Productively Useless

Introduction

John 15:1–8 NIV

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 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. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 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. 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. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

John 15:

Pray

Introduction

“Our wants and longings and desires are at the core of our identity...” as James K.A. Smith puts it, or in other words we are not static but we are always becoming. Who and what we are becoming has everything to do with the extent to which we are following Jesus. On several occasions Jesus makes these personal declarations we know as the “I am” statements that have demands on our longings and desires. Lent is an opportunity for the followers of Jesus to be challenged with all that Jesus is and claims to be. Furthermore, lent is a season to focus on becoming who God has created us to be.

Last week in sanctuary Burt started the series off with I am the bread of life. Let me give you want take away: consuming the bread of life forces you to do 2 things.... 1)consider what else you are consuming. 2)where are you empty?

Today we look to the well known passage of the Vine and branches.

Scripture

John 15:1–8 NIV

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 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. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 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. 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. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

The word of God for you and me the people of God. Thanks be to God

John

Pray

Productivity

Can I confess something to you this morning? I am addicted to productivity. It is a real struggle for me. I measure my days too often based on what I can get done. My wife, Lauren, is the same way. If we have our minds made up in the same direction....we are going to get stuff done. With two young children, that has definitely changed. Last night

I have productivity apps on my phone and tablet where I organize tasks based on how long they will take. I have a less than 10 minute list so that in between meetings (or in boring meetings…hey burt is out of the country) I can knock those out. Meetings, oh speaking of meetings. When I have a day full of meetings I walk away feeling like I have not done anything. I have not been productive. And you see the problem with that....I have reduced relational ministry to a to-do list.

I would imagine for many in here you might relate, at least lie to me. I also think we as a church can struggle with this insistent need to hustle. To get stuff done. It is the culture we live in. We live in a productive culture and if you are not being productive you will get run over.

Don’t believe me, just google productivity and you will see ridiculous productivity motivational quotes:

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” -Walt Disney

“Lost time is never found again.” -Benjamin Franklin

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.” -Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs,

“Sometimes, things may not go your way, but the effort should be there every single night.” -Michael Jordan

“Action is the foundational key to all success.” -Picasso

Michael Jordan

What are the qualities here?

Picasso

grit

action

commitment

persistence

courage

I know there is truth in these statements but I am a little worried about how much I like them. Like scripture.

This is the world’s definition of productive:

Strategy + Human Effort = Productivity (fruit)

When the Christian gets a hold of this it becomes:

Strategy + Human Effort + Sprinkle of Jesus = Stuff we do for Jesus

I wonder if that is what leads Jesus to say things like...

Matthew 7:21–23 NIV

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

Jesus is going to teach in what it means to be productive. To bear fruit.

I am the true Vine

First some background on this text. Jesus seems to repeat himself a couple of times in the text. That could be for impact or it could be for something else.

The first one Jesus says “I am the true Vine”

A qualifier here that is interesting. If he is the true Vine then it seems he is distinguishing himself from another. That is because in John’s gospel there is something called a replacement motif.

When Jesus says, "I am the true vine," that is loaded with meaning. Throughout the Old Testament, that imagery of the vine is used toward God's people. In the Old Testament, if you came across this imagery of someone or something being the vine, that was always Israel or the people of God, and yet every time it's used in the Old Testament it's used negatively.

I had planted you like a choice vine of sound and reliable stock. How then did you turn against me into a corrupt, wild vine?

In the Old Testament, when Israel was the vine, it was always accompanied with a declaration that they were a vine that did not bear fruit and, therefore, God will have to set things straight. When you heard vine terminology in the first century if you were a Jew, it was almost always a pronouncement of judgment, yet Jesus here is turning that on its head. He says, "I am the true vine." In short, he's saying, "I am doing what you cannot do, and I am being what you have not been able to be."

2) Second thing I want you to see if the relationships in the text. He repeats himself that he is the vine but in relation to someone else each time.

The first one:

John 15:1 NIV

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.

The second one is in relationship with us:

John 15:5 NIV

“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.

One commentary:

“When Jesus speaks of himself as the vine, then, his words are not only self-revelatory, but are revelatory of the interrelationship of God, Jesus, and the community in the life of faith as well. All three—gardener, vine, and branches—are essential to the production of fruit.”

Jesus is saying something radical here. I am the Vine. I am the one that will declare to the world God’s mission. I am the kingdom here on earth. But I am going to do it through you.

Productivity Redefined

Now the equation is redone. Once we come to grips with this image we can no longer do things the same way.

Because really we have been trying to do it all on our own. Seeing that our own human strength is what will bring fruit.

Because really we have been trying to do it all on our own. Seeing that our own human strength is what will bring fruit.

Branches ≠ Fruit

We know this dont we? But we function in this way if we are honest. KUMC is one of the most productive churches. Most of the time we get this right, but not always. And we should continue to strive to see this differently.

Prayer and worship night. I want to see that full. Next one is March 26

“Our greatest fear should not be failure, but of succeeding at something that doesn’t really matter.” - D.L. Moody

One more wrong equation…yall tired of math yet?

Vine ≠ Fruit

The Vine does not produce fruit by itself. The work of God begun in Jesus Christ is continuing by the power of the Holy Spirit in the world. Acts, when help comes....you will be my witnesses in the world.

You cannot sit back and watch…He does not need us, there are other willing branches

You are significant in the mission of God

Vine <— Branches (Gardener) = Fruit

What is beautiful to me about this declaration by Jesus is that fruit will happen by how much we go towards the Vine. Productivity increases, not simply by our great gifts in the world, but by our openness to the work of God to prune back what does not belong. Productivity increases, not simply by our great efforts but by the lifeblood of Jesus flowing through us in the world.

And this fruit is not just a bunch of stuff we do for Jesus; it is the supernatural world of restoration in the world. Of salvation in the world. Healing and ministering, hope, peace, restoring what is broken.

Remain in Me

I close with this. In the text there is the teaching to “remain in me.” That same word comes from the root that is used to talk about the remnant in scripture. The remnant throughout the Bible is the small group of Israelites that remain in exile or after the exile. Or sometimes that are the few that remain faithful to God when the rest do not. Within this text is this same idea. The are a few connected to the Vine and the rest are thrown out. We could talk about what that means to be thrown out but I want you to focus on the few that are connected. The remnant, though sad because only a few remain, God and the prophets talked about the remnant like the few that will change the world. God will use a small band of brothers in the disciples to begin this work in the world.

There are only a few that will remain in Him. But they will bear fruit that changes the world.