Children Search Lesson 10 Vol 4_ THE TRUE VINE
Text: John 15:1-27
Jesus always uses what we know and familiar with to teach us what we do not know or to give us a full understanding of what we have not known very well. Like a teacher uses visual aids – symbols, drawings, materials and demonstrations, to help the students understand the subject, so the Lord Jesus Christ uses physical truths to make us understand spiritual things and heavenly messages easily.
In our Bible passage, Jesus wanting to teach us about the close relationship that must exist between Him and all His friends compared Himself to a big fruit-bearing tree called vine and all saved boys and girls as branches of this Vine.
To become a branch, a sinner must repent, ask for forgiveness and cleansing in the blood of Jesus and accept Jesus as his personal Lord and Saviour.
1. DESCRIPTION OF THE TRUE VINE AND HIS BRANCHES:
John 15:1,5; Hosea 14:5-8; Philippians 1:11
The vine is a plant whose stem requires support and which climbs by tendrils or twining or creeps along the ground (Merriam Webster). The most common vine of the Bible was the grape vine. The soil and climate of the land in Israel at that time were favourable to grapes. The vine always bears many fruits (grapes) which was commonly used for the grape drink or fruit of the vine.
While teaching His disciples, Jesus used the vine plant to illustrate His relationship with His friends. As the vine branches produce fruit while attached to the stem so also are friends of Jesus expected to remain with Christ and be fruitful.
In our Bible passage, Jesus categorically described Himself as the True Vine. While those who repent from sin and accept Him as personal Lord and Saviour are the branches. By remaining attached to Him as the Source of life, His branches produce fruit – love, joy, peace, longsuffering, goodness, meekness, temperance, holiness, humility etc.
God is the husbandman Who takes care of the branches in order that they may bear fruits. Jesus speaks of two categories of branches – fruitless and fruitful. The branches that cease to bear fruits are those who no longer have the life that comes from enduring faith in and love for Christ. These ‘branches’ the Father cuts off from the Vine.
On the other hand, the branches that bear fruit are those who have life in them because of their enduring faith in and love for Christ. These branches the Father trims so that they will become more fruitful. This means He will remove from their lives anything that hinders the flow of grace from Christ into their lives.
The lesson here is that sinners need to turn from their sins and receive a new life from Christ in order to become a branch of the Vine. Secondly, those who are friends of Jesus already must continue to love, serve and follow His steps daily. This is the only guaranty that they will grow and bear spiritual fruits.
2. DEMAND AND DUTIES OF THE BRANCHES:
John 15:1-17; Colossians 1:20-23; 1 John 2:3-6
Children that have surrendered their lives to Jesus and are daily doing His will are the branches of the True Vine. To continue to receive nourishment for their spiritual growth, the Christian child must do the following:
A) Abide in Christ – After giving your life to Christ, you receive eternal life and power to remain in Christ. It is now your responsibility to stand firm, continue and live to please Christ. Remaining in Christ demands that you (i) daily read God’s word, meditate on it, keep it in your heart and let it guide your word and actions.
ii) Maintain the habit of constant intimate communion with Christ in order to draw strength from Him.
iii) Obey His word and live by its precepts.
iv) Live a holy life all the time.
v) Resist all temptations to do bad and flee from every appearance of evil.
vi) Care for the needy, visit and encourage those who are sick.
B) Continue in His love – Jesus calls us to a life of holy intimacy and personal devotion to Him. This is possible because of God’s love for us which He has poured into our hearts. God shows His great love through Christ’s dying for us while we were still sinners. We remain in Jesus’ love by having sweet fellowship with Him through quiet time and obedience to His commands.
C) Preaching the gospel – All Christian boys and girls are called and commanded to bear fruits. This fruit-bearing refers to spiritual fruit (Galatians 5:22,23; Ephesians 5:9) and working for the conversion of others to Christ. This is one of the most important duty of all friends of Jesus. You must go out, tell sinners about the love of Jesus and show them the way to become a friend of Jesus.
D) Endure persecution – Jesus warns His friends of the reality of suffering for His sake. The world hates the truth, therefore they will always stand to oppose children who are standing for the truth. The comfort of the Holy Spirit will keep you and teach you what to do in time of persecution.
E) Uphold God’s righteous standard – Friends of Jesus as the branches of the True Vine must stand for and defend the truth. There is corruption in the society. You are to hold on to God’s word and spread the truth through your words and action. Jesus is the True Vine, He calls all boys and girls to come and become His branches. You must respond to this call and also remain with Him in order to bear fruits.
3. DIVINE CARE AND BLESSINGS FOR ABIDING BRANCHES:
John 15:5,7-17,26,27; Psalm 1:1-3
As the Lord warns of the danger of not abiding in Him, so also, He promises to bless those who will abide in Him. These promises are sure and cover all areas of our life. These promised blessings include:
i) Constant pruning – The branches that abide will be trimmed,
provided with spiritual manure to grow well (verse 2).
ii) Fruitfulness – The trimming will help the branches to produce more fruits (verse 3).
iii) Greater love from God the Father and God the Son (verse 9,15).
iv) Grace to abide and obey God’s commandments (verse 10).
v) Abundant joy, sanctification and holiness (verse 14,15).
vi) Privilege of friendship with Christ (verse 14,15).
vii) Abiding presence and comfort from the Holy Spirit (verse 26).
viii) Answers to prayers (verse 7,16).
ix) Deliverance from evil and victory over the world (verse 18-25).
x) Heaven at last.
If you want to partake in these blessings, you must become a branch of the True Vine. All you need do is to repent of your sins. Ask for forgiveness and cleansing of your heart with the blood of Jesus. Ask Jesus to come into your life to be your personal Saviour and Lord.
QUESTIONS:
1. _____________ is the True Vine.
2. Who are those referred to as the branches of the True Vine?
3. Mention the duties of the branches. __________________
4 What are the blessings of remaining with Christ? ___________
5. How can a sinful child become a branch of the True Vine?
MEMORY VERSE: “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.” (John 15:5)
LESSON: Obedience to God’s word will make a Christian child to be fruitful.
THOUGHT: I will obey God’s word so that I can bear good fruits.
ACTIVITY: A child who is good in drawing should be invited to draw a large picture of a tree with many fruits on the board. The children should be invited to label the fruits with reference to Galatians 5:22,23.
HOMEWORK: Children are to write in their homework book, five other spiritual fruits not mentioned in Galatians 5:22,23
CONGREGATIONAL SONG: GHS 245 – IS YOUR LIFE A CHANNEL OF BLESSING?
CHORUSES: (1) Keep me shining, Lord. (2) This little light of mine. (3) I can grow as Jesus grew.
BIBLE WORD SEARCH
Find the meanings of these words. You can use your dictionary:
1. Fellowship
2. Vine
3. Humility
4. Righteousness
5. Husbandman.
