(a) How does John portray Jesus as the True Vine? (b) What two lessons do we derive from the relationship between Christ and His believers?

(a) John's portrayal of Jesus as the True Vine (John 15:1-17)

In the last of the great "I am" sayings, Jesus declared, "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser (husbandman)." He develops the picture as follows:

• The Father as vinedresser: God tends the vine, cutting off every branch that bears no fruit and pruning every fruitful branch so that it may bear more fruit.
• Believers as branches: "I am the vine, you are the branches." The disciples are already made clean through the word Jesus has spoken.
• Abiding as the condition of fruitfulness: "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, no more can you unless you abide in Me." Whoever abides in Him bears much fruit, "for without Me you can do nothing."
• The fate of fruitless branches: a branch that does not abide is cast out, withers, is gathered and burned.
• Fruit, prayer and love: if they abide and His words abide in them, they may ask what they will and it will be done; bearing much fruit glorifies the Father. Jesus commands them to abide in His love and to love one another as He has loved them, even to the point of laying down one's life.

(b) Two lessons from the relationship between Christ and His believers

1. Dependence on Christ is essential: just as a branch draws life from the vine, believers can do nothing and bear no lasting fruit apart from continuous union with Christ through faith, prayer and obedience.
2. Fruitfulness and love are proofs of true discipleship: those who abide in Christ produce good works and love one another; the barren and disconnected are cut off, so we must remain faithfully joined to Him.