Dear Christian friends:

To help us understand the deep and wonderful things of His Kingdom Jesus often used or taught with things from nature. He said, "I am the Light of the world; I am the Good Shepherd; I am the bright and morning star; I am the way; I am the door; and here in the text He says, "I am the vine."

By saying that He is the vine and we are the branches Jesus wants to teach us about spiritual life. We may think that our soul is alive, but it may be dying or finished dead. So this morning to help you understand more about spiritual life I want to preach to you from from this text. I want to ask you:


Jesus here compares a live Christian to a branch that grows many clusters of grapes. A good live branch will grow many clusters of grapes each year.

When I was a small boy we lived on a farm in California. My father planted Concord grapes on both sides of the driveway. About six vines on each side. Year after year they produced many grapes, enough to make plenty of jelly and juice to last our large family a whole year. My brothers and I waited eagerly all summer long for the green grapes to turn purple the last of August.

All through September and into October we ate all the fresh grapes we wanted and still there was more than enough for mother to can for jelly and juice. One good, live branch gives a whole bushel basket of grapes.

So Jesus says a live Christian is like the branch that grows many grapes. (read verse 1) He is good and kind and does many good works. The Bible calls these good works, "the fruit of the Spirit". The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, and peace. He makes us patient, kindly, good, faithful, gentle, and gives us self-control. We don't blow up, are not proud or jealous.

Do you have these fruits of the Spirit? Are you like a branch that produces many grapes? You are and you will continue to be a good branch if you "stay in Jesus". Jesus says, "What I have said to you has already made you clean." His Words about our sin and God's wonderful love and mercy for sinners: His Word about Himself that He is the Son of God our Savior who had died on the cross for our sins; that God because of His perfect offering upon the cross forgives our sins, and makes us clean."

When you by the Holy Spirit accept Jesus for your Savior, you become joined with Him the true Vine. His life and power flows into you and gives you life like the sap of a vine flows to the branches and gives life and makes them grow many grapes.

So Jesus says, "Stay in Me, and I will stay in you. A branch can't bear any fruit by itself if it doesn't stay in the vine. Neither can you if you do not stay in Me. I am the Vine, you are the branches. If you stay in Me and I in you, you bear much fruit. Without Me you can't do anything.

What does it mean, "stay in Jesus?" It means to regularly hear His Words and believe them, practice them; depend on His Words and promises. In verse 7 He says, "If you stay in Me and what I say stays in you, ask for anything you want, and it will be done for you." If we hear God's Word, then when we pray He will hear our Words. If we don't first hear His Words, then He will not hear our words when we pray and nothing will be done for us.

When we hear God's Word then we begin to pray for the things He loves and wants and He is glad to give us what we ask.

But if we do not hear His Word then we are like a branch that dies. We have no life and produce no fruits. Such branches Jesus says are thrown into the fire. (You see that branch on the banner disconnected from the Vine and falling into the fire.) That is very sad to see happen. Often we see that happen.

Some members stop hearing God's Word and they lose interest and can't do any good works any more. God does not answer their prayers. They do not pray for what He wants and loves. Jesus is sad to see that happen and so is His Father.

In verse one Jesus says, "My Father takes care of the vine. He cuts away any branch of Mine that bears no fruit, and trims (prunes) any branch that bears fruit to make it bear more fruit." And in verse eight Jesus says, "You glorify My Father when you bear much fruit." On the banner you see the hands reaching for the beautiful grapes. Those are the hands of God. He watches and cares for the Vine and the branches and He is very pleased and honored when fruits grow. He waits and desires to see our fruits, our good works. God our Maker and Keeper the Father who sent His Son to save us and join us to the true Vine waits to see our fruits.

That ought to encourage us to give many precious fruits for our wonderful Father. We should not be satisfied with a few little grapes, as many seem to be. They don't see how the Father adores the fruits. Look at His hands reaching for the fruits. So stay in Jesus and bear much fruit.

Amen.