Fruitful Christian Living – John 15:1-8

Christ teaches the disciples the keys to being fruitful for His glory. The two key principles are:

1. Pruning (Vs. 1-3)
2. Abiding (Vs. 4-8)

John’s Gospel: Unique emphasis on the last week of Christ’s life.

Context: The upper room discourse on Passover night. Chapter 14, 15, 16 & 17 record Christ’s final teaching to the disciples on Passover night just prior to his crucifixion.

Keys to interpreting the parable:

• Parables communicate one main truth or idea. Unsound conclusions and false doctrines are often reached by laying heavy stress on certain details in parables. Illustration: A painting tends to have one main focal point. There are other background details that are less conspicuous for the purpose of enhancing the main theme of the painting.
• Primary lesson of this parable: Abide in me in order that you may bear fruit abundantly. Two groups are indicated: 1. Branches that bear fruit (these are pruned/cleansed) 2. Branches that bear no fruit (these are taken away, allowed to wither, picked up and thrown into the fire)
• John’s Gospel frequently distinguishes between these two groups. E.g. those called disciples who walked no more with him (John 6:66) There are those who are genuine and real believers and those who are superficial and false believers.
• Characters: The Vine = represents Christ. The Husbandman = represents the Father. The Branch = represents the Believer. The Fruit = The fruit of the Spirit and the fruit of winning souls (Vs. 16)

The Principle of Pruning (Vs. 1-3)

The Person who Prunes (Vs. 1)

1. ‘husbandman’ = vinedresser
2. The Father loves the Son and all those who have been joined to Him and takes loving interest in the believer’s life and works to ensure his fruitfulness (See John 17:23)
3. The Father is glorified when we bear fruit (Vs. 8)
4. Isaiah 27:2-3 “In that day sing ye unto her, A vineyard of red wine. I the LORD do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day.”
5. Andrew Murray: “My Father is the Husbandman. That is as blessedly true for us as for Christ. Christ is about to teach His disciples about their being branches. Before He ever uses the word, or speaks at all of abiding in Him or bearing fruit, He turns their eyes heavenward to the Father watching over them, and working all in them. At the very root of all Christian life lies the thought that God is to do all, that our work is to give and leave ourselves in His hands, in the confession of utter helplessness and dependence, in the assured confidence that He gives all we need.”

The Purpose of Pruning (Vs. 2)

1. The Type of Branch that is pruned (2a)
   1. The one bearing fruit
   2. ‘fruit’ = a mark of a true Christian. The central purpose and function of the branch.
   3. ‘fruit’ = the fruits of the Christian life (e.g. the Fruit of the Spirit)
   4. ‘fruit’ = in the context of this passage, the fruit of seeing others saved (Vs. 16). Remember the context. Christ is speaking with the disciples who will pioneer the great Gospel preaching era. The fruit of a Christian is another Christian!
2. The Reason the Branch is pruned (2b)
   1. We see the desire of the Father for the believer. He desires to increase our capacity to bear fruit for Him.
   2. Life comes out of death for the Christian
3. What is it that gets pruned out of our lives?
   1. Generally – sin and impurity
   2. Specifically – The main thing that needs pruning on a vine branch is the leafy growth. Anything that is a detraction from or a hindrance to fruit bearing. The leafy growth that looks impressive to the eyes but which actually directs the energy of the branch away from fruit bearing. There is nothing inherently wrong with this growth but it contains too much of self and ultimately hinders fruitfulness. God’s way in the Christian life is to cut away (crucify) that which is self- produced and self-glorifying. Before it can yield increase, the branch must decrease. The world’s way is to make much of self. Self is the key to everything. “Exert yourself!” “Maximise your potential!” “Utilize your strengths and improve your weaknesses!” God’s way is to make little of self, and much of Christ. God’s way is never to make self strong, but to slay self so that the life of Christ might be our all. We need regular pruning if we are going to continue to be fruitful in our Christian lives.
   3. The 3 primary manifestations of the flesh life (Roy Hession)
      1. Self-will
      2. Self-effort
      3. Self-glory
      4. “At the cross I see that I’m ended, not mended.”

The Instrument of Pruning (Vs. 3)

1. ‘clean’ = same root word as ‘purgeth’ in verse 2. Demonstrates the primary means the Father uses to prune the Christian’s life.
2. ‘word’ = the Word of Christ. Consider how Christ’s Words pruned the disciples’ lives whilst they followed Him. How often self was dealt with.
3. The Word of God is the pruning knife in the Father’s hand
   1. “…the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:” Eph. 6:17
   2. “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.” (Heb. 4:12-13)
      1. Note: The context of this verse indicates the author is speaking to believers about the danger of unbelief.
      2. The Word of God is the sharp, surgical instrument the Lord uses to remove that which hinders fruit bearing in our lives.
4. Andrew Murray: “What is the pruning knife of this heavenly Husbandman? It is often said to be affliction. By no means in the first place. How would it then fare with many who have long seasons free from adversity; or with some on whom God appears to shower down kindness all their life long? No; it is the Word of God that is the knife, sharper than any two-edged sword, that pierces even to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit, and is quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart…It is as the soul gives up its own thoughts, and men’s thoughts of what is religion, and yields itself heartily, humbly, patiently, to the teaching of the Word by the Spirit, that the Father will do His blessed work of pruning and cleansing away all of nature and self that mixes with our work and hinders His Spirit.”
5. Discerning the Pruning Knife in our Lives:
   1. When I feel confronted, exposed and searched.
   2. When it cuts and hurts!
   3. When I squirm in my chair under the preaching of the Word.

The Principle of Abiding (Vs. 4-8)

The Command to Abide (Vs. 4a)

1. My part – “abide in me”
   1. ‘abide’ = to remain, dwell, continue & tarry. “Cling to me. Stick fast to me. Live the life of close and intimate communion with me. Get nearer and nearer to me. This word ‘abide’ is used no less than 10 times in the first 11 verses of this chapter. It implies a constant remaining or continuing in one spot or place…to abide in Christ means to keep up a habit of constant, close communion with Him.” (Ryle)
   2. Translations of the Greek word: Luke 1:56 “Mary abode with her about three months”
   3. Acts 9:43 “he (Peter) tarried many days in Joppa”
   4. Acts 27:41 “stuck fast, and remained unmoveable”
   5. Illustration: Christ lived this truth throughout his earthly ministry – “Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.” (John 14:10-11)
   6. John 6:57 “As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.”
2. His part – “I in you”
   1. His part is always constant and faithful
   2. Key Principle: Union with Christ essential for fruitful Christian living

The Necessity of Abiding (Vs. 4b)

1. The Natural Law: The vine branch is totally unable to bear fruit by itself, independent of the vine.
2. The Spiritual Law: Apart from constant, faithful communion with Christ, no spiritual fruit will be produced in the believer. “without me ye can do nothing.” (Vs. 5b) Separate from Christ, we can’t do anything for His glory. All that is a product of self will be burned up at the judgment seat of Christ (1 Cor. 3:10-15)
   1. Man was created to live in communion with his Creator. It was to be a life of faith and dependence.
   2. Man through the fall detached himself from God. He became autonomous and independent. Therefore, the natural bent of our human nature is to be self-reliant and self-sufficient.
   3. When we fail to maintain a walk of dependence upon Christ for spiritual life and vitality, we shrivel and die (Vs. 6)

The Results of Abiding (Vs. 5-8)

1. Much fruit (Vs. 5, 8a)
   1. The truth re-stated
      1. “I am the vine” = Important to remember. We run into trouble when we try to do what only the vine can do!
      2. “ye are the branches” = position of dependence, reliant upon the life of the vine
   2. Fruit is the result of this union.
   3. Note the progression with fruit bearing. Fruit – More Fruit – Much Fruit
2. Power in prayer (Vs. 7)
   1. This involves such intimate union and harmony with Christ that nothing will be asked out of accord with the mind of Christ and so of the Father (RWP)
   2. 1 John 5:14-15 “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.”
   3. Note: Our lack of assurance concerning the things for which we ask is not in any way due to a failure on God’s part. Rather, our lack of confidence in prayer is a symptom of a deeper spiritual problem, namely, that we know too little of a life of close spiritual communion and intimacy with Christ.
3. Glory to God (Vs. 8)

Conclusion

Andrew Murray: How can we glorify God? Not by adding to His glory or bringing Him any new glory that He has not. But simply by allowing His glory to shine out through us, by yielding ourselves to Him, that His glory may manifest itself in us and through us to the world. In a vineyard or a vine bearing much fruit, the owner is glorified, as it tells of his skill and care. In the disciple who bears much fruit, the Father is glorified. Before men and angels, proof is given of the glory of God’s grace and power; God’s glory shines out through him…As a man works and serves in a power which comes from God alone, God gets all the glory. When we confess that the ability came from God alone, he that does the work, and they who see it, equally glorify God. It was God who did it. Men judge by the fruit of a garden of what the gardener is. Men judge of God by the fruit that the branches of the Vine of His planting bears. Little fruit brings little glory to God. It brings no honour to either the Vine or the Husbandman. “That ye bear much fruit, herein is my Father glorified.” We have sometimes mourned our lack of fruit, as a loss to ourselves and our fellow men, with complaints of our feebleness as the cause. Let us rather think of the sin and shame of little fruit as robbing God of the glory He ought to get from us. Let us learn the secret of bringing glory to God, serving of the ability which God giveth. The full acceptance of Christ’s Word, “You can do nothing”; the simple faith in God, who worketh all in all; the abiding in Christ through whom the divine Husbandman does His work and gets much fruit—this is the life that will bring glory to God.

Sermon Audio Id: 10618144943