1 00:00:01,900 --> 00:00:13,800 John chapter 15. The Bible says Jesus speaking. 2 00:00:14,300 --> 00:00:18,100 This is really just a short time before he's going to be betrayed 3 00:00:18,200 --> 00:00:22,900 and crucified. I am the True Vine and my father 4 00:00:22,900 --> 00:00:26,400 is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not 5 00:00:26,400 --> 00:00:29,600 bear fruit. He takes away and every branch 6 00:00:29,600 --> 00:00:32,600 that bears fruit, he prunes that it may bear more fruit. 7 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:36,300 You are already clean because of the word, which I have spoken to 8 00:00:36,300 --> 00:00:40,500 you abide in me. And I, in you as the branch 9 00:00:40,500 --> 00:00:43,400 cannot bear fruit of itself. Unless it abides in the vine. 10 00:00:43,500 --> 00:00:45,700 So neither can you unless you abide in me? 11 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:49,900 I am the vine. You are the branches, he who 12 00:00:49,900 --> 00:00:55,100 abides in me and I in him Bears, much fruit for without me you 13 00:00:55,100 --> 00:00:58,600 can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me, 14 00:00:59,200 --> 00:01:04,200 he is cast out as a branch and is withered and they gather them 15 00:01:04,300 --> 00:01:07,300 and throw them into the fire and they are burned. 16 00:01:08,300 --> 00:01:12,000 If you abide in me and my words abide in you, you will ask what 17 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:15,600 you desire and it should be done for you by this, my father is 18 00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:17,600 glorified that you bear much fruit. 19 00:01:18,300 --> 00:01:21,900 So you will be my disciples as the father loved me. 20 00:01:21,900 --> 00:01:24,100 I also have loved you abide in my love. 21 00:01:24,400 --> 00:01:27,300 If you keep my Commandments, you will abide in my love. 22 00:01:27,300 --> 00:01:31,100 Just as I have kept my father's Commandments and abide in his 23 00:01:31,100 --> 00:01:33,600 love. These things I have spoken to 24 00:01:33,600 --> 00:01:38,400 you. That my joy May remain in you 25 00:01:39,300 --> 00:01:45,700 and that your joy may be full. I love that last verse tells us, 26 00:01:45,700 --> 00:01:48,200 something doesn't it? We probably could figure this 27 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:51,200 out. But God wants for you and God 28 00:01:51,200 --> 00:01:56,700 wants for me to have the best possible life even here on 29 00:01:56,700 --> 00:01:58,600 Earth. We think about heaven, we look 30 00:01:58,600 --> 00:02:02,400 forward to heaven and we should. But are we enjoying the best 31 00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:06,900 possible life that we can enjoy for a little sojourn down here? 32 00:02:06,900 --> 00:02:10,900 Where we have some of them? The keys that Jesus has brought 33 00:02:10,900 --> 00:02:13,600 and left for us and we're going to explore what it means. 34 00:02:13,700 --> 00:02:18,300 Means to abide in the vine, the vine and the branches as we 35 00:02:18,300 --> 00:02:20,400 pray. Thank you so much for praying 36 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:25,100 for Jill Burns. She's doing better and she's got 37 00:02:25,100 --> 00:02:28,900 a long ways yet to go. But also, if you would remember 38 00:02:28,900 --> 00:02:34,000 another boy, he's 10 years old. His name is Gideon patent as a 39 00:02:34,008 --> 00:02:37,000 very rare disease, and he's had this for some time. 40 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:43,500 It's gotten increasingly worse this week, he had to 40 minutes. 41 00:02:43,600 --> 00:02:47,900 Seizures within a short period of time prayers. 42 00:02:47,900 --> 00:02:51,100 Have been answered though he has been blinded for a couple of 43 00:02:51,100 --> 00:02:54,300 weeks and almost sleeping incessantly and he woke up 44 00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:56,900 today. I believe it was or yesterday 45 00:02:57,300 --> 00:03:03,400 and was conscious and apparently has Vision had returned but when 46 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:05,600 he tried to walk he wasn't able to do that. 47 00:03:05,700 --> 00:03:08,300 They have a long way to go. And so if you remember getting 48 00:03:08,500 --> 00:03:12,500 Gideon patent as well as Jill burns when you when you pray, 49 00:03:12,800 --> 00:03:14,800 certainly They are for airworthy. 50 00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:18,800 There's a damp damnable doctrine that dominates the 51 00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:23,600 denominational landscape. Every time you turn on the radio 52 00:03:23,700 --> 00:03:25,400 the TV. Are you look at the printed 53 00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:29,700 page, you're likely to read something about this idea. 54 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:32,600 It sounds beautiful. And it goes like this. 55 00:03:33,700 --> 00:03:38,900 You have eternal security and it's unconditional security 56 00:03:38,900 --> 00:03:41,200 there. Once you've become a Christian 57 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:46,600 that you can never fall, either heard one of the famous 58 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:50,100 television, and radio, syndicated preachers. 59 00:03:50,100 --> 00:03:54,600 Say that a person could actually be a Christian at one point and 60 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:59,900 then later be an atheist and still somehow be secure in 61 00:03:59,900 --> 00:04:02,300 Christ. Well this evening that is not 62 00:04:02,300 --> 00:04:04,700 the case but we do have Have eternal security. 63 00:04:04,700 --> 00:04:08,900 In John, 10, verse 28. We're told by Jesus, that, no 64 00:04:08,900 --> 00:04:12,100 one can snatch us out of the father's hands. 65 00:04:12,100 --> 00:04:16,700 But that's not to say that. If we choose that, we can't 66 00:04:16,700 --> 00:04:20,100 leave the father that we can't run away from him, we have that 67 00:04:20,100 --> 00:04:23,500 freedom until the very day that we die. 68 00:04:23,500 --> 00:04:26,400 And I hope one of the things you learned from this study and that 69 00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:31,500 sticks with you is the possibility of falling away from 70 00:04:31,500 --> 00:04:34,800 the faith. Well, we're in John chapter 15, 71 00:04:35,300 --> 00:04:39,200 the arrest in the garden is only hours away and only 24 hours or 72 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:41,400 less. Jesus will be crucified and he 73 00:04:41,400 --> 00:04:43,600 knows it. And so that makes the words that 74 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:47,400 we've just read, it will be reading back over even more 75 00:04:47,500 --> 00:04:51,400 pressing and interesting. Jesus. 76 00:04:51,400 --> 00:04:55,000 So often taught obscure spiritual truths through images 77 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:59,000 that were very familiar to his audience and what would be more 78 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:04,000 familiar to people living in that day and time and That place 79 00:05:04,500 --> 00:05:08,600 then a lesson from the vine. And you here in this area are 80 00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:12,300 certainly familiar with this idea and the image and probably 81 00:05:12,300 --> 00:05:15,100 know much more about this than then I do. 82 00:05:15,100 --> 00:05:17,200 But there are some lessons that we can draw simply from 83 00:05:17,200 --> 00:05:20,300 understanding and reading a little bit about what Jesus is 84 00:05:20,308 --> 00:05:23,300 talking about here. Jesus, so often Drew from 85 00:05:23,500 --> 00:05:27,700 lessons in nature, we read of the parable of the sower, the 86 00:05:27,700 --> 00:05:32,700 Fig Tree, we notice last night, I believe it was Matthew. 87 00:05:32,900 --> 00:05:36,900 Seven, verse 16 through 18. Jesus talked a lot about fruit 88 00:05:36,900 --> 00:05:39,900 and he has a lot to say in this place about fruit. 89 00:05:39,900 --> 00:05:42,700 You will know them by their fruits do men, gather grapes 90 00:05:42,700 --> 00:05:46,500 from thornbushes or figs from thistles, even. 91 00:05:46,500 --> 00:05:50,500 So every good tree Bears, good fruit and a bad tree Bears. 92 00:05:50,700 --> 00:05:52,700 Bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear. 93 00:05:52,700 --> 00:05:55,700 Bad fruit nor can a bad tree bear. 94 00:05:55,800 --> 00:05:57,700 Good fruit. One of the key words and our 95 00:05:57,700 --> 00:06:02,000 study tonight is fruit when you read through this study with me 96 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:06,700 and as we envision the teaching that Jesus has before us, I hope 97 00:06:06,700 --> 00:06:12,200 you will keep in mind the image of the vine and the image of 98 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:18,200 fruit big juicy healthy fruit but also fruit that is not what 99 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:21,000 it should be and even a Barren Vine. 100 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:24,200 Back to verse 1. Let's take this verse by verse, 101 00:06:24,500 --> 00:06:30,400 don't know how far we'll get. But verse 1 says Jesus speaking, 102 00:06:30,400 --> 00:06:34,700 I am the True Vine. Jesus is the vine. 103 00:06:34,700 --> 00:06:38,600 What brought this idea to Jesus mind Scholars have a number of 104 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:41,200 suggestions. One is the thought of the 105 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:46,300 Passover and that observance and and the fruit of the vine being 106 00:06:46,300 --> 00:06:49,600 there, that that would naturally suggest to Jesus, any kind of 107 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:52,800 illustration that he might want to present to them, some have 108 00:06:52,800 --> 00:06:56,300 suggested that it was the golden Vine that was in Graven on the 109 00:06:56,300 --> 00:07:00,000 temple that it was That that led Jesus to talk about and to 110 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:03,900 present this illustration. Others say it was just passing 111 00:07:03,900 --> 00:07:09,600 the grapevines that they would as they went on their Journey on 112 00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:15,300 route to get simony. Jesus says, I am the True Vine 113 00:07:15,400 --> 00:07:17,300 course. So many other sources today are 114 00:07:17,300 --> 00:07:21,000 pointed to is The Fountainhead of Abundant Living and 115 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:25,600 Enlightenment, some till still say it's Moses, others, say it's 116 00:07:25,600 --> 00:07:28,700 Muhammad still others. I say it's Buddha another say 117 00:07:28,700 --> 00:07:30,900 it's nature. Well, pleasure. 118 00:07:30,900 --> 00:07:34,700 And on the list goes with Jesus says, I am the True Vine people. 119 00:07:34,700 --> 00:07:36,800 Go on a lot of different directions looking for 120 00:07:36,800 --> 00:07:39,000 sustenance, looking for the good life. 121 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:42,800 But Jesus says, it's right here. It's right here with me. 122 00:07:42,800 --> 00:07:47,600 And then he says, and my father is the vine dresser here. 123 00:07:47,600 --> 00:07:52,000 I Think Jesus is suggesting the intimacy between the members of 124 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:55,200 the godhead, their Unity of purpose, and that the origin of 125 00:07:55,200 --> 00:07:59,900 the messiah's, work wasn't Idea. It's the father's he says my 126 00:07:59,900 --> 00:08:04,200 food or my meat is to do the will of my father and the object 127 00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:10,200 of Glory for any and all good fruit born by man, all goes back 128 00:08:10,600 --> 00:08:13,400 to the vine dresser it all goes back to God. 129 00:08:13,400 --> 00:08:16,500 Paul would say in 1st Corinthians, 3 Verse 6, I have I 130 00:08:16,500 --> 00:08:22,100 have planted Apollo's watered but God gave the increase and as 131 00:08:22,100 --> 00:08:25,500 we so often sing or have sung and the books that we used to 132 00:08:25,500 --> 00:08:30,700 sing from to go God be the glory for whatever good happens within 133 00:08:30,700 --> 00:08:35,000 the kingdom of Jesus Christ. My father is the vinedresser. 134 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:38,799 I believe that this suggests that God did more than just set 135 00:08:38,799 --> 00:08:42,200 things in motion at the beginning and just sat back and 136 00:08:42,200 --> 00:08:45,200 watched them happen. No, I believe he invest himself 137 00:08:45,200 --> 00:08:47,400 in the lives of Godly men and women. 138 00:08:47,400 --> 00:08:51,600 He's concerned about our progress and all of our 139 00:08:51,600 --> 00:08:55,200 productivity is rooted in him. And I think this also says, yes, 140 00:08:55,200 --> 00:08:59,400 that there is power in prayer. There he is, the vine dresser 141 00:08:59,400 --> 00:09:03,000 and what vinedresser would not do all he could to Foster the 142 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:08,700 most possible, abundant fruitfulness within the 143 00:09:08,700 --> 00:09:12,300 branches. Philippians 2 verse 13 says, it 144 00:09:12,300 --> 00:09:17,100 is God who works in you both to Will and to do for his own good 145 00:09:17,100 --> 00:09:18,800 pleasure. I don't know how to explain all 146 00:09:18,800 --> 00:09:22,100 of this but I know that the good that we accomplished, it takes 147 00:09:22,100 --> 00:09:24,500 place because of God working in US. 148 00:09:25,300 --> 00:09:28,600 And through us to me, that verse sound so much, like the husband, 149 00:09:28,600 --> 00:09:33,000 and the vine, and the branches, ponder it again in another 150 00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:38,000 light, Ephesians 3:20. He speaking of God, is able to 151 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:43,800 do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we ask or think the 152 00:09:43,800 --> 00:09:49,800 vine dresser in us, if will, but let him work in us and through 153 00:09:49,800 --> 00:09:56,600 US verse 2 reads this way. Every Branch he's not talking 154 00:09:56,600 --> 00:10:00,100 here. About denominations know every 155 00:10:00,100 --> 00:10:03,600 branch is talking about individual disciples every 156 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:08,300 branch in me. Every branch in the vine. 157 00:10:08,300 --> 00:10:11,500 This is another phrase going to see repeatedly In this passage. 158 00:10:11,500 --> 00:10:15,400 I think in the first seven or eight verses you find seven or 159 00:10:15,400 --> 00:10:19,500 eight times. This phrase in Me In Christ, is 160 00:10:19,500 --> 00:10:21,000 the idea. And why would he be talking 161 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:23,600 about that? This is a theme that that 162 00:10:23,700 --> 00:10:26,300 permeates the new Sam. And I think specifically about 163 00:10:26,300 --> 00:10:30,400 Ephesians chapter 1. There we find infusions 1. 164 00:10:30,400 --> 00:10:33,900 Verse 3, that all spiritual blessings, all spiritual 165 00:10:33,900 --> 00:10:37,400 blessings are found in Christ Jesus. 166 00:10:37,400 --> 00:10:41,000 Now there are many material blessings that can be found 167 00:10:41,300 --> 00:10:46,600 outside of Jesus Christ in Matthew 5:44 through 46. 168 00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:51,600 We find that the rain falls on the just as well as the unjust 169 00:10:51,600 --> 00:10:55,600 and that's why people living, Wicked sinful lives out in the 170 00:10:55,600 --> 00:10:58,200 world, sometimes things seem to be going pretty good. 171 00:10:58,300 --> 00:11:01,000 For them. But when it comes to spiritual 172 00:11:01,000 --> 00:11:05,800 blessings, the depth of Life, the kind of life that we want, 173 00:11:05,800 --> 00:11:10,200 the kind of life that Jesus came to give, that can only be found 174 00:11:10,200 --> 00:11:15,000 can only be experienced and those who are God's children. 175 00:11:15,000 --> 00:11:18,000 We find this expressed in a number of different ways, but 176 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:23,700 one of these ways is found in Ephesians 1:22 and 23, what does 177 00:11:23,700 --> 00:11:27,700 it mean to be in Christ? What are some other ways in 178 00:11:27,700 --> 00:11:31,700 which this is expressed? And this passage the Bible says 179 00:11:31,700 --> 00:11:34,400 and he put all things under his feet and gave him to be head, 180 00:11:34,400 --> 00:11:37,600 over all things to the church, which is his body. 181 00:11:37,600 --> 00:11:44,300 The fullness of him who fills all in all to be in Christ or to 182 00:11:44,300 --> 00:11:49,400 be in the vine means to be in the body in the church. 183 00:11:49,500 --> 00:11:53,600 You cannot be outside of the body outside of the church and 184 00:11:53,600 --> 00:11:58,100 be in the Vine. What work will fit in the vine 185 00:11:58,100 --> 00:12:04,000 in the body in Christ in his church and in no other and 186 00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:07,300 Galatians chapter 3, verse 26 and 27. 187 00:12:07,400 --> 00:12:11,200 We see again The Importance of Being in Christ and we see 188 00:12:11,200 --> 00:12:14,800 specifically of how we become in Christ. 189 00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:20,700 Galatians 3, verse 26 for ye are all sons of God through faith in 190 00:12:20,700 --> 00:12:26,000 Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were 191 00:12:26,000 --> 00:12:31,200 baptized into Christ. Have put on Christ. 192 00:12:31,900 --> 00:12:35,300 How did you become a branch on the vine through faith? 193 00:12:35,700 --> 00:12:39,600 You obeyed the gospel planned. You were baptized into Christ, 194 00:12:39,600 --> 00:12:44,200 and you put on Christ. And at that point is, when you 195 00:12:44,300 --> 00:12:48,500 were became a branch in the vine, there's no other way. 196 00:12:49,400 --> 00:12:51,800 No substitute for this. You cannot substitute the 197 00:12:51,800 --> 00:12:54,600 sinner's prayer. You can't substitute a bunch of 198 00:12:56,300 --> 00:12:59,200 Miracle. So-called the only way is to 199 00:12:59,200 --> 00:13:02,400 obey the father and then you are in Christ. 200 00:13:02,400 --> 00:13:05,000 We are not in Christ. We're not connected to the vine 201 00:13:05,000 --> 00:13:08,200 until we follow through, on our faith in baptism. 202 00:13:08,700 --> 00:13:10,200 What does this mean? This means that we're dependent 203 00:13:10,200 --> 00:13:14,400 on him for our life, spiritual life for our strength, for a 204 00:13:14,400 --> 00:13:17,900 growth and development and all the bull of the Bible, doesn't 205 00:13:17,900 --> 00:13:22,000 specifically say this, I believe it can be implied. 206 00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:25,900 The sap that flows from the vine, is the word of God. 207 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:28,300 That contains the power of the spirits. 208 00:13:29,500 --> 00:13:32,000 In Colossians chapter 1, verse 5 and 6. 209 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:38,300 The Bible says the word of the truth of the Gospel has come to 210 00:13:38,300 --> 00:13:44,200 you and is bringing forth fruit. You get out of the word and 211 00:13:44,200 --> 00:13:46,300 you're not going to bear fruit. You got to get in the word 212 00:13:46,300 --> 00:13:48,400 because that's where the fruit comes from. 213 00:13:48,400 --> 00:13:51,300 The sap. So-to-speak flows from the 214 00:13:51,300 --> 00:13:56,200 father from the Holy Spirit and forth through the vine to you. 215 00:13:57,200 --> 00:14:00,100 If you let it, and that's how you bear fruit. 216 00:14:00,200 --> 00:14:05,600 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit. 217 00:14:05,600 --> 00:14:08,200 We're talking about food. The first condition, he mentions 218 00:14:08,200 --> 00:14:15,000 is, The branch that does not bear fruit. 219 00:14:16,700 --> 00:14:20,500 Someone who's in Christ, who's in body in the his body, who's 220 00:14:20,500 --> 00:14:22,800 in the church? But is not bearing fruit. 221 00:14:23,300 --> 00:14:25,500 You might have figured, this is not the way God wants it. 222 00:14:26,200 --> 00:14:28,000 In fact, we get a warning right here. 223 00:14:28,200 --> 00:14:31,100 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit. 224 00:14:32,200 --> 00:14:33,500 We'll get to this in just a minute. 225 00:14:33,900 --> 00:14:38,300 A few thoughts though. It's clear that our purpose as 226 00:14:38,300 --> 00:14:42,800 Christians is to bear fruit. We find the idea of fruit 227 00:14:42,800 --> 00:14:47,300 mentioned 75 times and 14 New Testament books. 228 00:14:48,200 --> 00:14:51,400 This is something very pause. This means our lives have 229 00:14:51,400 --> 00:14:56,100 meaning every last member within the body in the vine has a 230 00:14:56,108 --> 00:15:01,000 purpose and has a meaning To fulfill every Christian who is 231 00:15:01,000 --> 00:15:05,500 not productive, who is not fruitful, who is not fulfilling 232 00:15:05,500 --> 00:15:08,800 his purpose, who is not realizing his potential. 233 00:15:11,100 --> 00:15:15,300 Is disappointing. The vinedresser, the husband, 234 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:17,900 the father. He's looking down in his 235 00:15:17,900 --> 00:15:23,900 Vineyard and he's looking at you as a branch in the Vine. 236 00:15:25,000 --> 00:15:27,800 He's looking for fruit. Is it getting it? 237 00:15:27,900 --> 00:15:32,100 Are you being productive? Listen, it's not natural for a 238 00:15:32,100 --> 00:15:36,400 bind Branch, not to bear fruit, and it's not natural for a 239 00:15:36,400 --> 00:15:38,300 Christian. Not to show evidence of his 240 00:15:38,300 --> 00:15:42,700 conversion or her conversion. His spiritual growth or maturity 241 00:15:42,800 --> 00:15:47,500 but you know why sometimes We as branches are not productive. 242 00:15:47,500 --> 00:15:48,600 Why? We're not growing. 243 00:15:48,600 --> 00:15:52,000 It's because growth demands. Something else that's 244 00:15:52,000 --> 00:15:56,000 uncomfortable, that's change. We don't want to change. 245 00:15:56,600 --> 00:15:59,400 We like ourselves the way we are and we're not ready to change. 246 00:15:59,400 --> 00:16:01,700 And so on were confronted with something in the word of God 247 00:16:01,700 --> 00:16:06,500 that says, you got to change ready. 248 00:16:06,700 --> 00:16:09,100 We turn the page or we turn a deaf ear. 249 00:16:09,200 --> 00:16:12,200 If we're in the assembly or we turn a deaf ear it when we're in 250 00:16:12,200 --> 00:16:15,100 a Bible study because we don't want that, we don't want to 251 00:16:15,100 --> 00:16:16,000 change. Change. 252 00:16:16,300 --> 00:16:20,400 But when you decide I'm not changing, you are also deciding 253 00:16:20,500 --> 00:16:27,200 I'm not growing and when you're not growing, the vinedresser is 254 00:16:27,200 --> 00:16:32,200 watching and the vinedresser is Dishonored and we don't want to 255 00:16:32,208 --> 00:16:34,600 do that. I want to ask you tonight, what 256 00:16:34,600 --> 00:16:37,400 are your spiritual goals? What are your plans for the 257 00:16:37,400 --> 00:16:39,900 future? How do you intend in the future 258 00:16:39,900 --> 00:16:42,600 to bring forth more fruit for the father than you have in the 259 00:16:42,600 --> 00:16:45,300 past? Even think about such when you 260 00:16:45,300 --> 00:16:48,000 talk about that, when you have relationships in the body that 261 00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:50,100 are strong enough and healthy enough, where we can talk to 262 00:16:50,100 --> 00:16:56,400 each other about these things. Fruit over and over again and 263 00:16:56,408 --> 00:16:59,500 Matthew chapter 3, verse 8 and 10. 264 00:17:01,000 --> 00:17:07,400 We read There were to bring forth fruit meet for repentance 265 00:17:07,500 --> 00:17:10,200 bear fruit. Worthy of repentance. 266 00:17:10,599 --> 00:17:12,900 It's not optional, there's got to be a change. 267 00:17:12,900 --> 00:17:16,300 It's got to be a change reflected in our lives and when 268 00:17:16,300 --> 00:17:19,800 we repent, we've got to show a change in Behavior fruit, 269 00:17:19,800 --> 00:17:24,000 Galatians 5:22 and 23. All we need to talk about this 270 00:17:24,000 --> 00:17:27,300 more fundamentals of the faith. This is fruit. 271 00:17:27,300 --> 00:17:30,500 We call it the Bible calls it, the Fruit of the Spirit. 272 00:17:32,900 --> 00:17:36,100 You want to know if the holy spirit is making a difference in 273 00:17:36,100 --> 00:17:40,000 your life, you just compare your life to these characteristics. 274 00:17:40,000 --> 00:17:43,000 And that's the extent in which the holy spirit is having an 275 00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:49,000 effect on you love joy. Peace longsuffering, gentleness 276 00:17:49,100 --> 00:17:54,200 goodness, Faith or faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. 277 00:17:55,300 --> 00:17:57,700 Fruit, these are good for this is the things that God wants to 278 00:17:57,700 --> 00:18:01,300 see when he looks at us as individual disciples as branches 279 00:18:01,700 --> 00:18:04,600 in the vine. Second Peter chapter 1 verse 5. 280 00:18:04,600 --> 00:18:07,500 Through 8, your memory mentions the Christian gracious and how 281 00:18:07,500 --> 00:18:10,600 weird it continually add to them those and we're continually to 282 00:18:10,600 --> 00:18:13,900 have those in. Increasing measure Faith, virtue 283 00:18:13,900 --> 00:18:19,300 knowledge, self-control patience, godliness, brotherly 284 00:18:19,300 --> 00:18:23,000 kindness and love. Listen what he says he says 285 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:26,400 after that, if these things are yours, Yours and abound, you 286 00:18:26,400 --> 00:18:31,400 will neither be Barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of 287 00:18:31,400 --> 00:18:34,900 our Lord Jesus Christ, and he says something else in verse 10, 288 00:18:35,000 --> 00:18:40,200 if you do these things. You will never fall if talking 289 00:18:40,200 --> 00:18:43,700 about fruit, he's talking about security but it's conditional. 290 00:18:43,900 --> 00:18:47,300 It's conditioned upon us and our response to the word of God. 291 00:18:47,300 --> 00:18:51,700 Titus 314. Let our people also learn to 292 00:18:51,700 --> 00:18:53,600 maintain. Good works to meet urgent. 293 00:18:53,600 --> 00:18:55,600 Needs that they may not be unfruitful. 294 00:18:55,900 --> 00:18:59,200 I hear about some of this going on right here in the body of 295 00:18:59,200 --> 00:19:02,100 Christ at plans Road, that's a beautiful thing and you're 296 00:19:02,100 --> 00:19:04,300 bearing fruit when you're doing that, when you're doing your 297 00:19:04,300 --> 00:19:07,700 good works, when you see someone needs help and you reach out, 298 00:19:08,700 --> 00:19:11,800 That's fruit. How do we bear fruit? 299 00:19:12,300 --> 00:19:15,700 There's a lot of ways we can bear fruit to God and honor him. 300 00:19:15,700 --> 00:19:21,000 As he looks down as that at the vine dresser every time you 301 00:19:21,000 --> 00:19:25,400 reject a Temptation every time you pick up the phone and call a 302 00:19:25,400 --> 00:19:28,700 brother or sister you know as lonely that's hurting that needs 303 00:19:28,700 --> 00:19:33,300 an ear to hear every kind words you offer every good work done 304 00:19:33,300 --> 00:19:36,300 with a smile for the sick and for the downtrodden, listen 305 00:19:36,300 --> 00:19:39,800 brother, sister your bearing fruit when you do that, God is 306 00:19:39,800 --> 00:19:41,100 glorified. When you do that. 307 00:19:41,100 --> 00:19:43,300 He's honored. Every time you broach the 308 00:19:43,300 --> 00:19:47,100 subject of Jesus Christ to a lost to a lost soul. 309 00:19:47,100 --> 00:19:50,000 Every time you persevere through a child. 310 00:19:50,200 --> 00:19:57,200 Child with a heart to praise. And worship God, you bear fruit. 311 00:19:58,300 --> 00:20:01,200 I like guarantees. And second Peter. 1 verse 10 is 312 00:20:01,200 --> 00:20:06,500 a guarantee from God. You will not fall. 313 00:20:07,600 --> 00:20:10,800 Let's go back to our passage verse to every branch in me. 314 00:20:13,000 --> 00:20:14,700 That does not bear fruit. What's going to happen? 315 00:20:16,300 --> 00:20:20,700 If you do not bear fruit, there are consequences as we'll talk 316 00:20:20,700 --> 00:20:22,800 later on in the meeting to not bearing fruit. 317 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:28,300 But specifically, he says, here, he the vinedresser takes away. 318 00:20:29,600 --> 00:20:31,600 What you talking about? Well, there's another several 319 00:20:31,600 --> 00:20:34,200 passages that help us understand what exactly what he's talking 320 00:20:34,200 --> 00:20:36,300 about. Parallel Passages. 321 00:20:36,300 --> 00:20:38,200 At least to some extent. We've already looked at Matthew 322 00:20:38,200 --> 00:20:41,900 3 verse 10. He says, the ax is laid to the 323 00:20:41,900 --> 00:20:45,400 root of the trees, therefore every tree which is not bear. 324 00:20:45,400 --> 00:20:48,700 Good, fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 325 00:20:49,300 --> 00:20:52,000 Matthew 719 every tree that does not bear. 326 00:20:52,000 --> 00:20:54,700 Good, fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 327 00:20:54,700 --> 00:20:57,500 That could be you. That could be me. 328 00:20:58,300 --> 00:21:02,100 We see this in and I Bias and Sapphira in Acts chapter 5. 329 00:21:02,100 --> 00:21:06,000 Only, they were taken away immediately weren't they and 330 00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:08,400 Luke Chapter 13 Verse 6 through 9. 331 00:21:09,500 --> 00:21:13,000 And whether you've farmed or not, whether you've had a garden 332 00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:17,200 or not, I think everybody can relate to the feeling or the 333 00:21:17,200 --> 00:21:21,400 frustration that God has when something that's supposed to be 334 00:21:21,400 --> 00:21:24,300 producing fruit is not producing fruit. 335 00:21:27,700 --> 00:21:31,300 Luke 13 6 through 9 worried about a man, a certain man. 336 00:21:33,300 --> 00:21:35,800 Had a fig tree planted in his Vineyard and came seeking fruit 337 00:21:35,800 --> 00:21:39,200 on it and found none. Then he said to the keeper of 338 00:21:39,200 --> 00:21:43,300 his Vine look for three years. I come seeking fruit on this fig 339 00:21:43,300 --> 00:21:49,800 tree and find none, cut it down. Why does it use up the ground? 340 00:21:49,800 --> 00:21:52,800 But he answered sir, let it alone this year. 341 00:21:52,800 --> 00:21:56,100 Also until I dig around it and fertilize it and if it bears 342 00:21:56,100 --> 00:21:59,300 fruit well, but if not after that, you can cut it down. 343 00:22:01,100 --> 00:22:06,300 I wonder. How many times this very 344 00:22:06,300 --> 00:22:08,800 conversation could be had about us? 345 00:22:09,400 --> 00:22:12,600 Who are in Christ. There's so much confusion out 346 00:22:12,700 --> 00:22:16,400 out in the world. But you, I have found the Lord 347 00:22:16,400 --> 00:22:18,300 and we're in Christ. We're in the Vine. 348 00:22:19,500 --> 00:22:23,100 We're not bearing fruits. Parable of the sower. 349 00:22:25,700 --> 00:22:28,400 Mark chapter 4, verse 3 through 8. 350 00:22:28,600 --> 00:22:35,300 One of the places we read in Matthew 13 is another Notice 351 00:22:35,300 --> 00:22:37,900 what's the, what happens at the at the end of each of these 352 00:22:38,100 --> 00:22:42,800 different types of soil. It's the evaluation of how much 353 00:22:42,800 --> 00:22:47,400 fruit after the first time the Wayside never in the vine. 354 00:22:48,100 --> 00:22:50,200 No fruit. No fruit. 355 00:22:50,500 --> 00:22:54,000 God can't be happy with that. Satan has taken away the word, 356 00:22:54,000 --> 00:22:57,000 then we read about the Stony ground, there's no depth, 357 00:22:57,200 --> 00:23:02,000 there's no route shallow shallow and what happens it Withers 358 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:04,200 away. It's tribulation and 359 00:23:04,200 --> 00:23:06,700 persecution. The hardships of this world, 360 00:23:06,700 --> 00:23:08,400 they're going to come to all of us. 361 00:23:09,500 --> 00:23:12,600 We've got to fight through it. We've got to overcome as 362 00:23:12,600 --> 00:23:15,100 assistant was saying today. We got a hold on. 363 00:23:15,800 --> 00:23:17,500 You gotta hold on. I will do like that. 364 00:23:17,500 --> 00:23:18,600 Will wither away, and what happens? 365 00:23:18,600 --> 00:23:21,500 No fruit, no fruit. Then there's the thorny ground 366 00:23:21,600 --> 00:23:25,400 choked by the weeds. What happens? 367 00:23:26,200 --> 00:23:31,200 No fruit, no fruit. No fruit for the vinedresser. 368 00:23:31,900 --> 00:23:33,500 What is it? The cares of the world. 369 00:23:34,500 --> 00:23:39,800 The deceitfulness of riches, these things that parish, and 370 00:23:39,800 --> 00:23:42,500 then there's the good ground. We're in one of these four 371 00:23:42,500 --> 00:23:46,900 categories tonight. Everyone in this room is in one 372 00:23:46,900 --> 00:23:48,600 of these four. Are you the good ground or one 373 00:23:48,600 --> 00:23:50,400 of the others? The good ground increased and 374 00:23:50,400 --> 00:23:54,100 produce fruit. Some thirtyfold, some sixtyfold 375 00:23:54,200 --> 00:24:01,100 some 100, God wants fruits. John 15:5, he about. 376 00:24:01,100 --> 00:24:04,700 He who abides in me and I in him Bears, much fruit. 377 00:24:05,400 --> 00:24:08,400 Haha, here's a key. Here's a, here's a log. 378 00:24:08,400 --> 00:24:12,500 Here's a another guarantee. If we abide in him. 379 00:24:14,800 --> 00:24:18,700 And he abides in us. We will bear fruit. 380 00:24:18,700 --> 00:24:22,700 Are you bearing fruit? If you're not, you can find the 381 00:24:22,700 --> 00:24:25,400 problem right here in John 15 verse 5. 382 00:24:26,500 --> 00:24:30,100 If I abide in him and I allow him to abide in me than I will 383 00:24:30,300 --> 00:24:32,200 bear fruit. Branches, that don't bear. 384 00:24:32,200 --> 00:24:37,100 Fruit are either sick or diseased or dead. 385 00:24:37,800 --> 00:24:41,700 Are you bearing fruit? If not, it's one of these two 386 00:24:41,700 --> 00:24:44,600 problems right here or third possibility, you're not in the 387 00:24:44,600 --> 00:24:48,700 mine. What happens if that's the case? 388 00:24:49,500 --> 00:24:51,500 Well, let's talk about that. Just just for a moment longer. 389 00:24:51,600 --> 00:24:53,100 Let's go to First John chapter 2. 390 00:24:56,900 --> 00:25:01,300 Here, again, talking about abiding in Christ abiding in the 391 00:25:01,300 --> 00:25:02,800 vine. How do we know if we're abiding 392 00:25:02,800 --> 00:25:10,300 in Christ? Well, this is so straightforward 393 00:25:10,300 --> 00:25:13,300 and so so clear. You can't miss it first. 394 00:25:13,300 --> 00:25:15,400 John 2. Now by this, we know that we 395 00:25:15,400 --> 00:25:18,300 know him if we keep his Commandments. 396 00:25:20,400 --> 00:25:22,900 Now, the world wants to talk about this relationship stuff 397 00:25:22,900 --> 00:25:25,200 and I do believe we have a have a relationship with God, and 398 00:25:25,200 --> 00:25:27,000 he's talking about a relationship right here. 399 00:25:28,400 --> 00:25:32,300 But this this other kind of stuff, that's kind of nebulous, 400 00:25:32,500 --> 00:25:35,300 kind of hard to sink your teeth into the world is talking about 401 00:25:35,300 --> 00:25:36,400 that. You don't have to obey the 402 00:25:36,400 --> 00:25:39,200 Commandments of God and somehow you have this relationship with 403 00:25:39,200 --> 00:25:40,300 God. That it that's not the Bible 404 00:25:40,300 --> 00:25:42,300 Way. Here's the Bible way to have a 405 00:25:42,308 --> 00:25:45,300 relationship with God. Now by this, we know that we 406 00:25:45,300 --> 00:25:48,400 know him if we keep his Commandments he who says I know 407 00:25:48,400 --> 00:25:52,500 him personal relationship and does not keep his Commandments 408 00:25:52,500 --> 00:25:55,100 is a liar and the truth is not in him. 409 00:25:57,200 --> 00:26:00,000 Till I can't get any clearer than that. 410 00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:04,900 We can lie too, though. Verse 5 says, but whoever keeps 411 00:26:04,900 --> 00:26:07,600 his word true. The love of God is perfected in 412 00:26:07,600 --> 00:26:12,000 him by this. We know that we are in him, he 413 00:26:12,000 --> 00:26:14,900 who says he abides in him that were to buy. 414 00:26:14,900 --> 00:26:19,200 Something means remains in him, ought himself also to walk just 415 00:26:19,200 --> 00:26:22,500 as he walked listen, there's 1050 Commandments of men. 416 00:26:22,500 --> 00:26:24,200 He's counted them up in the New Testament. 417 00:26:24,200 --> 00:26:26,700 There's quite a few in there and if we're not diligently seeking 418 00:26:26,700 --> 00:26:29,500 to learn what those are and abide by those. 419 00:26:30,300 --> 00:26:32,800 You can say, you can talk personal relationship all day 420 00:26:32,800 --> 00:26:35,000 long but you don't know him, you don't know him. 421 00:26:37,500 --> 00:26:42,700 You don't know the Lord. you don't know the, you know, the 422 00:26:42,700 --> 00:26:47,500 vine dresser How is that going to be on the Judgment Day? 423 00:26:47,700 --> 00:26:50,600 If you don't know the Lord, they can't be good. 424 00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:53,700 It can't be good. Read read the rest of First 425 00:26:53,700 --> 00:26:55,800 John. There's so much in it about that 426 00:26:55,800 --> 00:26:58,500 relationship. I being in Christ. 427 00:26:59,500 --> 00:27:05,500 But let's go back to our text in John 15 and pick up where we 428 00:27:05,500 --> 00:27:14,400 were where we left off. And every branch. 429 00:27:16,500 --> 00:27:22,200 That bears fruit. He prunes Where's it getting 430 00:27:22,200 --> 00:27:25,200 better now? Hope this is about, this is us. 431 00:27:25,200 --> 00:27:27,500 Now, what does everybody in the room? 432 00:27:27,500 --> 00:27:32,200 Would that be great? Some fruit, every branch that 433 00:27:32,200 --> 00:27:35,500 bears fruit. He prunes The Living oracle's 434 00:27:35,500 --> 00:27:39,200 Translation reads this way. Every fruitful Branch, he cleans 435 00:27:39,200 --> 00:27:43,500 by pruning to render it more. Fruitful that it may. 436 00:27:43,500 --> 00:27:47,100 Bear more fruit if you're bearing fruit, don't be 437 00:27:47,100 --> 00:27:49,200 complacent, don't be satisfied. Don't think. 438 00:27:49,200 --> 00:27:52,100 Well, I'm doing pretty good or I'm, I'm bearing more fruit than 439 00:27:52,100 --> 00:27:56,100 brother so-and-so or sister. So, and so know some fruits, not 440 00:27:56,100 --> 00:28:01,600 good enough and God sometimes will present Situations and 441 00:28:01,600 --> 00:28:06,700 circumstances. That may not be very pleasant. 442 00:28:08,000 --> 00:28:10,800 But what's the result? The end result is to be more 443 00:28:10,800 --> 00:28:13,500 fruit. God wants more fruit from me and 444 00:28:13,500 --> 00:28:17,300 he wants more fruit from you from a human standpoint. 445 00:28:17,300 --> 00:28:20,400 You know what we do? Sometimes we think, well, we've 446 00:28:20,400 --> 00:28:22,900 been fruitful, we've borne fruit. 447 00:28:23,500 --> 00:28:28,300 So we should just be left alone but that's not how God sees it. 448 00:28:28,400 --> 00:28:32,000 You know, if it was left up to us, I think many times we'd be 449 00:28:32,000 --> 00:28:36,200 satisfied with just offering a few shriveled-up operations to 450 00:28:36,200 --> 00:28:39,800 the Lord, every now and then. That's not what what God is 451 00:28:39,808 --> 00:28:43,400 looking for. God is looking for big juicy 452 00:28:43,400 --> 00:28:46,000 grapes. He wants fruit and he wants more 453 00:28:46,000 --> 00:28:48,600 than some fruit. He wants more fruit. 454 00:28:51,200 --> 00:28:54,300 One commentator said the pine branches need pruning less, all 455 00:28:54,300 --> 00:28:56,500 the sap should run to the leaves. 456 00:28:56,600 --> 00:28:59,700 Only it can get to where we're going through the motions and it 457 00:28:59,700 --> 00:29:03,400 looks real good. Lots of leaves all over the tall 458 00:29:03,400 --> 00:29:06,500 than that vine look pretty listen but it's not prune if 459 00:29:06,500 --> 00:29:09,200 it's not cut back. The amount of fruit will be 460 00:29:09,200 --> 00:29:11,800 reduced. So what does God do? 461 00:29:12,500 --> 00:29:16,100 He cuts that find a way back way back. 462 00:29:16,100 --> 00:29:20,700 You know sometimes in the Christian Life, less is more and 463 00:29:21,000 --> 00:29:24,400 That's hard for us to accept and hard for us to get used to and 464 00:29:24,400 --> 00:29:28,400 sometimes we rebel against that, but sometimes pruning is God's 465 00:29:28,400 --> 00:29:31,800 answer. To our prayer to be more 466 00:29:31,800 --> 00:29:37,900 fruitful. Looking Hebrews chapter 12, 467 00:29:37,900 --> 00:29:46,700 verse 4 through 11. You have not yet resisted to 468 00:29:46,700 --> 00:29:49,400 Bloodshed striving against sin and you have forgotten the 469 00:29:49,400 --> 00:29:51,300 exhortation, which speaks to you as Sons. 470 00:29:51,300 --> 00:29:53,700 These Christians were, like, sometimes we are as Christians, 471 00:29:53,700 --> 00:29:56,600 they were whimpering whining. Christians, not enough is 472 00:29:56,600 --> 00:29:59,100 happening, not enough. Good thing is happening to us, 473 00:29:59,100 --> 00:30:01,400 they were complaining. He says, have you shed any blood 474 00:30:01,400 --> 00:30:06,000 yet? And may I ask you, as I remind 475 00:30:06,000 --> 00:30:09,100 myself, have you shed any blood yet for the Lord? 476 00:30:10,700 --> 00:30:12,800 When you're talking about how hard your life, it is, and how 477 00:30:12,800 --> 00:30:14,300 hard it is to live the Christian Life. 478 00:30:16,000 --> 00:30:18,000 And you have forgotten the exhortation, which speaks to 479 00:30:18,000 --> 00:30:19,500 you. As the sons, my son, do not 480 00:30:19,500 --> 00:30:22,300 despise the chastening of the Lord nor be discouraged. 481 00:30:22,300 --> 00:30:25,500 When you rebuked by him for whom the Lord loves he chastens. 482 00:30:25,600 --> 00:30:28,500 And scourges every son whom he receives. 483 00:30:28,600 --> 00:30:31,400 If you endure chastening God deals with you as with sons for 484 00:30:31,400 --> 00:30:33,200 what son is. There whom my father does not 485 00:30:33,200 --> 00:30:36,100 chase him but if you were without chastening of which all 486 00:30:36,100 --> 00:30:40,200 have become partakers then you are illegitimate and not Sons 487 00:30:40,200 --> 00:30:42,600 verse 11 now. No chastening seems to be joyful 488 00:30:42,600 --> 00:30:45,100 for the present but painful, nevertheless afterward it 489 00:30:45,100 --> 00:30:49,200 yieldeth, the Peaceable Fruit of righteousness to those who have 490 00:30:49,200 --> 00:30:53,100 been trained by it. Listen, you write it down the 491 00:30:53,100 --> 00:30:57,500 love of God. As we experience it in our daily 492 00:30:57,500 --> 00:31:00,800 walk, as Christians will not always feel good. 493 00:31:00,800 --> 00:31:04,100 There's going to be some times when you're out of line and a 494 00:31:04,100 --> 00:31:07,900 brother or a sister is going to talk to you about some changes 495 00:31:07,900 --> 00:31:10,900 need to be made in your life and you know what that mean? 496 00:31:10,900 --> 00:31:13,700 Not feel too good. But you listen to what they're 497 00:31:13,700 --> 00:31:17,300 saying and if what they're saying fits with what the Bible 498 00:31:17,300 --> 00:31:21,800 says, you know that that chastening is for your good and 499 00:31:21,800 --> 00:31:29,500 it's time to do some pruning. And every branch that bears 500 00:31:29,500 --> 00:31:34,900 fruit, he prunes that it may bear more fruit. 501 00:31:36,300 --> 00:31:39,700 He wants us to Bear more fruit. I love how the Apostle Paul 502 00:31:40,200 --> 00:31:42,800 builds up to this truth. And First Corinthians 15. 503 00:31:42,900 --> 00:31:46,400 He's talking about the resurrection and our glorious 504 00:31:46,400 --> 00:31:51,200 bodies that we're going to someday have not like these and 505 00:31:51,200 --> 00:31:54,500 then he caps it off after expressing to them all the 506 00:31:54,508 --> 00:31:56,700 blessings, the greatest of blessings that they have to look 507 00:31:56,700 --> 00:31:59,700 forward to and then he says in verse 58. 508 00:31:59,700 --> 00:32:05,000 Therefore My brethren. My beloved Brethren be 509 00:32:05,000 --> 00:32:07,500 steadfast. Does that describe you? 510 00:32:09,200 --> 00:32:14,900 Steadfast steadfast immovable. Well, what's he talking about? 511 00:32:15,200 --> 00:32:18,300 And well, he's talking about abiding remaining in the vine, 512 00:32:18,400 --> 00:32:22,200 not wandering out in the world Yonder far away from the Vine. 513 00:32:23,200 --> 00:32:27,500 Immovable, always, always abounding in the work of the 514 00:32:27,500 --> 00:32:31,100 Lord were to bounding means ever-increasing. 515 00:32:32,300 --> 00:32:37,900 Knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord Abiding and 516 00:32:37,900 --> 00:32:39,500 abounding. They go together. 517 00:32:39,500 --> 00:32:42,800 If we're abiding in the Lord, we will have will be abounding. 518 00:32:43,300 --> 00:32:47,200 You all verse 3 are already clean because of the word which 519 00:32:47,200 --> 00:32:48,800 I have spoken to you interesting. 520 00:32:48,800 --> 00:32:52,200 We don't have time to look into this but in John 13 He says you 521 00:32:52,200 --> 00:32:53,700 were not all clean. You know why? 522 00:32:53,800 --> 00:32:58,400 Because Judas was there. You're already clean because of 523 00:32:58,400 --> 00:33:00,700 the word. That's what cleanses it's the 524 00:33:00,700 --> 00:33:05,600 word that cleanses verse 4. Here's a command he's saying 525 00:33:05,600 --> 00:33:12,300 what has already expressed abide in me and I in you Jesus will 526 00:33:12,400 --> 00:33:18,300 abide in you and in your life as a branch in the bite unless you 527 00:33:18,300 --> 00:33:21,400 crowd him out of your life and you can do that is possible to 528 00:33:21,408 --> 00:33:24,400 do that to crowd Jesus. Why would we do that? 529 00:33:25,300 --> 00:33:26,400 Doesn't make any sense. What we do? 530 00:33:26,400 --> 00:33:30,300 Sometimes, we feel so many things in our life, We don't 531 00:33:30,300 --> 00:33:32,900 have time for him. James 4 verse 8 says, draw near 532 00:33:32,900 --> 00:33:35,500 to God and He will draw near to you. 533 00:33:35,500 --> 00:33:37,800 People have all kinds of ideas of what you have to do to draw 534 00:33:37,800 --> 00:33:40,400 near to God. You have to speak in tongues as 535 00:33:40,400 --> 00:33:42,700 they call it. You have to perform some kind of 536 00:33:42,800 --> 00:33:44,200 Miracle. Some of them think you have to 537 00:33:44,200 --> 00:33:46,800 handle snakes and on and on the list goes the thing. 538 00:33:46,900 --> 00:33:48,900 You got to do some big things to draw near to God. 539 00:33:48,900 --> 00:33:53,600 No, you don't simple. Basic fundamental things, about 540 00:33:53,600 --> 00:33:56,200 Christianity meditating on his words, we've talked about 541 00:33:56,200 --> 00:33:59,600 reading his word spending time with him in prayer. 542 00:33:59,800 --> 00:34:01,500 Coveting. The association of your brothers 543 00:34:01,500 --> 00:34:05,500 and so on, and so on. Read on as the branch cannot 544 00:34:05,500 --> 00:34:08,199 bear fruit of itself. Unless it abides in the vine, 545 00:34:08,199 --> 00:34:11,100 neither, can you? Unless you abide in me? 546 00:34:11,100 --> 00:34:13,199 It doesn't matter how educated you are. 547 00:34:13,500 --> 00:34:15,699 It doesn't matter how well bread you are. 548 00:34:15,699 --> 00:34:20,100 How talented you are. You are worthless apart from 549 00:34:20,100 --> 00:34:22,500 Jesus Christ. Don't let anybody kid you out in 550 00:34:22,507 --> 00:34:23,800 the world. There are people that will tell 551 00:34:23,800 --> 00:34:26,800 you of how special and how wonderful you are. 552 00:34:28,300 --> 00:34:29,300 And I know they're talking about. 553 00:34:30,800 --> 00:34:33,400 Apart from Jesus Christ. You don't need the church. 554 00:34:33,699 --> 00:34:37,600 You don't need the word of God. You don't need any of that. 555 00:34:37,699 --> 00:34:39,400 You're wonderful without it, you're worthless. 556 00:34:41,100 --> 00:34:43,699 Separate and apart from Jesus Christ. 557 00:34:43,800 --> 00:34:46,699 Some Believers think that they can grow meet their potential 558 00:34:46,800 --> 00:34:49,699 detach from the church or barely hanging on. 559 00:34:51,500 --> 00:34:55,500 Can you truly abide in the vine without being attached connected 560 00:34:55,500 --> 00:34:58,400 to the other branches? No others pretend that they can 561 00:34:58,400 --> 00:35:02,000 Thrive without growing in the Lord through personal Bible 562 00:35:02,000 --> 00:35:04,300 reading and study, as we talked about earlier this week, 563 00:35:04,700 --> 00:35:10,000 spiritual reflection ongoing meditation Without that you're 564 00:35:10,000 --> 00:35:14,000 not abiding, in the vine unless you abide in his word verse 5. 565 00:35:14,000 --> 00:35:18,400 I am the vine. You are the branches, he who 566 00:35:18,400 --> 00:35:23,100 abides in me and I in him. Bears much fruit. 567 00:35:23,200 --> 00:35:27,800 This is what we want. This is where I want to be. if 568 00:35:27,800 --> 00:35:34,400 we do abide in him and he abides in us, we let him will bear much 569 00:35:34,400 --> 00:35:37,800 fruit. Keep that image in your mind 570 00:35:37,800 --> 00:35:42,300 when you read this passage, big juicy grapes. 571 00:35:43,400 --> 00:35:46,400 The vinedresser when he sees that in our lives. 572 00:35:47,800 --> 00:35:51,100 He's honored. Don't shortchange him. 573 00:35:53,100 --> 00:35:56,300 Don't sell yourself short. Don't teach yourself and don't 574 00:35:56,300 --> 00:36:04,500 cheat God. If you're not bearing fruit, one 575 00:36:04,900 --> 00:36:07,900 of two things is true. You may have been in Christ but 576 00:36:07,900 --> 00:36:11,100 not really abiding or remaining drives. 577 00:36:11,100 --> 00:36:13,100 You may have obeyed. The gospel, had your sins washed 578 00:36:13,100 --> 00:36:17,100 away, but you're not remaining in Christ or you're not allowing 579 00:36:17,100 --> 00:36:21,100 Christ to remain in you, you're feeling your heart, your life 580 00:36:21,300 --> 00:36:25,700 with anything everything. But what you need to, how are 581 00:36:25,700 --> 00:36:29,400 you and Jesus doing tonight, how would you describe your 582 00:36:29,400 --> 00:36:34,600 relationship with God? Close and personal. 583 00:36:36,300 --> 00:36:40,000 That he's your most important relationship. 584 00:36:42,800 --> 00:36:46,600 That the kingdom is the most important thing in your life. 585 00:36:46,700 --> 00:36:49,200 You can't wait to know more about him. 586 00:36:49,300 --> 00:36:51,500 You can't wait to grow closer to him. 587 00:36:52,900 --> 00:36:55,700 Close and personal is that you? I hope so. 588 00:36:56,700 --> 00:36:59,700 Or maybe your relationship would better be described as 589 00:37:00,000 --> 00:37:02,300 frequently. Friendly you have your good 590 00:37:02,300 --> 00:37:03,800 times. You have your clothes times with 591 00:37:03,800 --> 00:37:06,400 the Lord. I mean you pray it bedtime. 592 00:37:06,600 --> 00:37:09,500 You pray it meal time. You get revved up during a 593 00:37:09,500 --> 00:37:14,200 gospel meeting but you're hot and cold you're off and on. 594 00:37:15,400 --> 00:37:16,600 You're not giving the Lord your best. 595 00:37:16,600 --> 00:37:21,100 Is that you somewhat neighborly have a respect for God, but you 596 00:37:21,100 --> 00:37:22,700 really don't have much of a relationship. 597 00:37:22,700 --> 00:37:24,700 You can see it. There's obvious commands that 598 00:37:24,700 --> 00:37:27,100 you're neglecting your disobeying in your life. 599 00:37:29,500 --> 00:37:31,400 I hope you're none of these. I hope you're not dead. 600 00:37:31,900 --> 00:37:35,300 On the vine, hope you're not dying on the vine. 601 00:37:35,900 --> 00:37:38,400 Beautiful thing about this. It's obvious when you read John 602 00:37:38,400 --> 00:37:43,500 15. It's on you and it's on me if 603 00:37:43,500 --> 00:37:48,100 I'm not bearing fruit. If I'm very no fruit. 604 00:37:49,700 --> 00:37:54,900 I can blame no one else but myself, and if I'm just burying 605 00:37:54,900 --> 00:37:58,500 a little fruit when the Lord is expecting a lot of fruits. 606 00:37:59,700 --> 00:38:03,100 Doesn't matter what people are saying or doing to me or what 607 00:38:03,100 --> 00:38:07,900 they're not doing to me. My responsibility to respond as 608 00:38:07,900 --> 00:38:12,400 he tries to prune and and and bring more fruit from this 609 00:38:12,400 --> 00:38:14,400 Branch. Are you bearing much fruit 610 00:38:14,400 --> 00:38:19,200 tonight? Don't cheat God, don't cheat 611 00:38:19,200 --> 00:38:20,100 yourself. Where you at? 612 00:38:20,800 --> 00:38:24,200 How is it with you and are you in Christ? 613 00:38:25,400 --> 00:38:27,200 We saw it takes to become in Christ. 614 00:38:28,000 --> 00:38:30,500 So then Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God, 615 00:38:30,500 --> 00:38:32,400 you've heard the word of God. You've heard enough about the 616 00:38:32,400 --> 00:38:35,700 word of God that you don't have to leave this building without 617 00:38:35,700 --> 00:38:41,700 becoming in the vine tonight in Christ, in his body in the 618 00:38:41,700 --> 00:38:46,200 church. Want to be added to the body. 619 00:38:47,800 --> 00:38:53,100 Once you allow Jesus to number you as one of the branches in 620 00:38:53,100 --> 00:38:57,100 that vine. We thank you for listening to 621 00:38:57,100 --> 00:39:01,900 our podcast, put on by the Church of Christ at 22:15 plans. 622 00:39:01,900 --> 00:39:05,400 Road in Bakersfield, if you would like any additional 623 00:39:05,400 --> 00:39:08,700 information or you would like to receive a free Bible 624 00:39:08,700 --> 00:39:14,200 correspondence, course by mail. Please email us at info at True 625 00:39:14,200 --> 00:39:16,600 Church of Christ Bakersfield.com. 626 00:39:17,300 --> 00:39:22,500 Our service times are on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and 627 00:39:22,500 --> 00:39:27,000 Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. Please make plans to join us. 628 00:39:27,500 --> 00:39:29,700 We would love for you to be our honored guest.