Title: Extension of Life/John 15:1-9
extension of life
John 15:1-9
“I am the true vine, you are the branches” (John 十-5)
Jesus used several parables to teach us about our relationship with Jesus. “I am the shepherd and you are the sheep” and sometimes “I am the bread of life; unless you eat the bread of life, you cannot live.”
He said, “I am the water of life; let everyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.” He also said, “I am the light of the world.” He also said, “I am the way, the life, and the truth.” In today's text, Jesus taught his disciples on the last evening, especially in another parable, about the relationship between Jesus and us, teaching the vine and the branches. “I am the true vine, and my Father is the farmer… do you have... .)
Why did Jesus call himself the true vine? In the Old Testament, the people of Israel, the nation of Israel, and the church were taught with the vine. In light of the Old Testament saying, “I moved the vine from the land of Egypt to the welfare of Canaan, why is it not bearing fruit?” In other words, you are the branches.” He was teaching the vine as the ancient nation and nation of Israel. (Israel did not bear any grapes).
However, “I am the true vine” in this Gospel of John implied that the church and nation of Israel, the vine in the Old Testament, pointed to the shadow of the true vine in the New Testament. Jesus is actually the true vine planted by God. The believer is compared to a branch. It taught us how the relationship between Jesus and us is more intimate than any other parable. A shepherd cannot be a shepherd, and a sheep cannot be a sheep. But it taught me how close the relationship between the vine and the branches is. Connected and united, not separated. The extension of the vine is the branch. It means not a single part, but an extended little Christ.
Trees and branches are similar in nature. And it is essentially the same. Jesus and the regenerated believer are essentially the same. The ideal, purpose, and hope are the same. That closeness was taught in this parable. Branches live in the essence of life that springs up from the tree. We cannot live without the connection of life that comes from Christ. The life we have is given by Jesus. He taught these precious words on the last evening. I had not taught that before, but it taught me the deep meaning of these words.
First, there must be a branch to bear fruit. Jesus does not do the work of God himself, but through the believer, Jesus brings forth fruit. It bears much fruit through many people such as Paul, Augustine, Calvin, and Francis. Believers bear fruit through the branch. Branches (believers) cannot bear fruit and do nothing unless they are connected to Christ. It bears the fruit obtained through Christ, the fruit of the Holy Ghost, that is, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. . How close are we to Christ? It is the same in nature and the same in essence, and it bears fruit through Christ. “If you abide in me and my words abide in you, I will do everything for you.” If the Lord abides in us, a spiritual body will come. How noble is our position and how much is our responsibility increased?
Second. There are several branches. There are several, but they are attached to one vine. One Christ, one vine. But not all branches are the same. The size and shape are different. The grace received is different for each. But all branches belong to Christ. They are connected to each other. Likewise, since we belong to Christ and are interconnected with each other, we have many different things, such as grace, knowledge, and talent, but they are inseparable and can bear good fruit only when we become one in Christ. Jealousy, quarrels, and quarrels with each other are to depart from Christ and bear no fruit. Therefore, we should connect with each other in love and bear more fruit.
Third, the work of the farmer is to plant the vine, that is, to send Christ, to take care of it, to make it bear more fruit, and to control the branch that does not bear fruit. That is what God is doing. If the favor is not repaid, it is cut back with scissors. God also puts the fruit into the barn. Let us all do our best to bear much fruit and enter the storehouse of heaven.
(On the night of the fifth day of March in the first five years of the year, Yeongnak Church in Busan)