I Am the Vine

This morning we are completing our series on the seven “I AM” statements of Jesus found in the book of John. In each of the “I AM” statements, Jesus revealed His divinity and His nature. So far, we have seen Jesus announce His identity as…
The Bread of Life
The Light of the World
The Door
The Good Shepherd
The Resurrection and the Life
The Way, the Truth, and the Life
In our text Jesus makes this profound statement concerning Himself, “I AM THE VINE.” Our text this morning is a continuation of the discourse of Jesus at His last Passover meal with His disciples. He is hours away from the cross. Some theologians believe that the words recorded in John 15 are the words of Jesus as He and the disciples make their way to Gethsemane.
The cultivation of vineyard was important to the life of the economy of Israel. A golden vine adorned Herod’s temple (could it be that Jesus made this statement as they passed the ornamentation?). When our Lord used this image, He was not introducing something new; it was familiar to every Jew.
Jesus is the “True Vine,” that is, “the original of which all other vines are a copy.” As Christians, we do not live on substitutes! The symbolism of the Vine and branches is similar to that of the Head and the body: we have a living relationship to Christ and belong to Him.
Of all the I AM statements, this is the only one in which the Master immediately tells us who we, as believers, are in relation to Him. He says, “I am the Vine, you are the branches.” These words of Jesus are rich with promise. Yet, it is a promise that is contingent upon our cooperation with Him. When you abide in the vine, there are promises that belong to you, but you must abide. Let’s examine these promises from the Scripture.