The Vinedresser
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Handout
John 15:1-5
John 15:1-5
Pray
Summarize last week
We were introduced to Ephraim and Manasseh.
Jacob blessed the brothers prior to his death, but he blessing was reversed.
Typically the older would be blessed with the greater blessing then the younger.
But Jacob blessed the younger first.
We talked about why Jacob did this.
To discover the motivation we examined the meaning of the name Manasseh.
We learned that the name means to forget.
We connected the concept of forgetting to the plight of Joseph as he was in exile in Egypt.
Egypt wanted Joseph to forget his heritage.
Egypt wanted Joseph to forget God and the provision of God to equip Joseph t endure the various trials.
But Joseph endured.
His testimony while in Egyptian exile was to remember God.
Then finally last week we applied this teaching to our lives.
Our world wants us to forget.
So we are not too different than Joseph.
The world we live in wants us to conform to its fallen ways.
To forget faithfulness toward God.
To neglect submitting to His will.
We looked at verses found in 1 John telling us not to love this world.
The warning is to not allow ourselves to be consumed by the sinful desires offered by this fallen world.
Specifically pornography.
We must dilegintly refuse to enage in anything that could be considered as such becase it perverts the mind.
It brings conflict and division even within families.
It is a tool of the enemy to entice us to embrace the sin nature.
So we must continually seek the Lord for endurance and correction.
And like Joseph, we cannot forget our God.
We cannot forget His mercy and love poured out upon us.
We are faced with an incredible difficulty in our world to remain steadfast in faith.
But to God’s glory, He helps us endure.
AMEN!
This morning we are going to look at the name Ephraim.
What does this name reveal to us in regard to the blessing offered by Jacob.
Both the decendants of Manasseh and Ephraim inherited a portion of the Promised Land when Israel returned after the Exodus.
Jacob chose them as his own.
We saw this in verse 5 of Genesis 48
Even as the brothers were born in exile.
They were chosen.
Much like ourselves.
We are chosen.
While we were in exile due to sin.
Separated form God.
Chosen by Him.
Redeemed by Him to be in fellowship with Him.
Include in handout
The Name Ephraim:
אֶפְרַיִם (ʾěp̄·rǎ·yim): n.pr.; ≡ Str 669; TWOT 151c—LN 93-pers. (male) Ephraim: 1. son of Joseph (Ge 41:52), see also 718, DBLGrk 2394, 713.5 2. clan named after 1 (Jos 16:8; Jdg 12:4) 3. (gent.) another name for the people of the northern kingdom (Hos 4:17)
אֶפְרַיִם (ʾěp̄·rǎ·yim): n.pr.; ≡ Str 669;—1. LN 93-place (loc.) Ephraim: 1. (land) rugged hill country S of Manasseh, N of Benjamin (Dt 34:2; 2Ch 13:4), note: some interp this with הַר (hǎr) as a specific mountain, most translate as “hill country.” 2. a city near Baal Hazor (2Sa 13:23), note: oth same as 1.; 2. LN 93-place Ephraim Forest: region E of the Jordan River (2Sa 17:26; 18:6); 3. LN 93-place Ephraim Gate (2Ki 14:13; 2Ch 25:23; Ne 8:16; 12:39+)
Click #1
1. The name Ephraim means: Doubly Fruitful.
The name is based on a few other words.
One being Ephrata.
Include BLB notes on slide.
Many years prior to the events we are talking about this morning, Jacob fled his brother Esau.
After years of exile toward Esau, Jacob was led by the Lord to return home.
This is the place where Jacob was given his son Benjamin.
This occured near the location called Ephrath.
It was also the place where Rachel his mother passed away during childbirth.
Turn to Genesis 35
Jacob called the place where God had talked with him Bethel. Then they moved on from Bethel. While they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth and had great difficulty. And as she was having great difficulty in childbirth, the midwife said to her, “Don’t despair, for you have another son.” As she breathed her last—for she was dying—she named her son Ben-Oni. But his father named him Benjamin. So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).
Even through an unthinkable tragedy in the loss of life, God blessed Jacob with a son.
Click #2
2. Genesis 35:15-19: Through tragedy God can bless and cause our trust in Him to bear fruit.
The term Ephrata is also a name for Bethlehem.
We know of a Son given to us.
Born to face unspeakable tradgedy, betrayal and suffering.
But His suffering has brought forth eternal fruit.
The root of the word Ephrata is:
include BLB notes: Fruitful
How does this connect with the account of Joseph in Egypt?
We talked about the trials faced by Joseph.
The name Ephraim and the blessing over Him signifies the provision of God.
Through through trial, Joseph and his children would be doubly fruitful.
Click #3 and #4
3. The trial of exile in Egypt caused Joseph to bear fruit.
Joseph was able to bear fruit even in trial because he remembered reverence for God.
In this land of affliction, because Joseph remembered God, he was fruitful.
4. The lesson we can learn is that even in trials that seem insurmountable, God can and will provide.
Application for us:
John 15
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.
Click #5 and #6
5. Jesus tells us that He is the true vine.
Meaning that there are no other vines.
6. There is no other source of knowledge.
Wisdom.
or authority with the power to save us.
Jesus is the only vine that can nourish us.
God the Father is the gardener.
God is the Creator.
The power through which the garden is established.
God is the only authority possessing the power to grow or destroy.
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.
What is the promise in this verse?
Click #7 and #8
7. We are going to be pruned.
We are going to be corrected.
8. We must be willing to submit to the correction of the Lord.
This is part of our responsibility in connection with the true vine.
We are going to be pruned so that we can more effectively bear fruit for His glory.
God will prune us even as we produce fruit.
The pruning causes us to bear even more fruit.
We can connect this thought back to Joseph.
He endured the trial of being betrayed by his brothers.
Sold into slavery.
Jailed falsely.
But during all of these various trial, he remained faithful to God.
He saw all of these events as a means of God providing for him even though Joseph could not have fathomed the outcome.
Joseph trusted God in trial.
The same is true if we go back to Jacob.
Jacob recognized Gods provision even in the face of unthinkable trial. He lost his wife during childbirth.
Yet he revered God in the trial.
Due to Jacob’s faith, he was blessed in ways that he could not have known during the trial.
Know that there will be times when we are going to be pruned.
Pray that during those times, God helps us to be string and trust in His provision.
You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.
Is purpose of the pruning to make us clean?
no
Click #9
9. The pruning is a part of the process of sanctification.
Jesus tells us that in faith we are already in fellowship with Him, the true vine.
We have already been redeemed by His mercy.
In this redemption, we are to follow.
We are to submit to His authority as He prunes us.
The pruning is sanctification.
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.
How do we continue to bear fruit?
Click #10 and #11
10. Remain in Jesus.
Remain connected to the true vine.
11. Choose to humbly submit to His authority as He leads us along the path of sanctification.
Apart from Jesus, we can do nothing.
Obviously Jesus is not saying we are not able to function.
He is telling us that apart from Him we can do nothing of eternal worth.
Benediction: John 15:8-11
“My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. “Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.
