Bible Study – I Am the Vine, You are the Branches
Share: Your highs (something that made you happy) and lows (something that made you sad) this week with others around you or write them down.
Easter - the unearned gift of grace. Of course, we cannot “figure it out.” How comforting, then, to have these scriptures, showing first how the disciples struggled to grasp what had happened and then stories of Jesus before the crucifixion, which are written in the light of the Resurrection.
As Easter people we know, as Paul said, that nothing, not even death, shall separate us from the love of God. We are people who expect life out of death. And so, in Eastertide we celebrate the wonder and prepare ourselves to take the awesome message out into the world on Pentecost.
We have work to do, but not as lone rangers. We are called to stay connected to the vine, faithfully and courageously reaching out, securely connected to the vine of life. We will probably experience some very painful pruning. Later, often much later, we will experience the fruit. Abiding in that vine, trusting in it, and accepting its confines, we will learn to want the appropriate things and be free to ask for them. The work we are given to do, we will be able to do joyfully to the glory of God.
Have you seen a vine, can you could describe it? (Are there vines growing on or near your church that you could look at?) Is there vines growing in your own yard? People who lived when Jesus was telling this story, knew about vines because most of them had vines growing near their houses.
Opening Prayer: Thank you, God, for the stories we have from Jesus that help us understand the love you have for us through Jesus. Amen.
Following are the definitions of some of the words in the story:
Abide: A fancy word for live. You could say, “I abide with my family at my house.”
Prune: Yes, a kind of fruit, but it also means cutting away stuff that is no longer producing. We prune the dead branches off our trees so those that are alive will be even healthier. We also prune things that are interfering with the work we have to do. (For example, stop eating junk food and eat stuff that will help us stay healthy.)
Glorified: Means to be exalted and honored; to be praised.
Please open your Bibles to John 15:1-8 and read or read the scriptures below.
John 15:1-8
The Vine and the Branches
15 “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[a] 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.
Reflection Questions: (Answers at the bottom of the page)
- What stood out for you in this story?
- Can you figure out where we are in this passage. If Jesus were here, telling us this story, who would we understand is “the vine?”
- Who are the branches?
- Who might some other branches be?
- What other branches are on the Jesus vine?
Click here for the young learner’s lesson.
Videos (Click on url)
“I AM” The Vine and Branches Bible Story for Kids John 15: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btojLhvXzUc
Daily Gospel Reading Video – St John 15:1-8: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSh0TY0ax-Q
Gospel of John Summary – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-2e9mMf7E8
Song: John 15:5 – I Am The Vine – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRKcdyoeKs4
Activities:
Leaves and Grapes: Take a piece of construction paper and draw the trunk and bare branches of a tree using a brown marker. Then dip your hands into green finger paint to create the leaves of the tree. After the prints are dry, dip the tips of your fingers in purple finger paint to create clusters of grapes. When your picture is finished, write, “JESUS IS THE TRUE VINE AND WE ARE THE BRANCHES” at the base of the tree.
Vine Line: Take a sheet of white or light-colored construction paper and draw a long curvy line around the paper using a brown marker to represent a vine. Next, cut out small pieces of green construction paper in the shape of leaves and glue them at several places along the vine. Near the leaves, use your finger tips and dip into purple finger paint to make clusters of grapes. When your picture is finished, write “Jesus said, “I am the true vine.” at the bottom.
What ARE the concerns of our community? (Weather-related concerns like drought or floods; people needing jobs, people living alone and lonely.) Write them down and pray about it.
The True Vine - Crossword: https://sermons4kids.com/activities/the-true-vine
Branches on the Tree - Word Search: https://sermons4kids.com/activities/branches-on-the-tree-2
True Vine – Multiple Choice: https://sermons4kids.com/activities/true-vine-2
The True Vine – Jumble: https://sermons4kids.com/activities/the-true-vine-1
Branches on the Tree – Decoder: https://sermons4kids.com/activities/branches-on-the-tree-1
Prayer: Dear Jesus, you said “I am the vine, you are the branches.” Help me each day to see you more clearly, follow you more nearly and love you more dearly. Also help me to tell the world about your forgiveness and love. Amen
Answers to Reflection Questions:
- What stood out for you in this story?
- Let’s see if we can figure out where we are in this passage. If Jesus were here, telling us this story, who would we understand is “the vine?” (Jesus.)
- Who are the branches?
- Who might some other branches be? (Parents, siblings, extended family, friends, community members, teachers, etc.)
- What other branches are on the Jesus vine? (The other members of our community.)
