I Am the Vine, You Are the Branches
John 15:1-25
Jesus delivers his last “I Am” statement, giving us another metaphorical image of who he is and our relationship to him. While each “I Am” statement can be understood on its own, when taken together they provide a more complete picture.
The “I Am” Statements of Jesus in the Gospel of John
| Absolute “I am” statements | 6:20; 8:24, 28, 58; 18:5 | |
| Metaphorical “I am” statements | ||
| 1. I am the bread of life | 6:35, 48, 51 | |
| 2. I am the light of the world | 8:12; 9:5 | |
| 3. I am the door of the sheep | 10:7, 9 | |
| 4. I am the good shepherd | 10:11, 14 | |
| 5. I am the resurrection and the life | 11:25 | |
| 6. I am the way, the truth, and the life | 14:6 | |
| 7. I am the true vine | 15:1, 5 | |
The Vinedresser’s Glory (The Work of the Father)
Removing unfruitful branches (vs 1-2, 6)
Pruning for more fruit (vs 2)
Life in the Vine (The Source of the Son)
Made clean by Jesus’ words abiding in us (vs 3-5)
Glorifying the Father by being genuine disciples of Jesus (vs 8)
Chosen (16) to bear the fruit of the greatest (13) love (vs 1-17)
Receiving the fullness of Jesus’ joy (vs 11)
Being called friend by Jesus (vs 15)
Facing Opposition (The Help of the Holy Spirit)
The Holy Spirit in the context of John 14, 15 & 16
Rooted in hatred of Jesus (vs 18-25)
Conflict because of loyalty and values (vs 19-20)
Hope of change for people hostile to God (vs 20)
