It Is Time To Evaluate (Part Two)
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Notes
Sermon Notes
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.
Keep My Commandments
John 14:14, 21, 23; John 15:10, 14
14 You are my friends if you do what I command.
Matthew 28:18–20 (NKJV)
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
The point is obvious. We must keep Christ’s commands if we are to be Christ’s disciples and grow in his love.
The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Fifteen: Relationships and Responsibilities (John 15:1–17)
Our Lord had spoken about peace (John 14:27); now He mentions love and joy (John 15:9–11). Love, joy, and peace are the first three “fruit of the Spirit” named in Galatians 5:22–23. Our abiding in Christ certainly ought to produce His love, joy, and peace in our hearts. Because we love Him, we keep His commandments; and, as we keep His commandments, we abide in His love and experience it in a deeper way.
Sermon Outline
Sermon Outline
When we abide in Christ, we will get to be beneficiaries of a productive, fruit bearing life.
This is the aim for every Christian.
We want to bear abundant fruit in all that we do.
But there can be two possible avenues to take in persuit f fruit.
One way leads to unfruitfulness while the other to abundant fruit.
This week we need to ask ourselves the question, what kind of fruit am I bearing?
If we used Ephesus from last week as an example, it would be easy to say that they were bearing lots of fruit.
But Jesus revealled in them the biggest issue and it wasnt that they needed to do more… they needed to do less stuff and more abiding in Jesus.
This is what Jesus is teaching us in the passage this week.
He will teach us the path to the most productive spiritual life that can be lived this side of eternity.
Jesus will give us three insentives to abide in Him.
So we can bear so much more fruit. (4-6)
Productivity is not found under the law.
We will only experience abundant fruit in an abiding relationship with Jesus (the vine).
We cannot bear fruit outside of a relationship with Him.
So we will glorify our Father. (7-8)
Lack of abiding is detrimental to your own spiritual growth.
Abiding in Christ is what differentiates us from the world around us.
So we can abide in His love. (9-10)
Keep His commandments. Which ones? The ones He speak regarding love.
Jesus sets for us what He was able to do for His Father.