Free Bible lesson for kids · Parables of Growing
The True Vine
On the night before the cross, Jesus told His disciples that He is the true vine and they are the branches. A branch that stays joined to the vine bears much fruit.
- Bible passage
- John 15:1–17
- Big idea
- We grow good fruit when we stay close to Jesus.
- Memory verse
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
John 15:5 (KJV)- Ages
- Preschool to preteen (3 to 12), with tips for each age
- Time
- About 45 minutes
- Included, free
- Animated story film, coloring page, class sheet, teacher guide, questions and answers, a game
The story
Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman” (John 15:1). A husbandman is a farmer. The Father takes away branches with no fruit, and He trims fruitful ones so they bear more (John 15:2). Jesus said, “Abide in me, and I in you.” A branch cannot bear fruit unless it stays joined to the vine (John 15:4). Jesus said that “without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5).
If they abide in Him and His words abide in them, their prayers will be answered (John 15:7). Bearing much fruit brings glory to the Father (John 15:8). Jesus loves His disciples as the Father loves Him (John 15:9). His commandment is “That ye love one another, as I have loved you” (John 15:12). The greatest love is to lay down your life for your friends, and Jesus called His disciples His friends (John 15:13–15).
Read it in the Bible: John 15:1–17 (KJV)
1I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 7If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 8Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. 9As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. 10If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. 11These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. 12This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 13Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 15Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. 16Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. 17These things I command you, that ye love one another.
Questions to ask
Who is the vine?
Jesus.
Who are the branches?
We are (His disciples).
What can we do without Him?
Nothing.
What this story teaches
- Jesus is the true vine, and we are His branches (John 15:5).
- Without Jesus we can do nothing at all (John 15:5).
- God prunes us so we can bear more fruit (John 15:2).
- Bearing fruit brings glory to God the Father (John 15:8).
- Jesus showed the greatest love by laying down His life (John 15:13).
Jesus Is the True Vine
Jesus is the true vine. When we abide in Him, His life flows into us, and we bring forth much fruit.
John 15:5
A 45-minute lesson plan
| 5 min | Welcome and pray. Greet each child by name and pray: Ask Jesus to help us stay close to Him. |
|---|---|
| 10 min | The story. Play the story film: each verse appears on screen in the King James Version while the scene plays. Pause to ask what happens next. |
| 10 min | Talk about it. Ask the three questions below. Then ask: “We grow good fruit when we stay close to Jesus.” What does that mean for us? |
| 5 min | Memory verse. Say John 15:5 together, covering one word at a time until the children can say it alone. |
| 10 min | Activity. Younger children color the coloring page while you retell the story; older children do the class sheet (memory-verse fill-in, word search and questions). |
| 5 min | Pray and send home. Pray together and send the sheet home so families can talk about the first question this week. |
- Preschool: keep it short and physical. Act out the story, use a simple prop, and repeat the big idea in one sentence.
- Elementary: let children find the passage in their own Bibles. Ask “who, what, where” questions first, then “why.”
- Preteens: read the verses before and after the passage, and ask how this story fits the whole story of the Bible.
Game time
For kids · game · indoors · about 10 minutes
Vine Line
You need: Cones for a winding path
- The leader is the vine. The kids are branches and hold hands in a line behind.
- The vine leads the line along a winding path.
- If a branch lets go, it “withers” and sits down until the vine comes back and joins it in again.
Jesus said, “I am the vine, ye are the branches.” A branch joined to the vine bears much fruit.
For youth group · activity · indoors · about 15 minutes
Yarn Web
You need: A ball of yarn
- Stand in a circle. The first person holds the end of the yarn and tosses the ball to someone, saying one way that person helps them grow.
- Each person keeps hold of the strand and tosses the ball on.
- When the web is done, look at it: we’re all connected through Jesus.
“Abide in me, and I in you.” We grow when we stay close to Jesus and to each other.
Pray
Ask Jesus to help us stay close to Him.