In John's Gospel
I am the Door (10:9) - To enter by I am the Way (14:6) - To walk in I am the Bread (6:47) - To feed upon I am the Shepherd (10:11) - To guide I am the Light (8:12) - To follow I am the
True Vine (15:1) - To abide in I am the Resurrection (6:25) - To wait for

One of the most important products of Palestine. The first mention of it is in the history of Noah (Gen. 9:20). It is afterwards frequently noticed both in the Old and New Testaments, and in the ruins of terraced vineyards there are evidences that it was extensively cultivated by the Jews. It was cultivated in Palestine before the Israelites took possession of it. The men sent out by Moses brought with them from the Valley of Eshcol a cluster of grapes so large that "they bare it between two upon a staff" (Num. 13: 23). The vineyards of En-gedi (Cant. 1: 14), Heshbon, Sibmah, Jazer, Elealeh (Isa. 16:8-10; Jer. 48:32, 34), and Helbon (Ezek. 27:18), as well as of Eshcol, were celebrated. The Church is compared to a vine (Ps. 80:8), and Christsays of himself, "I am the vine" (John 15:1). In one of his parables also (Matt. 21:33) our Lord compares his Church to a vineyard which "a certain householder planted, and hedged round about," etc.). Hos. 10:1 is rendered in the Revised Version, "Israel is a luxuriant vine, which putteth forth his fruit," instead of "Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself," of the Authorized Version.

The wine of the world is bitter poison to the soul and must not be drunk if we are to abide in the life of Christ. The wine of Christ is life.

THE VINE OF THE WORLD
Deut 32:30-33 How could one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had surrendered them? 31 For their rock is not like our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges. 32 For their vine is of the vine of Sodom and of the fields of Gomorrah; their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter. 33 Their wine is the poison of serpents, and the cruel venom of cobras. (NKJ)

THE WIFE AS A FRUITFUL VINE
Ps 128:3
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the very heart of your house, your children like olive plants all around your table. (NKJ)

THERE IS HOPE FOR A FRUITFUL VINE
Ps 107:28-38
28 Then they cry out to the LORD in their trouble, and He brings them out of their distresses. 29 He calms the storm, so that its waves are still. 30 Then they are glad because they are quiet; so He guides them to their desired haven. 31 Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! 32 Let them exalt Him also in the assembly of the people, and praise Him in the company of the elders. 33 He turns rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground; 34 A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of those who dwell in it. 35 He turns a wilderness into pools of water, and dry land into watersprings. 36 There He makes the hungry dwell, that they may establish a city for a dwelling place, 37 And sow fields and plant vineyards, that they may yield a fruitful harvest. 38 He also blesses them, and they multiply greatly; and He does not let their cattle decrease. (NKJ)

1. CHRIST IS THE VINE AND THE FATHER IS THE HUSBANDMAN
John 15:1
I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. (KJV)

2. AS THE HUSBANDMAN GOD PARTAKES FIRST OF THE FRUIT
2 Tim 2:6
The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits. (KJV)

3. THE FATHER IS PATIENT IN WAITING FOR THE FRUIT
James 5:7
Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. (KJV)

God brought a vine out of Egypt
Ps 80:8
Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it. (KJV)

God brought his Son out of Egypt
Matt 2:14-15
14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:
15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.

It's vital to the believer that they remain in the vine, if they are going to receive the life that is in Jesus. When the Lord said this, he was referring to an intimate relationship with him. Christ wants us to know that he is the only source of life and that apart from him we can do nothing.

Strength, power, nourishment, and vitality all come from one source and that is God. In order for the tree to receive the life that is in the water, its roots must go down deep into the soil. The Christian that wants to grow must be planted by the stream of water, and that water is the word of God. JA Jesus said that you cannot enter the kingdom of God unless you are born again by the spirit and water. Ephesians Chapter 5:26 says, "so that he might sanctify her, having cleaned her by the washing of water with the word". In the book of Titus you will also find this same thought, "He saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but because of his own pity and mercy, by the cleansing bath of the new birth regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit." [AMP].

Jesus here beautifully sets forth the spiritual oneness of himself and his people, and his relation to them as the source of all their spiritual life and fruitfulness. In that case, receiving none of the juices of the tree, no vegetables sap from the stem, it can bear no fruit. [JFB commentary]

So many Christians miss out on the real pleasure of abiding in the vine, because they do not tarry in it. For Christ to say that he is the vine means that he is the root of the vine, he is unseen and so are we. Our life is hidden with Christ; the branch has the same characteristics of the vine because the vine and the branches are one.

Our dependence is totally upon Christ and he alone. When an individual comes to this understanding, then the blessed eternal life will be imparted.JA Matthew Henry says in his commentary "those that are come to Christ must abide in him: Abide in me, by faith; and I in you, by spirit, for the Communion between Christ and believes never fails on his side".

In the book of Genesis, we have the record of God creating the world. But the Bible particularly emphasizes that the earth was without form, empty, wasted, no life, until the Spirit of God moved upon the waters. All who are apart from God have no life, they are empty without form until the Spirit of God comes into the heart and blows the breath of life into our spirit.

Adam became a living soul when God breathe his life into him. Think about this statement because we are so dependent upon God for every breath of life. All power has its existence and force in the life of God that is why he gives himself the title, "The living God."

The believer is often compared to as a tree in the Bible, because God wants to teach us a valuable lesson. Where does the tree get its life, it receives it's life source from the place where it is planted. We are planted in the house of God according to Psalms 92:13 "planted in the house of the Lord, they shall flourish in the courts of our God". The spiritual vitality of the Christian is found in the grace of God, for from the fullness of his grace we have received one blessing after another (John 1:17).

Fruit is simply the explosion, of the abundant life that comes from the vine. If the Christian is constantly being nourished by the life of the vine, then the results will be fruit. So next time you are eating fruit keep in mind that you are eating the abundant life of the tree.

The Father is very protective over his branches because he does not want any of them to perish, so he tends to it himself. He watches it to make sure that it is bearing fruit. Here in this particular passage of Scripture we see the blessed Trinity at work. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Father tends to the vine, the Son is the vine and the Holy Spirit is the fruit.

SCRIPTURES PERTAINING TO LIFE

John 1:4
In him was life; and the life was the light of men. (KJV)

John 3:15
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. (KJV)

John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (KJV)

John 3:36
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (KJV)

John 4:14
But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. (KJV)

John 4:36
And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. (KJV)

John 5:24
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (KJV)

John 5:26
For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; (KJV)

John 5:29
And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. (KJV)

John 5:39
Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. (KJV)

John 5:40
And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. (KJV)

John 6:27
Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. (KJV)

John 6:33
For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. (KJV)

John 6:35
And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. (KJV)

John 6:40
And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. (KJV)

John 6:47
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. (KJV)

John 6:48
I am that bread of life. (KJV)