1 00:00:00,700 --> 00:00:06,100 Well, here I am. I'm so thankful to be here with 2 00:00:06,100 --> 00:00:10,400 all of you. This is my first sermon back 3 00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:14,100 since I was sick and I got to tell you, like I said, last 4 00:00:14,100 --> 00:00:17,300 Lord's Day in the announcements, I'm better. 5 00:00:18,100 --> 00:00:21,500 I'm not well yet, but I just could not stand to be on the 6 00:00:21,500 --> 00:00:25,800 sidelines, any longer? I hope and pray that this lesson 7 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:30,900 will encourage you or strengthen you will edify you because this 8 00:00:30,900 --> 00:00:35,400 lesson involves everyone it was preached so long ago, by the 9 00:00:35,400 --> 00:00:39,000 greatest man that ever lived the greatest preacher, the world 10 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:43,100 ever knew that was Jesus Christ. The master And I have to tell 11 00:00:43,100 --> 00:00:46,100 you that as I looked at the application of what he said, I 12 00:00:46,100 --> 00:00:49,500 learned a great deal about talking about the generalities 13 00:00:49,500 --> 00:00:53,000 of the topic or of the narrative, but the specifics, in 14 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:57,000 terms of the application and I hope these things will give you 15 00:00:57,000 --> 00:01:01,100 some clarity and perhaps help you to understand some of life's 16 00:01:01,100 --> 00:01:03,800 trials. And some of life's things that 17 00:01:03,800 --> 00:01:07,900 come your way because living the Christian life, is not always 18 00:01:07,900 --> 00:01:09,200 easy. It's difficult. 19 00:01:10,100 --> 00:01:12,000 And I think we do an awful Injustice. 20 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:15,600 When we tell people it's easy, And I don't know why that 21 00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:27,600 happened. Our narrative is taken from John 22 00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:31,200 the 15th chapter and beginning in verse 1, and we're going to 23 00:01:31,208 --> 00:01:35,900 look at verses 1 and 2 as our text Jesus said I am the True 24 00:01:35,900 --> 00:01:39,500 Vine and my father is the vinedresser. 25 00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:43,100 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit. 26 00:01:43,200 --> 00:01:47,700 He takes away and every branch that bears fruit, he prunes that 27 00:01:47,700 --> 00:01:52,200 it may bear more fruit. This is the last of the seven. 28 00:01:52,200 --> 00:01:55,300 I am statements that Jesus made in The Gospel according to John, 29 00:01:55,300 --> 00:01:58,300 you remember there were six others we preached on all six 30 00:01:58,300 --> 00:02:02,800 and they were as follows. Jesus said first, I'm the bread 31 00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:06,800 of life and then he said, I am the light of the world. 32 00:02:07,700 --> 00:02:10,199 He said, I am the door, or I am the gate. 33 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:15,400 He said, I am the Good Shepherd. He said, I am the resurrection 34 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:17,600 and the life and the last one that we studied. 35 00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:21,500 I am the way, the truth, and the life. 36 00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:25,400 But it is powerful narrative. Here in the final night with his 37 00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:29,100 disciples, he reveals a very powerful Declaration of his 38 00:02:29,100 --> 00:02:33,900 divine nature. He said, I am the True Vine. 39 00:02:34,700 --> 00:02:37,600 Here's a little side note here. You know, if you look at the end 40 00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:43,100 of chapter 14, Jesus basically says, let's go, let's go out. 41 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:45,600 He'd already been behind. Those locked doors with those 42 00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:47,700 disciples. He ate the Passover feast with 43 00:02:47,700 --> 00:02:49,800 him. He hits to the Lord's supper and 44 00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:53,100 he said let's go. Some scholars, believe that they 45 00:02:53,100 --> 00:02:55,000 left immediately. And by the way, I don't know 46 00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:57,900 that we can know this for sure. I thought this was interesting. 47 00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:01,500 I thought I might just share it some Scholars think they left 48 00:03:01,500 --> 00:03:05,800 immediately while other Scholars like Hendrickson said, know 49 00:03:05,900 --> 00:03:10,700 perhaps they lingered about for just a little bit and the 50 00:03:10,700 --> 00:03:14,700 narratives that that exists between chapters 15 and 17, 51 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:18,200 quite possibly could have happened in about 10 or 15 52 00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:20,900 minutes. In other words, our Master Jesus 53 00:03:20,900 --> 00:03:24,600 Christ, Just understanding they needed some more instruction, 54 00:03:24,900 --> 00:03:27,600 they needed some more encouragement and it's entirely 55 00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:31,000 possible that he just paused before they departed. 56 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:34,300 After he said, let's go and all the things that are found in 57 00:03:34,300 --> 00:03:39,500 chapters 15 to 17 that occurred over the next several minutes. 58 00:03:39,700 --> 00:03:42,000 I don't know that that is to be true but as my late 59 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:46,000 father-in-law would say that's free no charge on that. 60 00:03:46,400 --> 00:03:49,100 All right? What do we know what we know is 61 00:03:49,100 --> 00:03:51,100 this? And I'm going to notice some 62 00:03:51,100 --> 00:03:53,400 very Obvious things that we get specific later. 63 00:03:54,100 --> 00:03:59,000 We know number one, the vinedresser or the farmer is God 64 00:03:59,700 --> 00:04:03,200 in this little Story. Number two, we know that the 65 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:08,400 vine is Jesus Christ and the branches are those that are 66 00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:12,200 attached to the vine. What does the farmer do? 67 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:14,900 The farmer does what any good farmer does? 68 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:20,000 He cuts off the bat branches? And he prunes the good. 69 00:04:21,399 --> 00:04:23,900 I want you to just hear that police. 70 00:04:25,800 --> 00:04:31,500 Pruning involves cutting. And cutting involves pain. 71 00:04:33,400 --> 00:04:39,800 But God, prunes the good. So if you get prune, don't think 72 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:45,100 you've been bad. God only prunes The Good. 73 00:04:46,300 --> 00:04:48,700 The ones that are bad. The Bad branches will get into 74 00:04:48,700 --> 00:04:51,900 this in just a moment. The bad branches are cut off, 75 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:54,700 but the good branches are pruned. 76 00:04:54,900 --> 00:04:57,600 Let me give you an example. By the way of two disciples, by 77 00:04:57,600 --> 00:04:59,000 the way, they both committed their sin. 78 00:05:01,300 --> 00:05:03,700 And I think it's very important, they both committed the sin, 79 00:05:04,300 --> 00:05:08,500 they were both part of the original Twelve Apostles. 80 00:05:09,300 --> 00:05:12,200 They had a similar sin and they both betrayed Jesus. 81 00:05:13,500 --> 00:05:17,500 One betrayed Jesus, and that was Judas, Iscariot and that he sold 82 00:05:17,500 --> 00:05:20,000 the Lord Jesus Christ for 30 pieces of silver. 83 00:05:20,900 --> 00:05:24,200 The other committed a sin to, he betrayed Jesus, and that he 84 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:27,500 denied him, even cursing and swearing three times. 85 00:05:27,500 --> 00:05:33,100 I know not the man, and that was Peter, yet, Judas was cut off, 86 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:37,900 and Peter was pruned. Why was that how can Peter 87 00:05:37,900 --> 00:05:41,300 didn't get cut off? Why was Judas pruned, let's back 88 00:05:41,300 --> 00:05:42,500 up. Just a little further. 89 00:05:43,200 --> 00:05:48,000 Let's notice what happened in Peters life shortly after Jesus 90 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:49,700 Peter denied. Jesus. 91 00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:52,500 Vehemently denying cursing and swearing. 92 00:05:52,500 --> 00:05:54,700 I know not the man. Jesus is crucified. 93 00:05:54,700 --> 00:05:58,100 He rose from the dead. He spends those times with his 94 00:05:58,100 --> 00:06:01,500 disciples and he talks to Peter. And you remember what he said, 95 00:06:01,600 --> 00:06:05,000 he said, Peter, do you love me more than these? 96 00:06:05,900 --> 00:06:08,700 And Peter said yes, Lord, you know that I love you. 97 00:06:10,900 --> 00:06:15,700 And Jesus says, feed my Lambs. He asked him a second time. 98 00:06:15,700 --> 00:06:19,900 Peter, do you love me? Peter says yes Lord, I love you. 99 00:06:21,300 --> 00:06:24,700 He said tend my sheep. That's the new King James. 100 00:06:26,200 --> 00:06:28,800 He has to my third time and you can just imagine the frustration 101 00:06:28,800 --> 00:06:32,800 perhaps in Peters mind. He said, Do You Love Me? 102 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:35,600 He said, Yes. Lord, you line, you know that I 103 00:06:35,608 --> 00:06:39,100 love you. He said, feed my sheep. 104 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:44,700 Peter confessed three times. His love for the Lord. 105 00:06:44,700 --> 00:06:47,500 One for every time he denied him you know, Scholars often times 106 00:06:47,500 --> 00:06:50,800 refer to this as the second conversion of Peter. 107 00:06:52,300 --> 00:06:55,900 Now, let me just say this, if God would have just cut Peter 108 00:06:55,900 --> 00:07:00,400 off for committing a sin. Peter would have never been 109 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:02,400 instrumental. Peter would have never been able 110 00:07:02,400 --> 00:07:06,100 to be the one to convey those words on the day of Pentecost 111 00:07:06,100 --> 00:07:09,100 preaching, the First Gospel, sermon, with the opportunity to 112 00:07:09,100 --> 00:07:12,000 respond to it, giving the keys to the kingdom of heaven. 113 00:07:12,100 --> 00:07:15,900 In Acts chapter 2, he would have never been able to take the 114 00:07:15,900 --> 00:07:19,800 gospel to the Gentiles, the first Gentiles, the first people 115 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:22,600 that became Christians that were not Jewish by Blood. 116 00:07:23,500 --> 00:07:26,100 In Acts chapter 10, in the household of Cornelius, he 117 00:07:26,100 --> 00:07:27,500 wouldn't have been able to do that either. 118 00:07:27,700 --> 00:07:30,400 He would have been able to continue his work as an apostle 119 00:07:30,600 --> 00:07:33,900 and later on becoming even an elder in the Lord's church. 120 00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:36,700 He wouldn't have been able to do that either if God would have 121 00:07:36,700 --> 00:07:40,800 just cut him off. What's the difference? 122 00:07:42,200 --> 00:07:45,600 Peter was a true disciple that made a mistake. 123 00:07:46,600 --> 00:07:51,000 Peter, repented repentance, his is implied by Behavior. 124 00:07:51,400 --> 00:07:53,700 Repentance is implied by his life. 125 00:07:55,100 --> 00:07:57,900 That's the point. Judas was different. 126 00:07:58,400 --> 00:08:01,000 Judas made a decision. That was permanent. 127 00:08:02,100 --> 00:08:04,600 This talk about Judas for just a moment, Judas was cut off, Peter 128 00:08:04,600 --> 00:08:07,400 got pruned. Remember when Jesus was 129 00:08:07,400 --> 00:08:12,300 instituted the Lord's Supper? when Jesus was there behind 130 00:08:12,300 --> 00:08:16,500 those locked doors, as I mentioned a moment ago, He's 131 00:08:16,500 --> 00:08:22,700 there with his disciples. And we find that Judas is there 132 00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:27,200 to his left? You know, sometimes people think 133 00:08:27,200 --> 00:08:30,800 that the ultimate position of Honor like The Honorable guest, 134 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:34,000 the most honorable guest was to the right of the host that was 135 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:35,700 John. He was to the right of Jesus. 136 00:08:36,100 --> 00:08:38,500 They didn't have chairs like you and I have, they were reclined 137 00:08:38,500 --> 00:08:42,500 on those couches and no doubt John was reclined back and 138 00:08:42,500 --> 00:08:46,800 leaning on the breast of Jesus. And no doubt John. 139 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:49,500 As the Bible says, was the apostle that Jesus loved and all 140 00:08:49,500 --> 00:08:52,400 of that. But did you know that the 141 00:08:52,400 --> 00:08:55,400 ultimate position of honour was not the one to the right? 142 00:08:56,500 --> 00:08:59,800 The ultimate position of Honor was the one to the left. 143 00:09:00,800 --> 00:09:03,100 Do you know who Jesus put to his left? 144 00:09:03,800 --> 00:09:08,200 He put Judas. One after another and offer of 145 00:09:08,200 --> 00:09:10,200 an appeal of Love, reaching out to Judas. 146 00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:13,400 But to no avail. That's why, by the way, when 147 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:20,800 Jesus served that time, he served Judas first But Jesus 148 00:09:20,800 --> 00:09:25,500 knew his heart. Jesus would then say one of you 149 00:09:25,500 --> 00:09:28,800 will betray me. And the disciples would say one 150 00:09:28,800 --> 00:09:31,800 after the other Master is that I and another would say master, is 151 00:09:31,800 --> 00:09:34,600 it? I and finally Jesus said it's 152 00:09:34,600 --> 00:09:38,300 the one that dips his hand with me in the dish and reveals that 153 00:09:38,300 --> 00:09:40,900 the vile traitor would be Judas and we know the story, right? 154 00:09:42,300 --> 00:09:44,300 But then, do you remember what Jesus does? 155 00:09:45,200 --> 00:09:48,400 And I would imagine in her soft Whispering tone, he turns to 156 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:50,900 Judas, and he says the King, James says it, like this 157 00:09:51,200 --> 00:09:53,700 whatsoever, thou doest, do us that quickly. 158 00:09:54,900 --> 00:09:56,300 Whatever you're going to do. Do it? 159 00:09:57,200 --> 00:09:58,600 Get it done? Just go. 160 00:10:00,200 --> 00:10:01,900 And then these words, please get this. 161 00:10:03,100 --> 00:10:09,900 And Satan entered Judas. I don't believe for one minute 162 00:10:09,900 --> 00:10:13,500 that that meant that Satan demonically possessed, Judas. 163 00:10:14,400 --> 00:10:18,700 I believe what that means is Judas was no longer listening to 164 00:10:18,700 --> 00:10:22,100 Jesus. He was no longer influenced by 165 00:10:22,100 --> 00:10:24,700 Jesus. He was now only influenced by 166 00:10:24,700 --> 00:10:28,500 the devil. And he went out and did his 167 00:10:28,500 --> 00:10:31,400 thing. We don't need to go any further 168 00:10:31,700 --> 00:10:35,600 in what he did except we want to talk about his decision. 169 00:10:36,700 --> 00:10:42,600 His decision was permanent Peter, repented Judas did not 170 00:10:43,500 --> 00:10:46,000 and somebody might say, well, Judas committed a sin but he had 171 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:50,800 no remorse, that's not true. He had tremendous remorse. 172 00:10:51,600 --> 00:10:54,500 In fact, Judas comes back and he takes the money and he said I 173 00:10:54,500 --> 00:10:58,900 can't take the money. I betrayed innocent blood. 174 00:10:59,100 --> 00:11:01,400 You know, they said to him, big deal. 175 00:11:01,800 --> 00:11:04,400 That's your problem. See you to it. 176 00:11:04,900 --> 00:11:09,300 That's your problem. Then he goes out. 177 00:11:09,500 --> 00:11:14,700 Is he still remorseful horribly? So De repente. 178 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:19,200 No. And it goes out and he hangs 179 00:11:19,200 --> 00:11:22,400 himself from the Bible, says, his bowels gushed out. 180 00:11:22,900 --> 00:11:25,200 Do you know what the Bible describes or how the Bible 181 00:11:25,200 --> 00:11:27,100 describes Judas and what happened to him? 182 00:11:27,100 --> 00:11:30,100 It says and then Judas went to his own place. 183 00:11:30,100 --> 00:11:33,300 Do you know what that means? When it says he went to his own 184 00:11:33,300 --> 00:11:35,400 place, it's another way of saying he got what was coming to 185 00:11:35,408 --> 00:11:39,900 him and he was lost why? His decision was permanent. 186 00:11:42,500 --> 00:11:46,900 When people leave the Lord. Don't ever let it be pleased. 187 00:11:46,900 --> 00:11:50,300 If that is you, if that decision is permanent. 188 00:11:51,900 --> 00:11:53,600 Because even if you leave, it's not too late. 189 00:11:53,600 --> 00:11:55,600 As long as you're still alive, you can repent, you, and come 190 00:11:55,600 --> 00:11:56,900 back. Oh, wonderful. 191 00:11:57,000 --> 00:11:58,400 Would it be if you would do that? 192 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:02,600 Don't let it be permanent Judas was permanent and it was too 193 00:12:02,600 --> 00:12:04,600 late. Alright? 194 00:12:06,400 --> 00:12:08,400 I want to make a point here before we go any further. 195 00:12:09,900 --> 00:12:13,200 I am so thankful that God did not cut me off. 196 00:12:14,700 --> 00:12:18,000 In my life, the times I made a mistake trying to live a 197 00:12:18,008 --> 00:12:20,400 Christian life but made a mistake because I'm a human 198 00:12:20,400 --> 00:12:24,000 being. And we're all broken and I don't 199 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:25,200 care who you are. I'm gonna tell you right now, 200 00:12:25,200 --> 00:12:27,100 you're a were all broken. We all sin. 201 00:12:27,200 --> 00:12:30,000 So don't start thinking that, you're not because you are hope 202 00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:32,300 that didn't sound too harsh, but I'm just being real direct here. 203 00:12:32,500 --> 00:12:37,400 That's all of us me too. We all send the fact, that's 204 00:12:37,400 --> 00:12:39,000 what the Bible says. We have all sinned and come 205 00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:43,100 short of the glory of God. Aren't you glad that God didn't 206 00:12:43,100 --> 00:12:45,800 cut you off when you were weak and committed a sin? 207 00:12:47,700 --> 00:12:49,800 Aren't you glad that you are still in the good? 208 00:12:49,800 --> 00:12:51,000 Graces of God. Aren't you? 209 00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:53,900 Glad that you're still among the faithful that God didn't just 210 00:12:53,900 --> 00:12:58,000 cut you off. But you know, something that's 211 00:12:58,000 --> 00:13:02,700 not what we do. Sometimes is it Sometimes we 212 00:13:02,700 --> 00:13:05,400 require of others more than the lord requires. 213 00:13:06,500 --> 00:13:10,800 Give you an example. We hold people sometimes in high 214 00:13:10,800 --> 00:13:15,000 esteem sometimes we hold them up on pedestals, that is wrong, 215 00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:19,000 don't do that and then when that person commits a sin and makes a 216 00:13:19,008 --> 00:13:22,200 mistake the fall was great. And you know what sometimes we 217 00:13:22,200 --> 00:13:25,400 do. Cross him off. 218 00:13:26,400 --> 00:13:30,800 He'll never recover from that. He'll never bounce back from 219 00:13:30,800 --> 00:13:34,600 that. Let's not do that, please. 220 00:13:34,600 --> 00:13:40,200 Let's not do that. Because God doesn't God doesn't 221 00:13:40,200 --> 00:13:44,700 do that. I was talking to somebody one 222 00:13:44,700 --> 00:13:47,900 time. Person was making fun of 223 00:13:47,900 --> 00:13:52,000 somebody for making mistakes. Being critical of somebody who 224 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:56,700 is making mistakes. And I said, okay. 225 00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:02,700 Do you not make any mistakes? And this person said, I'm not 226 00:14:02,700 --> 00:14:09,200 dumb ones. Is there another kind? 227 00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:15,000 We all do. Come on. 228 00:14:16,600 --> 00:14:20,800 Let's stop. Be that guy. when somebody makes 229 00:14:20,800 --> 00:14:23,700 a mistake and sends and repents and makes it right, let's be 230 00:14:23,700 --> 00:14:28,300 like God, And guess what you and I don't do the pruning. 231 00:14:29,400 --> 00:14:32,500 Only God does hang on to that. Thought much more on that in 232 00:14:32,500 --> 00:14:33,700 just a moment. Okay. 233 00:14:33,700 --> 00:14:35,300 Let's notice some characters, shall we? 234 00:14:35,500 --> 00:14:39,900 There's two main characters. Jesus says, I am the True Vine 235 00:14:39,900 --> 00:14:42,100 and my father is the vinedresser. 236 00:14:42,100 --> 00:14:49,100 Let's notice now First of all, Jesus is the vine God. 237 00:14:49,100 --> 00:14:54,000 The father is the farmer. The farmer planted and cares for 238 00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:58,100 the Vine. The farmer cuts off the Bad and 239 00:14:58,100 --> 00:14:59,600 prunes. The good branches. 240 00:15:00,700 --> 00:15:02,800 The question is, who are the branches? 241 00:15:03,500 --> 00:15:09,200 The branches are the disciples followers of Jesus Christ. 242 00:15:09,900 --> 00:15:12,200 God cuts off the bat, he prunes the good. 243 00:15:12,900 --> 00:15:17,900 All of life comes from the vine. And by the way, There's also a 244 00:15:17,900 --> 00:15:21,500 sense of belonging isn't there when you say this too? 245 00:15:21,600 --> 00:15:24,600 I don't care where you come from, I don't care what your 246 00:15:24,600 --> 00:15:27,000 background is. I don't care who you are, and I 247 00:15:27,008 --> 00:15:30,400 don't care how many talents you have or how few talents you 248 00:15:30,400 --> 00:15:33,000 have. If you are connected to the 249 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:36,300 vine, it means you're connected to Jesus and it means you 250 00:15:36,308 --> 00:15:40,300 belong. You belong. 251 00:15:41,100 --> 00:15:45,700 All of that's true about being part of the life force or the 252 00:15:45,700 --> 00:15:49,400 vine but Jesus didn't just say I'm the vine. 253 00:15:49,500 --> 00:15:53,400 Why do you say it like this? He said I am the True Vine. 254 00:15:53,500 --> 00:15:56,400 Why did he say it like that? The reason he said I am the True 255 00:15:56,400 --> 00:16:00,800 Vine is because there was a false Vine a degenerate Vine. 256 00:16:00,800 --> 00:16:04,000 There was a fruitless Vine. There was one Who Bore fruit 257 00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:09,000 that was not good. One scholar said useless. 258 00:16:10,400 --> 00:16:12,500 Inedible. Now, obviously, we're talking 259 00:16:12,500 --> 00:16:14,700 metaphorically. Okay, not talking about real 260 00:16:14,700 --> 00:16:17,200 fruit. Hanging on trees talking about 261 00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:20,200 spiritual fruit. So who was the one that was the 262 00:16:20,200 --> 00:16:22,700 degenerate Vine? Who was that? 263 00:16:23,400 --> 00:16:27,100 The degenerate Vine, the corrupt Vine was Israel. 264 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:30,400 They were degenerate EMS. Her said it this way. 265 00:16:30,900 --> 00:16:35,400 Israel had produced a wild fruit in the form of false religion 266 00:16:36,300 --> 00:16:38,300 Now I didn't say the word that Jenner and I didn't come up with 267 00:16:38,300 --> 00:16:40,700 that on my own the Bible does and let's look at the passages. 268 00:16:40,900 --> 00:16:43,900 First of all it's notice Jeremiah chapter 2 and verse 21. 269 00:16:45,400 --> 00:16:48,900 Yet, I implanted you a noble Vine of seat of highest quality. 270 00:16:49,400 --> 00:16:52,800 How then, if you turn before me into a degenerate plant of an 271 00:16:52,800 --> 00:16:56,600 alien, Vine, another passage of scripture where Israel is 272 00:16:56,600 --> 00:16:59,300 presented as a Vine. We go to Isaiah chapter 5, 273 00:16:59,300 --> 00:17:01,800 beginning in verse 1. Now let me sing to my 274 00:17:01,800 --> 00:17:05,099 well-beloved. A song of my beloved regarding 275 00:17:05,099 --> 00:17:10,700 his Vineyard My well-beloved has a Vineyard on a very fruitful 276 00:17:10,700 --> 00:17:13,200 Hill. He dug it up and cleared out it 277 00:17:13,200 --> 00:17:15,900 stones and planted it with the choicest Vine. 278 00:17:17,099 --> 00:17:21,500 He built a tower in its midst and also made it a winepress in 279 00:17:21,500 --> 00:17:23,900 it so we expected it to bring forth. 280 00:17:23,900 --> 00:17:32,400 Good grapes. I'm not enjoying that. 281 00:17:36,000 --> 00:17:41,400 Good grapes. But it brought forth, wild 282 00:17:41,500 --> 00:17:46,800 grapes. God did everything to give all 283 00:17:46,800 --> 00:17:49,800 that was necessary to bring forth good grapes but they 284 00:17:49,800 --> 00:17:51,700 brought forth that which was sour and useless. 285 00:17:51,700 --> 00:17:55,600 Israel was the vine in the Old Testament and you know that 286 00:17:55,600 --> 00:17:58,700 metaphor was carried through in the maccabean period. 287 00:17:58,700 --> 00:18:00,700 I'm not going to go deep into the Maccabee and period. 288 00:18:00,700 --> 00:18:04,500 The Maccabees were a rebel Jewish force that rose up to 289 00:18:04,500 --> 00:18:07,800 take Judea, but if they existed in the period of time, I was 290 00:18:07,800 --> 00:18:10,200 going to be very general between the Old and New Testament. 291 00:18:10,200 --> 00:18:11,400 Let's just leave it at that, okay? 292 00:18:11,400 --> 00:18:16,600 But the idea of Israel, Being the vine was carried through, 293 00:18:16,600 --> 00:18:19,700 even through the mecca being period And The Maccabees what 294 00:18:19,700 --> 00:18:23,400 they did is they minted their own coin and on one side of the 295 00:18:23,400 --> 00:18:26,000 coin, they would put a vine. Do you know why they did that? 296 00:18:26,000 --> 00:18:29,300 Because they took great pride in being connected to God? 297 00:18:29,400 --> 00:18:33,000 They said we are Israel, we are the vine, we are connected to 298 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:34,600 God, and they took great pride in that. 299 00:18:34,600 --> 00:18:38,200 So even on minted coins, they put it there, they were 300 00:18:38,200 --> 00:18:41,600 connected to him, but on the scene Here Comes Jesus. 301 00:18:42,500 --> 00:18:47,300 And Jesus is saying, this know, you is real or not the vine. 302 00:18:48,100 --> 00:18:52,400 You are not the true Israel. He said this. 303 00:19:00,100 --> 00:19:04,000 He said this, I am the way the truth, and the life. 304 00:19:05,600 --> 00:19:09,000 No one comes unto the father except by or through me. 305 00:19:10,400 --> 00:19:12,000 Folks, I'm going to tell you something right now. 306 00:19:13,500 --> 00:19:20,500 Please get this. If you want to go to heaven and 307 00:19:20,500 --> 00:19:25,000 I know you do. I'm talking to an audience of 308 00:19:25,008 --> 00:19:28,900 people and everybody here. I believe with all my heart 309 00:19:28,900 --> 00:19:33,300 wants to go to heaven. Wants to go to heaven, to go be 310 00:19:33,300 --> 00:19:39,900 where God is someday the father. The only way you can go to 311 00:19:39,900 --> 00:19:43,400 heaven. Is to be attached to the Vine. 312 00:19:45,100 --> 00:19:48,700 The vine is Jesus Christ. Jesus said that no one comes 313 00:19:48,700 --> 00:19:51,800 into the father except by or through me you got to get in the 314 00:19:51,808 --> 00:19:55,000 vine and later on we're going to talk about exactly how you get 315 00:19:55,000 --> 00:19:57,500 in the vine. And number two, got to remain in 316 00:19:57,500 --> 00:19:58,900 the vine. Got to do two things. 317 00:19:58,900 --> 00:20:01,000 Got to get in the vine, got to remain in the vine. 318 00:20:01,200 --> 00:20:03,700 Jesus is the vine. The second character in this 319 00:20:03,700 --> 00:20:09,300 picture is the vinedresser I am the True Vine and my father is 320 00:20:09,300 --> 00:20:11,800 the vine dresser. That's the farmer. 321 00:20:12,300 --> 00:20:15,500 The farmer cares for the vine. He plants the vine. 322 00:20:16,400 --> 00:20:20,100 In fact, all that's true. The father was behind 323 00:20:20,100 --> 00:20:21,600 everything. Jesus did they did everything 324 00:20:21,600 --> 00:20:25,000 together, notice, please, the father sent the son into the 325 00:20:25,000 --> 00:20:28,400 world. The father laid out the plan. 326 00:20:29,800 --> 00:20:35,400 Jesus said, I only do the will of my father, he said, and I 327 00:20:35,400 --> 00:20:40,500 only do what pleases the father, so the father cared for him, 328 00:20:40,700 --> 00:20:44,600 provided everything for him, he provided the Holy Spirit, and 329 00:20:44,600 --> 00:20:47,400 gave it to him without measure to empower him through his 330 00:20:47,400 --> 00:20:50,200 ministry. And, by the way, when you make a 331 00:20:50,200 --> 00:20:54,300 little point about the phrase without measure, Do you remember 332 00:20:54,300 --> 00:20:55,900 what Jesus was talking to his disciples? 333 00:20:55,900 --> 00:20:59,200 They didn't want him to go. He said I have to go it's 334 00:20:59,200 --> 00:21:03,000 expedient that I go. They couldn't imagine a life 335 00:21:03,000 --> 00:21:05,900 without Jesus there, master, who they had served and followed, 336 00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:08,300 and for three years at hung on his every word. 337 00:21:08,300 --> 00:21:12,900 And yet Jesus said, I got to go, it's a good thing that I go, 338 00:21:12,900 --> 00:21:17,300 it's expedient that I go. He said if I don't go the 339 00:21:17,300 --> 00:21:20,900 comforter, that was the Holy Spirit, will not come. 340 00:21:22,300 --> 00:21:26,800 But I'm going to go away and I'm going to send the promise of my 341 00:21:26,800 --> 00:21:30,400 father to you and he was talking about in a miraculous sense. 342 00:21:30,600 --> 00:21:34,000 He was talking about the apostles and he told them that 343 00:21:34,000 --> 00:21:37,300 I'm going to send you the comforter some translations say 344 00:21:37,500 --> 00:21:39,800 help her. What did Jesus say that that 345 00:21:39,800 --> 00:21:41,800 helper was going to do for the apostles? 346 00:21:42,100 --> 00:21:43,900 It was going to guide them into all truth. 347 00:21:43,900 --> 00:21:47,200 Number one, and it was going to bring to remembrance Everything 348 00:21:47,200 --> 00:21:52,100 Jesus said to them. They had the Holy Spirit. 349 00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:57,100 With measure or limitation, the only one that had the Holy 350 00:21:57,100 --> 00:22:00,000 Spirit without measure was Jesus. 351 00:22:00,400 --> 00:22:05,300 And God, the Father, the farmer gave the vine Jesus, the Holy 352 00:22:05,300 --> 00:22:08,600 Spirit without measure everything, he needed in his 353 00:22:08,600 --> 00:22:12,100 ministry. And as a result, he is the true 354 00:22:12,100 --> 00:22:15,500 vine that possesses True Divine Life. 355 00:22:15,500 --> 00:22:18,700 Again I'm going to say it again. If you want life, if you want 356 00:22:18,700 --> 00:22:22,100 the life he possesses got to get attached to the vine more of 357 00:22:22,100 --> 00:22:23,600 that again. Later verse 2 though. 358 00:22:23,600 --> 00:22:25,600 Introduces the branches let's talk about branches. 359 00:22:28,100 --> 00:22:30,100 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit. 360 00:22:30,100 --> 00:22:34,200 He takes away And every branch that bears fruit, he prunes that 361 00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:36,700 it may bear more fruit. That's the point. 362 00:22:38,200 --> 00:22:42,200 Now. If a person is going to be cut 363 00:22:42,200 --> 00:22:46,300 off, remember this? if a person is going to be cut 364 00:22:46,300 --> 00:22:51,000 off or taken away, Don't let it be the end result because verse 365 00:22:51,000 --> 00:22:52,600 6 talks about the end result of that. 366 00:22:52,600 --> 00:22:54,400 We don't want that. We don't want a part of her six. 367 00:22:55,300 --> 00:22:57,700 It says they're cast Into the Fire and burned, that's just a 368 00:22:57,708 --> 00:23:00,400 picture. Being lost this top, do that. 369 00:23:00,400 --> 00:23:01,700 Let's not be cut off permanently. 370 00:23:01,700 --> 00:23:03,600 Let's not make permanent decisions away from the lord. 371 00:23:03,600 --> 00:23:07,900 It's not do that. But those that are good, he 372 00:23:07,900 --> 00:23:10,200 prunes two kinds of branches. I want to be the right kind. 373 00:23:10,200 --> 00:23:14,000 Don't you? Now, if we noticed that Judas 374 00:23:14,100 --> 00:23:16,900 was cut off and Peter, got pruned, but how did Jesus phrase 375 00:23:16,900 --> 00:23:18,000 it? I've been saying good and bad. 376 00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:19,200 That's my words. K. 377 00:23:19,800 --> 00:23:22,400 I've been saying good and bad, let's use the words of Jesus. 378 00:23:22,400 --> 00:23:26,000 Instead those that bear? No fruit. 379 00:23:27,200 --> 00:23:31,400 And those that bear fruit. Those that bear. 380 00:23:31,400 --> 00:23:33,700 No fruit. I've been calling bad, they're 381 00:23:33,700 --> 00:23:39,300 cut off those that bear fruit. I've been calling good there. 382 00:23:39,300 --> 00:23:41,900 Proved that's what the Lord says. 383 00:23:43,600 --> 00:23:46,600 You're somebody else, too. Well, first of all, who are the 384 00:23:46,600 --> 00:23:51,300 ones that bear fruit? And please get this point. 385 00:23:52,100 --> 00:23:53,800 Who are the ones that bear fruit. 386 00:23:56,400 --> 00:24:03,900 All faithful Christians. I didn't say some. 387 00:24:05,700 --> 00:24:08,300 I didn't say the ones that sometimes we think boy, they do 388 00:24:08,300 --> 00:24:13,400 a lot and say that Who are the ones that bear fruit and who are 389 00:24:13,400 --> 00:24:19,300 the ones that are good. All faithful Christians. 390 00:24:20,100 --> 00:24:25,700 Oh, here's somebody else though. That might fall into this 391 00:24:25,700 --> 00:24:29,000 category. Maybe somebody that would attach 392 00:24:29,000 --> 00:24:31,800 themselves to the line on their own with their own terms. 393 00:24:33,400 --> 00:24:37,000 Out in the world. Thinking they're attaching to 394 00:24:37,000 --> 00:24:39,200 the vine on their own terms but they're believing in and 395 00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:41,800 practicing a false religious system, they would be considered 396 00:24:41,800 --> 00:24:44,300 those. That would be cut off and not 397 00:24:44,300 --> 00:24:45,800 bearing fruit. Because what did I say? 398 00:24:46,900 --> 00:24:49,800 Those that bear fruit are all faithful Christians. 399 00:24:49,800 --> 00:24:51,200 They are good. And guess what? 400 00:24:51,200 --> 00:24:53,300 I'm gonna say it again. We're all going to get prune. 401 00:24:53,600 --> 00:24:56,900 It's coming. So my question is, does every 402 00:24:56,900 --> 00:24:59,600 faithful Christian have fruit? The answer is. 403 00:24:59,600 --> 00:25:02,700 Yes, that's how, you know, you're a Christian. 404 00:25:02,800 --> 00:25:05,800 The Bible says by your fruits, you shall know them. 405 00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:07,700 All right. What is fruit? 406 00:25:09,000 --> 00:25:12,300 Now you can take all kinds of individual particulars and you 407 00:25:12,300 --> 00:25:14,900 can plug them in but you can plug them into these three 408 00:25:14,900 --> 00:25:18,000 things. What is fruit? 409 00:25:18,500 --> 00:25:21,100 And I think it's important by the way that we don't just teach 410 00:25:21,100 --> 00:25:23,600 in generalities and give a general concept. 411 00:25:23,600 --> 00:25:25,700 We got to give some specifics because everybody's want well 412 00:25:25,700 --> 00:25:28,300 yeah, my bearing fruit ma'am, I bear fruit what is it? 413 00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:31,400 He said that I that all faithful Christians bear fruit will what 414 00:25:31,400 --> 00:25:33,200 is it in my bearing fruit? Am I doing that my life? 415 00:25:33,200 --> 00:25:34,900 What are those things? What do they look like here? 416 00:25:34,900 --> 00:25:38,800 They are three things. Number one, righteous attitudes. 417 00:25:40,500 --> 00:25:45,900 Number two, righteous virtues. You know, the Bible says add to 418 00:25:45,908 --> 00:25:49,500 your faith virtue virtue, knowledge, knowledge, 419 00:25:49,500 --> 00:25:54,600 Temperance, Temperance patience. Patience godliness. 420 00:25:55,700 --> 00:25:57,800 God learner's godliness, brotherly. 421 00:25:57,800 --> 00:26:00,700 Kindness brotherly. Kindness love. 422 00:26:02,000 --> 00:26:03,300 Seven. Christian Graces. 423 00:26:03,300 --> 00:26:05,400 You know they're called as virtues. 424 00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:07,600 How do I know if I'm bearing fruit? 425 00:26:07,600 --> 00:26:10,400 Every ride every faithful Christians doing that righteous 426 00:26:10,400 --> 00:26:14,100 attitude so righteous virtues but one more righteous 427 00:26:14,100 --> 00:26:17,000 behaviors. And by the way, if I have a 428 00:26:17,008 --> 00:26:20,100 righteous attitude, if I'm trying my best to apply 429 00:26:20,100 --> 00:26:22,100 righteous virtues guess, what's going to happen? 430 00:26:22,300 --> 00:26:24,800 I'm going to have righteous behaviors in my life. 431 00:26:25,500 --> 00:26:27,600 It's the manifestation of what I am on the inside. 432 00:26:27,600 --> 00:26:28,900 That's all true. You've heard me preach that a 433 00:26:28,908 --> 00:26:31,100 million times. Okay. 434 00:26:32,600 --> 00:26:36,800 Now, here's the point, all faithful Christians bear fruit, 435 00:26:37,600 --> 00:26:40,200 but it may not be anywhere near enough. 436 00:26:41,400 --> 00:26:46,900 So, guess what it's coming. So you can do what you can bear 437 00:26:46,900 --> 00:26:50,500 more fruit. When you bear fruit, much fruit, 438 00:26:50,700 --> 00:26:53,200 you proved to be a true disciple of Bible says without faith. 439 00:26:53,400 --> 00:26:56,100 It's a pause it's it with faith without works is dead. 440 00:26:56,700 --> 00:26:59,400 So the only way that you know, if you're a true disciple is by 441 00:26:59,400 --> 00:27:01,600 evidence and evidence is true as fruit. 442 00:27:02,300 --> 00:27:05,500 Oftentimes to we talk about Christianity, as a 443 00:27:05,500 --> 00:27:08,600 transformational period or transformational idea and it's 444 00:27:08,600 --> 00:27:13,400 true. It is about transformation but 445 00:27:13,400 --> 00:27:18,300 please get this transformation is not a destination, it's a 446 00:27:18,300 --> 00:27:22,300 journey. Transformation is not an end, 447 00:27:22,300 --> 00:27:25,600 all Perfection. Let's look at the passage first 448 00:27:26,500 --> 00:27:30,100 Romans 12 beginning in verse 1. I beseech you therefore Brethren 449 00:27:30,100 --> 00:27:32,400 by the mercies of God, that you present, your bodies, a Living 450 00:27:32,400 --> 00:27:36,400 Sacrifice, holy acceptable to God, which is your reasonable 451 00:27:36,400 --> 00:27:40,300 service and do not be conformed to this world but be transformed 452 00:27:40,300 --> 00:27:43,300 by the renewing of your mind. That you may prove what is that 453 00:27:43,300 --> 00:27:46,500 good and acceptable and perfect will of God, okay? 454 00:27:47,700 --> 00:27:52,100 It's not What? An end all, I've made it. 455 00:27:54,000 --> 00:27:56,400 And folks, sometimes let's be careful. 456 00:27:57,900 --> 00:28:00,400 Sometimes we think and it's easy to do that. 457 00:28:01,700 --> 00:28:05,600 Sometimes we think. I've arrived. 458 00:28:09,000 --> 00:28:15,000 Sometimes we think I've arrived. and sometimes we think, because 459 00:28:15,000 --> 00:28:19,100 we think we've arrived, Sometimes we think. 460 00:28:23,100 --> 00:28:25,500 Sometimes we think because we think we've arrived at somebody 461 00:28:25,500 --> 00:28:28,800 else has not be very careful about that please. 462 00:28:30,200 --> 00:28:35,300 Be careful about that. because being a Christian is not about a 463 00:28:35,300 --> 00:28:40,800 destination, being a Christian is about a journey. 464 00:28:41,900 --> 00:28:45,200 It's a process. It's a process in our life. 465 00:28:55,100 --> 00:28:57,400 Okay, in fact, it's this right here. 466 00:29:01,700 --> 00:29:10,200 Now, nothing works. It's not perfection. 467 00:29:11,700 --> 00:29:15,600 It's a dominating Direction. If you're taking notes, write 468 00:29:15,600 --> 00:29:20,600 that down. if we talk about being transformed, it's not 469 00:29:20,600 --> 00:29:24,000 perfection. It's a dominating Direction. 470 00:29:25,200 --> 00:29:26,700 That's what it means to be a Christian. 471 00:29:27,500 --> 00:29:31,100 All right, so a good disciple is not only bears fruit, but a good 472 00:29:31,100 --> 00:29:33,800 disciple gets approved. Question is, what's the 473 00:29:33,800 --> 00:29:37,900 instrument that God uses? In John chapter 15 and verse 3, 474 00:29:37,900 --> 00:29:41,200 you are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to 475 00:29:41,200 --> 00:29:43,000 you. What is the knife? 476 00:29:45,000 --> 00:29:48,700 The knife's, the word of God. I'm going to ask you to do 477 00:29:48,700 --> 00:29:52,200 something for me, please. The idea is that the knife is 478 00:29:52,200 --> 00:29:56,600 used to prune us to Bear more fruit but I'm going to ask you 479 00:29:56,600 --> 00:29:59,300 not to draw any conclusions because we're going to talk 480 00:29:59,300 --> 00:30:03,300 about Providence in a minute. Do not draw a conclusion based 481 00:30:03,300 --> 00:30:06,100 on the pruning process yet. Please until we get to the end. 482 00:30:06,900 --> 00:30:09,800 What we know for sure is the knife is the word of God. 483 00:30:10,700 --> 00:30:14,100 That's the word that's the knife in agriculture. 484 00:30:14,100 --> 00:30:17,900 The pruning process can mean anything that cleans the plant 485 00:30:17,900 --> 00:30:20,000 to make it more productive, phyllo. 486 00:30:20,000 --> 00:30:24,900 A Jewish Theologian said this as Superfluous shoots grow on 487 00:30:24,900 --> 00:30:29,800 plants which are a great injury to the genuine shoots in which 488 00:30:29,800 --> 00:30:34,200 the vinedresser cleanses and it uses a knife and prunes it 489 00:30:34,200 --> 00:30:38,400 because he knows it's necessary. So, God cuts off some of the 490 00:30:38,408 --> 00:30:43,800 branches completely, but for the rest of us, God goes to work on 491 00:30:43,800 --> 00:30:48,700 us with a knife. He comes along in our life with 492 00:30:48,700 --> 00:30:55,900 a knife and it's painful. He cuts he cuts in, he cuts 493 00:30:55,900 --> 00:31:00,400 useless, wasteful Behavior, he cuts preoccupation with things 494 00:31:00,400 --> 00:31:03,400 that don't matter. How did he do that? 495 00:31:03,900 --> 00:31:06,500 Remember don't draw a conclusion yet. 496 00:31:06,700 --> 00:31:08,300 The only knife is the word of God. 497 00:31:08,300 --> 00:31:10,500 My question is this? What about Providence? 498 00:31:11,900 --> 00:31:15,100 What about things that God either makes happen or God 499 00:31:15,100 --> 00:31:19,700 allows the question is, does trials in our life, have 500 00:31:19,700 --> 00:31:23,400 anything at all to do with this process. 501 00:31:25,100 --> 00:31:35,200 The answer to that is yes. Yes. 502 00:31:38,500 --> 00:31:40,300 Again, the knife is only the word. 503 00:31:40,400 --> 00:31:41,700 They play a role. They're not the knife. 504 00:31:41,700 --> 00:31:43,400 Let's talk about some of them. What about this? 505 00:31:45,700 --> 00:31:49,800 A sickness. But hardship. 506 00:31:52,200 --> 00:31:55,900 About loss. My disappointment. 507 00:31:58,100 --> 00:32:02,200 About pain. About failure. 508 00:32:04,500 --> 00:32:05,700 How about all kinds of suffering? 509 00:32:08,000 --> 00:32:11,300 We're going to get to how God uses those things just a moment, 510 00:32:11,300 --> 00:32:13,900 please. But let's notice our attitude 511 00:32:13,900 --> 00:32:17,100 and what our attitude should be. Let's be like Paul Second 512 00:32:17,100 --> 00:32:19,700 Corinthians 12 and 10. Therefore, I take pleasure in 513 00:32:19,700 --> 00:32:22,300 infirmities in reproaches and needs and persecutions in 514 00:32:22,300 --> 00:32:25,500 distresses for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am 515 00:32:25,600 --> 00:32:27,800 strong. Do you know why? 516 00:32:29,000 --> 00:32:32,200 Because God strength is made perfect in his weakness. 517 00:32:33,200 --> 00:32:37,200 Don't you see? We're all week. 518 00:32:38,600 --> 00:32:42,200 And that's a good thing. You know why? 519 00:32:42,800 --> 00:32:47,200 Because when we are weak on our own, that's when God shows up. 520 00:32:48,600 --> 00:32:51,300 Do you know why, Peter, and the rest of the Apostles failed 521 00:32:51,300 --> 00:32:54,300 miserably and denying the Lord. They try to rely on their own 522 00:32:54,300 --> 00:32:59,100 strength and they failed. You got to rely on God's 523 00:32:59,100 --> 00:33:01,000 strength, folks. That's where strength comes 524 00:33:01,000 --> 00:33:04,100 from. I think God wants us to hear 525 00:33:04,100 --> 00:33:06,400 prayers like this. I'm nothing without you. 526 00:33:07,500 --> 00:33:12,600 I can't do this without you, I am weep without you, please help 527 00:33:12,600 --> 00:33:14,000 me. I need your strength. 528 00:33:14,100 --> 00:33:17,200 I am nothing without you. You wrote the Bible says, Paul 529 00:33:17,200 --> 00:33:20,900 wrote to those Thessalonian Brethren God is faithful that he 530 00:33:20,900 --> 00:33:24,700 will, what he will establish you, he will strengthen, you 531 00:33:24,800 --> 00:33:31,500 strength comes from God, So when we're at our weakest State and 532 00:33:31,500 --> 00:33:34,000 we turn to God, oh, that's when God shows up. 533 00:33:35,200 --> 00:33:38,400 He gives us the strength. We're nothing without him. 534 00:33:39,800 --> 00:33:43,300 How about James, James, warm, my brethren, count, it all joy, 535 00:33:43,300 --> 00:33:45,400 when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing 536 00:33:45,400 --> 00:33:47,000 of your faith. Produces patience, but let 537 00:33:47,000 --> 00:33:48,900 patience have. It's perfect work that you may 538 00:33:48,900 --> 00:33:50,900 be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 539 00:33:52,000 --> 00:33:53,400 What else would Peter have a say? 540 00:33:53,500 --> 00:33:56,500 First Peter 5 and 10? But may the God of all Grace who 541 00:33:56,500 --> 00:33:59,600 called us to his eternal, glory by Christ Jesus. 542 00:33:59,900 --> 00:34:03,900 After you have suffered a while, get that after you did, what 543 00:34:04,700 --> 00:34:07,400 Christians going to sew and it just goes supposed to be nice 544 00:34:07,400 --> 00:34:12,400 and fun. After you have suffered a while. 545 00:34:14,100 --> 00:34:21,199 Perfect. Establish strengthen and settle 546 00:34:21,199 --> 00:34:24,000 you. That's from God. 547 00:34:26,199 --> 00:34:30,100 That's from God. I know, but you got the good 548 00:34:30,100 --> 00:34:32,800 stuff. That's some practical stuff. 549 00:34:33,699 --> 00:34:36,800 Now you can really rely on God. They've so these trials, play a 550 00:34:36,800 --> 00:34:39,000 role in the printing process. Yes. 551 00:34:39,199 --> 00:34:41,300 But the Affliction is not the knife. 552 00:34:41,300 --> 00:34:44,900 The knife is the word of God. So my question is, how does God 553 00:34:44,900 --> 00:34:48,800 used in the word prune us as we go through the Affliction? 554 00:34:49,000 --> 00:34:52,500 Here it is. If I go through something very 555 00:34:52,500 --> 00:34:56,400 difficult. And I've got a poor attitude 556 00:34:56,400 --> 00:34:59,800 about it. And I'm resentful. 557 00:35:01,500 --> 00:35:03,600 And I'm disrespectful for God's purpose. 558 00:35:05,300 --> 00:35:09,900 And I try and I blame God. And I don't think it's fair. 559 00:35:11,800 --> 00:35:15,800 And I feel sorry for myself. you know, we used to call that in 560 00:35:15,808 --> 00:35:20,700 the old days or the old timers called stinkin Thinkin, You know 561 00:35:20,700 --> 00:35:22,700 that stinkin Thinkin. Guess what happens? 562 00:35:22,800 --> 00:35:26,900 Listen to me now. Then you go to the word of God. 563 00:35:28,200 --> 00:35:30,000 And the word of God convicts. Your heart. 564 00:35:31,600 --> 00:35:34,700 The word of God is the knife it in deitz. 565 00:35:34,700 --> 00:35:38,400 You for your stinkin Thinkin. You start to realize, wait a 566 00:35:38,400 --> 00:35:39,600 minute. What am I doing? 567 00:35:41,600 --> 00:35:45,800 What am I doing? I was wrong in that. 568 00:35:46,300 --> 00:35:51,100 Guess what? You just got pruned. 569 00:35:53,800 --> 00:35:58,400 So you can go be better. What if I have a terrible thing 570 00:35:58,400 --> 00:36:01,400 happened to me but I'm not. Resentful. 571 00:36:03,200 --> 00:36:05,800 What if I'm not blaming God? What if I'm not disrespectful 572 00:36:05,800 --> 00:36:08,500 for God's purposes? What if I handle it properly? 573 00:36:08,600 --> 00:36:12,700 Like, you should But I go to the word of God. 574 00:36:14,100 --> 00:36:15,900 And man, does it strengthen my convictions? 575 00:36:17,500 --> 00:36:19,500 It reminds me of what I knew was right. 576 00:36:19,500 --> 00:36:24,000 But man, I'm really ready now. And I'm so thankful that I made 577 00:36:24,000 --> 00:36:26,200 it through the trial. I made it through the sickness, 578 00:36:26,200 --> 00:36:29,800 I made it through whatever, and now I got a different mindset. 579 00:36:29,800 --> 00:36:32,200 Even more. Dedicated to God, guess what? 580 00:36:32,600 --> 00:36:41,300 I just got pruned. By the word of God, why? 581 00:36:42,100 --> 00:36:47,700 So I can bear more fruit Trials are the handle of the knife. 582 00:36:49,400 --> 00:36:55,400 The blade is the word of God. And remember this please God 583 00:36:55,700 --> 00:37:01,300 only and always prunes the good. So let's just do this. 584 00:37:01,300 --> 00:37:05,000 We got a choice. We can say, why me Lord. 585 00:37:06,600 --> 00:37:11,500 Or we can say thank you, Lord. Thank you for loving me. 586 00:37:13,000 --> 00:37:14,900 Thank you for thinking enough of me. 587 00:37:16,000 --> 00:37:18,100 And considering me one of your own. 588 00:37:19,600 --> 00:37:22,100 Thank you for considering me in this father. 589 00:37:23,600 --> 00:37:27,400 That I'm one of your faithful. And for loving me enough to 590 00:37:27,400 --> 00:37:29,700 prove me so I can be better than I ever thought I could be. 591 00:37:31,500 --> 00:37:35,000 Thank you for the knife. Thank you for the word of God. 592 00:37:35,900 --> 00:37:37,300 Got a choice. Why me? 593 00:37:37,300 --> 00:37:41,200 Lord Or thank you, Lord. I've said this for years to, by 594 00:37:41,200 --> 00:37:43,500 the way, people say why me? Let's just say why not me? 595 00:37:43,600 --> 00:37:47,100 What makes us any different. Here's there's stuff going on 596 00:37:47,100 --> 00:37:49,200 all over the world. People run it all kinds of hard 597 00:37:49,200 --> 00:37:51,300 that hard. Okay, let's stop doing that. 598 00:37:52,400 --> 00:37:54,700 Let us say why me? Let's say thank you. 599 00:37:55,400 --> 00:37:59,000 Lord Spurgeon, said this about the word of God. 600 00:37:59,200 --> 00:38:02,000 It's the word that proves the Christian is the truth that 601 00:38:02,000 --> 00:38:05,500 purges him, the scripture made a living made living and Powerful 602 00:38:05,500 --> 00:38:08,500 by the Holy Spirit, eventually and effectively cleanses. 603 00:38:08,500 --> 00:38:12,300 The Christian Affliction is the grindstone that sharpens the 604 00:38:12,300 --> 00:38:16,000 knife, but the knife is the word of God. 605 00:38:16,800 --> 00:38:21,400 All right, let's put more emphasis on, not removing the 606 00:38:21,400 --> 00:38:25,000 trial. Let's put more emphasis on 607 00:38:25,100 --> 00:38:27,600 handling the trial. I want to share something with 608 00:38:27,600 --> 00:38:32,300 you. If I'm a very very personal My 609 00:38:32,300 --> 00:38:36,600 father. In my mind he was not perfect 610 00:38:36,700 --> 00:38:41,100 but it was just he was my dad. When I look back on my father, I 611 00:38:41,100 --> 00:38:45,700 think my father was a great dad. But, you know, something not 612 00:38:45,700 --> 00:38:47,300 everything. My father did was worth 613 00:38:47,300 --> 00:38:52,000 repeating as a father so I didn't And man, I hope my kids 614 00:38:52,000 --> 00:38:55,200 would do the same thing. I hope they would look at me as 615 00:38:55,200 --> 00:38:57,300 a father and some of the things that were not worth repeating as 616 00:38:57,308 --> 00:39:02,200 a father woodchuck that out. But there were two things that 617 00:39:02,200 --> 00:39:05,500 my father did that with the two greatest gifts, my dad ever gave 618 00:39:05,500 --> 00:39:09,200 me Number one was instilling me a love for Jesus. 619 00:39:10,600 --> 00:39:14,500 And number two, my father, never tried to remove disappointments 620 00:39:14,500 --> 00:39:16,000 for my life or Shield me from them. 621 00:39:16,000 --> 00:39:20,500 He just taught me how to handle them, what a great gift and a 622 00:39:20,508 --> 00:39:25,200 great tool for life. When I was 10 I was playing and 623 00:39:25,200 --> 00:39:26,300 he did that from a very young age. 624 00:39:26,300 --> 00:39:28,600 I was 10, it's playing in a championship game. 625 00:39:28,600 --> 00:39:31,600 I was playing for my father's team and we were really good. 626 00:39:32,100 --> 00:39:35,500 We were undefeated and we finally got to the end, we 627 00:39:35,500 --> 00:39:37,700 played a team from out of town. That was very very good at very 628 00:39:37,700 --> 00:39:40,900 formidable Foe and you know what happened, we played this game. 629 00:39:40,900 --> 00:39:42,300 It was hard fought. It was Zero. 630 00:39:42,300 --> 00:39:44,400 It was zero zero at the end of the game. 631 00:39:45,600 --> 00:39:48,800 So it went to overtime. Yeah, even attend there with the 632 00:39:48,800 --> 00:39:52,400 overtime and we fought hard and we lost it. 633 00:39:52,400 --> 00:39:56,100 I cried. My father was wonderfully 634 00:39:57,200 --> 00:40:03,600 supportive for a few minutes. But if you knew my father with 635 00:40:03,600 --> 00:40:05,400 the support came, the lesson it was coming. 636 00:40:07,100 --> 00:40:09,700 He said, Son. All right. 637 00:40:11,500 --> 00:40:15,300 It's time to handle it. Son, you got to learn to win and 638 00:40:15,300 --> 00:40:20,200 not bragging, lose not cry. He said, that is life. 639 00:40:21,600 --> 00:40:23,800 He didn't say get over it. I hate that. 640 00:40:23,800 --> 00:40:25,400 Get over at. Do what you gotta do, you gotta 641 00:40:25,400 --> 00:40:29,200 get over it? Okay, no son. 642 00:40:29,200 --> 00:40:32,300 You got to handle it. You got to take it. 643 00:40:34,000 --> 00:40:38,500 In 2010, I was first introduced to something that I'm against. 644 00:40:38,500 --> 00:40:40,300 I still am against, it was against it that I'm against it 645 00:40:40,300 --> 00:40:43,500 now. I was holding a meeting in 646 00:40:43,500 --> 00:40:45,500 Nashville, Tennessee. And there was a convention in 647 00:40:45,500 --> 00:40:48,100 Nashville at the time and there were people there at church on 648 00:40:48,100 --> 00:40:49,900 Sunday morning, that went to that convention and the 649 00:40:49,900 --> 00:40:53,400 convention was get together and have all these debates whether 650 00:40:53,400 --> 00:40:56,800 we should keep score. And youth Athletics. 651 00:40:56,800 --> 00:40:58,700 And please listen to me because I'm going to say something here. 652 00:40:58,700 --> 00:41:01,200 I have been misunderstood and the misunderstanding is my 653 00:41:01,200 --> 00:41:04,800 fault, okay? I'll be very honest with you. 654 00:41:04,900 --> 00:41:07,800 Is my fault. I've been against that, you know 655 00:41:07,800 --> 00:41:09,100 why? Because I've said stuff like you 656 00:41:09,100 --> 00:41:14,300 can't remove competition from youth because life is 657 00:41:14,300 --> 00:41:17,800 competitive and people have taken that to mean, well, 658 00:41:17,800 --> 00:41:20,200 Frank's ultra-competitive and it's all about winning. 659 00:41:20,300 --> 00:41:26,500 That is not true. It's not about winning, it's not 660 00:41:26,500 --> 00:41:29,900 about teaching them to compete. It's about teaching them how to 661 00:41:29,900 --> 00:41:34,600 lose and handle it. That's what it's about. 662 00:41:36,300 --> 00:41:37,500 Because you know what that's called. 663 00:41:39,200 --> 00:41:42,500 Life. It's just life. 664 00:41:44,900 --> 00:41:48,500 There's a famous saying and I believe in it he says this world 665 00:41:48,500 --> 00:41:49,900 is not all sunshine and rainbows. 666 00:41:49,900 --> 00:41:52,000 It'll knock you to your knees and leave you there. 667 00:41:52,200 --> 00:41:56,500 If you let it Nothing will hit harder than life. 668 00:41:57,900 --> 00:42:01,700 But it's not how hard you hit. It's how hard you can get hit 669 00:42:01,700 --> 00:42:05,300 and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep 670 00:42:05,300 --> 00:42:08,500 moving forward. That's life. 671 00:42:11,700 --> 00:42:15,100 Trouser coming folks. They are they're the handle. 672 00:42:16,300 --> 00:42:18,200 The knife. The blade is the word of God. 673 00:42:18,300 --> 00:42:19,800 All right. One final thought about this, 674 00:42:19,800 --> 00:42:21,300 and we're going to go into our conclusion. 675 00:42:22,800 --> 00:42:26,100 Just a thought, have you ever stopped to consider that maybe 676 00:42:26,100 --> 00:42:28,400 the trial that you're going through is nothing at all to do 677 00:42:28,400 --> 00:42:32,800 with you? Sometimes we say, well, I have 678 00:42:33,300 --> 00:42:39,400 wide that what I did nothing. Maybe it has nothing to do with 679 00:42:39,400 --> 00:42:41,900 you. Have you ever stopped to 680 00:42:41,900 --> 00:42:45,500 consider that maybe God is going to use you with your positive 681 00:42:45,500 --> 00:42:48,600 attitude and your positive example to strengthen somebody 682 00:42:48,600 --> 00:42:53,000 else's faith? Maybe has nothing to do with 683 00:42:53,000 --> 00:42:55,100 you. Maybe it has something to do 684 00:42:55,100 --> 00:42:59,300 with that person way over there. Maybe it has something to do 685 00:42:59,300 --> 00:43:02,300 with someone who's in the world. That may look at your example 686 00:43:02,300 --> 00:43:05,100 and say I want to come to Jesus, the word of God is the only 687 00:43:05,100 --> 00:43:07,600 thing that has the power to save, but maybe your example 688 00:43:07,800 --> 00:43:11,100 will help them. As the Bible says, glorify God 689 00:43:11,100 --> 00:43:17,700 in the day of visitation, just maybe Welcome the challenge. 690 00:43:19,300 --> 00:43:21,400 Remember God only prunes to good. 691 00:43:22,600 --> 00:43:26,400 Let's not say, why me? Why me Lord let's say thank you 692 00:43:26,400 --> 00:43:28,500 Lord. So in conclusion, Jesus said I 693 00:43:28,500 --> 00:43:32,100 am the True Vine. He's the only one that's 694 00:43:32,100 --> 00:43:35,400 connected to God. So, if you want to go to heaven, 695 00:43:35,400 --> 00:43:36,800 you got to be connected to the Vine. 696 00:43:37,100 --> 00:43:39,000 I told you this. We're going to talk about how to 697 00:43:39,000 --> 00:43:40,400 connect to the vine. Here it is. 698 00:43:40,900 --> 00:43:43,600 Here it is. This is the only way to connect 699 00:43:43,600 --> 00:43:45,000 to the bind. If you've never done this, you 700 00:43:45,000 --> 00:43:47,300 could do it today. You could be connected to, Jesus 701 00:43:47,300 --> 00:43:49,500 Christ. You could be one of the vines 702 00:43:49,500 --> 00:43:51,900 that one of the branches. We talked about that are good. 703 00:43:51,900 --> 00:43:54,600 Here it is attaching to the Vine. 704 00:43:55,700 --> 00:43:59,000 You got to hear the word of God, Romans 10:17, you've done that 705 00:43:59,000 --> 00:44:02,000 today. So faith comes by hearing and 706 00:44:02,000 --> 00:44:04,000 hearing by the word of God, but you're not done. 707 00:44:05,000 --> 00:44:08,900 Got to do something, you got to believe, with all your heart, 708 00:44:09,500 --> 00:44:11,500 Hebrews 11, and verse 6. But without faith, it's 709 00:44:11,500 --> 00:44:14,100 impossible to please him for. He who comes to God. 710 00:44:14,100 --> 00:44:16,800 Must believe that he is, that he is, a rewarder of them that 711 00:44:16,800 --> 00:44:19,600 diligently seek him. You got to hear the word of God. 712 00:44:19,600 --> 00:44:21,600 You got to believe in Jesus with all your heart. 713 00:44:21,600 --> 00:44:23,700 What else? You got to make a change. 714 00:44:23,700 --> 00:44:26,300 You got to repent of your sins acts, 17 and 30. 715 00:44:26,300 --> 00:44:29,100 Truly these times of ignorance, God, overlooked. 716 00:44:29,100 --> 00:44:31,700 But now commands, all men everywhere to repent, you gotta 717 00:44:31,700 --> 00:44:33,700 say, look, I'm not going to live like I've lived anymore. 718 00:44:33,800 --> 00:44:35,700 I want to live for Jesus. That's all that means. 719 00:44:37,900 --> 00:44:40,100 You got to say something is the best word you'll ever say. 720 00:44:41,100 --> 00:44:43,400 You gotta confess with thy mouth, the Lord Jesus, as the 721 00:44:43,400 --> 00:44:46,400 Son of God acts 8:37. Then Philip said, if you believe 722 00:44:46,400 --> 00:44:49,100 with all your heart, you may. And he answered and said, I 723 00:44:49,100 --> 00:44:51,500 believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 724 00:44:51,700 --> 00:44:55,100 All of these steps lead toward or Point toward the point of 725 00:44:55,107 --> 00:44:58,000 salvation. But it doesn't put you in the 726 00:44:58,000 --> 00:45:01,900 vine yet. This does You have to be 727 00:45:01,900 --> 00:45:03,900 baptized for the remission of your sins. 728 00:45:04,100 --> 00:45:07,400 Mark 16:16. He who believes and is baptized, 729 00:45:07,400 --> 00:45:09,800 will be saved. But he, who does not believe 730 00:45:09,800 --> 00:45:12,600 will be condemned, if you'll take those steps of obedience 731 00:45:12,600 --> 00:45:16,900 today, if you will do that, Jesus will add you to the Vine. 732 00:45:18,300 --> 00:45:22,600 The life and guess what? And we can go to heaven. 733 00:45:23,600 --> 00:45:27,200 Will you see God and we can honor him and glorify him for 734 00:45:27,200 --> 00:45:30,800 all eternity. We thank you for listening to 735 00:45:30,800 --> 00:45:33,400 our podcast. Put on by the Church of Christ 736 00:45:33,800 --> 00:45:38,000 at 22:15 plans. Road in Bakersfield, if you 737 00:45:38,000 --> 00:45:41,100 would like any additional information, or you would like 738 00:45:41,100 --> 00:45:44,200 to receive a free Bible correspondence, course by mail. 739 00:45:44,900 --> 00:45:48,700 Please email us at info at her Church of Christ. 740 00:45:48,700 --> 00:45:52,700 Bakersfield.com. Our service times are on Sundays 741 00:45:52,700 --> 00:45:59,200 at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. please, 742 00:45:59,200 --> 00:46:02,500 make plans to join us. We would love for you to be our 743 00:46:02,500 --> 00:46:03,400 honored guest