HELP! This Ain't Fun No More!

Introduction:

“It has been said church would be fine if it were not for the people.”

Hebrews 13:17 NKJV

17 Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.

Isaiah 62:6–7 NKJV

6 I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; They shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent, 7 And give Him no rest till He establishes And till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.

1 Corinthians 1:10 NKJV

10 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

Philippians 1:27 NKJV

27 Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel,

John 15:1–10 NKJV

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 bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. 9 “As the Father loved Me, I also have 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.

1. The SOURCE

John 15:1 NKJV

1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.

Jesus is the true,(Genuine) vine. If we stay connected to HIM, we naturally bear FRUIT.

Thru the Bible Vol. 39: The Gospels (John 11–21) Jesus is Genuine Vine; Disciples are Branches

These disciples had Jewish concepts and their thought patterns had been governed by the Old Testament. He is telling them now that the nation Israel is not the genuine vine. Their identification with the Jewish nation and the Jewish religion is not the essential thing. “I am the genuine vine.” The important thing now is for the disciples to be related to Jesus Christ. That was revolutionary!

Our Lord used a marvelous figure of speech, and He made it very clear that it is not your identification with a religion or a ceremony or an organization that is essential. We are to be identified with Christ! We are in Christ by the baptism of the Holy Spirit the moment we trust Christ as our Savior and are born again as a child of God.

2. The CARE

John 15:1 NKJV

1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.

Our Heavenly Father is the Vine Dresser. He owns us and care he us.

3. Pruning

John 15:2 NKJV

2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

John 15:6 NKJV

6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.

Our Heavenly Father removes anything that hinders our usefulness.

4. Partnership

John 15:4 NKJV

4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

Our duty as a Watchman, Child of God, has a REAL Believer is not to artificially push fruit out, but to stay connected to the Vine.

Thru the Bible Vol. 39: The Gospels (John 11–21) Jesus is Genuine Vine; Disciples are Branches

To abide in Christ means constant communion with Him all the time. We have just talked of the cleansing power of the Word of God. That is a part of abiding. We must be cleansed daily. There is a story about Spurgeon who stopped in the middle of the street, removed his hat, and prayed. One of his deacons saw this and asked him about it. Mr. Spurgeon said that a cloud had come between him and his Lord and he wanted to remove it immediately; he had stopped to confess his sinful thought. We need to confess our sins to the Lord to abide in Him, to stay in constant communion with Him.

5. Promise

John 15:7 NKJV

7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.

If we allow His Word to abide in us, He promises He will do what we ask.

6. Purpose

John 15:8 NKJV

8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

God created us to glorify Him by bear Much Fruit

7. Obedience

John 15:10 NKJV

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.

John 15:14 NKJV

14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.

Jesus gives only one condition to all this: We must obey God. We are to remain in Him, receive from Him, and reproduce for Him.

John 15:11 NKJV

11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.