“The Vine & the Branches”

By: Kendall Branton

Wednesday:

Read John 15:1-4
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off

every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 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.”

1. What analogy is being made in this passage? How does it relate to you?
2. Underline the word ‘clean’. Re read verse 3. What does that word mean to you?

3. What do you think it means to ‘bear fruit’?
4. Now re-read the whole passage, soaking in every word.

Challenge ~ Memorize verse 4 today! Reflect on what it means to “Remain in me…”

Thursday:
Read John 15:5-8

“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. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”

1. Underline what Jesus says YOU are. What does it mean to be the branch?

2. What kinds of branches are there?
3. Practically, how can we “Remain in the vine” (Remain in

Jesus) throughout the day?

4. Underline the word ‘glory’. Re-read verse 8. What does that word mean to you?
5. Now re-read the whole passage, soaking in every word.

Challenge ~ Today, do the things you answered to #3!!!

Friday:

Read John 15:9-11
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my

love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”

1. Underline every time Jesus says the word ‘love(d)’.
2. Jesus said the word ‘love(d)’ five whole times! What

does that word make you feel? Do you think its significant if it was used that many times & Why?
3. Jesus compares his love for you to how much God loves Jesus! How does that make you feel?

4. 5. 6.

How do you interpret, “Now remain in my love”? Why did Jesus tell you this?
What does this passage tell you about God & Jesus?

Challenge ~ Memorize verse 10 and reflect on how we can keep Jesus’s commands in our everyday life.

Saturday:

Read John 15:12-14
“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command.”

1.
you?
2.
3.
friends!!! He would and he did lay down his life for us, he loves us THAT much!

4. How are you loving the people around you? How can you

love those around you that are harder to love?
Challenge ~ Memorize this passage and go out of your way to love a friend today!

Underline the command. What does that command mean to

What does Jesus say we are if we do what he commands? Now re-read the whole passage. FRIENDS! We are his

Monday:

Read John 15:15-17
“I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17This is my command: Love each other.”

1.
2.
3.
‘appointed’. What do those words mean to you?
4. Jesus says the command again, “Love each other”. How do you process that as a command?

What is the difference between a servant and a friend? How does it feel to know that Jesus calls us friends? Re-read verse 16. Underline the word ‘chose’ and

Challenge ~ Reflect on the things that Jesus has taught you through your friendship with him & praise him for all that you’ve learned!

Tuesday:

Re-read all of John 15:1-17
1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 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.
5 “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. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything

that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.”

1. Underline your favorite verses from this weeks passage! Why were they your favorite?

2. How do verses 12-17 relate to the first verses 1-11?
3. Why do you think Jesus repeated himself a lot in this

passage?

4. What was your biggest take away from this passage as a whole?

Hii sweetest friends, I pray that the selah this week has encouraged you. Encouraged you to remain in HIM, and that you realized this is more than a “servantship” it’s a friendship that Jesus desires. Sometimes it is easy to forget that Jesus wants a true friendship with us. In a friendship you truly care about that person & what they think; the same way they truly care about you and what you think. Jesus commands us to love. It is easiest to love when we receive the Father’s love. A lot of times God is knocking at your door and all you have to do is open the door and let him in.

Jesus truly cares about you and wants to know your heart, and in the same way he wants us to truly care about him and to know his heart. You are CHOSEN. You are LOVED. & Because of Jesus we have the beautiful chance to love others the way he first loved us.

All my love, Kendall