Attatchment

926 Attend

308 NP

193 salvations + 308 on schools tour = 501!!!

$20 for person who brought the most people to ME.

Intro

A few weeks ago I asked the question, “What are you most known for?”

I spoke about how the greatest thing we could be known for is our LOVE!

Because in Matthew 22:37-39, Jesus says

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’”

—————————————————————————————

Did you know… that what we’re known for will often be seen in what we’re attached to?

For example…

You might be known for your popularity because of the people you hang around or your social media presence.

You might be known for your athletic ability because of the sport you play or the club you play for.

You might be known as the rizz king because of all the girls you chat to at school.

In year 6 I was attached to these boys who were always pulling pranks and making jokes, so I was known as a class clown.

What have you attached yourself to in life?

Whatever you attach yourself to can either make or break you…

Proverbs 4:23 NLT, “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.”

If your heart determines the course of your life, then you have to be careful what you attach it to…

We have to attach our hearts to Jesus!

Jesus tells us in John 15:1, 5a, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener… I am the vine; you are the branches.”

Jesus calls himself the TRUE vine!

We are the branches attached to him.

If Jesus calls himself the TRUE vine, it must mean there are other vines that exist.

These vines are fake (only leading to temporary fruitfulness).

Money

Popularity

Hobbies

A relationship (the right person will come at the right time when you stay attached to the TRUE vine)

None of these things are bad, but they harm our lives when we attach ourselves to them.

—————————————————————————————

1. Your Attachment Determines your Fruitfulness

a) God created us to be connected, but we need to be careful with who or what we’re connected to.

God created Eve to be connected to Adam. Jesus had 12 disciples he was connected with.

Maybe we’re connected to some good people or good things, but has that become your main attachment?

b) True success and fulfilment is only found in our attachment to Jesus.

John 15:5b, “If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

Another translation uses the word “ABIDE” instead of “remain.”

Abide = to stay in the same place for a long period of time.

We’re always so quick to get what we need from Jesus and take off…

But if we want to bear MUCH fruit, then we must ABIDE in Him!

Interestingly, in the passage Jesus is speaking to his disciples… those closest to him.

You can be in the very presence of God, yet not be attached to him.

Before Jesus’ arrest, Peter tells Jesus that he’ll die for him… we later see Peter disowning Jesus 3 times when things got hard.

Verse 6, “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.”

BRANCH PROP.

c) Who’s ever done something important but then the wifi dropped out?

I lost my entire assignment because my wifi disconnected.

I’ve lost many games of Fortnite and Fifa because my wifi disconnected…

You see, when you disconnect or detach from the most important source, you end up losing… it hurts you.

—————————————————————————————

2. Fruitfulness Requires Pruning

John 15:2 NIV, “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.”

a) God loves us so much that he wants to cut off the branches that are hurting our life.

We need to allow God to do this.

The enemy wants us to believe that God is mean and angry.

b) But pruning is a sign of love:

Proverbs 3:11-12 NLT, “My child, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline, and don’t be upset when he corrects you. For the Lord corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.”

Even the parts of our lives that bear fruit (Godly success) He prunes for us to be even more fruitful.

So Jesus is the Vine, we are the branches, and our Heavenly Father is the Gardener who prunes us.

I find comfort in knowing that Jesus is my vine and my Heavenly Father is working in my life to help me and all I have to do is ABIDE in Him!

PICTURE OF PRUNED TREE.

The Karate Kid

When Daniel first seeks karate training, he expects traditional, direct instruction focused on fighting techniques.

Instead, Mr. Miyagi get him to do seemingly odd things:

Waxing cars ("Wax on, wax off")

Sanding a wooden deck

Painting a fence

Painting Mr. Miyagi's house

Mr. Miyagi reveals the purpose behind these tasks.

PLAY VIDEO

He demonstrates how each repetitive motion directly corresponds to defensive blocking techniques in karate:

The circular waxing motions teach proper blocking form

The up-and-down sanding builds muscle memory for defensive movements

The fence painting develops proper hand positioning

Daniel’s pruning process helped him to become a fighter and a better person.

—————————————————————————————

3. When we Abide in Jesus We Live in True Love

John 15:9-10 NIV, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.”

The greatest place we could live is in the place of God’s love.

We live in truth and freedom.

We live in a place of TRUE fulfilment.

Verse 16, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.”

Verse 8 says that God uses us for His glory!

DEAD BRANCH PROP.

—————————————————————————————

Conclusion

What am I doing to stay connected?

Time with God (ABIDE)

Serve at church (Junior leader)

Cut off the fruitless branches of your life.

ALTAR CALL

MINISTRY TIME