FRUITFUL LIFE: Abiding
in Christ
LESSON 38
JOHN 15:1-17
(amplified version)
Jesus Is the Vine—Followers Are Branches
15 “[a]I am the true Vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and
every branch that continues to bear fruit, He [repeatedly] prunes, so that it will bear more fruit [even richer and finer fruit]. 3 You are
already clean because of the word which I have given you [the teachings which I have discussed with you]. 4 Remain in Me, and I [will
remain] in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself without remaining in the vine, neither can you [bear fruit, producing evidence of
your faith] unless you remain in Me. 5 [b]I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him bears much fruit,
for [otherwise] apart from Me [that is, cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not remain in Me, he is
thrown out like a [broken off] branch, and withers and dies; and they gather such branches and throw them into the fire, and they are
burned. 7 If you remain in Me and My words remain in you [that is, if we are vitally united and My message lives in your heart], ask
whatever you wish and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified and honored by this, when you bear much fruit, and prove
yourselves to be My [true] disciples. 9 I have loved you just as the Father has loved Me; remain in My love [and do not doubt My love for
you]. 10 If you keep My commandments and obey My teaching, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments
and remain in His love. 11 I have told you these things so that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy may be made
full and complete and overflowing.
JOHN 15:1-17
(amplified version)
Disciples’ Relation to Each Other
12 “This is My commandment, that you [c]love and unselfishly seek the best for one another, just as I have loved you. 13 No one has
greater love [nor stronger commitment] than to lay down his own life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you keep on doing what I
command you. 15 I do not call you servants any longer, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you [My]
friends, because I have revealed to you everything that I have heard from My Father. 16 You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you
and I have appointed and placed and purposefully planted you, so that you would go and bear fruit and keep on bearing, and that your
fruit will remain and be lasting, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name [as My representative] He may give to you. 17 This [is
what] I command you: that you love and unselfishly seek the best for one another.
D I S C U S S I O N
A. ABIDING IN CHRIST (VV: 1-4)
1.A. WHO IS REFERRED TO THE “VINE”, “BRANCHES”,
“GARDENER”?
B. IN WHAT WAYS CHRISTIANS ARE RELATED TO JESUS
AND THE FATHER LIKE BRANCHES TO THE VINE AND THE
GARDENER?
2. WHAT IS MEANT BY “FRUIT” THROUGHOUT THIS
PASSAGE?
A. FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN OUR LIVES (GAL 5:22-
23)- LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS,
FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, SELF-CONTROL
B. FRUIT OF OUR LABOR WHEN WE SHARE WITH OTHERS.
HOW MANY PERSONS HAVE COME TO KNOW CHRIST
PERSONALLY BECAUSE YOU CARED ENOUGH PERSONALLY
TO SHARE?
C. GOOD WORKS SUCH AS ACT OF KINDNESS, HELPING
THE PEOPLE, ETC. GIVE SPECIFIC EXAMPLES. HOW OFTEN
DO YOU DO GOOD WORKS? CHRISTIANS SOMETIMES OVER-
EMPHASIZE “SALVATION BY FAITH,” AND OFTEN
NEGLECTED GOOD WORKS. HOW CAN THIS BE
CORRECTED? AMONG THE ABOVE THREE KINDS OF FRUIT,
WHICH DO YOU HAVE MORE OF, AND WHICH IS LESS? WHY
DO YOU HAVE LESS OF SOME?
D I S C U S S I O N
3. HOW CAN WE BEAR MUCH FRUIT?
A. BY AT LEAST TRYING, BEARING A LITTLE FRUIT,
BECAUSE OUR FATHER WILL “PRUNE” US TO BE MORE
FRUIT (V.2) GIVE EXAMPLES HOW OUR FATHER “PRUNES”
US.
1. HE “CUTS AWAY EVERY DEAD LEAVES” IN US BY
LETTING US MEET CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH OUR FAITH
IS TESTED AND BECOMES STRONGER AND VICTORIOUS.
B. BY BEING CLEANSED BY THE WORD OF GOD. (V.3)
HOW DOES THE WORD OF GOD CLEANSE US?
1.) WHEN WE READ (AND MEDITATE) THE WORD OF GOD
WE BECOME AWARE OF AREAS IN OUR LIFE THAT NEEDS TO
BE CHANGE, SUCH AS SHORT TEMPER, LAZINESS, ETC.
2.) C. BY ABIDING IN CHRIST (LIVING IN HIM) (V.4) WHAT
DOES IT MEANS TO ABIDE IN CHRIST?
1) BY SPENDING TIME READING AND MEDITATING
ON IT.
2) SPEND TIME PRAYING (AND COMMUNE WITH HIM
CONSTANTLY)
3) BEING SENSITIVE TO HIS GUIDANCE AND BEING
OBEDIENT TO HIM
D I S C U S S I O N
B. REASONS WE ABIDE IN CHRIST ( VV. 5-11)
1. IN VERSES 5 TO 11, JESUS GIVES SEVERAL REASONS
WHY WE SHOULD ABIDE IN HIM. WHAT ARE THE
REASONS?
A. BECAUSE APART FROM HIM WE CAN DO NOTHING
(V.5) GIVE EXAMPLES:
1) IF WE ARE NOT WALKING CLOSELY WITH GOD, AND
WE TRY TO SHARE OUR FAITH, WE BECOME A “CLANGING
CYMBAL”
B. SO OUR PRAYERS WILL BE ANSWERED (V.7)
C. WHEN WE BEAR MUCH FRUIT, OUR FATHER IS
GLORIFIED. (V.8)
D. BECAUSE OF HIS LOVE.(V.9)
HE LOVES TO BE WITH US. TALK TO US. DO YOU
LOVE TO DO SO WITH HIM TOO?
E. THAT OUR JOY MAY BE FULL (V.11) DO YOU HAVE
THIS JOY? IF NOT, WHY NOT?
D I S C U S S I O N
C. LOVE- IS THE CENTRAL INGREDIENT (VV.12-17)
1. NOTE JESUS REPEATED COMMANDMENT FOR HIS
DISCIPLE TO LOVE ONE ANTHER. IF JESUS COMMANDS
THEM TO LOVE, THEN WHAT PART OF MAN HE IS
APPEALING TO? – EMOTIONS, MIND, OR WILL? HAVE YOU
EXPERIENCED THIS KIND OF LOVE? SHARE
EXPERIENCES.
2. ACCORDING TO JESUS’ WHAT IS THE GREATEST WAY OF
SHOWING LOVE? (V.16) IN WHAT POSSIBLE WAYS
COULD A PERSON TODAY “TO LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FPR
HIS FRIENDS” . APART FROM DYING?
C O N C L U S I O N
WE, AS CHRISTIANS HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO
LIVE A FRUITFUL LIFE. BUT WE CANNOT BE FRUITFUL
UNLESS WE ABIDE IN CHRIST. TOTALLY WITHOUT ANY
RESERVATIONS. A CONTINUAL CONSCIOUS EFFORT TO
SUBJECT OUR MINDS, HEART AND SOUL INTO HIM.
BECAUSE APART FROM HIM, WE CAN DO….. NOTHING
ENCOURANGEMENT VERSES: ROM. 12:1-2; GAL 2:20;
PHILIPPIANS 4:13; 1 COR. 2:15; 2COR 5:17, HOSEA 6:6
