Lesson on grapes. (The fruit of the vine).

Why You Need to Prune Grape Vines

To put it simply, pruning grape vines allows the plants to get enough sun. If you let your vines grow freely, shoots and clusters will overwhelm the plant and create barriers that block the light. It's also important to get rid of older, less healthy canes and old wood to promote new growth and avoid diseases.

TERMS

1. TRUNK: OLD WOOD THAT GROWS VERTICALLY.

2. CORDON: OLD WOOD THAT GROWS HORIZONTALLY.

3. SHOOTS/CANES/BRANCHES: 1 YEAR OLD WOOD THAT PRODUCES BUDS.

4. BUDS: FRUITFUL SHOOTS THAT GROW ON CANES.

Parallels

1. Jesus the Son. (Sent from God) The vertical between God and man.

2. Also Jesus reaching out to man on earth.

3. Believers in Jesus' redemption.

4. Fruits of the Spirit

John 15:1 thru 8

Verse 1.

TRUE VINE

1. True vs. false vines.

Be aware of false vines. Mohammed, Buddha, etc.

• They say what people want to hear but teach a doctrine other than Jesus / Word.

• Jesus was leaving with instructions to be aware of false prophets and how to determine God's true representative.

• He also let's them know that the gardener / vinedresser is going to do what a good gardener does.

Note: Vineyards were very common and most everyone would understand these terms. A golden "grapevine depicted on the front of the temple also which referred to the Messiah.

2. Jesus being the true vine demonstrates that we (branches) must be rooted in Him. There is no other way if we are to bear fruit for the gardener. (GOD)

3. He is also showing that our connection is with Jesus; not Israel.

4. The vine and the branch example is a perfect picture of the essential Need to be always connected to Him as our connection to GOD.

Note: God /Jesus is our caretaker doing what is necessary to

achieve a good crop.

Verses 2 thru 8

• These next verses are a stark reminder that apart from Him there is NO HOPE of producing fruit.

• Notice that the emphasis is on producing fruit. Not just any fruit. But fruit of the Spirit.

Galatians 5:22-23

[22] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness and self- control.

John 15 Verse 2

• Do we lose our salvation?????

• No, no, no!

• The message here is, that our heavenly gardener is helping us (pruning us) to help us bear more of the fruits of the Spirit.

• Things that will show we are His disciples.

•

John 15:9-12

[9] “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. [10] If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in his love. [11] I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

• Not much else to say!!!

• He wants us to have complete JOY!!!

• LOTS AND LOTS OF FRUIT!!!