Well, if you were stuck on a desert island, what would be your desert island essentials?
! So there's been a storm, and you've been thrown overboard, off your ship, and you've ended up
! stranded on an island in the middle of nowhere, and you can have only three things to take
with you on this island. What would it be? If you're wise and forward-thinking, you might
take a knife, or a rope, or matches, or a bottle of water. These things would be critical
to your survival, because without these things, you would die. And in this life, we are on
a desert island. We are all in a desperate situation. In fact, we're in a far worse situation
than any man on an island. We are on the brink of a severe judgment. And there's only one
thing that can help us, one essential for survival. And this is what John 15 reveals to us, the
key to survival in this life. So let's not hang around. This is urgent. Let's find out
what it is. And here in chapter 15, Jesus is leaving behind this vital information to
his disciples. He's leaving behind the key to survival, the key to the very source of life
itself. And what is it? Well, the key is Jesus Christ himself. Jesus is the only thing you need
to survive in this life. So if we want to survive, we need to know what this passage means. And
I've broken it down into three points which you can follow along with. Firstly, Jesus is
the true vine. Jesus is the true vine. So this whole passage is built on an illustration. Jesus
explains the key to survival with an illustration. So he paints a picture for us for what the world
is truly like. He explains to us a model of the very fabric of reality. So forget what
every textbook has ever taught you about the world. Forget what you've ever learned in school
about human nature and humanity. This is the truth about the world. And Jesus says this, you
are either a living branch attached to him, or you're a dead twig on the floor. This is the truth about the
universe. And Jesus describes himself as the true vine. It's right there in verse one. I am the true vine, and my
father is the father is the vine dresser. So what we have here is an image of a tree or a plant. So perhaps picture a
grape tree, a grape vine, and you have the vine, the main trunk in the middle, right in the centre. And that part,
that's rooted into the ground. That's the heart of the tree where all the nutrients go through.
That's the heart of the tree. That's the heart of the tree. That's the heart of the vine. And off the vine, you have all these smaller branches.
So they spread out in every direction. And off those branches, you have the fruit. That's where the fruit appears.
So that's where you've got your grapes or your apples, whatever tree you're thinking of.
And Jesus says, he is the vine. And the father, while he's the vine dresser, he's the gardener, you could say. So he trims and chops the tree to make it healthy and beautiful.
So look to verse 2. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit, he takes away. And every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes that it may bear more fruit.
So the father removes any branches that do not produce fruit. So he takes his clippers out and he snips them off.
So the tree only has branches with good and wholesome fruit growing from it.
And where are we in this picture? Well, verse 5, Jesus says,
I am the vine, you are the branches.
His disciples are the branches.
Christian, we are the branches.
And we only have life if we're attached to the vine.
To Jesus.
Jesus is the source of all life.
So we find spiritual life,
spiritual growth and eternal life
only through Jesus Christ.
Only by being united with Jesus Christ.
There's no other vine in this picture.
There's no other source of life.
No, Jesus is the true vine.
No one can be alive,
no one can bear fruit
unless they're firmly attached to Jesus.
Look at verse 5.
Whoever buys in me,
and I in him,
he it is that bears much fruit.
For apart from me,
you can do nothing.
A branch
can only have life
if it's attached to the vine.
So imagine if I went to Ealing Common
and I went up to one of the trees there
and I snapped one of the branches
off the tree.
What would happen to that branch?
It would die, wouldn't it?
It would eventually wither
and dry
because it's not attached to the vine.
It doesn't have life in itself.
No, it gets life from the vine.
And so what this tree is picturing here,
it's the church.
This tree is the church.
And the fundamental truth
about this world
is that you are either
in the church
and alive
or you're out of it
and dead.
Outside of Jesus
and his church,
you have no life.
You're spiritually dead.
You're like a dry
and withered twig
on the floor.
You cannot produce fruit.
And the Father,
he wants fruit
from his vine.
The gardener,
he wants a beautiful
and fruitful tree.
And lifeless branches
have no place among it.
Look what happens
to these branches.
Verse 6.
If anyone does not abide in me,
he's thrown away
like a branch
and withers.
And the branches
are gathered,
thrown into the fire
and burned.
Any branch
that's not connected
to the vine,
any person
that's not united
to Jesus,
will be thrown away.
Burnt up.
If you do not cling
to Jesus
as your only source
of life,
then when this life
is over,
you will be thrown
into an eternal fire.
So his final words
to his disciples,
they're critical
to surviving.
Verse 4.
Abide in me
and I in you.
Abide in me.
This is the key
to life.
Abide in Jesus.
Now,
abide is a bit
of a funny word,
but we don't use it
too much.
Another way
of putting it
is cling
to me.
Stay united
to live
in Jesus.
Cling to Jesus
and you will
live.
So do you?
Do you
abide in him?
Being connected
to Jesus
is the only
means of survival.
The only way
of being spiritually
alive is
to being spiritually
healthy,
to bearing
fruits,
is to receive
life from
Jesus.
So a church
that is not
preaching Jesus
Christ,
and a church
that is not
focused on
Jesus Christ,
that is a
dead church.
It has no
life.
It cannot
bear any
fruits.
And I
recommend you
that you run
from a church
like that
immediately.
So do you
truly love
Jesus?
Do you cling
to Jesus
as your
source of
life?
Do you
think about
him if you
go about
your day?
Well, a
life that
doesn't do
that, it's
no life at
all.
You're
lifeless.
And so
Jesus is
saying to
you today,
abide in
me.
Cling
to me.
me.
But how
can we do
that?
What does
it look like
to cling to
Jesus?
Well, this is
my second
point.
So obey
Jesus.
Jesus is
the true
vine, so
obey Jesus.
So what
does it look
like to
abide in
Jesus?
I get the
picture of
the tree and
the vine,
but what does
it actually
look like and
mean to
abide in
him?
Well, look
to verses
8 and
9.
So by
this my
father is
glorified,
that you
bear much
fruit and
so prove
to be my
disciples.
As the
father has
loved me,
so have
I loved
you.
Abide in
my love.
To abide
in Jesus,
to cling to
him, he
says, is to
abide in
his love.
So can
you see, he's
kind of drawing a
parallel here.
If you
abide in
Jesus, it
means you
abide in
his love.
Okay, but
Jesus, what
does that
mean?
What does
abiding in
your love
mean?
Well, he
clarifies that.
Verse 10,
if you
keep my
commandments,
you will
abide in
my love.
To cling
to Jesus,
to be
attached to
the vine,
means keeping
his
commandments.
If you
love Jesus,
if you
are a true
disciple,
you will
obey Jesus'
commands.
So that
means following
everything that
this book
says.
The Bible,
the book
that's in
your lap and
in your hand
right now,
that is the
word of God.
It is Jesus
Christ's
commandments
for you.
And by
obeying his
words, by
doing what
it says,
that's how
you love
Jesus.
That's what
a true
disciple looks
like.
It means
believing
everything this
book says,
even if it
doesn't
immediately sit
right with
you.
Sometimes
you might
read the
Bible or
hear a
sermon and
you think,
oh, I
don't like
the sound
of that.
The Bible
says that,
really?
You might
think, I'll
accept the
important stuff.
I'll believe
the gospel
basics just
fine, but
I can't
accept this
or that.
Well, Jesus
says that is
not what a
living branch
looks like.
If you're
abiding in
Jesus, and
if he's
abiding
in you,
then every
single word
of this
book you
will obey.
you will
follow what
Jesus says
because that's
what loving
him looks
like.
And that's
true even
in our
relationships.
So, kids
in the room,
if your
mum and
dad tell
you to do
something and
you say to
them, no,
mum and
dad, I'm
not doing
that, well,
that isn't
valuing their
love at all,
is it?
That shows
you don't want
anything to do
with mum and
dad.
well, that's
the same with
us and
Jesus.
You cannot
have Jesus'
love without
obeying him.
If you
refuse to
obey him,
then you're
a dead
branch, and
the father
will cut you
off and
you will be
thrown away.
But
disobedience,
this isn't
just kind of
mindless
slavery, as
if Jesus is
saying, look,
just do what
I say and
put up with
it.
No,
this obedience
is a joyous
experience.
Look to
verse 11.
Verse 11,
these things
I have spoken
to you,
that my joy
may be in
you, and
that your
joy may be
full.
Jesus
is saying
all this to
a group of
disciples with
troubled hearts.
They're on the
edge, they
don't want him
to leave.
So Jesus
says to
them, this
is where
you will
find joy.
This is
where you
will find
comfort, by
keeping my
commandments.
Now, this
is a wonderful
thing to say.
To be a
Christian is a
truly joyous
thing.
To follow
Jesus and
to live a
godly life,
it's a
joyous
thing.
It's to
live out your
salvation that
Jesus has won
for you.
Obeying
Christ, it
goes hand
in hand with
knowing that
your sins are
forgiven.
It goes
hand in hand
with knowing
that you
will have
eternal
blessings,
and that you
have life by
the grace of
God.
And this,
it's a deep,
everlasting joy
that won't
fade.
Jesus says
it's a joy
that fills
us.
So, all
other joy
and happiness
and fun in
this world,
it cannot
compare to
the joy that
you have
from being
loved by
Christ.
Worldly joy,
it's fleeting.
It won't
last.
Christ's joy
will last for
all eternity.
So, as
branches, we
only have
life and
bear fruit if
we're attached
to the true
vine.
We only have
life in Jesus
Christ, and
that means if
we're true
disciples, we
will obey
all his
commandments.
But actually,
Jesus hones
in on one
commandment in
particular.
So, yes, we
should obey
everything the
Bible says,
but as he
departs from
his disciples,
he gives
them this one
commandment.
Did you
notice this?
Verse 12.
This is my
commandment,
that you
love one
another as
I have
loved you.
He says,
if you're a
true disciple,
if you truly
love Jesus,
you will
love the
church.
And this
is my third
and final
point.
Jesus is the
true vine,
so obey
Jesus by
loving the
church.
By loving
the church.
This is what
an obedient
Christian looks
like.
This is what
a fruitful
Christian looks
like.
This is what
a branch looks
like when it's
attached to
the vine.
They love
the church.
If you are
truly clinging
to Christ,
and if he's
truly giving
you life,
then you
will love
the church.
So I
wonder what
you think
is a sign
of a healthy
and lively
church.
I guess you
could look
on their
website,
and you
could think,
oh,
wow,
they have
two creches
throughout the
week.
They must
be thriving.
Or,
wow,
they get
over 200
on a Sunday.
They must
be a strong
church.
Well,
what does
Jesus say?
Jesus says
a fruitful
church is
one that
loves one
another.
This is
the sign
of fruitful
branches,
of branches
that are
connected to
the vine.
The fruit
is Christians
loving one
another.
So imagine
that tree
again,
with Jesus
as the
true vine
in the
centre,
and all
the branches
spreading out.
When you
look at
that tree,
how do you
know if that
tree is
healthy and
alive?
Well,
it will have
lots of fruit
on it,
won't it?
All the
branches will
be producing
rich and
plentiful
fruit.
Well,
when we
look at
the church,
a sign
of health
and life
is that
its people
are loving
one another.
These are
Jesus'
final words
to his
disciples.
As he
departs,
he wants
them to
love each
other.
So it's a
bit like
that moment
in a film
when someone's
on their
deathbed.
So let's
say it's
kind of a
mother in
a hospital
and her
kids come
in and
she's saying
a final
goodbyes
to them.
What does
she usually
say in
the film?
She's
something
kind of
like,
you be
good to
each other.
Billy,
you take
care of
your little
sister,
okay?
Sorry for
my bad
acting.
But it's
kind of
like that.
Jesus is
leaving behind
how he
wants his
church to
be.
He wants
you to
love the
church.
But this
is no
ordinary
love.
No.
Jesus tells
us what
kind of
love this
is.
Look at
verse 13.
Greater
love has
no one
than this,
that someone
lay down
his life
for his
friends.
Jesus
wants us
to love
the church
to death
the way
that he
has loved
us with
his sacrifice
on the
cross.
That is
the way
Jesus
wants us
to love
each other.
So is
that you?
Do you
love the
church to
death?
This is a
serious
challenge for
us all
because for
most of
us, I
don't think
death is
the limit
for our
love.
I think
inconveniences.
So we
might be
happy to
wash up
the mugs
after church
and put
some tables
away.
We might
be happy
to host
some people
for lunch.
But if
serving the
church and
loving each
other start
to encroach
on our
home life
or our
family life
or our
marriage,
I think
that's
usually where
we draw the
line,
isn't it?
You might
think,
absolutely,
I will
serve the
church.
I'll stay
behind our
service and
love my
lonely
brother and
sister,
but I
can't have
them over
for dinner
tonight.
Tonight's
family time.
It's been a
long enough
week already.
I'm drawing
the line
there.
Or you
may think,
I'll help my
church family as
much as
possible.
I'll help
them move
house and
concern when
they're ill.
But you
need to
understand,
my marriage
comes first.
I need to
prioritise my
wife.
No,
Jesus says
that isn't
quite right.
We must
love the
church to
death.
And that
means sacrificing
our comfort,
our convenience,
and our
time.
So we
need to ask
ourselves,
will you
reschedule
that holiday
so you
won't miss
another Sunday?
Will you
stay up
into the
small hours
on the
phone to
that
struggling
brother or
sister and
be prepared
to be
shattered the
next day?
Will you
take someone
into your
home,
even if it
will make
family life
chaotic?
Will you
continue to
tithe even
when money
seems to be
getting tight?
Will you
keep making
meal after
meal every
Sunday just
to host your
church family?
will you
give up
every Sunday
evening to
come to
church to
be with
your eternal
family?
This is
what loving
each other
should look
like.
But it
may also
mean actually
dying for
each other.
It may seem
unlikely to
happen in
this country,
but just
look around
you right
now this
evening.
Look at
your brothers
and sisters.
Would you
die for
them?
Would you
literally take
a bullet to
the chest
for them?
Because
Christ is
saying,
I died for
you, so
you must be
prepared to
die for
them.
To love
the church
family is
to invest in
something far
greater than
anything of
this world.
It's to
invest in
something
eternal.
all.
And so
that means
it should
be of
primary
importance
in our
lives.
Sinclair
Ferguson,
a Scottish
theologian,
he spoke
at a
Catholic
conference
in the
summer.
He said
something
very
striking
about how
we should
think about
the church.
Ferguson
said this,
if there's
no marrying
or giving
in marriage
in heaven,
if everything
these human
relationships
are intended
to satisfy
will be
fully satisfied
in the
glory of
Christ and
the fellowship
of God's
people,
then I need
to see that
my family
takes a
secondary place
to the
church family.
The church
family alone
will last
for all
eternity.
My family
as it's
presently
structured
will last
only until
the death
of its
members.
Now that
is an
earth-shattering
truth,
isn't it?
That really
should make
us rethink
our lives.
Now it
must be
said that
loving our
wives and
our families
and children
is a very
good thing
to do and
we need
to do it
more.
But
she's just
saying that
loving the
church,
it needs
to be at
the top
of the
list.
Because we
love our
families best
by loving
the church.
So do you
love the
church?
Do you
love God's
people to
death?
That is
Jesus Christ's
command for
us.
That is
what branches
that abide
in the vine
look like.
This is
what a
fruitful
church looks
like.
So if
you're
feeling at
any point
how can
I love
Jesus more?
How can
I grow
more?
Well,
love the
church.
Sacrifice your
time and
your convenience
and your
energy for
the people
sat around
you.
Sacrifice your
life for the
church.
That is
obedience.
That's what
clinging to
Christ looks
like.
The
gardener,
he wants a
fruitful and
healthy tree.
The
father,
he wants a
fruitful and
healthy church
because it
glorifies him.
it reflects
the love of
the father
to the
son.
It shows
the glory
of the
gardener.
So look
at verse
eight.
By this
my father
is glorified
that you
bear much
fruit and
so prove
to be my
disciples.
People
should be
looking in
from the
outside and
thinking,
wow,
what love
what a
God they
must have.
So
Christians,
we are
attached to
the true
vine.
Let's make
this tree
beautiful.
Let's go
out and
love one
another to
death.
Let's
glorify our
God.
Let's
pray.