Sermon nuggets Tues Sept 23
Theme: Vine and Branches
Verses John 15:1-10"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.
He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.
4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 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. 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.
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
9 "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.
10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love.
Jesus Desires to Produce Fruitfulness
Jesus uses the metaphor of growing grapes to explain a spiritual lesson. It is obvious that without the vine attached to the branches, the branches die and are useless. Certainly we have lots of object lessons around us of useless branches all over the ground after the ice storm. All the branches that were detached from the tree are only good for burning. They are dead.
People not attached to Jesus are dead spiritually. We have a grape vine out by our garden that is the first one that we’ve had. It is very productive some years and others years not so much. But pruning has a lot to do with it. Branches that take nourishment from the vine producing leaves, but no grapes keep the other grapes from growing more abundantly. We need to clip off the dead branches, and the branches that are alive, but not doing anything so the branches that are doing something can indeed do more with that life energy given to the grapes instead of the leaves.
It is the essence of the Christian life to bear fruit. Eph. 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
It is also the case that we need pruning for more effectiveness. God desires fruitfulness. There are things that need to be taken out of our lives in order for that to happen to greater degrees. With this type of illustration spiritual pruning may take a number of forms- sickness, hardship, challenges, risk-taking, loss of material possession. Whatever the form be assured it can be for our growth and for our good and most importantly can be for God’s glory. Stay away from sin.
Remember the context in which Jesus had been speaking? He talked to them about the importance of servant hood. He talked about the one who was to betray him. He talked to Peter about being clean, but not all of him. We need continually cleansing as Christians, but we are still Christians. However, there are some like Judas who is among them but dead. He is not attached to the vine. Sometimes the Nation of Israel was portrayed as the vine, but many of the Jews, though very religious, were not attached to Jesus. They did not believe in Him for their salvation.
I don’t believe this serves only as an encouragement but also an awesome warning. There are professing Christians who are fruitless. There are those who say Lord, Lord, and even do great works in his name who are fruitless (Mat. 7:21-23). There is land which drinks the rain of the age to come, but then brings forth thorns-it will be burned up (Heb. 6:4-8) Did you know that Karl Marx was once a student in a theological seminary. He wrote a term paper on John 15 on the subject of “Union with Christ” His professor wrote in red pencil in the margin “He appears to know it in theory but not in life.” Union as a theory cannot help you.”
But there will also be those who are called, and will indeed be glorified (Romans 8:29-30) For every good tree bears good fruit (Mat. 7:17) and out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Matt.12:24). So which are you?
“Apart from me you can do nothing.” That is what the Lord says. People build churches, seek to accomplish ministries, teach S.S., witness to neighbors, but all in their own power. Jesus says, “apart from me you can do nothing.” There may be great work done, but it isn’t the Lord work. There are many times we spin our wheels and wonder why. It is tempting to see the genuine fruit another person has produced and try to duplicate it but end up with only artificial fruit.
Pastor Dale
