Part 2 Radical Obedience

John 15:1–11 ESV

1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 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. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

MY BEST LIFE Part 2 “Radical Obedience”

Prayer

Total Surrender, now radical obedience

Why does onbedience matter so much to god?

Its all through His word… let me show you

Romans 6:16 “16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?”

1 Peter 1:14 “14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance,”

Acts 5:29 “29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.”

Isaiah 1:19 “19 If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land;”

WHAT IS OBEDIENCE? Its doing whats commnanded, whats asked of you

OBEDIENCE TO GOD IS A RESPONSE TO HIS LOVE NOT A DEMAND FOR CONTROL.

(our obedience is an act of worship

never drudgery or slavery in its playing out in our lives)

its a GET TO NOT A HAVE TO

Its a want to not a have to

If you are not excited about the prospect of obeying fully what Jesus commands - you have to ask yourself a question, why?

(is it because of history, maybe a bad experience? or is it BAD THEOLOGY? how you see and understand JESUS is the most important thing that informs how you go about your daily life.

OUR ONLY RESPONSE TO THE GOSPEL OF GRACE IS RADICAL OBEDIENCE TO WHATEVER JESUS SAYS I SHOULD DO

1.WE MUST OBEY TO EXPERIENCE THE FULLNESS OF OUR LIVES IN CHRIST.

The command to abide and obey is not a suggestion or an alternative route.

What Jesus is saying here is that there is no other way then to abide?

Which simply means to be close

John 15:2 MSG

2 He cuts off every branch of me that doesn’t bear grapes. And every branch that is grape-bearing he prunes back so it will bear even more.

John 15:3 MSG

3 You are already pruned back by the message I have spoken.

John 15:4 MSG

4 “Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can’t bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can’t bear fruit unless you are joined with me.

You could be for mistaken in our culture for believing that what this means is that we can all just think jesus is lovely and we can just put that thought in the back of our minds as we go about our day.. no! What Jesus is saying here is very clear. God doesnt change is mind.

He has made up his mind - this is his plan that we abide. That we obey

That we live in him.

That we trust him

that we see the love and compassion he has for us

and that we do what he says!

Luke 6:45–47 ESV

45 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. 46 “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? 47 Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like:

Luke 6:48 ESV

48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.

(i wonder what area of your life, or indeed your entire life would be changed because you decided you would obey, you would abide… you would live in him). Jesus is just as close monday as he is sunday. Abide. live. make your home. you cant experience the FULLNESS

2.GODS POWER IS RELEASED INTO OUR LIVING UPON OUR OBEDIENCE TO HIS WORD

“once his word is heard, sooner or later it will bear fruit” - Oswald Chambers

John 15:2 ESV

2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

Radical Obedience to Jesus produces fruitful living in the gospel.

abide in me, and i in you.

(i want to stop here and say something: i am aware fully that there may be people here today that dont think they have what it takes to live a fruitful christian life. fully alive for jesus

and you may think its because of what you did 25 years ago or 2 days ago. but listen. if you make it about you you’ll never see Gods power released.

John 15:1–3 MSG

1 “I am the Real Vine and my Father is the Farmer. 2 He cuts off every branch of me that doesn’t bear grapes. And every branch that is grape-bearing he prunes back so it will bear even more. 3 You are already pruned back by the message I have spoken.

You have the root! There is no fruit when there is no root. The fruitfulness we all want, is always rooted in the Obedience we must have.

NOT OUR STRENGTH

How do we see Gods power released?

super easy… obey

how is that easy?

well all we have to do is abide!

John 15:16 MSG

16 “You didn’t choose me, remember; I chose you, and put you in the world to bear fruit, fruit that won’t spoil. As fruit bearers, whatever you ask the Father in relation to me, he gives you.

Want to obey? Abide! want to abide? obey!

How do we stick close, live in Him, how do we abide?

we first know who he is

we know his word what he has said

we know his ways

we follow his lead

we

3.BECAUSE ONE MAN OBEYED, WE CAN ABIDE.