"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. ' John 15:4-5

Branches of the Lord - Our connection with the Father

Romans 5:8-9 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.

John 5:24“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. 

Colossians 1:23if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister. 

John 15:4-5Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

Types of the Vine

1. Wild Vine
2. Alien or strange Vine
3. Noble Vine
4. True Vine
   
5. The VinedresserVinedressers cultivate and maintain grapevines.A vinedresser is an agriculturalist involved in the daily pruning and cultivation of grapevinesPruningPest ManagementIrrigationHarvest
   
6. The Branches: The FruitsPsalms 25:14. The friendship (or the secret counsel of the of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.Do not neglect the source of your abilities and strength that is the Holy Spirit.Psalm 119:2 tells us, “Blessed are they who keep his statues and seek him with all their heart.” And Jesus said the greatest commandment is to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27)

1. Some characteristics of the Vine
2. They cannot stand on their own. Vines need other structures for physical support, they cannot support their own weight.
   John 15:4Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.Acts 17:28, for “‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, “‘For we are indeed his offspring. Philippians 4:13. I can do all things through him who strengthens me 

1. Vines have larger water-conducting vessels in their stems than those of many other plants, ensuring survival in times of drought - It is the water that sustains the plant and gives it the strength -Ephesians 5:26that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,
   Isaiah 44:3. For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendant. Ezekiel 17:7, Titus 3:5- 

1. Vines have remarkable tensile strength, tensile strength the greatest longitudinal stress a substance can bear without tearing apart, a resistance to pulling and breaking is one of the signature characteristics of vines, has the ability to streatch to the limit without breaking - meaning it is capable of any tension, ductile -1 Corinthians 10:13No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
2. To encourage more fruit to grow, vines needed regular pruning; failure to prune a vine resulted in the growth of more leaves and wood - John 15:2,3
   John 15:2Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.2 Timothy 3:16All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
3. Vines invest energy in facilitating movement to further growth, instead of building tissue
   “but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.” II Peter 3:18 NKJV
4. They are able to spread out horizontally and mount up vertically
   - Ezekiel 17:6, and it sprouted and became a low spreading vine, and its branches turned toward him, and its roots remained where it stood. So it became a vine and produced branches and put out boughs.Acts 1:8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
5. The FruitsWhen you bear fruits on the vine your clusters will be pressed for graves to serve the king - Genesis 40:9-11 Genesis 40:11 - the choice vineGenesis 40:10,11and on the vine there were three branches. As soon as it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and the clusters ripened into grapes.Genesis 40:11Pharaoh's cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup and placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand.”Mark 12 - The Lord’s people as the vineyard to whom H?e sends His servantsWhen You are in Him He is Your Anchor