I Am the True Vine

The seventh and last I AM Jesus claimed for himself is “I AM the true vine” (John 15:1). As we read on in John 15, Jesus tells us more by saying, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned” (John 15:5 – 6 ESV). This is indeed a heavy statement with several things we need to look at.

Jesus shares this claim using an example of agriculture. He was probably walking by a vineyard with his disciples and uses the grapevine to illustrate that he is the source of life that sustains our life and allows us to produce fruit. Jesus points to the vine, the source of life for the attached branches. He draws the analogy of him being the vine and we who believe as the attached branches. If the branch is not attached to the vine it will not have life in it and will be gathered up and thrown into the fire to be burned. Jesus is saying that if we do not abide in him to draw life from him then we are dead and will be thrown, like a dead branch, into the burning fire of hell for ever.

Jesus also makes it clear that if we do not abide in him and draw life from him we will be unable to produce fruit. Examples of this fruit is found in Galatians 5 and is “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, [and] self-control” (Galatians 5:22 – 23 ESV). This kind of fruit is possible even when a believer is being persecuted. This life from Jesus provides a person with the ability to love the one that is torturing you, to experience joy in the midst of trials, and to show kindness when being mistreated.

What an awesome person Jesus is and the provision he has for those who come to him in belief is amazing. We have learned much about Jesus from these seven I AM claims but there is much more to learn.