John 15:1-6 – “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, and I will 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 a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.

In John 15, Jesus describes himself as the VINE, and explains that we are branches of the Vine (that is, of Him).  The teachings in this passage took place at the Last Supper, the night they arrested Jesus and took him away to his trial.  What is the meaning of the statement that Jesus is the Vine?

Jesus uses the image of the Vine and branches to make four basic points about our salvation:

1)     God expects and requires that we are spiritually fruitful

2)    Close connection – we “remain in him” and he “remains in us,” sharing the same spiritual life and sustenance from eternity, in the same way that a vine and its branches share the same life and are part of the same organism

3)    Absolute dependence – we can accomplish nothing (fruit) on our own, but only through our close connection with Him

4)    If we lose our close connection with him, there are dire consequences – lack of fruit, and eventually, permanent severance and judgment.

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John 10:10 – “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

God’s plan for his people is for them to have abundant life. He challenges us to give Him the opportunity for this by putting Him first, before everything else in our lives. God does not ask us to ignore or neglect our families, or jobs, or personal needs.

He only asks that we put Him first, and then attend to these other things. Jesus said the same thing in Matthew 6:33 – “Seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you as well.”

Abundant life includes two types of “abundance.” There is material abundance and spiritual abundance. The second type is much more important, but many churches unfortunately focus on material abundance instead.

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John 3:1-8 - “There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him ‘Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.’

Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ “

Physically, our birth was on the day that we celebrate every year as our birthday – there was a time, years ago, when our mother gave birth, and we came into this world as a baby.  Yet this is only physical, not spiritual.  We also need a spiritual birth.  Spiritual birth happens when the Holy Spirit produces a miracle inside of us – regeneration, the creation of a new person whose life is identified with Jesus Christ.  We receive this only by coming to Christ in faith and complete surrender.  Jesus give us new birth.

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Esther 7:3-4 – “Then Queen Esther answered, ‘If I have found favor with you, O king, and if it pleases your majesty, grant me my life—this is my petition.  And spare my people—this is my request.  For I and my people have been sold for destruction and slaughter and annihilation.  If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king.’ ”

This passage records Esther’s third request of the King.  Here, Esther finally explains to the King what she really needs.  She asks the king to save her life.  We see in her request a prayer for salvation.

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Nehemiah 2:17-18 – Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.” I also told them about the gracious hand of my God upon me and what the king had said to me. They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.”  So they began this good work.

After 70 years of Babylonian captivity, the nation of Israel was returning from exile. The gates and walls of Jerusalem lay in ruins. Nehemiah was among those who returned to start rebuilding. These gates prophetically describe aspects of Jesus’ work, and stages in our walk with Him.

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Zechariah 3:1-7 - “Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him. The Lord said to Satan, ‘The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?’

“Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.”  Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put rich garments on you.” Then I said, ‘Put a clean turban on his head.’ So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the Lord stood by.  The angel of the Lord gave this charge to Joshua: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘If you will walk in my ways and keep my requirements, then you will govern my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you a place among these standing here…’ ”

Joshua in his filthy garments represents man in his natural state (all are sinners and fall short of the glory of God – Romans 3:23). The filthy garments speak of our lives stained by sin and its consequences, causing man to live in disarray, without peace and without aim. Clothes refer to our testimony or overall lifestyle. Jesus said, “Be dressed and ready for service…” (Luke 12:35); see also Revelation 3:18, where he said, “Buy from me white garments for you to wear...”

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Lamentations 3:22-23 – “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

The Work of God in our lives should be a process of daily renewal. Salvation is not merely a static, once-for-all event. It is also a process, in which we grow and develop. We gradually become more of the person God wants us to be. Each new day is a new step in this process of salvation.

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Philemon 1:10-11 – “…I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me…”

The book of Philemon is really a short, personal letter to Philemon (a Christian in the first century) from the Apostle Paul. Often neglected by preachers today, the book contains some powerful lessons for us about the Christian life and our faith.

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1 John 2:28-29 – “And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.  If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.”

Many Christians think of salvation only as a one-time event. They focus on the moment of conversion. This passage focuses on another dimension of salvation: salvation as a process. This process continues for our entire lives, until we reach eternity.

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Here we summarize seven points that we have found most important for having the Holy Spirit work more freely – and more powerfully – in our midst. These are the seven concepts we most want to share with others, the points that we believe will make the most difference in your church or group.

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