I Am 06: “The True Vine”

John 15:1-4

Goal

This week’s discussion is about understanding who Jesus is by his statement, “I am the true vine,” so that we can continually remain in him.

Icebreaker

Tell the group about the best April Fool’s joke you have seen. Or, tell the group about a joke that you orchestrated.

Introduction: (Get the conversation started)

  1. Have someone pray out loud for your group and your time together.
  2. Where is the farthest place you have ever traveled? How was the trip?
  3. The world is connected more, traveling more, and changing more. Do you think it is hard for people to “remain” for a long time? (Ex: maybe remain at a job a long time, remain without traveling, remain in their marriages, ect.)
  4. If so, why do you think it is harder now to “remain”?
  5. In our lives, is there value to “remaining?”

Discussion: (Digging into the sermon)

  1. Have someone in your group read John 15:1-4. (You can continue through verse 17 for more context)
  2. In John chapters 1-12, we have stories that span 3 years of Jesus’ ministry. When we get to 13-17, it all occurs in one night. It wasn’t just any night though, it was the night before Jesus’ death. John intentionally slows down his timeline to focus on the death and resurrection of Jesus. It is that pivotal! In chapter 15, we are at the night before his death. Why is this important in understanding this chapter?
  3. Why does Jesus, in verse 1, say that he is the TRUE vine? Who or what was the vine before Jesus? (Hint: Isaiah 5)
  4. What does it mean, in verse 2, when Jesus says the branches that bear no fruit are cut off?
  5. Read Galatians 5:22-23. What is the fruit that should be evident in our lives if we are following Jesus?
  6. What does it look like for us to be pruned?
  7. In verse 4, Jesus insists that without the vine, we cannot bear fruit. How does Jesus produce fruit in our lives?
  8. How does this contrast to when we try to produce fruit?
  9. The vine, that is Jesus, does what we can’t. How can we do better to remain in the vine throughout our lives?

Closing Prayer

Have someone lead your group in a prayer that we will remember that, as followers of Jesus, we should always remain in him. When life gets crazy or our lives look like a mess, Jesus calls us to remain in the vine.