? It sounds the same to me," there is, I feel, a subtle
difference here. "I am the vine, the true." Throughout the Old Testament God had
used the vine as a symbol of the nation of Israel. Many of the prophets refer to
Israel as the vine, as do the Psalms. It was the national symbol of Israel. But
Isaiah the prophet, in chapter 5, speaks of the nation as a vine, and how God
planted it, hedged it, put it about, put in a winepress. But when the time came
to gather fruit, there was nothing but wild grapes. And so he allowed the
vineyard to just go back to nature, allowed the brambles to come in and just
discarded, actually, the vineyard as far as ever endeavoring or hoping to
receive the fruit from it.
SYLVIA: Jesus is the true vine….
This implies there are false vines. Jesus is the truth. Imitations may look like
the real thing, but aren’t. Satan is a deceiver and can copy the things of God.
He appears as an angel of light in order to deceive us. Our hearts are deceitful
above all things and beyond cure, says Jeremiah 17.9. We look around us and the
false vines are obvious, the occult and the new age seeking to satisfy the
hunger in man for the supernatural and multitudes walking in deception.
So we
need to abide in Jesus who is truth to be safe. When we live in the true vine,
we live in truth and are safe from deception.
God
tells us we must have truth in our inmost parts Psalm 51.6. He provides
us with the belt of truth as part of our armour (Eph 6) so we can discern
between the truth and the lies. We need our minds renewed constantly so our
thoughts line up with God’s truth, for that is the ground in which the enemy
plants his lies.
The vine imparts productiveness and life into branches, Christ infuses His
divine strength and life into us. Christ exhibits such humility calling Himself
a ‘vine’..for a vine is planted in the EARTH, just as Christ came to earth for
our behalf, the word made flesh.
SYLIVA:
Jesus
had to be planted….the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. God describes
Israel as the vineyard of His planting.
See Isaiah 5. He planted it
on fertile ground, he dug it up, cleared all the stones, planted it with the
choicest of vines.
But
…the old covenant vineyard…grounded in the law…didn’t bring forth good fruit.
The law was meant to bring freedom. It should have hedged the people in to the
will of God. If His people obeyed
they would be blessed. If they disobeyed they would experience curse. Deut 28.
Paul
says, Romans 8.3 “for what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened
by the sinful nature, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of the
sinful man to be a sin offering”.
The law exposed sin. The law instead of bringing freedom brought bondage.
New covenant based on mercy. God sent His Son…planted Him in the earth
for us. To become flesh, to live, to die, to be buried, to rise from the dead.
So we could have life in Him.
v1 the true vine as opposed to the vine that was israel. the israel vine was
usually lacking in some way ..ps 80.8-16, is 5.1-7, jer2.21
Israel, the church, was called a vine in
Isaiah 80:8-11,
so this is something the Jewish people can relate to.
“You have bought a vine out of Egypt, you have cast out the nations,
And planted it. You prepared room for it, and caused it to take DEEP root, and
it filled the land. The hills were covered with its shadow, and the mighty
cedars with its boughs.
She sent her boughs to the sea, and her branches to the river.”
The vine has an unsightly unpromising outside; and Christ had no form nor
comeliness,
………………………………………………………………………………………
Isa. 53:2 (ask people to read this one)
For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry
ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty
that we should desire Him.
The vine is a spreading plant, and Christ will be known as salvation to the
ends of the earth.
(scripture?)
The fruit of the vine honours God and cheers man
(Judges 9:13)
But the grapevine replied, `Should I quit producing the wine that cheers both
God and people, just to wave back and forth over the trees?'
Jesus first miracle was to change water into NEW WINE!!!!!! So He as the vine
changes the sap into new wine of His Spirit and nourishes us, the Church with
it!
And God is BLESSED when He sees us HAPPY in HIM!!!!!!1
He is not like that wild vine which deceived those who gathered of it
A young vine in the natural grows up under the shade of a larger vine.
"Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest, So is my beloved among the
young men. In his shade I took great delight and sat down, And his fruit was
sweet to my taste. Song of Solomon 2:3
ARE WE DAILY TASTING HIS SWEET FRUIT?????? His new wine!!! Oh it should be
flowing thru us, to us, and out to others!!!!
Taste and see that the Lord is GOOD
Psalm 34:8
The LORD LOVES this job of being husbandmen.. (ask
for other examples of God, Jesus being in garden, being husbandman)(He
loves gardens (Genesis 1, etc, parable of sower, Song of Solomon..discuss this )
Song of Solomon 6:12-13: Come my beloved, let us get up early to the vineyards,
let us see if the vine has budded, whether the grape blossoms have budded…there
I will give you my
love.
He delights in giving us His love in the vine…also can look at vine as being the
church, we can fully receive (this is my commandment that you
LOVE one another, that your joy be made full) when we are in fellowship
with one another.
(2
Ki. 4:39), but a true vine. (no DEATH in this vine, only LIFE!)
Then one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine and
gathered from it his lap full of wild gourds, and came and sliced them into the
pot of stew, for they did not know {what they were.} So they poured {it} out for
the men to eat. And as they were eating of the stew, they cried out and said, "O
man of God, there is death in the pot." And they were unable to eat.
Unfruitful trees are said to lie (Hab.
3:17), but Christ is a vine that will not deceive.
Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither [shall] fruit [be] in the
vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat;
the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and [there shall be] no herd in the
stalls:
Remember Jesus cursed unproductive fig tree!
Again, its important to realize that the Jewish people, the disciples, could
relate easily to this idea of a vine, and were familiar with passages on OT
about grapevines.
(Isaiah 5:1)
Now will I sing to my beloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My
beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:
He is that true vine typified by Judah’s vine, which enriched him with the blood
of the grape (Gen.
49:11),
He washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes:
That believers are branches of this vine, which supposes that Christ is the root
of the vine. The root is unseen, and our life is hid with Christ; the
root bears the tree
(Our live is HIDDEN in Christ in God..verse ?)
diffuses sap to it, and is all in all to
its flourishing and fruitfulness; and in Christ are all supports and supplies.
Who is this who comes from Edom, from the city of Bozrah, with his clothing
stained red? Who is this in royal robes, marching in the greatness of his
strength?"It is I, the LORD, announcing your salvation! It is I, the LORD, who
is mighty to save!" Isaiah 63.
………………………………………………………………………………………………for
6/22
What is a husbandmen? This is another word for a farmer. Discuss what a farmer
has to do (prepare soil, plant, cultivate, irrigate, spring rains
J
then prune, hold up, etc, watch out for pests, etc.) This person had sole
property rights over the orchard…the fruit. Evil husbandmen used their
authority/responsibily wrongly, used as a place to promote their own interests,
agenda. So this parable was a relief to Israel for so many years. GOD WAS SAYING
NOW I AM HUSBANDMAN!!
Ask people how this relates to church today.
God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him. God shall
bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.
Now, in the twenty-first chapter of Matthew's gospel, Jesus gives a parable that
the Pharisees understood correctly to be addressed against them. And in this
parable, He speaks of the lord who had a vineyard. And when the time came for
fruit, he sent his servants that he might receive from his vineyard. But the
husbandmen that he had left in charge of the vineyard beat the servants and sent
them away empty. And so he sent other servants to them which they also beat, and
some they stoned. And finally, he said, "I will send my only son; surely they
will honor him." But when the husbandmen saw the son coming, they said, "Look,
this is the son and the heir. Let's kill him and then the vineyard can be ours."
So, Jesus said, "What will the lord of the vineyard do when he comes? Surely he
will take the husbandmen and cast them out and give the vineyard unto others."
Now, with that as a background, the vineyard, the nation Israel having failed.
The religious leaders at that time were the husbandmen who were overseeing the
vineyard, and when Jesus came, they said, "Look, He is a threat to us and to our
positions. We'd better get rid of Him." And so they destroyed Him. What will the
Lord do? He will take the vineyard and He will give it unto others. And so,
Jesus is saying,
I am the true vine, and my Father is now the husbandman (Jhn
15:1).
And in that, He is saying, "You are the ones to whom this vineyard is given,"
or, "You are now the vineyard, the true vineyard of God. You are the ones who
are to bear fruit now for God. The nation Israel failed. In God's purposes for
it, it did not bring forth the fruit that God was desiring. And so, now God is
giving to you that privilege, the church, that it might become now God's
vineyard and bring forth fruit unto Him. I am the vine, the true, and My Father
is now the husbandman." And so, He is the one that is overseeing the vineyard
directly. He no longer has it under the authority of the priesthood or of the
religious leaders. He has taken away their authority and He is taking upon
Himself that position of the husbandman overseeing the vineyard.
TO GOD BE THE GLORYYYYYYYY!!!
BUT we need to have a holy fear..esp in regard to HIM being the husbandman of
the church…!!!
For we are HIS workmanship, created in Christ Jesus…Ephesians 2:10
The Father has already foreordained our ‘fruit’ so rest assured all we have to
do is yield!!!
Responsibilities of a husbandman:
SYLVIA” The vine is a spreading plant… the gospel spreads, the glory spreads…it
can’t be contained. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. Isaiah 9.7 “of the
increase of his government and peace there will be no end.”
The
Father is the gardener…the earth is the Lords, but He has to tend it, watch over
it. He watches over us with his eye on us! Psalm 33.18 “but the eyes of the Lord
are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His unfailing love”.
Like
the refiner refining silver. Malachi 3.3. So the Lord watches over us.
So
you have the son who is the source of all our life, and the father who looks
after us…we just have to abide!
JOHN 15:2 Every branch in me that bears no fruit he takes away: and every branch
in me that bears fruit, he purges it, that it may bring forth more fruit (Jhn
15:2).
SYLVIA:
V 2. The pruning makes the vine spread further, encouraging growth, but also
guiding the direction of the spread, so we grow how God wants us to grow. The
root bears the tree –it’s the root that provides stability and life and
sustainability, that sends out the sap… the life is in the blood! The root is
the source of all provision. It is in Jesus we live and move and have our being.
Outside of Him we can do nothing.
Fruit
is expected of every branch. And God looks for more fruitfulness in those who
bear fruit. So He pushes us, stretches us, extends us….and refines us and
purifies us and prunes us. He disciplines those He loves. Discipline isn’t just
correction. It is also direction, shaping, mentoring, training. “God disciplines
us for our good, that we may share in His holiness. No discipline seems pleasant
at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of
righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it”. Heb 12.10-11.
The degree of discipline depends on our submission to the discipline. So those
who bear no fruit get cut off, while those who fruit are pruned so they will
bear even more.
The
branch must bear the sort of fruit expected of the vine…a grapevine produces
grapes! We are in the vine, which is Christ, so we bear the fruit of
christlikeness! We are being
changed from glory to glory as we behold him. All we have to do is look at Him.
This is part of abiding…beholding. 2 Cor3.17 “ and we, who with unveiled faces
all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever
increasing glory…” And the fruit of the Spirit. Gal 5.22-23.
Character is so important to God. We can have the gifts but if we don’t have
love we are nothing! It’s the character of Jesus in us that gives credibility to
the words we speak and the ministries we move in. Living water flows through us
before it flows out… if our character is not that of Jesus the water gets
tainted and made impure. It’s not that He only uses those who are perfect, for
then He would have no one to use, but He looks for those with soft hearts that
desire Him and are willing to be disciplined into His image. That pruning cuts
off that which is the old man, that which hinders us, that which is dead, that
which has served its purpose, even that which is still alive but needs to go for
it gets in His way.
If
vines aren’t pruned in the natural they become unruly, tangled messes. Fruit
ripeness suffers. Overproduction of the vine may kill the vine. If we don’t
accept the pruning of the Lord, we will become a mess! Our fruit will not be
ripe or sweet! And we may die spiritually. Pruning takes place in late winter or
early spring when the vines are still dormant.
We
make not like the winter seasons in our lives, when nothing seems to be
happening but this is the time in which all the nutrients for the next season’s
budding and blossoming and fruiting are laid up within us. It is in those times
when we feel put on the shelf and laid aside and nothing much seems to be
happening that God is often doing this deep preparatory work in our lives that
will make us very fruitful when He releases us to go out again. Pruning precedes
the breaking out of blossom and fruit! Before pruning takes place the vine has
to become dry. If pruning takes place while the sap is still flowing it may
hinder the laying down of nutrients for the next season.
See
the spiritual implications… God allows the dry times in our lives and uses them
as the pruning times, the refining times. Pruning allows the light to reach the
fruit, allows the air to circulate amongst the branches to lower the risk of
disease. Sun exposure makes for good flavour!
How we need that exposure to the light, to the Son, and to the breath of
God, the winds of the Spirit, if we are to walk in righteousness and to be holy.
Growth is contingent on light – the more open we are to light the more we will
grow. John talks about walking in the light – this means openness and
transparency both to Him and to the body. Walking in the light gives us
fellowship with each other and linked with this is the blood of Jesus cleansing
us from all sin. 1 John 1.7. Confessing our sins to one another, walking in
accountability, without fear and without shame, are products of being in the
light of God. Light is a safe place to be in – darkness can’t touch us when we
are in the light. And the searchlight of God will deal with any darkness hidden
within us so we can be healed and free.
how
does he prune us? what are his tools?
the word...profitable for reproof, correction, training in righteousness. the
two edged sword. 2 tim3.16, heb 4.12, ps119.9. he searches our hearts with his
word and his light brings truth and conviction. psalm 139.23,24 the entrance of
your word brings light...its light that searches our hearts and knows us and
exposes things to be dealt with
furnace of affliction...suffering, refining and coming forth as gold
peter... testing of our faith! testing of our hearts. 1 peter1.6,7. isaiah
48.10 hosea 5.15..in their affliction they will earnestly seek me...everything
else we will let go off when we are in affliction...so desperate will we become
for him. 2 cor 4.17 our light affliction working an eternal weight of glory!
his spirit...conviction, brings repentance john 16.8, holy spirit is a holy
spirit...he will reveal unholiness in us by his very presence
each other...living stones, 1 peter 2.4, side by side, rubbing each other's
rough spots smooth...iron sharpening iron.prov 27.17.. we are called to build
each other up.to speak the truth in love. eph4.15 its interesting that sometimes
the building up means he will use us to pull down first the things that need to
go! even without us knowing. his light in us, the righteousness of his presence
in us convicting others.
maybe the method of pruning depends on our response and on what it is god is
dealing with.
god can just say no more of that...and if we say yes that is pruning.
v2. cut off = judgement. fruitless branches, not only worthless, but can infect
rest of the tree...so need to be cut off at the trunk!
Pruning actually means to lift up, to carry away, as to take on someones burden.
It should not have the negative connotation we associate with it
So every branch that doesn't bear fruit, He takes away. There is that pruning
process that goes on within the church, as the Father cuts off the unfruitful
branches. But then, there is also that cultivating of those branches that are
bearing fruit. He washes them.
Now, in Israel many of the grapes that are grown are grown actually on the
ground.
As you go through the Eshcol valley and the areas around the Eshcol valley where
the finest grapes are grown, you will see these huge trunks of the grapevines.
And they are maybe six feet long, and you'll see them lying on the ground,
propped up on one end by a rock. And so, they're just lying across the ground,
only propped up by a rock on the one end. As they produce the fruit, the fruit
actually is lying right there on the stony ground of the vineyard. But as the
fruit is developing, as it is getting ripe, the vinedressers will go through the
vineyard and they will pick up these great bunches of grapes and they will wash
them and clean off the dirt and all. And they'll cleanse them in order that the
fruit might ripen to perfection. And, I'll tell you, the grapes that are grown
there are truly delicious grapes, table grapes, that are grown through that
valley.