[Real Life] The True Vineနမူနာ

## Our Union with Jesus God uses the garden illustration to help us understand that He is God and not a peasant: * He wants to have a right relationship with us as we abide in Jesus Christ. * He also wants us to have a right relationship with other believers. * He wants us to know that as we walk in Christ, things are going to come against us. When we abide in Christ, we have communion, which will help us handle the persecution. The books of the Bible connect with each other to prove God’s points. In the first chapter of the Gospel according to John, John the Baptist tells us the first I AM statement about Jesus when he says that Jesus is the true Light. What is the first thing God created? Light! Genesis and John just connected to prove God’s point. Then in John chapter six, Jesus makes His first I AM statement when He says, "I AM the true bread." What did the Israelites eat when they were in the wilderness journeying through the exodus? Manna: bread from heaven. Jesus says He is the true Bread, and when we eat of Him we will never go hungry again. Jesus gives another declaration in chapter 15. He says, “I AM the true Vine.” This is the seventh and last I AM statement from the book of John. When we come to the Lord’s Supper table, we have bread and wine—the fruit of the vine. From the first to the last statement we declare who Jesus Christ is—He is God, not a peasant. When Jesus tells His disciples He is the Vine, He is saying, “I am a huge connection point to you.” In the book of Isaiah, we learn that the Lord is given a vineyard and Israel is supposed to be the true vine that blossoms with His fruit. Israel failed. Jesus took the place of Israel claiming to be the perfect vine. Israel’s redemption comes from Jesus. His obedience bears the fruit of righteousness. Salvation comes through Him. He is not a peasant. When we declare in our culture that Jesus is the true Vine, it means that He is the only way to heaven. He is not a vine, He is the Vine. He and the Father are One.