Called to be Fruitful
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Context
Context
Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
Good morning my friends. It’s good to pray and be together this morning.
I want to thank Pastor Mike for his series ‘Called’ and today we are looking at Called to ‘fruitful service’.
We have looked at:
Called to work and worship
Called to be and belong to God
Called to justice and mercy
Called to belong to and follow Christ
Called to be sent to share the good news
Called to be holy and different
Called to fruitful service
The last time I spoke - I spoke of fruit...
Today we are going to focus on and to help us do that we are going to start by quickly reviewing the chapters preceding this verse:
Jesus and his disciples had finished the meeting in the upper room in Jerusalem where they celebrated the Passover. Apparently they had just left , and were making their way eastward toward the garden of Gethsemane situated on the western slope of the Mt. of Olives (; ).
We are going to start with an imagining the preceding verses to .
Start at the last supper
They experience Jesus washing their feet.
Giving bread to Judas who leaves and there is confusion.
Speaks of heaven and of his Father and the disciples
Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.
Encourages them to believe
Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Encourages them to ask in his name
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!”
Imagine being a disciple walking with Jesus to Gethsemane. Noticing your clean feet that Jesus has just lovingly washed, not fully understanding why he did that. Feeling anxious about Jesus’ prediction of his death and denying him. Being again confronted with the truth that you are walking with the Messiah but he says he wont live. Wondering what He meant by the Spirit coming in his place. Thinking about how to get to the place with many rooms he talked about. Feeling silly for asking who the Father was. Looking at Jesus as he talks and wondering if all he has said is going to really come true. Loving him and fearing him leaving.
And then we read in chapter 15 Jesus moves from revealing the future - to conversation intended to calm, to instruct, and to strengthen the disciples. He knew that they needed some crucial preparation for the ordeal that would follow in the next twenty-four hours.
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.
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.
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.
Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.
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.
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.
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
John 15:
In Chapter 15, Jesus uses the vine allegory to explain the Trinity relationship and our service.
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.
No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.
I want you to imagine with me, that you are a disciple walking with Jesus. Feeling confused and anxious. You might want to close your eyes as you sit and listen and focus on his words.
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.
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.
By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
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.
Imagine being a disciple and hearing Jesus say:
So let’s spend sometime
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,
Then
Joohn 15:
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
John 15:
No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
And then after revealing everything to his disciples imagine Jesus looking at you and saying:
John 15:
No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
Take a moment to think about that Jesus calls us friends. And then he goes onto say:
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
John
Today as we consider our calling to serve we are going to look closely at
u.
No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.
John 15-17
Today as we consider our calling to serve we are going to look closely at
So let’s begin to look closely that
I Choose You
I Choose You
“You did not choose me but I chose you and appointed you.” ESV
“You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you and I have appointed and placed and purposefully planted you.” AMP
Jesus invited his disciples to follow him and they chose to leave their everyday lives and follow him.
We chose to believe and give our lives to Jesus - so what does Jesus mean by he chose us?
All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
Matthew
even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love
Jesus helped us to see an invisible God.
He helped us to see God’s glory.
If we go back to the beginning of creation - Mike spoke about our world being broken and we were dead in our transgressions and blind to our sin. Later he spoke about our call to follow Christ. Christ calls us by name and raises us from the dead.
To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
God’s choice of us is a recreating, resurrecting and life giving choice.
Jesus chooses us and not only that he places us and purposefully plants us.
We are called to serve in our community, workplaces, schools, uni, family.
Calling to be speech and drama teacher
Calling to be wife or mum
Calling to be studying -struggling with purpose
Do you believe in a good God who has chosen you?
Who says you are my friend, I have chosen you and purposefully planted you.
If we are called, chosen and planted - just like in any job what is our job description? What are we called to do?
Go
Go
“that you should go” ESV
Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
We are to do something, to move from one place to another
We understand this easily - we are comfortable with movement or things to do.
But what is our job description?
Mike spoke to us about being called to follow Christ and be sent to share the good news.
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Go
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
JOhn14:
Do too much going
Then they leave and he speaks to
Not go
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.
Not going - Church cafe
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.
Waking up with the intention of going
By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
John
It’s easy to leave that kingdom role and just carry on with our secular life. Not go. Or Go go - and be so focussed on doing that we forget whom we serve.
This upcoming church cafe is such a great opportunity to share love and widsom and God’s goodness with our friends. Are you going? Ignoring? Do you need courage?
Bear Fruit
Bear Fruit
Fellowship of Jesus - called friends into ministry with the outcome of producing fruit. Speaks about this in John 15:
By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
To the Fathers’ Glory to bear much fruit v8
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.
By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
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.
John 15:
What is the fruit Jesus is talking about - we are familiar with the fruit of the spirit but Jesus is talking about the outcome of love
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
These things I command you, so that you will love one another.
Video
The love that we receive from Christ flows out
When we love people - people come to know Christ.
This morning there is no need to explain that our world, communities, people we are planted with need love. So just as we might consider if we are ‘going’ into the places we are planted. We also need to consider if we are producing fruit. That is so much about our daily focus.
Do you get up daily and say ‘whom can I love today Lord?’
Lord how can I follow your commands so that I can pour out your love today? In your home? with your friends? in your work? in your community?
In our place we are planted we are ‘going’ and then ‘loving’
Fruit Should Abide
Fruit Should Abide
“and that your fruit should abide” ESV
“and that your fruit will remain and be lasting” AMP
Jesus tells us to go and then he asks for our fruit to remain, abide in him.
He is talking about having an eternal focus.
In the word abide is used at least 8 times.
and so if our job description is to go and bear fruit, and if bearing fruit is to love, Jesus adds that to be effective we must remain, abide and produce fruit that lasts.
Jesus gives us tools for how to do this:
Encourages us to be in the word
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
John
Keep the commandments
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.
Rest in Christ’s goodness and kindness
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
Pray in Jesus name for what we need in our service.
John
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.
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
The result
By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
video
Read the word daily
Keep the commandments
Rest in Christ’s goodness and kindness
Pray in Jesus name
Video
It is really easy to go and love and we can do that without remaining in Jesus
video
video
If our purpose is to love and serve then how much more do we need to abide in him
Can’t abide in Jesus’ love unless you know his goodness.
There are times where we might look at our world and question God’s design. When I watch that video I just marvel at God’s love for us his wooing and pulling us close to him so that through us we might reveal His love to the world.
If our purpose is to love and serve then how much more do we need to abide in him
Can’t abide in Jesus’ love unless you know his goodness.
Are you starting your day in the word? Easter is a great time to start - ways to do this
Are the commandments to love something you are thinking about?
Do you believe that God chooses you, calls you friend, loves you and wants good for you.
And so my fir
Are you calling on the power of his name?