Sermons & Studies

John 15:5-8 (NIV) 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” I. Introduction A. As Jesus prepares to leave his disciples, he takes some time to share some deep things with these men. Things that will prepare them for the time when He will no longer be with them. B. Jesus used imagery many times when trying to explain truths to the disciples and he does the same thing here. C. In our text today, Jesus uses the image of a vine and branches. An image with which we are familiar for we all have had some exposure to the workings of vines and trees before. D. Tending to a tree or vine requires a lot of work in order for the tree to bear some fruit. E. A gentleman from Cincinnati on the dive boat the other day (September 7, 2001) mentioned faith is required to grow something. 1. You don’t know when it will rain. 2. You don’t know if the soil will be right for one kind of crop or another (e.g., soy beans and corn have different requirements of the soil). 3. You don’t know if there will be a natural disaster to destroy the crop (e.g., pests, rodents or the natural elements). 4. And if you do get to harvest, you can’t know what the market will pay for the fruits of your labor. F. So bearing fruit is an iffy proposition even in the best of times. When it comes to the spiritual realm, God has sown see in our lives and is looking for a harvest. 1. You don’t plant something and not expect to reap something from the harvest. G. Let’s take a moment and see what Jesus shares with his disciples about fruit bearing believers. H. We need to under first of all that . . . II. We Are The Branches A. In order for us to be the fruity Christians Jesus desires, we have to get our identities straight. B. Jesus lets us know from the beginning that HE is the vine and we are the branches. C. One of the characteristics of a branch is that it is attached to the vine. Have you ever seen just the limb of a fruit tree bearing fruit by itself? Of course not. D. As disciples of Jesus, we need to develop a close walk with Jesus. Not just the Sunday morning walk but a deep daily intimacy: 1. Acts 17:28 (NIV), “ 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’” 2. 2 Cor 5:21 (NIV), “ 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” The righteous- ness that is accredited to us comes because we are in Christ. 3. Any power we have in our lives comes because we are in Christ. 2 Cor 13:4 (NIV), “Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God’s power we will live with him to serve you.” E. We develop a closeness with Jesus a number of ways: 1. By learning more about Him through the Word of God. As you read God’s word, you can know how Jesus acts; how Jesus thinks about certain issues; and the way in which Jesus approaches certain situations. 2. By talking with Jesus throughout the day in prayer. Jesus maintained close relations with the Father by praying daily and consistently about all aspects of his ministry and life. 3. Live in the presence of God. Live as if God is with you in every situation because the truth of the matter is that God is in every situation of our lives. F. If we are to be the branches, we need to be closely connected to the vine. 1. In the vine we gain strength for day to day living. 2. In the vine we get the peace that will keep us in the midst of the storm. That “. . . peace of God, which transcends all understanding . . .” (Philippians 4:7) 3. In the vine we stay under the protected wings of our God. Psalms 91:4 (NIV), “ 4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge;” G. So the first step in becoming a fruity believer is to realize that you are a branch with all the respon- sibilities that go with that. If you have an identity crisis this morning, let me remind you that you are a branch. III. Branches Can’t Exist On Their Own A. Jesus tells us what happens to a branch that exists a part from the vine in v. 6, “If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.” B. The problem before us today is that we’ve been living like we are the vine rather than being the branches: 1. Self-help gurus tells us that we control our destiny and that if we think it, we can do it. 2. Cleo on the tarot channels says to us that if we just call her for $2.95/minute, that the cards will let us know what direction our life will take. 3. Madison Ave tells us that: a. We can master the moment with a Mastercard. b. Why do we need God when you can have Visa? It’s everywhere you want to be. c. Jerry Seinfeld bounces from place to place telling us that we can do more with the American Express card. C. We are dependent on Christ and not the other way around. All that we can ever do will come about when we know who we are. D. The enemy has tricked us into believing we are vines all the while knowing that we are only detached branches. 1. That’s what the enemy did in Genesis 3. He tried Adam and Eve into detaching themselves from God giving them the false hope of attaining the level of a vine. E. Detached branches are branches that wither and die and we have a lot of dead walking branches around us today: 1. Folks who give the appearance of success and well being with the nice house, the cars in the garage, the fabulous vacations at renowned spots but inside, they are dead because they are up to their ears in debt and are one paycheck away from financial and personal disaster. 2. Folks who seem to be positive and upbeat like all is right with the world but in reality are propping up their attitude with drugs shot in their veins or by consuming alcohol to escape the everyday pressures of life. 3. Even some of our churches look like they are thriving and doing a great work for the Lord but are really held together by the charisma of one man or woman. F. You must remain connected to the vine. Don’t be a fake branch either: 1. Have you seen the plastic or silk flowers? They may look good but that’s all their good for–decoration. They are just as dead and disconnected as the branch in the text. 2. Fake plants never produce the fruit of their living counterparts. 3. Matthew 7 (NIV), 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” G. Don’t be one of the castaways that will be thrown into the unquenchable fire. Be a branch that is connected to the true vine. Being attached to a bad vine is just as horrible as being detached: 1. Young people, don’t get caught up in gangs which promise you a “family” atmosphere but only offer death and trouble. 2. Don’t buy into this world’s goods as your final destination. We’ll have to leave all the things we accumulated over the years here on earth when we are called up yonder. H. If you detach from the vine, you’ll soon become kindling wood for the next fire. In fact, Jesus says that apart from him, we are unable to do anything. So rather than trying to make it on your own . . . IV. Bear Fruit That Praises God A. Jesus tells us that iif we will be a branch and remain in Him, then we will bear fruit. It is not something conditional but we will bear fruit because that’s what healthy branches do. B. Bearing fruit has more to do with who we are rather than what we do. As a man thinketh in his heart so is he presses the point: 1. We get caught up in the doing good works of righteousness. 2. When you focus on the doing, you can end up being very legalistic like the Scribes and the Pharisees: a. Ceremonial washing b. Determining who is clean and who is unclean. c. You end up like Matthew 23:27 (NIV), “You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean.” C. But being a fruity Christian involves “being” a branch, not doing branch work. When you develop a branch way of thinking on the inside, then the actions on the outside will fall into place automatically. D. Because Jesus was God’s son on the inside, we see the works of God on the outside: 1. Power to heal those that were sick and had diseases – that’s fruit. 2. Power to forgive sins – that’s fruit. 3. Power to raise the dead – that’s fruit. 4. Power to teach others Godly principles for living – that’s fruit. 5. Power to be humble even when he could have called down the angels from heaven to his defense – that’s fruit. 6. Power to go to a cross for your sins and my sins and then get up on the 3 rd day – that’s fruit. E. When we stop doing church work and start being the church, fruit will break out all over this place: 1. Rather than just handing out bulletins, ushers will display the hospitality of God. 2. Rather than just singing and playing the right notes, the choir will sing heart-felt praises to the Lord. 3. Rather than just saying the right things about God, the preacher will lead in the direction God has given. 4. Rather than just teach the facts of the Bible, Sunday School Teachers will make disciples for Jesus. 5. Rather than just go through the motions of worship, true worship will take place and folks will have an Isaiah 6 experience where they can say, a. “. . . I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” F. When we become branches, then we can’t help but bear fruit. That’s why Acts 1:8 says that we would “be” witnesses unto Christ. Not do witnessing work. V. Conclusion A. Maybe you are here today and feel that if you just keep doing the right things that God will accept you at the day of judgement. B. Nothing could be more wrong. Jesus said in John 3:7 that you must be born again. A new birth on the inside will lead to new actions on the outside. C. “Holy Ghost on the inside, working on the outside, oh what a change in my life.”