1. 1. THE VINE, John 15: 1 I am the True Vine When Jesus told His disciples the parable of the vine, He gave them the greatest lesson on 'Righteousness by Faith In Him' that (IMO) has ever been given! Many of the things God created on earth reveal great truths when viewed through the 'Heavenly Magnifying Glass'! Without that bright heavenly light, they are just shadows of those 'Heavenly Realities'. The reality of those Truths is made astonishingly clear to those who are searching for God's True Nature. We are going to dig deep, with the help of God's Holy Spirit, in order to glean every lesson that we can find. The above video/photos compliments of... General Education on Vineyard Management and Care, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MsUm-bMkIY How many times have we seen and admired the beauty of a vineyard and tasted the fruit strait from the vine? What we don't see is the care and nurturing that takes place for many years before the branches on the vine produce ANY of that wonderfully refreshing fruit!
2. 2. The fact is that a great deal of care is taken by the Husbandman of the vineyard to insure that each branch on the Vine brings forth the maximum yield that it can. It doesn't happen by accident. The difference between 'wild fruit', and fruit produced by branches that are nurtured by The True Vine, (& cared for by The True Husbandman) is astonishing. Take a look. Wild is on the left, just in case you hadn't guessed. The above video/photos compliments of... 'Napa Sustainable Winegrowing Group' Part 1 (of 5) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=St1W5dM9RkE Ps 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I like to think that David was resting under the shadow of a vine in the royal vineyard when he wrote that, and although it was many years before Jesus told the parable, I'm certain that David understood the need to remain connected to The True Vine. There are many beautiful and fascinating points to compare between the earthy vine and that of The True Vine. Until Jesus shared it with the disciples, and explained it all, I'm sure that it was a 'Heavenly Mystery' that had never been considered, let alone understood.
3. 3. What a blessing it is for those of us who were born after Jesus lived on earth. We will discover many things that The True Husbandman does in our lives to train us up from a tender shoot into a branch that bares fruit. We will also discover how certain 'things' that occur in our lives are a direct result of that training. It takes three years of care from the earthy husbandman before a branch on a newly planted vine can bare ANY fruit. Jesus started the parable by saying, I am the True Vine. I guarantee you that He not only instantly grabbed the attention of all who were listening, but there were not 'just a few' who's faces screwed up into a very quizzical look. This Heavenly Mystery, that Jesus taught using the earthly vine, will teach us a great deal about our need for a constant relationship with Jesus, The True Vine. That CONSTANTLY GROWING relationship with Jesus is the basic truth being taught here! It is through that Daily connection with Jesus, through prayer & the study of God's Word, that the revealing influence of God's Holy Spirit is allowed to work in 'the branch' ('you & me'). It is only Jesus, through His Spirit, Who can reveal these truths to us. In that peaceful quiet time we spend with God to start out each day, He shows us the mysteries of His Eternal Kingdom. These wonderful moments in time reveal His Perfect Love for us, and allow His Spirit to show us all the truths He want's us to understand. The major truth in this amazing parable IS the Third Angels Message. Righteous by Faith, IN JESUS ALONE! THERE IS NO OTHER MESSAGE! The next six words in John 15: 1, after, I Am the True Vine, are and My Father is the husbandman. What a fascinating deep topic this next one is!