Unchecked

Introduction

This is where you will introduce yourself, say its so good to be back with you and tonight we are going to talk about what it means to go unchecked

Boundaries

Boundaries, you may have all kinds of different opinions on boundaries. Maybe at this point in your life you don’t feel like they are super important, its possible that you see boundaries as something that restricts you from awesomeness. But I’m wondering if you have ever see a bush that has been overgrown? Its crazy, here in Oregon we have these blackberry bushes that grow EVERYWHERE. Coming from California the thought of having fresh berries growing in my backyard sounded AMAZING, so when I found out that the place we are living in had them I was so excited. But what I didn't know is that most people here see them as wild weeds that take over anyplace they find themselves. Left unchecked these bushes will take over your WHOLE YARD. I had no clue. So our landlords pruned them for us before we moved in because they knew how crazy they could get. Left unchecked this seemingly delishious wonderful berry that people make pies with etc. can ruin your hole yard! Well.... sometimes that's what happens with our lives. If our personal lives are left unchecked, we tend to start living into some super unhelpful and unhealthy ways of being. We’ll wind up lashing out in anger, or hiding things from people who love and care about us, treating people in ways that are unkind and unloving. As we start to live life this, our faith withers and slowing but surely if we live unchecked and without boundiraries, we move farther and father away from who we really are and simply look more and more like what the world wants us to be.

In Matthew 13:31-32 Jesus says this “ “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches.”

So what I want to know, and what I hope YOU want to know is how can we be like this wild plant, but also grow in such a way that we are becoming the amazing person that God intends for us to be. A person that we are not only proud of ourselves, but a person that is a blessing to others too.

I’m going to suggest tonight that it takes MANY things, but I’ll narrow it down to two. Those things are Remaining and Pruning. Lets read John 15:1-5

“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. 3 You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.

5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing

So God wants us to live this wild expansive life. and that life starts with remaining in him and being willing to be pruned.

First lets talk about what it means to be pruned. I think about this plant I have here, I myself have ZERO green thumb as you can see because once upon a time, this plant was very much so alive. But as you can see.... t has seen better days.