Thank you for joining us at Key Life Fellowship for her Pulpit
Ministry, podcast. Each sermon on this podcast is
from our 11 a.m. Sunday service.
We are glad that you have joined us digitally, but would love to
see you in person on Sunday mornings at either 9 a.m. or 11
a.m. Now, let's open God's word and
ask him to reveal his truths for our lives.
If you want to go ahead and turn into the 15th chapter of John's
gospel, as we look at a message entitled to day life in the
True, Vine lies in the True Vine.
We're going to see here in this fifteenth chapter of John Jesus
last. I am statement those of you who
have been in the study for any amount of time.
You have seen the importance of the I am statements of Christ.
He took that Greek term, ego eimi and he coupled it with
descriptions of himself. Many of those descriptions being
borrowed from the Old Testament types and pictures that we saw.
If you would take that term Eggo I me which was establishing
himself as Jehovah God in flesh. That statement I am was borrowed
and it was borrowed from the Old Testament.
We know they're at the burning bush.
When God had his conversation with Moses and he commissioned
Moses and Moses says, when I tell him all these instructions,
who do I tell them? Sent me, he said, you tell him.
I am that. I am sent you.
It is Jehovah. God, Yahweh who sent you and
Jesus borrows that statement. Yahweh from the Old Testament
egg. Oh, I I me, I am and we've seen
many of his I am statements in the study through John.
We're going to look as I said at the last one today, which is
very important. But in chapter 6, if we were to
take a quick review, we saw the first one.
Where Jesus said, I am the bread of life ego, eimi.
Yahweh is the bread of life and I am a he always standing here
before you the bread of life. He compared himself to the
picture of the Mana during the time of The Exodus in the
wilderness. He said that was pointing to me
and now I'm here, John chapter 8, we see Jesus in a second.
I am statement. He said, I am the light of the
world. I'm the one who exposes the
darkness. Okay, he borrows from the Old
Testament where he would be that Pillar of Fire by Night leading
God's people. He says, I am the light of the
world chapter 10, Jesus makes another.
I am statement. He says, I am the door and
making the statement that I am the door.
He was stressing that he is the only entrance in the only access
to fellowship with the father. He's the door, the only access
and he took us again in our minds, back to the Old Testament
where you would go into the temple.
And there was that location of the holy of holies, which was a
picture of the dwelling of God, and there was one curtain one
door. Jesus says, I am the door and
the door that allows you to access fellowship with the
father. Then we see again in chapter 10
and his next, I am statement. He said, I am the Good Shepherd
and I guarantee you this every Jewish boy and every Jewish
girl, who was listening to the preaching of Jesus, on this
immediately had their minds turn to the 23rd.
Psalm We're just stated the Lord, is my shepherd, the Lord
is my shepherd, He wanted them to understand that Shepherd that
the psalmist pointed to it. Is he the Christ, he said ego,
eimi, the Good Shepherd and the Good Shepherd, then in the 11th
chapter There at the tomb of Lazarus.
Lord proclaimed. This he said, I am the
resurrection and the life that there is no resurrection, and
there is no true life apart from me, I am the resurrection, I am
Yahweh who brings life to the dead, just as Isaiah and
Ezekiel, both testified, during their Earthly Ministry, he
testified that he is truly The god of the living, the god of
the dead, he brings the dead life.
Then in chapter 14, we see Jesus.
Make the next, I am statement one that we are very familiar
with. He said I am the way, the truth
and the life. I am the way to the father.
I am the true way to the father and I am alive from the father
and no Man comes to the father, but by me, he says by Design.
I am the way, the truth, and the life.
In each of these statements, Jesus was declaring for us
again, his deity, the fact that he truly was God incarnate, who
laid down his full Glory only to be veiled in his Humanity, still
being fully, God and fully man. We know that the illogically as
the hypostatic union and you can't make it make human sense
because it's so Supernatural. It that is who he truly.
Is. And here in this fifteenth
chapter he is going to give another one.
Remember the setting of where we are.
We are leaving the upper room after last week.
You said, come now let us leave he's leaving the safety of the
upper room and he's taking his first step toward the cross
after that Passover, his first step toward becoming the
sacrificial lamb, that the very Passover that they had just
observed pointed to and somewhere between, That Upper
Room. There in the Garden of
Gethsemane where he would be betrayed with a kiss, be
unjustly, arrested unjustly accused unjustly, tried and
unjustly murdered somewhere between there in the Garden of
Gethsemane. Jesus teaches another lesson to
his disciples. He teaches that lesson with
this. I am statement I am The True
Vine. I am the True Vine.
Jesus is going to take an analogy or a metaphor and he's
going to describe some things to his disciples.
He's going to in his description counter all of the false
ideology of the day. The false ideology of the day
said that Israel is the true vine.
They are the ones who are truly connected to God and if you're
not connected, To Israel, if you're not a Jew or a converted
Jew to Judaism, then you are not connected to the vine of God at
all. Jesus is going to contradict the
common ideology of Judaism. Along with his Proclamation that
he is the true vine. He's also going to explain
exactly what that means. Exactly what that means and
exactly who this lesson pertains to.
And why it pertains to them. He's going to answer questions
for us. Who are the dead branches?
Who are the fruit? Bearing branches.
What does all of the details of this passage?
What does it mean to us? And what does it teaching us?
We put it in its context. We're going to see exactly what
it means. What Jesus is teaching here.
So let's turn there together in John chapter 15 verse 1.
Now read verse 1, all the way to the verse 8 and then we will
come back and discuss. The Lord is teaching here.
He said, I am the True Vine and my father is the gardener 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 You are already clean because of the
word I have spoken to. You remain in me and I will
remain in you no Branch can bear.
Fruit by itself it must remain in the vine and neither.
Can you bear fruit unless you remain in me?
I am the vine and you are the branches.
If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit.
Apart from me, you can do nothing.
Then if anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that
is thrown away. And Withers, such branches are
picked up and thrown into the fire and burned.
If you remain in me and my words, remain in, you ask,
whatever you wish and it will be given you.
This is to my father's Glory that you bear much fruit.
Here's the important thing in the key to interpreting this
correctly, the last statement here showing yourselves to be my
disciples. I want you to understand this
teaching comes on the heels. Of Lazarus, the apostate who is
never a True Believer at, although he appeared to be in
the vine, all of the other disciples were shocked that he
wasn't in the Vine. And this is coming right on the
fact that Judas has left to betray Christ and this is the
disciples in Christ himself for the first time in Jesus Earthly
Ministry after the calling of his disciples.
The first time that they would make a public appearance without
Judas. Iscariot And as he's known and
everything that he's taught, he knows the hearts and the minds
of his followers. Was Judas a Believer who lost
salvation. We're going to see that's
absolutely not the case as many want to distort, this passage to
say. Was Judas once a part of the
vine and then his bad Deeds. Made him.
Not a part of the vine. That's not what this passage is
going to say. Was it that Judas was an
apostate from the beginning? Never a True Believer.
Never truly coming to saving faith in Jesus Christ.
Only playing a role, a dead branch.
Hiding out in the living Vine. We're going to see that.
That is more accurately. The depiction that Jesus is
going to paint for us here. He would not paint the picture
of anything less than eternal security, because John has
established. And in the last 14 chapters that
no one shall pluck. You, if you are truly in Christ,
from the father's hand, and so we see here, there's a
theological debate that surrounds this passage and it's
like any other theological debate that surrounds any
passage. It's because we don't put it in
its proper context. We must put this in the context
of chapter 15, but we must also put it in the context of John.
We must also put it in the context of the entirety of
scripture. if you are truly his by faith and faith alone, you
will always be sure and Lee his So when John chapter 15, we see
the first thing that I want us to pick close attention to today
in verse one that small first part of one, the vine of Christ.
The vine of Christ Jesus says I am the True Vine.
Now in saying that I am the True.
Vine Christ is distinguishing himself first, he still
distinguishing himself as God when he says I am he's letting
them know. Once again you have nothing to
fear, you do not need to be troubled.
I know all things, I see all things, I'm Sovereign over all
things. I am.
Oh, to here, that should have been great rest for his
disciples to know that the Great I Am.
Incarnate. Was there with them on this
darkest of nights? And he lets them know.
I am distinguishing himself as God once again, as if we have
not seen this enough in John's gospel, do you think that John's
intention was to highlight for us?
The deity of the Lord. Jesus Christ.
I assure you. It was Here's John.
I am the True Vine. Quoting Christ. so that we
understand that he is distinguishing himself as God,
but not only that as the True Vine, As the True Vine he does
this as a word of warning to his audience.
Please go back and research this his audience.
Were Jewish men had. He's speaking to here who their
whole lives. They have been taught in error
that God loves the Jew and he doesn't love anyone else.
That you must be. In Judaism or you're not in
fellowship with God, you must obey the law or you have no
relationship with God. Here Jesus is going to teach
them something. Something in this one statement
he's saying I am the True Vine. It is a word of caution.
Why is it a word of caution? Because he's cautioning them
against false or counterfeit Vines, Israel still thinking
That they were the vine of God. Had already rejected their
savior. Had already.
Made a conscious decision to remain in a state of unbelief.
He's conscious, he's causing them to be conscious of the fact
that there is And there are false and counterfeit Vine
specifically here. Talking about Israel, who was
once. The vine of God.
Jesus uses an analogy here to draw a distinction between
himself and apostate. Israel, those who didn't have
any true Faith at all. Who were just going through the
motions living. A legalistic standard, always
falling short. Can I assure you in this and
promise you this? Today if you live tried to live
up to a legalistic standard, you will always fall short.
That is why it is imperative that we preach, the grace of
God, in Salvation in the grace of God, in Salvation, Alone.
Jesus painting this picture for them of the True.
Vine is using this metaphor to distinguish himself from
apostate. Israel did you know the Old
Testament confirms that Israel was once referred to as a vine
in fact, in Isaiah chapter 5 verse 1, It's as I will sing for
the one. I love a song about his
Vineyard. My loved one had a Vineyard on a
fertile Hillside and he dug it up and clear to the stones and
planted it with the choicest vines, and he built a watchtower
in it and cut out a wine press as well, then he looked for a
crop of good grapes, put it yielded only bad fruit?
Oh, that's consistent with Jesus.
Teaching that a good tree Bears. Good fruit and a bad tree, only
Bears, Bad fruit. Now you dwellers in Jerusalem
and Men of Judah judge between me and my Vineyard, what more
could could have been done for my Vineyard than I have done for
it. When I looked for good grapes.
Why did it yield only bad? Now, I will tell you what I'm
going to do to my Vineyard. I will take away its hedge, and
it will be destroyed. I will break down its wall, and
it will be trampled. I will make it a wasteland,
neither pruned or cultivated, and Briars and thorns.
Thorns will grow there and I will command the clouds not to
rain on it. The vineyard of the Lord
Almighty is the house of Israel. And the men of Judah are the
garden of his delight. And he looked for justice, but
he saw Bloodshed for righteousness, but heard cries
of distress, Jeremiah says this in Jeremiah chapter, 2
referencing the Vine, Was 21. He said I had planted you like a
choice. Vine of sound and reliable
stock. How then did you turn against me
into a corrupt wild Vine? He's pointing out the unbelief
in the apostasy of Israel. I planted you with promises and
with the word. And yet, your yielding.
Corrupt crops like a wild Vine. Psalm 80.
The psalmist writes this as we have already read in our
scripture reading for the day, you brought a vine out of Egypt,
you drove out the nation's and planted it.
You cleared the ground for it and took root and filled the
land. The mountains were covered with
its shade in the mighty Cedars with its branches.
It sent out its bows to the see it's shoots as far as the river.
Why have you broken down? Its walls so that all who pass
by pickets grapes bors from the forest.
Ravaged, it creatures of the field feet on it.
Return To Us. Oh God.
Almighty. Look down from heaven and see,
watch over this Vine. The root, your right hand has
planted the sun. You have raised up for yourself.
Your Vine is cut down. It is burned with fire at the
rebuke at your rebuke, your people perish.
Boy, once fruitful Vine known as Israel.
Was now a waste land because of unbelief because of idolatry
because of sin. They were no longer that choice
Vine that the vinedresser had planted their Jesus is making
this distinction and it's a very important many times when we go
to the Old Testament for references when many lose
interest don't lose interest. Science, sure, you can't
understand the New Testament, less you read it in light of the
Old Testament and it is Christ. They're saying to them, What you
think is the true vine? It's not the True Vine at all.
In fact, what was once that vine?
That was flourishing? As departed in unbelief.
John chapter 1. We saw this here in verse 11,
speaking of Jesus, he came to that which was his own Israel.
But his own did not receive him. Why did they not receive him?
I mean, we've seen it over and over again.
In John's gospel, how can they deny that Jesus was truly the
Messiah. He made it evident Because they
were in a state of darkness and unbelief no longer end, the True
Vine, Matthew chapter 21, Jesus gives us another Parable in
reference to the vine using these agrarian terms if you
would flip over there to Matthew chapter 21 and we're going to
read it together. Verse 33 to 43.
He says, listen to another Parable.
There was a landowner who planted a Vineyard and put a
wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower.
Then he rented the vendor to some farmers and went away on a
journey. When the Harvest Time
approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his
fruit attendants, seized his servants, they beat one killed
another and stoned a third, and then he sent other servants to
them more than the first time in the tenets.
Treated them the same way. Last of all, pay attention to
what Jesus is saying here. Last of all, he sent his son to
them, they will respect my son, he said, but when the tenants
saw the sun, they said to each other, this is the air, come,
let's kill him. Take his inheritance so they
took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.
Therefore, when the owner of the Vineyard comes, what will he do
to those tenants, he will bring those wretches to a wretched
end, they replied and he will rent The Vineyard to other
tenants, who will give him his share of the crop and harvest
time. He's talking about the inclusion
of the Gentiles here. Don't miss it.
Jesus said to them, have you never read the scriptures?
The stone. The builders rejected has become
the Capstone, the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our
eyes. Therefore, I tell you that the
kingdom of God will be taken away from you.
Who's he talking to? He's talking about Israel?
Who thinks in this time that they are still Divine, it will
be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its
fruit. Their Jesus is again.
Speaking of the production of fruit, And so we see Jesus is
making sure that he is distinguished.
From the counterfeit Vine from the vine, who was still
pretending to be in God, when they're not in God at all, they
have chased after idolatry and sexual immorality.
They're in fact because of their unbelieving.
Hearts cut off from everything that is God.
Jesus is making it very clear, cautioning them that he is the
true vine. He is that true vine.
He is cautioning them of that fact, warning them if you would
Jesus hears establishing the reality known as true Israel.
The true people of promise. Those are the ones who have
faith in Christ. Those are the ones.
Were truly in Christ, not by observing the law.
Not by fulfilling the law, not because of their lineage, or
their Heritage, or their traditions.
They are of the True Vine only by grace alone, through faith
alone, in Christ alone, apart from any human effort or human
religion. In fact, Paul addresses this in
Galatians chapter 2. Verse 16 says, I know that a man
is not justified by observing the law but by faith in Jesus
Christ. So we too have put our faith in
Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and
not by observing the law because Bible observing the law, no one
will be justified. He's making that very clear.
That's what Jesus is doing here in John's fifteenth chapter,
he's making it very clear that you will not be justified by
observing the law. That's not being a part of the
True Vine. I am the True Vine just as I am
the way and the truth and the life.
No man comes to the father, but by me, so he's cautioning
against false or counterfeit vines that may arise.
Paul addresses, that in Romans chapter 9, he says this in verse
6, it's not as though God's word had failed for not all who are
descended from Israel or Israel. Nor because they are
descendants. Are they Abraham's children?
Watch what he says here on the contrary.
Jesus is saying, on the contrary, though you think that
your lineage and your heritage through Judaism is the key to
knowing god. On the contrary It is through
Isaac that your Offspring will be reckoned.
In other words, it is not the natural children who are God's
children, meaning, natural Israel, those are can trace
their Roots all the way to Abraham as these people in his.
They thought he's saying it's not those children but it is the
children of Promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring,
what does that promise? That promise is eternal life,
and forgiveness of sin, and salvation in Christ, and In
Christ Alone. Use caution against falsehood
counterfeit Vines. He's also calling attention to
his exclusivity to his exclusivity.
I know that's a word. We don't like to use that.
Jesus is the exclusive and only way to the father but he is
nothing is going to change that he's using this metaphor to
remind them of this. There's but one true vine. and I
am, he and I am alone. I am the True Vine.
You have no connection to God. Apart from Jesus, me say that
again, so that everyone can hear you have no connection to God
apart from Jesus. Now, before you get liberal in
your thinking, let me tell you what the liberal theologians
say, aren't we? All just children of God.
No. We're not just all children of
God, you must be graciously placed into the vine of Jesus
Christ, so that you bear fruit for God.
If he doesn't graciously place you there, you are not a child
of God, you're a child of sin, and you were a child of Satan.
Just as I once was before, I was redeemed in Christ.
He's calling their attention to his exclusivity.
Why it's important that you see that today?
Wasn't popular, then. It's not popular now.
You know, this that under the Roman persecution Christians
were not killed and martyred and persecuted because they followed
Christ. But it was because they followed
Christ alone, though, they would have accepted their Jesus.
Had their Jesus been seen as another God, or another goddess
or some other type of Idol. But Christians were persecuted
under the Romans, because they would not bow to Artemis.
They would not bow to the Roman Emperor.
They would not bow to the Greek gods and goddesses that have
carried over from the Greek culture.
They were persecuted because of their stance in Christ alone.
It is an exclusive message in any other gospel.
That is preached. That is not exclusively limited
to Christ and Christ alone for salvation is not a Biblical
gospel. The American ideology that says
we're all just trying to get to God in our own way.
Your own way, is going to send you directly to hell.
Do not pass go and do not collect $200.
But it is in Christ alone. His teaching his disciples.
I am the True Vine. There is no other I know when we
take that stand in our culture, today, we are quickly hated,
aren't we? Quickly hate it.
But we must remind people. But if they're not in Christ,
they're enemies of God, they are alienated from God, they are cut
off from God. Just as I, once was before, I
was included in Christ. Say that seems harsh cautions
1:21 says. Once you were alienated from
God, And we're enemies in your mind's because of your evil
Behavior. I assure you and guarantees this
fact that when Kirk Hall was in his sin, I was cut off from a
holy God. I was alienated from him and I
was his enemy because of my wickedness, I am thankful that
God in his sovereignty. Love love one of his enemies
enough to rescue me from myself. The grant me forgiveness and
mercy so that I could be included in this True.
Vine of Jesus Christ, there's but one way to God, Jesus is
making that clear. Once again that way is the true
vine. Jesus is that true vine.
It is from him that all blessings from God.
The Father flow is from him that we access everything from the
father, his grace, his Mercy, his forgiveness.
Eveness his adoption as Sons and Daughters is reconciliation.
His Redemption. His restoration has promised
eternal life. Those we sing just a moment ago,
Jesus Christ Our Living, Hope the hope that we have flows from
the one true vine. Jesus Christ is the vine of
Christ. How important it is that we see
that today as he starts this text with that then.
Secondly, we see the father's cutting.
Fathers cutting verse 1. The second part he says, I am
the True Vine and my father is the gardener and this analogy,
he places the father and the position of the gardener so that
we can understand this. And he says this, 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 He then tells his disciples, you are already clean
because of the word I have spoken to you.
What is Jesus saying here? He's saying that the gardener,
the father. He cuts, I want us to examine
the father's cutting here today because it's often misunderstood
he caught. Well, how could such a loving
soft and weak impotent, God, that we have created in our mind
in the culture that we live in? How could he cut anything watch?
It's obvious how he cuts Hebrews chapter 4 tells us this.
Describing the word of God for us for the word of God. 4:12 is
living and active sharper than any double-edged sword.
It penetrates even even to dividing Soul and Spirit joints
and Marrow. It judges the thoughts and
attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is
hidden from God's sight, everything is uncovered and laid
bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account the
father does. Cutting, it seems appropriate
that he would do the cutting with the sword of his word.
What is this time? We entertained.
The thought the sword of the word.
It's seen through scripture as a sword.
We talked about the word of God, it cuts here, the author of
Hebrews describing it as a double-edged sword.
Could it be that one Edge is for the purging of the unbelievers?
The other Edge is for the pruning of the true believers.
I find a consistent with scripture.
I could find a consistent with this analogy that Jesus is
making. Let's look at that first as the
father cuts. Let's look at the purging of the
father's knife. The purging of the father's, not
if it's by his word. That God, justly removes and
condemns, the wicked and the unbelieving.
One day at that, great, white Throne, judgement by his word.
The wicked will be condemned forever.
Did you know even in our time when his word is complaint
proclaimed. When it is preached, there will
be a constant purging of unbelievers, even from within
our fellowship. I have confidence in this and we
preach the word of God, unashamedly.
People will either believe or they'll leave.
And when they leave because they cannot endure sound Doctrine and
sound teaching, I assure you have promise you.
We will not chase after them. Because it is through the word,
the father is purging them. He say, well, Pastor don't you
think that we ought to make our church a place for the lost?
People can come in and feel comfortable.
Absolutely not. It's contrary to scripture, the
church is for the believer. The Believers are to come here
to be strengthened by the word of God.
We're going to see in a moment, pruned, so that you can go out
and you can share the gospel. Purging, the wicked from the
world, and bringing them into the church, not the opposite of
that. Well, I just believe in being a
little more Seeker, sensitive not me.
I believe in being a little more gospel-centered.
Because there's no lost. Wicked person who seeks God.
There's no no one righteous. No, not one.
No one seeks after him as Paul declares in Romans.
The father's word purges, when his word is proclaimed.
There's a purging that takes place, John chapter 6, we see
this, John 6:65, if we go back there in our minds and remember
when we were studying through John, chapter 6 and verse 65, we
saw this, he said he went on to say, this is why I told you that
no one can come to me unless the father has enabled him.
Jesus preaching on Sovereign Grace there.
That no one can come to him unless the father and Abel's
them to come. It can't be any clearer than
that. Watch what it says in verse 66,
Jesus preached, the hard truth of the sovereignty of God in
Salvation. Watch What Happens Next from
this time, many of his disciples turned back and no longer
followed him. We must ask the question.
Why did they no longer follow him?
Because the word of God purge them.
They refuse to believe the truth of the word of God.
They were purged. By The Cutting that double-edged
sword. Make no mistake here.
Word of God. Purge them make no mistake.
It is the word of God. That purged Judas.
That poser, that imitator. Just prior to the upper room
discourse as we saw as we traveled through John, it was
his word that purging. It was Jesus who said go do what
you have to do and by the word that was spoken from Christ
Judas left. Jesus told him to do something.
He purged him from within. His word is constantly
separating. and purging the goats from the Sheep purging the
goats from the Sheep, the True Believers from the false
believer, But isn't this the danger of modern Christianity?
Modern Christianity, distorts the word of God, so much that it
doesn't offend anyone not even an unbeliever.
You're an unbeliever here today. It ought to offend you because
I'm going to tell you the truth. You are a sinner, you're
destined to hell and judgment apart from a gracious.
God saving you this morning that ought to bother you.
I pray that it bothers you to the depths of your soul, as the
word of God Cuts. You is there's two ways that he
could Purge. He can Purge You by sending you
out this last time. Never to hear the gospel again.
You stepping off in and drifting off into final apostasy just as
Judas did. And he could the preaching of
the Gospel today. Purge you from darkness and
bring you into light, but is the cutting of his word that does it
in modern Christianity. We don't want to offend anyone
with the word of God. We have to clean it up.
Seemingly apologize for God on every difficult issue.
I'm thankful that I get to a pastor a church that I don't
have to apologize for what God says.
We just look at it and here's what God says and because God
said it it's the word of God. Therefore we were required to
follow the teachings of the scriptures.
Unfortunately. Some are purged.
Some are purged by the truth. Well, I'm never returning to
that Fellowship again. I don't like what they say.
I find it ironic that someone would say they don't like what I
say. When I simply just read the text
of scripture, what you really say is, I don't like the word of
God. It's cutting me it's and it is
and it's cutting you to purge you for a movie.
You see, Curtis isn't, this isn't part of the church growth
manual in 2023. No, throw that thing away.
Here's the church growth manual. We need 66 books of a church
growth manual. You know what?
The apostles preached decreased, the hard teachings of Jesus
Christ. And you know what he did?
He purged the unbelievers from within them and we're going to
see next that he prunes the True Believer.
See the word of God, she the purging of the father's knife in
regard to the wicked and the unbelieving.
We're in verse 6. It says that he removes them.
They're thrown away withered the picked up cast Into the Fire and
burned. They have no use in the kingdom
of God because he didn't belong in the kingdom of God to begin
with. just as Judas, did not We see the pruning of the father's
knife next. Again, he uses his word.
It is pruning by his word, he cleans and he purifies all True
Believers. Look what he said there in verse
3, verse 3, he let them know this, you are already clean
because of the word I have spoken to you, for three and a
half years. They have listened to the word
of God, being spoken to them. This word clean is the same root
word that we get the word that he uses for purged.
Purge. When we look at that.
Tells us something that should give us great assurance.
A great Assurance is that his word has already cleaned?
At those of us who are in Christ, he is already purged us
out of the world and has placed us into the True Vine, the Lord
Jesus Christ and there's going to now then be a continual
purging. This is speaking of our
positional sanctification are positional purging or your set
apart for God. But it's also speaking of our
continual purging that continual sanctification that is going to
go on in the life of every True Believer.
Is assuring his followers? That unlike Judas.
They are really in the vine and they have been pruned by the
word of God. They are made clean through the
washing of the water. Of the word. 1st Peter 1 verse
23, speaks of being born again for you, have been born again
not of perishable seed but of in perishable and how through the
living and enduring word of God. How is a person born again?
How were the disciples born again, not by some fairytale or
some myth? They were born again by the
proclamation of the truth. Of the word of God, the word of
God was spoken. God in his grace and his Mercy
through the power of His Spirit sovereignly, regenerated them to
Faith and repentance. They believe they trust in
Christ and they're clean. He prunes us all.
He proves his own and how does he do it by placing us in a
position that we can grow and mature?
You're here today? Not because this is a cool place
to be. If you're a True Believer,
you're here today because God is Sovereign, we placed you here so
that he can continue the pruning process so that you can grow and
you can mature in Christ. Why are you going through a
trial in your life? Because it's part of the
pruning. Why are you suffering?
As part of the pruning, why is their perseverance in your life?
It's part of the pruning. And in that is going to produce
greater fruit in your life so that he can receive greater
glory. His desire, the True Believer
who is in the True Vine is that they're pruned to a point where
they are growing in all areas of the fruit of the spirit.
Paul reminds us of the fruit of the spirit in Galatians 5:22.
The fruit of the spirit is love joy, peace, patience.
Kindness goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control
against such things. There is no law.
Who's in word things, I promised will eventually come out of your
life. As he is doing a work in, you in
the area of gentleness internally.
Where the holy spirit says, maybe you shouldn't have talked
to that person in that tone, maybe you should have had that
attitude that you had eventually as he cuts You by The Sword of
the truth of the word of God and he prunes you eventually. the
fruit of gentleness is going to come to full fruition in your
life, you're going to see great fruit because he is pruning you
I can stand here before you today and say that, I'm thankful
for the pruning. Knife of God.
That knives, that won't let me be who I once won.
It was constantly cutting away, everything in Kirk all that does
not look like Jesus Christ. Why am I thankful for that?
Because it's great assurance that I am truly his for those.
He foreknew he predestined, he predestined them to conform it
to the image of his son. Man cannot believe in the
predestination and election of God and not believe that God is
going to carry out the plan that he sought to carry out through
that. The plane that he sought to
carry out through that was to conform and me to the image of
Christ. That means everything that looks
like Kirk Hall. The word of God is constantly
cutting against and cutting off and removing why so that I can
bring glory to God and looking like Christ.
So what happens in the life of a True Believer?
Just prune. So we see the father's cutting.
We see his grace in that in the lives, those of us who know
Christ, then we go to the next portion in Verses 4 through 8.
The True Believers continuance. This is really where the rubber
meets the road theologically and understanding that this passage
is in no way saying that a person can come to Christ and
then later lose salvation and then be out of Christ, that's
impossible. Wouldn't be Grace at that point
in time, if it's not Grace, it's not biblical salvation.
So get rid of it. In verse 4.
The Lord says remain in me and I will 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 the vine? Remember what he's saying?
Remember when he sang it just hours after Judas has walked out
on the visible group. That was there for three and a
half years, he's walked down. Jesus is saying look, if you
remain in me you're in me. If you don't remain to me,
you're not in me. Jude is proved by his going out
that he wasn't really in Christ just as John declares in first
John that they went out from us because they were not of a same
John, who's noting these things here?
He says I am the vine. You are the branches.
If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit.
Much fruit apart from me, you can do nothing.
If anyone does not remain in me, his like, a branch that is
thrown away. And Withers, such branches are
picked up thrown into the fire and burned.
If you remain in me and my words, remain in you ask,
whatever you wish and it will be given you.
This is to my father's Glory that you bear much fruit showing
yourselves to be my disciples. What the evidence of the
disciple is He bears fruit, if he doesn't bear fruit, he was
never really a disciple at all. In fact, the fruit that Judas
board was bad fruit, and Jesus already taught on this bad
trees, bear, bad fruit, good trees bear.
Good fruit. And that good fruit is, fruit of
righteousness and obedience to God in Christ.
What is he talking about here? Let me make it for Everclear.
He is talking about the doctrine known as the preservation of the
Saints. But the doctrine known as
persevering Faith, what does that Doctrine?
Teach us that Doctrine teaches us that someone who is truly in
Christ will persevere and continue in Christ forever.
And for always, because they are preserved by the grace of God.
How do I know this is true again, John 6:37.
He says this all that the father gives me will come to me.
And whoever comes to me, I will never drive away, write that
down, never drive away. The Father, Here, sink, cutting
dead branches is not driving away.
People who were once, Believers, he'll never drive them away.
He is cutting away, the posers, the imposters, those who have
false professions of faith, He says, for I have come down from
heaven, not to do my will, but to do the will of him who sent
me and this is the will of him who sent me that I shall lose
underline. It none of all that he has given
me, but raise them up at the last day for my father's will,
is that everyone who looks to the son and believes in him
shall have eternal life and I will raise him up at the last
day. Jesus is making it clear.
As crystal clear as possible, your preserved by the grace, and
the will of the father, you aren't preserved because you
persevere, you persevere because you have been preserved.
I pray that everyone knows the difference.
There are many people who are trying to persevere in faith by
their own will power. That's not perseverance and
Faith. You haven't yet, been preserved.
when the grace of God, preserves you, It is a spirit of God. who
Empower you to burst persevere in faith as long as you have
breath in your body, so, if you're truly in Christ, Would be
marked by some things. He makes this clear in this
analogy. The first thing is continually
abiding in Christ continually abiding in Christ.
The apostate like Judas will outwardly seem to be in Christ
or in the vine but is actually a dead Branch who Bears no fruit.
And will not abide forever. Again. referencing John's first
epistle, he says, in chapter 2, Verse 19 that they went out from
us. But they did not really belong
to us. He goes on to say, for if they
had belonged to us, they would have remained with us.
Why? Because they have been preserved
by God's grace and God's preservation of Grace leads to
God's perseverance in faith, but they're going it showed that
none of them belong to us. They never Belong.
I assure you today. Listen to my voice.
If you walk out this door and you say I once believed but I've
never believing again, you never really believed. because Grace
grabs, you Grace keeps you Grace.
Hold you and it holds you to the end and preserves your very
soul. And in that you will persevere
in faith in this life, it is a continual abiding in Christ.
It is the opposite of Judas Iscariot.
The True Believer will abide in Christ.
Preserved by God's effective. Known as is efficacious Grace
proven by the holy. Spirit's empowerment.
To continue pressing on Mark of a True Believers that True
Believers going to continue to press on in faith.
No matter what this life throws at them.
They will remain in faith in Christ.
Never to deny their trust in him and him alone in the hope that
they have. Because of him, it's continual
biting and Christ, but it's also seen in this text constant
dependence upon Christ. Look at verse 5 constant
dependent upon Christ. I am the vine.
You are the branches, the man remains in me and I in him, he
will bear much fruit. Then he says, apart from me, you
can do nothing. You can't bear fruit.
That brings God glory apart from Jesus Christ.
There must be a constant depending upon the Vine.
If you are in your own effort, trying to produce the fruit of
the spirit as defined in Galatians.
Chapter 5, you are going to fall miserably short.
Because Christ said, apart from me, you can do nothing.
The True Believer will depend on the nourishment from the vine.
Know what? Great nourishment we receive
from being in Christ. Those of you who are in Christ,
know exactly what I mean your spirit Bears witness to it.
Even now how he nourishes us because we are his He leads us
into works of righteousness for his name's sake for the glory of
the father. True Believer.
Will understand that any good in him or her Any good in him.
There are her at all is the result of the fact that they
have been connected to the Vine. That the good that is in them is
the good of the vine, not the good of themselves.
I find it ironic that so many so called Christians can take
credits. So often for the things that God
has obviously done himself. But we're truly connected to the
vine. We know this that he is our
source that anything good in US comes from Christ.
That we can do nothing. Not one single thing that honors
God apart from the vine of Jesus Christ.
Nothing over you today. Who are here who are not in
Christ. You can do nothing.
Nothing that will get you any reward in heaven of your own
strength, nothing that will lead others to faith in Christ in
your own strength. Nothing that will produce love,
joy, peace patience. Kindness goodness gentleness and
long-suffering nothing. It all must come from the
nourishment of the vine. He's making that clear the
constant dependence upon Christ The Vine And then the consistent
production of Godly fruit. The consistent production of
Godly fruit. A True Believer will have
evidence in their lives and out of their lives.
Evidence of righteous fruits of obedience toward God and God's
will John 14:15 we just were there just a few lessons ago.
What did the Lord teach us? If you love me.
You obey my commands. If you're truly in the vine, you
will live in an obedient life unto Christ producing works of
righteousness as you are connected to the Vine.
To prove this point. I don't seek to tell you some
catchy story or illustration or give you some example from my
life. Can we go to the scriptures to
see that this is true? But every other idea is alive
produced by mankind because there are many people who say
that Jesus can be Lord, Our Savior and not Lord.
Then later at some point in time, become Lord.
I guess, that's when you finally started obeying him, can I help
you? That's when he became savior to.
We look at consistent production of fruit.
In a life of a True Believer. we go to the scriptures and we go
to another parable of Christ that he makes this so clear.
Mark chapter 4 verse 3. It says listen a farmer went out
to sow his seed as he was scattering the seed, some fell
along the path and the birds came and ate it up.
Some fell on Rocky places where it did not have much soil,
sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow, but when the
sun came up, the plants were scorched and they withered
because they had no root. Other seed fell among Thorns
which grew up and choked the plants so that they did not bare
grain. Still other seed, fell on good
soil, came up grew and produced crop multiplying, 30, 60, or
even 100 time. I know what many say they're,
why are you telling us we're not farmers?
Good news is you don't have to be a farmer to understand this.
Because God in his sovereignty allowed, Jesus to give you the
interpretation there right at Mark chapter 4, the 13th
birthday. It says this, the 13th verse
then Jesus said to them. Don't you understand this
Parable? How then, will you understand
any parable? The farmer says the word.
Some people are like seed along the path where the word is sown.
As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word
that was sown in them. What that looks like in our day
and time that person who hears the preaching of the truth of
the Gospel. Like, you're hearing today, you
hear it. And before you can absorb it,
because you cannot absorb it on your own Satan, snatches, it
away from you, you walk out the door and you carry on with your
lost sinful life. One Step Closer to an eternal
hell. 4:16, says, others like seed.
Sown on Rocky, places. Hear the word and at, once they
receive it with joy. These are those people who that
here and they said this seems like a good idea.
Do they like the benefits of Christ?
Do it seems good. I get eternal life.
I get forgiveness. My slate is wiped clean all.
This is good stuff. but since they have no root, But since I
have no route, they're not really connected to the True
Vine since they have no root. They last only a short time.
They don't persevere. When trouble or persecution
comes because of the word, they quickly fall away, he began to
think where your weird because you're going down there with
those church people doing Church things.
Oh no, I'm not going down there anymore.
I'll hang with you guys again. Sorry, I walked down on all you
guys and all the things that we do and all the sin that we
participate in, I'll come back to the Grove of wickedness and
leave the Grove salvation. Still others, like seed, sown
among Thorns, hear the word, but the worries of this life, the
deceitfulness of wealth. And the desires for other
things, come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful, some
hear the word. When you hear the word today,
that Jesus Christ can set you free through his atoning,
sacrifice through his death, his burial and Resurrection, he can
forgive you of all of your sin. He can wash you clean
completely. He can make you in.
Right standing with God, the Father, your creator.
He will prepare for you. A dwelling place for all
eternity. Auntie in his presence, who
would turn that down? There are those who will
entertain it today? They'll say, yeah.
It sounds like a good idea. Until we get to the party, you
must leave all of your sin. You must lay down your very
rights disown yourself. Isn't that what Jesus said, If
any man wants to come after me, let him deny himself and take up
his cross daily. When we start preaching
self-denial and suffering? Now, wait a second.
You mean I'm going to have to change.
Oh I can assure you, if you're in the vine you will change to
be in Christ. You are a new creation.
All the old is gone and behold all things have been made new
This person is not in the vine, just sounded good for a moment.
In verse 20, there's hope it says, others like seed, sown on
good soil, hear the word accept it and produce a crop 30 60 or
even 100 times what was sown True Believers going to see
fruit in their life and why did they see fruit in their life?
Because they hear the word of God and do it cuts.
Know what offends, they hear it, and they accepted as truth.
And how do they accept it? As truth is if their own accord.
Noah, Sovereign. God opens their blind eyes so
they can see. This is the truth that Kirk all
is the most wretched scoundrel who has ever walked the face of
the Earth. But there is a loving God who
loved Kirk Hall before the foundations of the earth and he
prepared a ways. So that Curtain Call could be
saved through his only begotten son, who has sacrificed that he
made at Calvary for me and for all who would believe, and trust
in him, That person, truly believes that person is truly
saved and then the result of that is true fruit.
He says some of it 30 60 or even 100 times what has been sold Oh,
I don't encourage you today to look at the amount of fruit
that's being produced. In another person's life, I
encourage you today. Look at your life and see if
there's any fruit being produced in it.
Because if you were living life apart from Divine, there is no
true fruit in your life. You are a withered dry Branch
only deceived into thinking that you belong in the vine and you
will be removed and you will be purged.
Because you were useless to the kingdom of God, as I once was
before his grace rescued. Me and made me useful for his
glory. 1st, John chapter 2. John says, this verse 3, we know
that we have come to know him if we obey his commands.
The man who says I know him but does not do, what he commands is
a liar and the truth is not in him.
What is fruit. So BD and acts of righteousness.
Those those obedient acts of righteousness are produced
because the fruit of the spirit has been produced in your life
love joy, peace, patience, kindness goodness, gentleness
and long-suffering and if that is true and it is effective in
your life. What is going to happen is Deeds
are going to come out of your life.
Those will be Deeds of obedience brings glory to God.
But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made
complete in him. This is how we know we are in
him. Whoever claims to live in him
must walk as Jesus did. Walk as Jesus did love joy.
Peace patience. Kindness goodness, gentleness
self-control. Consistent production of Godly
fruit. 2nd Timothy 2:19. Nevertheless God, solid
foundation stands firm sealed with this inscription. the Lord
knows those who are his well that's why the Lord could make
the distinguish. The distinguishing factors in
knowing, which ones to cut and which ones to prune, he knows
who are his You can identify them, he knows them.
The Lord knows who those who are his and everyone who confesses
the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.
You turn away from wickedness and you turn to righteousness,
that righteous fruit. That is produced in Christ and
in Christ alone because you are in the vine support from him,
you can do nothing. To be a fruitless Christian.
Is to be no Christian at all. You can quote me on saying that
I'm not here to make friends. I'm here to tell you the truth.
To be a fruitless. Christian is to be no Christian
at all. It's like claiming to drink a
glass of water that is not wet It is that ridiculous.
Why is it ridiculous? Because the word of God is true.
Everything else is a lie. The word of God stands Jesus
himself said not everyone. Who says lord lord lord, Matthew
7:21 shall enter the kingdom of heaven.
But only, he who does the will of my father.
He says your mirror profession that you're in.
The vine, doesn't make you in the vine.
There must be evidence that you are in Divine.
What is evidence that you are invited is obedience to Christ.
It is obedient fruits of righteousness coming forth out
of your life because you have been positionally Sanctified.
And now you are being practically Sanctified that is
throughout all of the New Testament scriptures that is the
teachings of Christ. That is the teaching of the
apostle. If you're in Christ.
You will produce fruit to some measure because that fruit is
being produced in and through you by the hand of a sovereign
God. And so I ask you this question
as we prepare our hearts to close.
Are you in the Vine? The Vine.
Are you here is well, how do we know he gave us the evidence?
And how we know Is a fruit or begins with that.
Internal fruit to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
Love joy, peace patience. Kindness goodness, gentleness
and long suffering. Then extends beyond that,
doesn't it? That external righteousness
where you and your behavior are different from a lost sinful
World. Your set apart to bring God
glory. Why it is his will that you
produced much fruit. It's his will that you submit to
his pruning through the word of God.
That you take every opportunity that you can to sit under sound
Biblical teaching that you take every opportunity that you can
to open up the scriptures for yourself to see those things
that by his word. He is.
Pruning from your life. Or you in the Vine.
Is there evidence that? That is true.
I didn't ask you are in, are you in the vine?
Because you walked in aisle. One day and prayed a little
prayer. I'm asking you are you and the
vine because the evidence that you can see proves that you're
in the vine you producing fruit, it brings God glory.
Is he doing a work in? You does that work evident or
are you a dead lifeless branch? a pretender on the verge of
final apostasy as Judas was Are you a dead lifeless Pretender?
Who will be cut away in purged? And thrown into the fire.
The way I see it. They're only two options.
From scripture this morning. You are a in Christ.
The True Vine. Are you Abby apart from Christ?
I would encourage you this morning at the Spirit, reveals
to you that you are living your life apart from Christ.
I would encourage you to know this at 2000 years ago.
Jesus, Christ died on a cross. In the place of every person who
will believe man, woman boy, and girl who will believe and trust
in him. He died in their place so that
they can be included. And in grafted into the True
Vine by faith today. Would you trust Jesus as your
lord and savior turning from your sin and turning to him and
him alone? As the only one who died on a
cross to pay for your sin to save you from the misery in the
Eternal death that your sin has calls.
Would you cry out to Jesus today?
They to save you. I assure you that the word of
God says that for whosoever shall call upon the name of the
Lord. They shall be saved.
If you opened your eyes to date to see your need for salvation,
he points you to the fact that you are a sinner and he points
you to the answer. Jesus Christ, the only one who
can save you from your sin. I pray today that you see that
as a work of God, drawing you out of sin and drawing you to
himself. Would you cry out today?
Would you be saved? And when you be forgiven and
granted the eternal life that Jesus Christ died for you to
have here is called today. My faith surrender to that, call
surrender to Jesus Christ as your lord and savior before it
is Everlasting too late. Father, in the name of Jesus, we
come to you, thanking you for your word.
But we know that it is a double edged sword.
And it cuts. It cuts.
Dividing Soul and Spirit, even to the marrow.
It cuts deep. God, I pray for those who are
lost today, who are being cut by the conviction of your Holy
Spirit, showing them that they need Christ.
I pray that they not be purged from the vine today but that you
and your grace wouldn't graph them into the True Vine.
The Lord Jesus Christ by saving their soul.
What I pray for each believer. Who's here today?
That they would welcome. And rejoice in the pruning of
the word of God. when we hear those truths that are not easy
for us to absorb, God, I pray that they would see them for
what they are and they would Rejoice that it is you
fulfilling your promise, conforming us to Christ.
Maybe we yield to your spirit today and we yield to your word
today as you continue pruning us as Believers.
May we thank you and praise you for it.
Holy Spirit, we invite you now. Rescue centers.
To motivate Saints. The calls us all to come into a
position of worship and adoration for who you are?
We pray all these things in Christ's name.
Amen. Thank you for listening to the
key Life Fellowship. Hope it Ministry podcast, if you
would like to talk with one of our pastors, please email us at
info at Key Life Fellowship, dot org or call us at 28 1689 1604.
You can also visit our website Web site at www.ttil.tv.com, we
hope and pray. You have a blessed week and
remember you are light in the Web site at www.ttil.tv.com, we
hope and pray. You have a blessed week and
remember you are light in the