I am the vine, you are the branches

The Verse of the Day for December 9, 2016 comes from John 15:5, 8 (NKJV) where we find the final metaphor used by Jesus to share a parable where he uses this comparison:

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

The Amplified Bible renders the verses in this way:

John 15:5, 8:

⁵ 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 ⁸ My Father is glorified and honored by this, when you bear much fruit, and prove yourselves to be My [true] disciples

This reference relates to the parable of the vinedresser, the vine, the branches and the fruit. That is, it explained how the Twelve were to produce a spiritual harvest for God.

John 15:1-8 records how Jesus, during the evening when he was betrayed and captured, said to the eleven apostles who remained at the table with him (Judas had departed and gone to betray the Lord), that his Father was a “vinedresser” (grape farmer), or “husbandman” as some translations have it, and that he, Jesus, was “the true vine”, and that those apostles were “branches” who were attached to Jesus, the Vine. In order to be fruitful the branches must “abide” in the vine. When the branches remain intact with the vine, God is glorified as the branches bear much fruit.

The Father’s desire that the lives of His children remain fruitful and bring glory to Him matches our desire to give glory and honor to God by the way that we choose to live. As believers, our heart’s desire is expressed in these lyrics:

Let our lives bring praise to you Lord, so the world will know that we are Yours.

Let our heart and soul sing of Your goodness.

May we proclaim each day new mercies and Your faithfulness.

As we apply Your Word and consider our ways,

May we praise Your name all of our days

 

Let our lives bring praise to you Lord, so the world will know that we are Yours.

When we arise in the morning, we greet You.

With the dawning of a new day we rise up to meet You.

When we begin with praise, somehow we always find

Throughout the day You are on our mind.

Let our lives bring praise to you Lord, so the world will know that we are Yours.

The photo shows a fruitful vine from a vineyard that illustrates the parable where Jesus describes himself as “the true vine.”

Steve Green offers another musical rendition of this metaphor that Jesus Christ uses to describe himself: “I am the Vine”:

He who abides in love abides in God

Revised and re-posted is the Verse of the Day for September 15, 2016 which is found in 1 John 4:16 in the Message Bible:

This is how we know we’re living steadily and deeply in him, and he in us: He’s given us life from his life, from his very own Spirit. Also, we’ve seen for ourselves and continue to state openly that the Father sent his Son as Savior of the world. Everyone who confesses that Jesus is God’s Son participates continuously in an intimate relationship with God. We know it so well, we’ve embraced it heart and soul, this love that comes from God.

The King James Version puts it this way:

And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

The Amplified Bible expresses the verse in this manner:

¹⁶ And we know (understand, recognize, are conscious of, by observation and by experience) and believe (adhere to and put faith in and rely on) the love God cherishes for us. God is love, and he who dwells and continues in love dwells and continues in God, and God dwells and continues in him.

In 1 John 4:8 we find an expression of who God is:

He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

Rendered in the Amplified Bible this way:

 He who does not love has not become acquainted with God [does not and never did know Him], for God is love.

For Christian believers nothing is more satisfying than to know that God is love and that God loves us, and nothing can separate us from that love.

Hillsong offers this reminder that “Our God is Love.”

In John 15:5, 8 NLT  we find parallel scriptures used by Jesus, who speaks of a parable where he uses this comparison:

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.

This reference relates to the parable of the vinedresser, the vine, the branches and the fruit. That is, it explained how the Twelve were to produce a spiritual harvest for God.

The passage from John 15 records how Jesus, during the evening when he was betrayed and captured, said to the eleven apostles who remained at the table with him (Judas had departed and gone to betray the Lord), that his Father was a “vinedresser” (grape farmer), or “husbandman” as some translations have it, and that he, Jesus, was “the true vine”, and that those apostles were “branches” who were attached to Jesus, the Vine. In order to be fruitful the branches must “abide” in the vine. When the branches remain intact with the vine, God is glorified as the branches bear much fruit.  When thinking of fruit, the fruit of the spirit comes to mind, and what is the principal fruit of the passage from Galatians 5:22-24? Love, as the Scriptures also remind us.

The accompanying photo shows a fruitful vine from a vineyard that illustrates the parable where Jesus describes himself as “the true vine.”  To conclude Mike Newlin offers another rendition of this metaphor: “I am the Vine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

He who abides in love abides in God

The Verse of the Day is found in 1 John 4:16 (NKJV):

And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

The Amplified Bible expresses the verse this way:

¹⁶ And we know (understand, recognize, are conscious of, by observation and by experience) and believe (adhere to and put faith in and rely on) the love God cherishes for us. God is love, and he who dwells and continues in love dwells and continues in God, and God dwells and continues in him.

In 1 John 4:8 we find an expression of who God is:

He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

Rendered in the Amplified Bible this way:

 He who does not love has not become acquainted with God [does not and never did know Him], for God is love.

For Christian believers nothing is more satisfying than to know that God is love and that God loves us, and nothing can separate us from that love.

Hillsong offers this reminder that “Our God is Love.”

In John 15:5, 8 (NLT) we find parallel scriptures used by Jesus, who speaks of a parable where he uses this comparison:

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.

This reference relates the parable of the vinedresser, the vine, the branches and the fruit. That is, it explained how the Twelve were to produce a spiritual harvest for God.

The passage from John 15 records how Jesus, during the evening when he was betrayed and captured, said to the eleven apostles who remained at the table with him (Judas had departed and gone to betray the Lord), that his Father was a “vinedresser” (grape farmer), or “husbandman” as some translations have it, and that he, Jesus, was “the true vine”, and that those apostles were “branches” who were attached to Jesus, the Vine. In order to be fruitful the branches must “abide” in the vine. When the branches remain intact with the vine, God is glorified as the branches bear much fruit. When thinking of fruit, the fruit of the spirit comes to mind, and what is the principal fruit of the passage from Galatians 5:22-24? Love, as the Scriptures also remind us.

The accompanying photos show a fruitful vine from a vineyard that illustrates the parable where Jesus describes himself as “the true vine.” We conclude as Laurie Sterling offers another musical rendition of this metaphor: “You are the Vine.”

Vine and branches: abiding in love

Found in John 15:10, the Verse of the Day for July 14, 2014 speaks of abiding or remaining in God’s love:

If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.

The verse is part of a passage that relates to one of the seven metaphors used by Jesus Christ to help his followers understand who he is and who he is called to be:

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. (John 15:5, 8 KJV)

This particular metaphor used by Jesus connects to a parable where he uses this comparison: “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.

This reference relates to the parable of the vine-dresser, the vine, the branches and the fruit. That is, it explained how the Twelve were to produce a spiritual harvest for God.

John 15:1-8 records how Jesus, during the evening when he was betrayed and captured, said to the eleven apostles who remained at the table with him (Judas had departed and gone to betray the Lord), that his Father was a “vine-dresser” (grape farmer), or “husbandman” as some translations have it, and that he, Jesus, was “the true vine”, and that those apostles were “branches” who were attached to Jesus, the Vine. In order to be fruitful the branches must “abide” in the vine. When the branches remain intact with the vine, God is glorified as the branches bear much fruit.

Jesus Christ concludes with this reference to abiding in God’s love:

⁹ As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

¹⁰ If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.

Fifteen years ago I recall spending some time praying in the newly painted prayer room at our church. On the wall was a beautiful poster of an enlargement of part of a vineyard with John 15:5 printed at the bottom of the 24 x 36 framed wall hanging. As I sat there and read the scripture, I was inspired to compose a scripture memory song with a melody that flowed freely:

“I am the vine, you are the branches.

“I am the vine, you are the branches.

“I am the vine, you are the branches.

He, who abides in me and I in him, bears much fruit.

For without me you can do nothing.

Without me you can do nothing.

Without me you can do nothing.

I am the true vine; you are the branches.

I am the true vine; you are the branches

The following photo shows a fruitful vine from a vineyard that illustrates the parable where Jesus describes himself as “the true vine.”

John Michael Talbot has composed a musical rendering of this passage performed here by Jon Mulkey:

I am the vine: Yet another metaphor

The Verse of the Day for December 9, 2013 offers yet another metaphor used by Jesus Christ to help his followers understand who he is and who he is called to be:

John 15:5, 8:

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

This particular metaphor used by Jesus relates to a parable where he uses this comparison:

 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.

This reference relates to the parable of the vinedresser, the vine, the branches and the fruit. That is, it explained how the Twelve were to produce a spiritual harvest for God.

John 15:1-8 records how Jesus, during the evening when he was betrayed and captured, said to the eleven apostles who remained at the table with him (Judas had departed and gone to betray the Lord), that his Father was a “vinedresser” (grape farmer), or “husbandman” as some translations have it, and that he, Jesus, was “the true vine”, and that those apostles were “branches” who were attached to Jesus, the Vine. In order to be fruitful the branches must “abide” in the vine. When the branches remain intact with the vine, God is glorified as the branches bear much fruit.

The following photo shows a fruitful vine from a vineyard that illustrates the parable where Jesus describes himself as “the true vine.”

John Michael Talbot has composed a musical rendering of this passage performed here by Jon Mulkey: