JOHN15- THE FRUIT OF THE VINE

This message can also be heard at: https://rumble.com/v6rdvl8-john-15-the-fruit-of-the-vine.html?e9s=src_v1_uppI don’t remember if I have done a message on this passage specifically yet. But, I know I have referenced it before. Because it is important for believers to know that this is not a reference to the possibility of a New Covenant believer losing their salvation. Because they can’t. Nothing can separate the believer from God’s love as Rom.8 plainly says.

This parable speaks directly to Israel’s being joined with Jesus. And not to anyone else. Why do I say this? Because this parable, as all parables Jesus taught to Israel, is specifically for people who were under the law. It is for them because in it Jesus shows them the way out from under the law and into eternal life. As well as the way for being taken out and cast into the fire.

Which is not possible for the New Covenant believer because as John says in 1John3 New Covenant believers are born of God. While the Israelite under the law was not. But, was held in slavery under the law until Jesus came. As Paul so clearly illustrates for us in Gal.3:19.

The rest of the nations, commonly referred to as gentiles in the scriptures, were never under the law. And never will be under the law. Israel was told that the law was given only to Israel through Moses. And that was to make them God’s slaves, rather than slaves to other gods. And that this would remain so only until “the seed should come to whom the promise was made.” This is a reference to His first coming.

This is what Jesus was telling them here when He said, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.” So we see that the Father was working through Jesus to cultivate Israel’s covenant with Jesus. And yes, it was through Jesus that the Father made the Old Covenant with Israel.

This is what it means when Paul said in Gal.3:17 “And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ…” And in 2Cor.5:19 where he also said, “To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself…”

And as I have shown before in other messages it is Jesus that came to confirm this covenant with Israel. Or “with many” as Dan.9:27 says. A covenant that held them captive as slaves until Jesus came to fulfill it so that it could pass away as Mt.5:17,18 says. So that as Paul tells Israel in Rom.7:6 they could be delivered from the law through faith in Jesus.

So this help any of you who have come to believe that it is the antichrist that makes a covenant with many for one week. As even Paul confirms in Gal.3:17 saying that this was what Jesus has already done.

Now getting back to what Jesus was telling them in John15, in vs.2 He says, “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.”

Now most people have been taught that the word fruit speaks of works that people do. But, bearing fruit never speaks of works. Fruit speaks of faith. Trusting in Jesus. And the fruit Jesus is telling them here in John15 that as branches in the vine they must produce are the words that come from their hearts that they believe in Him.

How do we know this? Because Jesus created the template by which fruit is always to be defined when He told these very people in Mt.12 that good or bad fruit are the words that come from their heart and out of his mouth.

So when Jesus told them things like they will know a tree by it’s fruit, and that as branches they must bear fruit, the fruit God is looking for from them are the words that express in whom they have believed.

Paul tells the Israelite in Rom.10:9,10 that those words are the confession with their mouth of the Lord Jesus. Which is a reference to what Jesus taught Nicodemus when He told him the he must be born again. That having been born of the flesh he still needed to be born of the Spirit to enter the kingdom of God.

And when in vs.2 Jesus says “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit He taketh away” it is the same thing we see Paul teaching the Hebrews in chapter 6 of his letter to them, which by the way are the same people Jesus was teaching here in John15, “4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,

5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,

6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:

8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.”

See the similarity in what Paul said in Heb.6 to what Jesus taught in John15? You know why? Because they are speaking to the same group of people about the same issue.

That is, whether or not the Jew will bear fruit and remain in the vine. Or if they do not bear fruit will be taken out and cast into the fire as Jesus said. Or as Paul said in Heb.6, “that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.”

And just as Paul said in Heb.6, “But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation”, so Jesus says to the Hebrews listening to Him here in John15 “3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.” This is because all the sustenance the branch needs comes from the vine. But, without it the branch will wither and die.

This is why Jesus continues telling them “5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered.”

Now vs.6 is where some get confused about whether they can lose their salvation or not. Not remembering or knowing that Jesus here is not talking to people who are already born again. But, only to Israel while still God’s slaves under the law.

Because here in vs.6 Jesus says about the vine that bears no fruit, “and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.” This is Jesus telling them that if they do not make the transition from a belief in God under the law, to believing in Jesus as their messiah in the New Covenant, they have borne no fruit. Because the fruit they must bear for eternal life is confessing with their mouth the Lord Jesus.

But Jesus says in vs.7 “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” This is a reference again to them believing in Jesus for eternal life. This is what they are asking. And this is what they receive when they believe in Jesus. Eternal life.

This is not a blab it and grab it statement to use to gain material wealth or health. The context shows you this. Because here Jesus is talking about them either remaining in Him by faith and having eternal life. Or not remaining in Him and being cast into the fire.

And Jesus tells them that when they bear this fruit of faith in Him “8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.

11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.”

To be full of the joy only God can give. A joy that has nothing to do with any earthly circumstances. But, only with being in a personal and loving relationship with the Father through faith in His Son Jesus.

What commandments is Jesus referring to here when He tells them if you keep my commandments? He is speaking of the new commandments He just gave them. The greatest commandments. To love God with all their heart, mind, and strength. And to love one another as God loves them.

This would not be possible apart from their saving faith in Jesus. Because just as Jesus said in this parable, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.” And “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”

So while it is true for all believers that without Jesus we can do nothing in regard to spiritual things. It is imperative that we see why this parable can not be referring to the New Covenant believer.

Because first of all for the New Covenant to have power Jesus had to die. Heb.9:16,17. And because in this parable Jesus was dealing with people who were not yet born again. Because being born again is something made possible only by Jesus’ death and resurrection. And by our confession of faith in the same.

Because for the New Covenant believer there is no circumstance in which his salvation, if he has truly been saved, can be in jeopardy. Because when we are truly saved Paul tells us in Rom.8 that nothing can separate us from the Father’s love. And because as Eph.4:30 says we have been sealed unto the day of redemption by the Holy Spirit.

And if this message has created a desire in you to know Jesus for eternal life. And if you have seen your need for Him. Then confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus. And believe in your heart that He has raised from the dead and you will be saved.

You will have a spirit created in you that was never there before. A spirit that joins you to God as a son, and not a slave as Israel was under the law. If you will do this then as a spiritual son of God you will be heir to His kingdom. Having eternal life now. And immortality at your resurrection.

If you will do this… then I will see you there or in the air!

If you are having some confusion about what I said in today’s message about Israel becoming God’s slaves. We learned about how and why this happened in last week’s message. So if you want a more exhaustive explanation about this please have a listen to it here- https://rumble.com/v6r1rw0-a-son-or-a-slave-john834-36.html?e9s=src_v1_upp