Secrets of the Vine

Session 3: “No Fruit” to “Fruit” – A – Jn 15:2, 4, 6

Percent of Christians at each stage: 

no fruit (60) fruit (25 more fruit (10) much fruit (5)

Passage – Jn 15:2a

•  “Every branch in Me” is a believer in Jesus – (present active participle, linear, continuing) 2Cor 5:17
•  “Does not bear fruit” is a believer not bearing fruit currently - Jn 15:2a
•  “He takes away” is God’s parallel response to our poor productivity - Jn 15:2a

Pitfall

Does God do anything to you when you are not bearing fruit? Misconception: God does not intervene when you are not bearing fruit. Truth: God regularly intervenes to stimulate you to bear fruit.

• Your fruitfulness is hindered if you choose to sin - Rom 6:21a, 22
•  Your fruitfulness is hindered if you focus on riches and this world - Mt 13:22, Lk 8:14, 2Tim 2:3-4
• Your fruitfulness is hindered if you give into apathy Titus 3:14, 3:1

Principles of The Disciple

The Disciple Principle # 1 – God gets involved with believers making fruitlessness their ongoing choice.

•  “Take away” does not mean cut off, but lift up – (aeros, to lift up should never be translated cut off. The branch falls and gets into the dirt, and mud, where it gets no light from the sun. The vinedresser carefully washes the branch and ties it back up) - Mt 9:6b, and Mt 14:20
•  “Lift up” in the vineyard means to clean off and tie back up – the branch is far too valuable to cut off.
•  “Lift up” for believers means God seeks to restore constantly

The Disciple Principle # 2 – God intervenes in the life of the “no fruit” branch with disciplines.

• God disciplines every single member of His family - Heb 12:8
• God disciplines as a kind and loving Heavenly Father - Heb 12:9
• God disciplines when we need it, for our holiness and profit - Heb 12:10

The Disciple Principle # 3 – God disciplines progressively through Three Stages - Heb 12:5-6

• Stage 1 – God’s light discipline is called rebuke - 2Tim 3:16-17, Jn 14:8 (verbal or spiritual dimension, reproof, conviction of the Spirit, discomfort)
• Stage 2 – God’s medium discipline is called chastening - Heb 12:9-10 (correction which has an emotional dimension, distress)
• Stage 3 – God’s heavy discipline is called scourging - Jn 19:1-2, Mt 10:17 (meaning exactly what is says, bringing severe pain into a person’s life, which has a physical dimension, desperation)

What if a branch does not want to be picked up? Remember that God does not go directly to the belt, but goes through a discipline process.

Conclusion: Isaiah 5:1-4