What does Jesus mean when he says “I Am the true vine”?  What are the implications of this statement?

We can see vine imagery at several points throughout the Old Testament.  Read the following passages: Psalm 80, Isaiah 5:1-7, Ezekiel 15:1-8.  How do those passages help inform our understanding of Jesus’s claims in John 15?

Jesus commands his people to “abide in me”.  (15:4)  And then he proceeds to reiterate that command, and explain the promises that are attached to it.  What does it mean to “abide in Christ”?

This passage exhorts God’s people to bear fruit, as branches that are attached to (abiding in) the true vine.  What does it mean to “bear fruit” in our lives, as Christians?  What is the difference between bearing fruit and producing fruit?  Why is that distinction important?

What role does the Holy Spirit play in helping us to bear fruit in our lives as Christians?  How can we grow to depend more on the Holy Spirit in this area?

What is the fruit of the Spirit?  (See Galatians 5:22–23.)  How can we be cultivating the fruit of the Spirit in our lives?

There are several commands and points of application that we can find in this passage.  (Abide in Christ, bear fruit, keep Jesus’s commandments, love one another, etc.)  According to 15:11, what is the underlying reason why Jesus gave these commands to his people?

The Old Testament is full of hundreds of commands.  As is the life and ministry of Jesus, recorded in the gospels.  How does Jesus distill all of these commandments down into one overarching commandment?  (15:12)  (See also Matthew 22:34-40.)

Describe Jesus’s vision for a life that is fruitful.  Compare and contrast this with the world’s understanding of what it means for a life to be fruitful.

Jesus says that unfruitful branches are removed and destroyed (15:2, 6), and that fruitful branches are pruned, so that they can bear even more fruit (15:2).  What is the difference between being removed and being pruned?  How can pruning a branch actually help it to grow, and be more healthy?  What can we learn from this illustration about the discipline that we receive from God? 

Describe the role that suffering plays in the life of a Christian.  How does God use suffering to grow his people, and strengthen them?

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