8.30.26 - I Am for the World - Pt. 7 – “I AM the Vine”
“Discover and Do the Servant in You”
Servants of Jesus know how to serve people … Jesus!
Knowing the “I AM” statements of Jesus equips us to speak “Jesus” into others deepest fears, needs and longings.
I AM the Bread of Life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
John 6:35
I AM the Light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”
John 8:12
I AM the Gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out and find pasture.
John 10:9
I AM the Good Shepherd. I know my sheep and my sheep know me… and I lay down my life for the sheep.
John 10:14-15
I AM the Resurrection and the Life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.
John 11:25-26
I AM the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
John 14:6
I am the Vine; you are the branches. If you remain (abide) in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit;
apart from me you can do nothing
John 15:5
How is Jesus speaking to our collective fears, needs and longings?
Jesus is addressing the hardwired impulse in the human heart to “make a difference”, “be productive”,
“make a meaningful contribution” ... it’s a deep desire to have some level of significance in this life. In Jesus’s terms he calls it “bearing fruit”. On our own we will turn to ourselves to make this happen. We might use hard work, or special giftedness to strive for significance..... we may strive to accrue wealth or status or titles or followers or friends or people we can turn into projects or anything to just be needed! ... ... God wired us with this desire to be productive! But without Him as the center and the impulse of our “productivity quest” it will go awry. We will tap into other “vines” for power, life and direction.
John 15:1-17
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 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. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain (abide) 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.
The true Vine is __________. This is a loaded term in context.
The gardener is the __________ and the branches are __________.
Bearing kingdom fruit is non-negotiable. The key to fruit bearing is “r____________ / a____________” in Jesus!
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control;
Galatians 5:22-23
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain (abide) in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 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. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
Can you feel the weight of some of His words as He contrasts “remaining” and “not remaining” ?
Words like “nothing”, “thrown away” ...... but also .... “to my Father’s glory”, “bear much fruit”!
Notice the role of “His W_______” and “P_______” in the abiding life.
“Do not be occupied with the abiding—be occupied with Christ! He will hold you,
He will keep you abiding in Him. He will abide in you.” Andrew Murray
9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 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. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
Abiding in the Vine is abiding in His L_______.
This is the DNA and culture of the Vine and branches life ... a union of Love!
Obedience to Jesus flows from remaining in His Love and is vital for remaining in His Love. Then joy over flows!
““It is not a matter of feeling—it is not a question of growth or strength in the Christian life—it is the simple question whether the will at the present moment desires and consents to recognize the place you have in your Lord, and to accept it............ The wholehearted surrender in everything to do His will, that gives access to a life in the abiding enjoyment of His love. Obey and abide. Andrew Murray
12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.
It’s all about Love – sacrificial love with which we are loved overflows to each other.
We get to be “f___________” with God. We get to be in on the “master’s business”.
“Remember.... I c_______ you!” – Jesus
Some Helpful Prayer Phrases
“My dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to be restored in You and renewed in You to receive Your Love and Your Life and all the Grace and Mercy I so desperately need this day.”
“Restore our union Lord, restore our union.
Holy Spirit, restore my union with Jesus and the Father.”
“Jesus, I love You! Thank you for loving me. I receive Your love!”