10 Rely On God

First day of Spring, we’re thinking about green and planting and flowers and fruits and vegetables.

Our study of the Core Values comes to a close with a recognition that we are unable to excel at any of the values without the direct intervention of Jesus by His Spirit.

Planting, gardens, trees, care and growth, life flows from roots through main trunk to fruit producing branches.

First day of Spring, we’re thinking about green and planting and flowers and fruits and vegetables.

Planting, gardens, trees, care and growth, life flows from roots through main trunk to fruit producing branches.

Jesus often used gardening word pictures to illustrate what He was teaching. Today we’ll see Him use the picture of a vine – seems to be literally grape vine. To illustrate this theme.

Jesus often used gardening word pictures to illustrate what He was teaching. Today we’ll see Him use the picture of a vine – seems to be literally grape vine. To illustrate this theme..

Live the Jesus Life Live the Jesus Life

We confess our dependence on God for everything, and seek to deepen our intimacy with Him by living prayerfully.

Jesus often used gardening word pictures to illustrate what He was teaching. Today we’ll see Him use the picture of a vine – seems to be literally grape vine. To illustrate this theme.

True Vine

Read John 15: 1-8

Read

John 15:1–8 CSB

1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 Every branch in me that does not produce fruit he removes, and he prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me. 6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers. They gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be my disciples.

John 15:1-8

First, Jesus is painting the picture of the Father gardening.

Jesus’ I Am statements – true vine. Connection to Father.

says I Am the way, truth, life - no one comes to the Father except through me.

The plant is loved and cared for. Removing non-producing branches. Pruning good branches sometimes necessary to produce more fruit = great branches.

Like last week - removing clutter!

v.3 first related to Disciples = you are already clean/pruned/trimmed back. by Jesus word/message

v.3 first related to Disciples = you are already clean/pruned/trimmed back.

v.4 and Jesus says to remain. like a separated branch you cannot produce fruit on your own

v.4 and Jesus says to remain.

remain = both ways - you in me and me in you. life flowing

John 15:5 CSB

5 I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me.

v.5 now Jesus makes the clear statement relating He is vine, Disciples are branches.

v.5 Remain, produce fruit, can’t without Vine. V.6 does not remain, thrown aside, judgment.

Branch draws life from vine. Fruit from branch because of life from vine. Disciples draw life from Jesus, can do nothing without Him, but remain in Him and produce fruit.

v.3 and 7 My Words cleanse/purify/prune and must remain in you.

v.3 and 7 My Words/message cleanse/purify/prune and must remain in you.

v.7 ask (because life from vine) Father provides. Prayer, petition, drawing from vine for life.

v.8 Father is glorified

v.8 Father is glorified - others see Him in you

Ends with produce fruit and prove to be disciples/followers/learners.

Ends with produce fruit and prove/show to be disciples/followers/learners.

So, life from Vine through prayer and the Word.

What fruit? He tells us in the next section.

True Life

Read

Read John 15:9-17

John 15:9–17 CSB

9 “As the Father has loved me, I have also loved you. 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. 11 “I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. 12 “This is my command: Love one another as I have loved you. 13 No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 I do not call you servants anymore, because a servant doesn’t know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from my Father. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce fruit and that your fruit should remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give you. 17 “This is what I command you: Love one another.

John 15:9-17

v.9 Father’s love, Jesus’ love. Now you stay connected too.

– Fruit of the Spirit. Greatest is love.

Galatians 5 – Fruit of the Spirit. 1 Corinthians 13 Greatest is love.

v.10 Keeping commands is how we remain in His love. (prayer, Word, obedience). Not because of check-the-box following rules, but because of the commands and the flow of life from the vine. (see v.12 & 17)

not keeping commands = not connecting to the vine. represents our separating ourselves from Jesus.

v.11 Joy. Another fruit of the Spirit.

John 15:12 CSB

12 “This is my command: Love one another as I have loved you.

v.12 Love others. flow from Jesus = as He loved, now to others through us.

v.13 ultimate act of love = laying down your life for others like Jesus did.

vv.14-15 friends. Transfer revelation from Father through Jesus to disciples.

v.16 nice to know we were chosen, appointed, and we choose to pay it forward, carry it on.

v.16 nice to know we were chosen, and we choose to pay it forward, carry it on.

again we have SO THAT ask in my name Father gives you.

Produce fruit that remains. What fruit?

John 15:17 CSB

17 “This is what I command you: Love one another.

Produce fruit that remains. What fruit?

Love one another.

v.17 Command. but this is fruit. Love one another.

We’ve already talked about what that means to love others. Unity. Caring for the least, lost, hopeless and helpless. Meeting needs of brothers and sisters, community, widows, orphans.

Life, love, bearing fruit.

Connected to the Vine = Life, love, bearing fruit.

True life is the two way relation between the Father, through Jesus, to us and through us to others. Producing and reproducing.

True life is the Jesus Life. Living like Jesus, with Jesus, in Jesus.

Conclusion Notes:

Everything else we have discussed over the past 10 weeks (and before too) depends on true life, drawn through Jesus from the Father and then poured out to others.

Salvation by grace through faith is connecting to the Vine.

Worship, time in word and prayer.

Participating in the life of the church/body.

Telling our story to others as we also meet their needs.

We are agents of peace in the world.

Remove the clutter in our lives so we are unhindered in living out the Jesus life.

SECOND PART

From our core value:

We are dependent on God for everything – life from the vine, God’s provision.

We gain that true life through time in His word, prayer, and obeying.

We depend on God for everything, so we live prayerfully.

Rely on God does not mean: Say the magical combination in a prayer and get what we want. Check the right obedience boxes and receive the daily prize. Put in the allotted time and collect what is due. Increased effort to get increased blessing.

[examples of prosperity thinking – car, things, etc. also church needs for our sake of for Kingdom building?]

[examples of life prayers]

John 15:7 CSB

7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you.

John 15:16 CSB

16 You did not choose me, but I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce fruit and that your fruit should remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give you.

v.7 and 16 we are told to ask. In context of the connection, drawing life, and producing fruit.

and 16 we are told to ask. In context of the connection, drawing life, and producing fruit.

v.7 and 16 we are told to ask. In context of the connection, drawing life, and producing fruit.

In my name is not the magical key or incantation but more like under His authority, for His purpose.

Like holding the church debit card. must be for church stated vision and purpose and within determined budget. I can’t go to Gander Outdoors and pick up a new deer rifle or fly rod.

Stay connected, draw life, love others, talk to Jesus, ask.

Time of prayer:

Personal commitment to remain in the Vine, in the love of the Father. Confess if there are things to confess. The only way we can live a life relying on God.

Prayer of commitment to remain connected in the life of the body, the church. For provision to continue our efforts then to produce fruit by carrying the love of the Father and Jesus to others. This is the only way we can accomplish the mission of the church.

Prayer at the front if you would like to pray or would like someone to pray for you.

Benediction at end of prayer time.

Ephesians 3:16–21 NLT

16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. 20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. 21 Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

– empower you with inner strength through His Spirit. Roots grow down into God’s love. Long, high, deep God’s love is. Experience love of Christ even though it is too great to understand fully. (benediction?)

Ephesians 3:16-21 – empower you with inner strength through His Spirit. Roots grow down into God’s love. Long, high, deep God’s love is. Experience love of Christ even though it is too great to understand fully. (benediction?)

10 Rely On God

Introduction

Core Value 10 – Rely On God. We confess our dependence on God for everything, and seek to deepen our intimacy with Him by living prayerfully.

Big Idea: Stay connected to Jesus, our only source of life and power.

Big Idea: Stay connected to Jesus, our only source of life and power.

Big Idea: Stay connected to Jesus, our only source of life and power.

Big Idea: Stay connected to Jesus, our only source of life and power.

True Vine

Points

True Vine

True Life

Big Idea: Stay connected to Jesus, our only source of life and power.

Prayer