Fifth Sunday of Easter

Welcome and Announcements

Prelude

Entrance

*Opening Prayer

*Call to Worship

L: Come to the vineyard of God.

P: We seek Christ, the vine of great love.

L: Drink from the waters of life.

P: We live in the light of God’s grace.

L: Come to the vineyard of God.

P: All are welcome here.

O Worship The King [ Default Arrangement in A ] #10

Scripture Reading: Psalm 22:25-31 - Kelly

Children's Message: Velda

Scripture Reading: John 15:1-8

John 15:1–8 (NIV)

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also 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.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are 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 done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Sermon Pastor Troy Horne - How Deep Is Your Love

This morning we begin a series in which we will be asking the question, “how do we live in light of the resurrection?” Just five weeks ago, we heard the good news, “He is risen. He is risen indeed.” This truth empowered a small band of disciples to realize their lives would be forever changed. And it wasn’t the last thing that would change them, but it forced them to look at life differently. To consider who they were now in light of the resurrected Christ. And today, we will begin to ask ourselves the same question. Who are we in light of the resurrection?

Our text this morning gives us some idea. Jesus is teaching His disciples and He gives them this image. “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.” And then He says, “I am the vine; you are the branches.”

Now, I readily admit I’m not much of a gardener or farmer. Having served a variety of churches in rural areas, I have learned some but I’m far from a pro. One thing I do know though is that you can identify a vine by the type of fruit it gives. Several types of fruit grow on a vine and you can tell what they are by the fruit you receive. Grapes, watermelon, kiwi, passion fruit, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, to name a few. When you see the fruit, you know what kind of vine it is. You know what the character and nature of that vine is when you see the fruit.

And this is true of every single branch except one. There is one branch that won’t help you identify the vine, no matter what. A dead one. A branch that doesn’t bear fruit.

But a branch that doesn’t bear fruit is dead, and is removed by the gardener because it isn’t helping the vine and it’s a hindrance to the other branches. A dead branch receives all the same things a fruit bearing branch does, but it gives nothing back. It has no output. And so for the health of the vine, this branch should be removed.

And Jesus says, “that’s the job of the gardener.” Notice, it’s not the job of the vine, or of the other branches. The only one who can determine the life of a branch is the gardener. The only one who chooses between which branches stay and which branches go, is the gardener.

But Jesus makes it clear that the evidence of life or death is the “fruit”. And the fruit is in keeping with the nature of the vine. So if Christ is the vine, and we, His followers are the branches, then what is the fruit we bear in keeping with the nature of the vine?

The word most frequently used to describe Christ is love. Everything He did, He did out of a love for His Father and for His neighbor. And if we are to produce fruit, it makes sense that the fruit that will most identify us as His followers is to love like He loves.

But notice that the branch does not grow the fruit on its own. Jesus tells His disciples the branch must remain connected, because the source of the fruit is the vine. In the same way, we don’t have to love people like Christ loves in our own strength. The strength comes from our connection to the vine. It comes through our remaining in Him and His remaining in us.

Your Love Is Amazing [ Default Arrangement in Bb ]

Sharing of Joys and Concerns

In My Life Lord Be Glorified [ Default Arrangement ] #394, v. 1

Silent Prayer

Pastoral Prayer

Lord's Prayer

Giving of Tithes and Offering

Doxology

Prayer of Dedication

Love Divine, All Loves Excelling [ Default Arrangement in Ab ] #92

*Benediction

Blest Be The Tie That Binds [ Default Arrangement in F ] #286