I Am the Vine | I Am Part 3
Message Summary: Jesus makes “I am” statements so we can understand who He is and what He came to do while He was on earth. We need to really know him (not just know about him). When we grow in our love for him and as our knowledge of him increases, our desire to know him, love him, trust him, and delight in him also increases.
Josiah gave an illustration of a lamp. Without a power source, the lamp is just a decorative object. When it’s connected to a power source, it illuminates a dark room and serves its purpose. The way the lamp looks doesn’t matter. What matters is whether it can do the job it’s supposed to by being connected to its power source.
If it isn’t connected to the power source, it will never live up to its potential. The same is true for us. Another illustration Josiah gave is when we think about social media, we think we are connected to people (especially influencers who have so many followers), but at the end of the day, we can still be alone. You can be close to the vine but never be connected to it. How do you know if you’re connected? We know by the fruit we bear (Galatians 5:22-23).
So how do we connect to the vine? We don’t have to be enslaved to keeping God’s commandments or trying to win his approval. We grow in our knowledge and love of him which leads to the desire to keep his commandments, which are to love God and love people.
- What would change in your life if you realized the purpose of your life is not to do more for God but to know more of Him?
- What stirs your love for Jesus and helps you feel “closer to the source?” (examples: listening to worship music, nature, connection with friends)?
- How do you see the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) present in your life?
- Are there areas in your life where you’re trying to earn God’s love? How can you change your thought process to recognize he loves you as you are?
John 15:1-10 –“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.”
