"I AM THE TRUE VINE."

PRAY

I remember back to September of 2018, while living in south Carolina, there was a sense of tension one fall morning as the storm we had waited for had finally arrived. Meteorologists and weather channels had all gathered in the north Carolina and south Carolina beaches as one of the biggest storms of the century was set to make landfall.

After much anticipation on September 14, Hurricane Florence, a large and slow-moving category one hurricane, made landfall. As the eye of the storm would cross Wrightsville Beach, NC at 7:15 a.m. the storm would go on to spend the next two days producing record-breaking rainfall North South Carolina and. In some areas, Over 30 inches of rain were measured in just 2 days.

Record river flooding developed over the next several days along destroying roads and damaging thousands of homes and businesses. wind gusts over 100 mph caused significant damage to buildings, trees, and electrical services. And 50 people would go on to lose their lives as a result of the storm.

But I want us to understand something this morning, for the thousands of residents that flee the coast and seek to find shelter elsewhere, the biggest threat is not only in the immediate storm itself, but in the aftermath of what’s to come. You see, it’s one thing to go a few hours without power, but what about a few days, what about a few weeks, what do you do when your refrigerator won’t run, and all of your food is in danger of spoiling because power is set to be out for weeks? What do you do when your Air Conditioning won’t function, and you have your children and a baby at home? What do you do when your cell phone doesn’t work, because the electricity is out, and you can’t charge your phone anymore?

You see, all these things we take for granted this morning, except when you’re in the middle of the storm.

This morning, in our walk with Christ, we too face storms, the bible tells us that this life is full of problems… and yet, the same solution that existed in Myrtle Beach was the same solution that exists for us this morning in our lives with Christ. The power has to remain on. You see, in life, when you don’t pay your power bill, the power goes out, when the storm comes against you, the power goes out, and when a tree falls on the electric line…. The power goes out. And when the power goes out, your dead in the water. Things get scary quick.

Friends, in the same way, we need the power on in our walk with Christ.

You see, for some this morning the power so to speak has never been on, you’ve never accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior. For others, if we’re not careful, we like to turn the lights off. We prefer living in darkness, not perhaps in all areas of our lives, but in certain rooms, they’re better left dark. And still for others, we perhaps, have rooms in our house that are full of clutter. Just like with herders this morning, we have rooms that the father wants to walk into, but yet, we’re to concerned about what he might find… so we do everything we can to keep him out.

This morning Friends, we have the solution. We have the source of power, the powerplant. Who wants us to stay connected to him in all season’s life. For as a branch is to vine, we are to power source this morning, we need him for every area of life.

You see, In John 15 Jesus would make this point to his disciples. Only he would use gardening terms that they could understand. Here in the upper room, before the night of his crucifixion, Jesus would turn to the 11 remaining disciples and make this same analogy. And ultimately as he talks to them, he explains that He is the Vine, they are the branches and they and because of that, there are 3 specific things that the gardener will do for the plant 1. That He will prune them 2. Wants us to Remain (or abide) and 3. He calls them to love each other.

1. Pruning

Look with me at John 15: 1-4 15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 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

If we stop for a moment, we notice Jesus uses an analogy to explain the role of himself to the disciple. He first states that he is the vine, and they are the branches. And that that the Father is the gardener.

Now in looking this week, I found that the majority of food that comes from a vine and its branch includes would fall into the fruit category. This includes watermelon, kiwi, tomatoes, perhaps honeydew melon or passion fruit. But here most likely the disciples would have imagined grapes of figs as they were the 2 most fruit that grew on vines during this time.

And ultimately the gardener, is concerned with producing fruit on the vines. Now, obviously he’s not saying he wants to make us more like a banana, or a pineapple. Right? No, ultimately the fruit that we’re talking about is in our character, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. But it’s also in the fruit of sharing the gospel to witnessing and living our lives in worship of Him.

But here’s the problem, The goal for the farmer or the gardener, is to have the best possible fruit come from the branches. But for quality fruit to come forward… there’s sometimes a lot of work… and perhaps for the person next to you. Not you of course, but for that person… there’s a lot a lot of work.

And yet, if you know anything about gardening, you realize Each plant needs certain things... the right amount of sunlight, and the amount of water, proper fertilization and in modern times pesticide. And also, for optimal results… There has to be some pruningthat is done…. And as the pruning is done.

So, Jesus would go on to say, in verse 1-2 15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 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 and so we see that the ultimate goal for our lives is fruit. But the process to bear fruit requires pruning.

By the way, the fathers Goal this morning… should also be your goal. As a plant, think about the Hardin county fair, you don’t just put forward what’s… ehhh. Okay… or… so so… No, the goal is the best fruit or produce possible.

But how do we get from A to B. it’s pruning.

You see what we see is the fruit… but when God prunes us… he doesn’t deal with the fruit, he starts at the root…. When you have a cough, the issue isn’t the cough, the issue is that you have a cold. You see you can stop the cough, but the cold will produce other issues… a runny nose, a sore throat… and God wants to address that cough, but he doesn’t want the root of the problem, the cold, to show up in others areas.

James 4:2 tells us: You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God.

Where does the problem start? It’s in the coveting, it’s not in the fighting, it’s not in the fruit… it’s in the root… it’s in the heart. Luke 6:43-45 tells us: 43 “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

Church, God always works at the root, to get to the fruit. And from one person to the next this might look different. Your struggles are different than mine. But what does your fruit look like this morning?

Sometimes, this happens naturally. If you think of a tree in nature, sometimes there is too much weight growing on a tree for it to support the weight. Also, sometimes, there are dead shoots that grow off of the vine… and perhaps fall… but listen, God calls us to be a part of this pruning process this morning.

You see, I would ask you this morning, when we’re talking about pruning… what does this look like for you this morning? Where are the areas in your life that have to be trimmed back? I don’t expect anyone to raise their hand… but is it possible that there are some areas in your life that have to be pruned? Are there things that your aware of that need pruned? Maybe there’s too much on your schedule, or perhaps its sin, or maybe it’s something like a circumstance like changing your job. It could be a host of thing. Would we be bold enough to ask the father into the middle of our mess this morning?

You see the master gardener loves us. And therefore, his goal is to remove anything in our lives that would sap our spiritual energy and hinder us from fruitful results.

2. Remain

3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 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. 5 “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. 6 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. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. 9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now 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.

You know, it’s interesting. If you read through the scripture this morning, you’ll see that the word remain is used 9 different times. Now from an application standpoint, we see first, that God desires everyone to come to salvation. Just like a branch on a vine, he desires to give us life this morning. But he also wants us to remain. You see, if we look back at verse 3 for a moment, it states: You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. (in other words, you are already saved) but then, Jesus goes on to say now 4 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. Jesus would go on to then say “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.”

I want us to camp out on this idea of remaining for a moment. Another word in is Abiding. And by definition, the word remain in the Greek means to continue to be present, to endure, to wait for and I love this definition not to become another or different.

You see, the disciples were saved… but Jesus implores them to continue living their lives in Him, to remain.

You see, I think of our small group this morning, and Louis Giglio the pastor of Passion City Church, breaks down this idea of Psalm 23 and he goes on to explain that the Lord has prepared this table just for you, in the presence of your enemies… but we have to be willing to sit with him. To actually dine, to not just. Have a quick drive through sort of meal, but really sit down… eat, be satisfied…

See some of us are settling for too little in our relationship with Christ this morning.

I came across an article this week that states 39.2 percent of shoppers will purchase a department store gift card for friends and family, followed by 33.4 percent of shoppers opting for a restaurant gift card. But according to estimates reported in the Journal of State Taxation, the typical American home has an average of $300 in unused or "unredeemed" gift cards. These cards are often misplaced, accidentally thrown out, or only partially redeemed.

Friends, you have the entitlements this morning, to not only remain, but use your gifts as they’ve been given to you.

Specifically, and there are many other implications from this idea of remaining. But I want us to see from the scripture three things that jump out.

1. Bear Fruit. Vs 5 says: 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit….

Yes, this is eternal fruit. But this is also fruit in how you live. In the person that you are with your relationship with your family, your loved ones and your children.

2. Next, we continue in Verse 5 …apart from me you can do nothing…. But yet, the Inversive is also true. You see, with Christ We can Do all things. Philippians 4:13 tell us this, it says: 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Do you want a life of power. A life of potential, a life of praise. You have to stay connected to the power source.

3. Finally, we see this idea in our prayer life. John 15:7 says: 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. And so, we see with our prayers, that as we walk with God there is the implication that he answers our prayers according to His will.

We see in James 5 this idea of abiding in Christ and how it pertains to our prayers, we’re told:

James 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

But I think perhaps the most important reality of remaining in Him has to do with our relationship with Him.

You see I think of the prodigal son this morning in Luke 15:11-16 and the bible tells us 11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.

You see you know how the story ends. The prodigal son comes back to the father and the father meets him with open arms. But friends, there was a cost. You see, the prodigal son missed out on time with the father. The bible doesn’t tell us this, but friends, we know that the father would only live for a certain amount of time. And this son, while he was gone over here, while he was playing games… he wasn’t remaining in his father’s household an, so he missed out on the enjoyment of the relationship with the father.

I know everyone here has been sick before, but has anyone been sick over the holidays? You see, there’s a party going on. There’s a time of celebration, where the whole family is there, and yet… you’re in bed…

Friends, you don’t have to stay sick anymore. The Father calls you back with open arms and invites you into hiss house this morning. You may feel like you’re a long way from home, but the father is excited to welcome you with open arms this morning.

He calls to us though; he says remain in me. Remain in my live. Abide here. Dwell here. And I will be your father and you will be my children this morning.

3. Love each other – obey his commands

9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now 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 this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.

As we wrap up this morning, I want to turn our attention to verse 17. This is my command: Love each other.

As we look at this command this morning, though, I want us to see that unlike the English language which has one word for love. We see in the New Testament 4 sorts of love that are expressed. One type of love is 1. Eros refers to physical or sexual love. Another word for love in the Greek is 2. Philos means warm affection or friendship. Which is where we get the name Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love. We see still another definition in what is called Storge (stor-JAY), which refers to love between family members. But our focus in verse 17 is on Agapē love…. And this love kind of love is sacrificial, it’s unconditional love and it’s the highest form of love.

John 13:34-35 tells us: 34 “A new command I give you: Loveone another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

You see, it’s one thing to say that you can have a brotherly love, or perhaps a family sort of love… but sacrificial, selfless love? The kind of love that would allow you to lay down your life someone. That’s a whole different level. And this love isn’t reserved only for your best friends, your spouse, or your favorite golf buddy. No, this agape love that we’re called to is for everybody.

But how is possible that we can agape love others? How can you have unconditional love towards others, even when they hurt you? Even when you don’t feel like it?

Church it’s only possible through relationship. You see this morning, church, it can be difficult to love others? And all the wives said - Amen?!

But verse 9, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you…. (listen this is key) Now remain in my love.”

Here’s the point, the closer you are to the source of power, the more power you have. The closer you remain to his love the more love that than overflows to others. The more time that you spend with him, the more you become like him. This morning, we are to remain in his love.

You see I think of my daughter Taylor who you may or may not know but when Taylor was born, she was born with club feet. And in case you don’t know what that is, Taylors feet were born facing each other.And when Taylor was born there were 2 instances where she had to have surgery. And on her second surgery, she had to stay in the hospital for 3 nights. She had to have pins placed in her foot, and both of her legs wrapped entirely.

And in the early hours of being in the hospital, and being in pain, and not understanding what was going on… the surgery was best for Taylor even though it didn’t feel good at the time. But in the middle of the pain for this little girl, her mom held her. You see, Taylor couldn’t communicate at such a young age, she couldn’t understand what was taking place. But she understood her mother’s agape love. She understood that her mom was there to hold her.

I’m going to call Lisa forward at this time

And as she comes forward, I would ask us a couple questions. 1. In your life, are there areas that need pruned?Areas perhaps that are unrepented, areas of struggle, areas maybe even where you’re just too busy?

2. I would ask, is it evident to others that your life has fruit that points to Christ? What would others say about you this morning?

3. Are we abiding in the fathers love this morning? And are we loving others unconditionally this morning?

Pray