Message Notes

INTRODUCTION

1. The Life the Lord Jesus offered

a) New Life

b) Eternal Life

c) Abundant Life

2. In addition

a) A fruitful Life

b) He enables us to have a Fruitful Life

THE IMAGERY OF THE VINE

1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.

2 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.

John 15:1-2

1. Basic understanding

a) The Lord Jesus as the True Vine

b) God the Father as the Vinedresser

c) The Disciples as the branches

2. Essential knowledge

a) These are plain facts

b) They must first be comprehended

THE PROCESS OF FRUIT-BEARING

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.

John 15:3-4

1. The work of cleansing

a) The word given to the Disciples

b) The word must first cleanse us

i) Conviction of sin

ii) Correction of wrong thoughts and ideas

iii) Cleansing is a process

2. The need to learn what it means to practise abiding

a) To abide is “to remain”

b) To stay the course

c) To continue with our faith in the Lord Jesus

THREE VITAL ASPECTS OF ABIDING

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.

6 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.

9 “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.

John 15:5-10

1. Abiding in the Lord Jesus Himself

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.

John 15:5

a) He is the Vine

b) We are the branches

2. Abiding in the Word of the Lord

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.

John 15:7

a) The words of the Lord must abide in us

b) The words help us to pray correctly and wisely

c) God hears and answers our prayer

d) A dynamic relationship is developed

3. Abiding in the Love of the Lord Jesus Christ

a) This is such a precious truth

b) To be loved must see us requite that love

c) To know the Lord’s love must inspire us to abide in that love

A FRUITFUL LIFE

1. The “I am” statements

a) I am the Bread of Life   (John 6:35)

b) I am the Light of the world   (John 8:12)

c) I am the Door of the sheep   (John 10:7)

d) I am the Good Shepherd  (John 10:11)

e) I am the Resurrection and the Life   (John 11:25)

f) I am the Way, the Truth and the Life   (John 14:6)

g) I am the True Vine   (John 15:1)

2. The last “I am” statement

“I am the true Vine”   John 15:1

a) It is climatic

b) It is challenging

c) It is compelling

d) As branches, we are to bear “more fruit”   (John 15:2)

CONCLUSION

1. Let us discover the abundant Christian life through faith in the Lord

2. Let us develop a strong relationship with the Lord that we may bear much fruit for the Lord