Fruit for the Father

So grateful week after week for the faithful ministry of our praise team and John as he selects the songs, the music that we will sing, kind of leading our hearts to the throne of grace and helping to prepare us for the message of the word.

It's a unique opportunity to be able to be brought into the presence of God through his word and singing songs that testify of the wondrous work of Christ.

It's a blessing.

Well, several years ago, or at least I should say a couple years ago, I ran across this story of something that happened in Pontiac, Michigan.

There was a, I don't want to be morbid, but there was a woman who was found dead in her car in her garage.

Now, that wouldn't seem to be so significant or unusual except for the fact that she had been dead for six years in her car, in her garage.

You might ask, how in the world could anything like that go unnoticed for so long?

Well, partly because this woman often went on road trips, was often traveling about the country and traveling about the world, and her neighbors never really saw her much anyway.

And so they didn't think anything was unusual, the fact that they hadn't seen her.

And this woman, knowing that she often traveled, set up special deposits that were made from her bank account to all of the various places where she needed to pay her bills.

The utilities and the mortgage and all these other areas as well.

And her neighbors, really trying to make sure that they kept appearances, often mowed her lawn for her so that no one missed this woman.

Except for the fact that the bank, after the funds began to run dry, decided that they needed to foreclose on the house, as you would expect.

And after a period of time of this home being foreclosed and notices being made and things showing up in the mail,

they sent a person to the house to prepare it for sale.

And the worker who went to repair the roof, peering into the garage, noticed that there was not only a car in the garage,

but a figure seated in the front seat.

And this mummified woman who had been there for six years was finally discovered.

Now, you might say, what in the world does this have to do with our message for this morning?

Except for the fact that it's an interesting story.

This morning, we're going to look at the significance of fruitfulness.

It's easy for us to play games.

It's easy for us to have the appearance of life and activity and progress

when all the while there is lifelessness and emptiness in your heart.

There is the moving through rituals.

There is the appearance of service and function and duty and coming to church

and being involved in ministry and doing your devotions and praying and having things to share in Sunday school

and participating in small group and all of the things that have the appearance of life

when actually there is deadness in your heart.

There is barrenness spiritually in your life.

There is this moving through the spiritual life that has the appearance of fruitfulness,

but at the end of the day, it really is deadness.

Jesus, in our passage this morning in John chapter 15,

John 15 · chapter mention

wants to help emphasize the fact that fruitfulness is not only something that God expects for our life,

but fruitfulness is possible through the ministry of God into our lives.

Jesus does such a tremendous job at making things simple.

And if you're anything like me, you appreciate things that are simple.

Jesus, who helped us consolidate the law and the prophets in two simple phrases,

love the Lord your God and love your neighbor as yourself,

wants to help us understand the significance of fruitfulness

and realize the simplicity of fruitfulness and, as we'll see,

results in or comes from a life that is abiding in Him.

As this first point notes,

fruitfulness is demanded by the Father.

So turn with me, if you would, to John chapter 15.

John 15 · chapter mention

If you're visiting with us this morning,

it's on page 901 in the Pew Bible in front of you.

I want to read these first 11 verses for us,

and I want us to make some observations,

and then we'll work through this passage to see

that fruitfulness is only possible as you are connected to Christ.

Let me read this for us.

Beginning in verse 1, it says this,

I am the vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.

Every branch in me that does not bear fruit, He takes away.

And every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes,

that it may bear more fruit.

Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.

Abide in me and I in you,

as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine.

Neither can you unless you abide in me.

I am the vine, you are the branches.

Whoever abides in me and I in him,

he it is that bears much fruit.

For apart from me you can do nothing.

If anyone does not abide in me,

he is thrown away like a branch and withers.

And the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.

If you abide in me,

and my words abide in you,

ask whatever you wish,

and it will be done for you.

By this, my Father is glorified,

that you bear much fruit,

and so prove to be my disciples.

As the Father has loved me,

so I have loved you.

Abide in my love.

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.

These things I have spoken to you,

that my joy may be in you,

and that your joy may be full.

As we've seen through the gospel of John,

John is no stranger of repetition.

John actually gives himself to repeated phrases,

and thoughts,

and ideas,

that courses through the entire book of John.

And here we find again,

John continues to come back to the same kinds of themes.

Can you see what he's trying to emphasize in these verses?

The two phrases or words that come to the surface consistently

are the words abide,

and the word bear fruit.

God demands that we bear fruit.

He expects it to be true of the life of everyone

who is connected to Christ.

Now just by way of background,

I want to remind us where we are in the flow of this study.

We are in the last few hours of Christ's life.

We are moving ever closer to the point at which

Jesus will be taken captive.

He will stand trial.

He will be crucified and killed on the cross.

These are the final moments of Jesus' time with his disciples.

And so the things that he wishes to express to the disciples at this point

are the things of utmost significance.

We find at the end of chapter 14,

Jesus, using these words,

says,

Rise, let us go from here.

They had previously been in the upper room,

enjoying this Passover meal together,

and now they are moving out of this upper room

through the city of Jerusalem,

perhaps down into the Kidron Valley at this point,

viewing the vineyards that is populating or dotting the landscape,

and moving their way over into the Garden of Gethsemane,

where Jesus will be taken captive.

And the thing that seems to be on Jesus' mind as he is providing these parting words to his disciples

is the significance of the Father.

Now, the Apostle John is caught up and blown away by this concept of God being the Father.

In the Gospel of John,

John alludes to the fact that God is the Father 122 times.

One time for every 10 verses in the Gospel of John,

John alludes to this incredible concept of God being Father.

And in these final parting words,

these chapters 14, 15, and 16,

John uses the concept, the idea of God being Father 45 times in 82 verses.

One time for almost every two verses,

John is helping us to understand that Jesus is trying to emphasize and focus on the fact that God is Father.

Why is that significant?

Well, it's significant because Jesus has just told his disciples

that he is going to be moving away.

He's going to be departing from them,

and the only thing that will help to secure them,

will keep them enduring through the hardship that they will face,

is the understanding that God is Father.

That God will uphold them and help them and keep them through

the mission that Christ has put them on.

How will that take place?

What is that mission?

And how will it be accomplished?

Jesus, right out of the gate here in John chapter 15,

John 15 · chapter mention

wants to help his disciples understand that fruitfulness is significant,

and fruitfulness is only accomplished in the Son.

Fruitfulness is accomplished in the Son.

Jesus here at the beginning of verse 1 says,

I am the true vine.

We'll dig into this as we move through this passage.

But a cursory look of this passage helps us understand the significance of fruitfulness,

and Jesus wants his disciples to understand that if they will be fruitful,

they need to rest in Christ.

He is the vine.

Although this is the first time that Jesus has really dealt with this subject of him being the vine,

and the whole concept of fruitfulness in relationship to the vineyard,

this was not a foreign concept to the Jews.

As a matter of fact, through this Passover week,

they would have read Psalm 80.

And Psalm 80 helps to illustrate the fact that God had commissioned Israel to be his vine.

It says in Psalm 80, you're welcome to turn there if you like.

Psalm 80, verse 3 is where it begins.

Psalms 80:3

Again, if you're visiting with us, you can find that passage on page 491.

Psalm 80, verse 3 says,

Psalms 80:3

Enemies laugh among themselves.

Verse 8,

You brought a vine out of Egypt.

You drove out the nations and planted it.

You cleared the ground for it.

It took deep root and filled the land.

The mountains were covered with its shade,

the mighty cedars with its branches.

It sent out its branches to the sea,

and its shoots to the river.

Why then have you broken down its walls,

so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit?

Verse 14,

Turn again, O God of hosts.

Look down from heaven and see.

Have regard for this vine.

This concept of Israel being the vine

was not foreign to the people of Israel.

And yet God had rejected his vine

because the vine had not only been unfruitful,

the vine had rejected God's commands.

Coming to the forefront of this is Isaiah chapter 5.

Isaiah 5 · chapter mention

Isaiah chapter 5,

Isaiah 5:1–7

verses 1 to 7.

We won't read the whole thing,

but it's on page 569.

It says,

Let me sing for my beloved,

my love song concerning his vineyard.

My beloved has a vineyard on a very fertile hill.

He dug it and cleared its stones

and planted it with choice vines.

He built a watchtower in the midst of it,

and he hewed out a wine vat in it.

He looked for it to yield grapes,

but it yielded wild grapes.

Jumping down to verse 7.

For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts

is the house of Israel,

and the men of Judah are his pleasing plant.

He looked for justice,

but behold bloodshed.

For righteousness,

but behold an outcry.

Although God had desired

that Israel would be this fruitful vine,

would be a reflection of fruitfulness in the land,

they had actually rebelled against God

and had rejected his commands

and had gone the way of the nations.

So Christ, in coming to earth,

was not only the fulfillment of the law,

was not only the seed of Abraham,

but here we find he was the vine.

He was the ultimate fulfillment

of what God expected for Israel.

He was the only one who satisfied

God's demands for his people

and said that those who want to experience

the blessings of being fruitful

as God had commissioned them to be

will only be able to experience that

as they are in Christ.

Those who would be fruitful vine

must recognize the imperative

of life with Christ,

trusting in him,

relying on him.

He is the only one

who meets the demands of the Father.

Christ is the vine.

This morning, I would ask you this question.

I'll continue to ask as we go along.

Are you a fruitful vine?

You can only be a fruitful vine

if you are placing your only hope

and confidence in the work of Christ

as being the only one

who can satisfy God's demands.

It's accomplished in the Son.

Second of all, we find that it is

assisted by the Godhead.

It's assisted by the Godhead.

We find that here in verse 2.

Every branch in me that does not bear fruit,

he takes away.

And every branch that does bear fruit,

he prunes that it may bear more fruit.

Now this is an amazing concept.

This ought to blow you away.

God has given himself

to specific and unique ministry to you.

Those of us who are recipients of grace of God,

forgiveness for sin,

called into fellowship with him,

we should be serving him.

And yet here we find in this verse,

the Godhead is serving you.

The Godhead is working on your behalf

through Christ and through the Father

to create fruitfulness in your life.

Isn't that amazing?

And here we find not only the Son

as being the life source,

the vine for the branches,

but now we find that the Father

is intricately involved in your life

to help you produce more fruit.

There is this dual ministry of the Father.

It says,

Every branch in me that does not bear fruit,

he takes away.

Every branch that does bear fruit,

he prunes.

What is taking place there?

What is happening?

We find that God is involved in cutting off

or cultivating.

He's involved in destroying or disciplining.

The Father takes special interest in the vine,

determining its fruitfulness

and acting as a result.

Now one of the things that may cause

a bit of concern in your mind,

we run up against a theological wall

in this verse.

Maybe something that is confusing to you

as it was to me.

The language here says,

Every branch in me that does not bear fruit,

he takes away.

What in the world is Jesus talking about?

Are people losing their salvation?

And he's judging them because of a lack of fruitfulness?

Is that what's happening here?

Who are these branches?

Can those who are in Christ be fruitless?

Can those who are in Christ be taken away

and thus lose their salvation?

Well, as we look at the Gospel of John,

we need to understand that Jesus is dealing

with his disciples before the era of the new church.

Jesus is dealing with the disciples

in an old covenant understanding.

Where connection to Christ

and association with Christ

was understood as being in something

rather than this union

that we'll find out about Christ later on

once the Holy Spirit comes.

We can see this throughout the Gospel of John.

Turn with me back to John chapter 8

John 8 · chapter mention

and you can see how this plays out

in people who supposedly believe in Christ.

You can be a person of faith

and not be a person who is saved.

Notice this in John 8 verse 30.

John 8:30

As he was saying these things,

many, what is the word there?

believed in him.

Verse 31.

So Jesus said to the Jews

who had believed in him,

if you abide in my word,

you are truly my disciples.

Does that sound familiar?

But clearly,

as we move through this passage,

we find

that this group of individuals

who supposedly believed in Christ

were not receptive to his word.

so that we find here in verse 44,

Jesus makes a very clear statement

that says,

you are of your father,

the devil,

and your will is to do

your father's desires.

He was a murderer from the beginning

and has nothing to do with the truth

because there is no truth in him.

There was no abiding relationship with Christ.

There was no abiding relationship

with Christ's words

and their initial belief

was evidenced by the corruption of their heart.

We find back in chapter 6,

another group of individuals

who were also connected to Christ

but who abandoned him.

We find that in chapter 6,

there's this great interest in Jesus

because of him feeding the 5,000.

But once we get to verse 60,

we see this.

When many of his disciples

heard his sayings,

they said,

this is a hard saying.

Who can listen to it?

But Jesus,

knowing in himself

that the disciples

were grumbling about this,

begins to confront them

over the issue.

We find in verse 66,

after this,

many of his disciples

turned back

and no longer walked with him.

Even those who were followers of Christ,

who even were considered

disciples of him,

who followed him wherever he went,

abandoned Christ

once the word

confronted their hearts.

And what could be said of Judas?

Judas,

who was one of the 12,

and Jesus helping the disciples,

the 11,

understand how to reconcile

how this could happen.

We find even here in chapter 6,

Jesus deals with that issue.

Simon Peter in verse 68 says,

Whom shall we go?

You alone have the words of life.

And we have believed

and have come to know

that you are the Holy One of God.

Jesus answered them,

Did I not choose you,

the 12?

And yet one of you

is a devil.

He spoke of Judas,

the son of Simon Iscariot,

for he,

one of the 12,

was going to betray him.

Jesus knew Judas' heart.

He knew that his allegiance

to Jesus was temporary.

He knew that when the rubber

met the road,

that Judas would betray him.

And he would show

the true nature of his heart

as being one

who had no fruit.

The father

is interested

in fruitfulness.

He will either

judge those

who have no fruit

or he will nurture

those

who are bearing fruit.

It says he prunes

their life.

He says

he cultivates them

and seeks to help them

bear more fruit.

There are so many ways

that God seeks

to do that for us.

His ministry

to us

to help nurture

more fruitfulness

in our life.

And he often uses

difficulties

in our life

to not only show us

the nature

of our abiding

relationship with him,

but to help us

to see how much

we need

him in life.

I had an experience

like that

and by the way

we're probably not

going to finish

all of these

notes for today.

We'll just hold it off

to next week.

So don't be nervous

if we're not

going to finish.

On Friday

I was going to go

pick up my daughter

in Cedarville.

She had spent

the night

there.

And I had the

opportunity

that morning

as you know

it snowed

on Thursday night

and so I went

out to the car

and tried to clear

the snow

off the front

windshield

and as I was

lifting the

wiper

in order to

get the snow

underneath

the wiper

fell off.

That was frustrating

trying to put

the wiper

back on

and then

I wanted

to listen

to a sermon

on the way

and realize

that the cord

wasn't in the car.

So I went

into the house

to try to find

the cord

and all

to no avail.

Well I remember

maybe the cord

is here

at the church

and so I made

a trip here

to the church

and sure enough

there it was

all was great.

I get out

on Trayview Road

I take a right

and for whatever

reason the traffic

was nuts

on Trayview

trying to get

over to Wilson.

Well to try

to shortcut

the system

a little bit

I turned right

on Angaro

and the roads

were slippery

enough that I

nearly collided

with the car

that was stopped

there at

the stop sign.

And then I

finally got on

Wilson

it's three lights

before I can

finally get

on to the 70.

I finally get

on to the 70

and I realize

that the reason

why the traffic

is so nuts

is because

right there

where the 70

and the 270

meet

there was

no way

to stay

on the 70

I either had

to get off

on the 270

north

or the 270

south.

Well I figured

if I go

up to

Roberts Road

it's going

to take me

a little extra

time

and I happen

to remember

there's this

little pass

through

on the 270

south

little dirt

road

that gets

from the

270 south

to the

on ramp

of the

270 north

you've done

that right

but as I'm

taking the

270 south

I realize

I can't

do this

I shouldn't

do this

so I

stayed on

the 270

I didn't

use the

pass through

and I

didn't realize

I forgot

that Broad

Street was

so far

down

the road

well I get

off

and as you

can well

imagine

everyone else

was doing

the same

thing

and so

it was like

gridlock

on Broad

going

west

well then

there's finally

the way

to get to

this 270

and I had

to kind of

merge over

three lanes

because I was

in the wrong

one and

had to get

over so I

could take

a right

and I

get down

the road

maybe a

quarter of a

mile and

it's a dead

stop

I get so

frustrated

I make a

U-turn

I get back

on to Broad

I'm booking

it down

I won't tell

you how fast

I was going

and I

finally get

on the

70

it has

been 50

minutes

since I

first left

my house

I wish

I could

say

that

my life

demonstrated

that it

had a

great

abiding

relationship

with Christ

this past

week

but God

puts us

through these

situations

of pruning

and exposure

to help us

realize

how far

away we

are

from the

kind of

fruitfulness

that God

wants us

to have

I could

tell you a

similar

experience

that happened

yesterday

here at the

church

trying to

make copies

for the

bulletin

but I won't

go there

because we

don't have

enough time

God the

Father is

interested in

your fruitfulness

he takes

special

delight

in messing

up your

day

so that

he can

help you

see what

is most

important

he takes

special

delight

in

exposing

your heart

fruitfulness

so that

you know

where you

stand

in terms

of

fruitfulness

and so

that you

can

step back

you can

reevaluate

and you can

say oh I have

so much

work to do

for Christ's

life to

flow through

me

well

it takes us

to this

third point

here

it's

assisted

by the

Godhead

and it

is

accompanied

by

a

changed

life

accompanied

by a

changed

life

notice

what it

says

here

in

verse

three

it says

already

you are

clean

because

of the

word

that I

have

spoken

to

you

now

you

might

wonder

what

in

the

world

is

this

verse

doing

here

how

does

this

fit

in

the

flow

of

what

we're

talking

about

it

almost

seems

to

be

disconnected

in

every

way

yet

Jesus

is

not

only

trying

to

reassure

the

disciples

of

where

they

stand

but

he's

helping

them

to

recognize

the

trajectory

the

focus

the

product

of

fruitfulness

what

does

it

yield

what

does

fruitfulness

look

like

in

a

life

so

often

when

we

hear

the

idea

of

fruitfulness

we

think

of

outward

success

we

think

of

converts

that

we

have

had

some

way

of

helping

to

bring

to

Christ

or

we

think

of

some

impact

that

we're

making

in

the

world

we

think

of

some

ministry

that

we're

involved

in

and

it's

had

some

sort

of

benefit

to

the

people

who

have

been

part

of

it

but

when

Jesus

is

talking

about

fruitfulness

he

wants

them

to

understand

that

it

focuses

on

cleanness

change

life

it

has

nothing

to do

with

externals

it

has

everything

to do

with

what's

happening

inside

what

has

God

done

to

change

your

life

not

just

to

change

your

behavior

but

to

change

the

person

that

you

are

that's

what

he

cares

about

that's

what

he's

interested

in

and

Jesus

has

already

addressed

this

particular

subject

earlier

you might

remember

in

John

John 13 · chapter mention

chapter

13

during

this

feast

time

this

Passover

meal

Jesus

he

puts

on

the

towel

and

he's

washing

the

disciples

feet

and

he

gets

this

protest

from

Peter

Peter

says

Jesus

you're

not

going

to

wash

me

and

Jesus

wants

to help

him

understand

that

washing

him

is

significant

in

verse

10

we

see

this

it

says

Jesus

says

to him

the

one

who

has

bathed

does

not

need

to

wash

except

for

his

feet

but

is

completely

clean

and

you

are

clean

but

not

every

one

of

you

for

he

knew

who

was

to

betray

him

that

was

why

he

said

not

all

of

you

are

clean

Judas

was

not

clean

his

heart

was

not

pure

there

was

not

a

change

in

his

life

there

was

not

fruitfulness

that

was

showing

it

was

barrenness

it

was

emptiness

it

was

deadness

and

yet

for

the

rest

of

the

disciples

who

still

had

much

to

learn

and

much

to

grow

in

there

was

there

was

cleanness

and

forgiveness

and

repentance

and

faith

and

moving

in the

right

direction

they

were

clean

and

Jesus

reemphasizes

that here

in

verse

2

or

excuse

me

verse

3

of

chapter

15

you

are

clean

they

had

experienced

the

repentance

from

sin

experienced

forgiveness

that

God

gives

they

had

been

sanctified

by

the

truth

that

Jesus

had

preached

!

They

had

given

their

lives

to

follow

him

desire

to

surrender

themselves

to

doing

what

he

had

said

they

had

witnessed

!

His

power

and

witnessed

!

working

in

their

own

life

the

disciples

had

shown

themselves

that

there

was

inward

change

that

had

taken

place

we

see

through

Christ's

ministry

that

the

Pharisees

were

really

great

about

external

behavior

they

went

to

the

right

places

at

the

right

times

they

said

the

right

things

they

knew

all

of

the

right

scriptures

and

they

performed

the

right

duties

but

inwardly

their

heart

was

so

far

from

Christ

it's

not

a

fruit

of

external

righteousness

but a

fruit

of

a

changed

life

one

that

is

sanctified

one

that

is

showing

the

fruit

of

repentance

that

John

talks

about

John

the

Baptist

talks

about

in

Matthew

Matthew 3 · chapter mention

chapter

3

one

that

shows

the

fruit

of

the

good

soil

in

Matthew

Matthew 13 · chapter mention

chapter

13

the

word

is

taking

root

and

it

begins

to

grow

and

flourish

in

a

life

there

is

transformation

there

is

purity

this

morning

I

would

ask

you

again

are

you

a

fruitful

vine

one

that

has

allowed

the

word

of

God

to

settle

in

and

to

produce

a

harvest

the

Holy

Spirit

is

producing

a

harvest

of

love

and

joy

and

peace

and

kindness

and

goodness

is

there

a

changed

life

we're

moving

from

here

in

verse

4

there's

not

only

a

demand

of

the

father

for

fruitfulness

but we'll

touch on

this

and get

to it

the

remaining

time

next

week

but

fruitfulness

is

dependent

on

the

son

fruitfulness

is

dependent

on

the

son

there

is

a

demand

for

fruitfulness

but

there

is

a

life

source

for

fruitfulness

there

is

a

means

for

fruitfulness

in

your

life

how

does

it

come

we

find

the

answer

in

verses

4

and

5

abide

in

me

and

I

in

you

as

the

branch

cannot

bear

fruit

by

itself

unless

it

abides

in

the

vine

neither

can

you

unless

you

abide

in

me

I

am

the

vine

you

are

the

branches

whoever

abides

in

me

and I

in

him

he

it

is

that

bears

much

fruit

for

apart

from

me

you

can

do

nothing

apart

from

me

you

can

do

nothing

let me

just

close

with

this

thought

what

does

it

mean

to

abide

in

Christ

what

does

it

look

like

and

we'll

develop

this

more

next

week

how

does

remaining

and

and

being

steadfast

and

existing

in

the

life

of

Christ

how

does

that

play

out

in

your

life

and

I

might

ask

you

two

questions

that

will

answer

whether

or not

it's

happening

in

your

life

the

first

question

would

be

how

do

you

respond

when

you

have

done

all

the

right

things

and

you

get

the

wrong

result

for

example

you

have

followed

the

scriptures

teaching

as it

relates

to

training

up

your

children

in

the

way

they

should

go

but

then

you

turn

them

loose

into

the

world

and

they

turn

their

back

on

God

how

does

that

affect

you?

How

does

that

frustrate

you?

Or

you

have

done

all

the

right

things

you've

played

by

God's

rules

in

your

workplace

and

for

whatever

reason

it

doesn't

matter

how

much

you

try

to

do

to

please

God

you

can't

ever

seem

to

get

that

promotion

you

can't

ever

seem

to

get

that

raise

you

can't

ever

seem

to

get

the

recognition

that

you

feel

you

deserve

when

you're

doing

the

right

things

but

you

don't

get

God

to

answer

the

way

you

expect

how

does

that

affect

!

your

life

that

would

mean

that

you're

not

abiding

in

Christ

that

all

the

things

that

you're

doing

to

please

him

you're

doing

for

yourself

and

not

doing

for

him

the

second

question

would

be

what

what

is

connection

with

Christ

worth

to

you

what

is

a

connection

to

Christ

worth

to

you

is

a

deeper

relationship

with

Christ

an

abiding

relationship

with

him

worth

the

risk

of

losing

other

things

that

you

value

like

could

you

ever

find

yourself

saying

Jesus

I

want

to

abide

in

you

so

much

that

I'm

willing

to

give

you

full

control

of

every

aspect

of

my

life

so

that

I

can

learn

to

abide

in

you

completely

what

is

an

abiding

relationship

worth

we'll

talk about

that more

next

week

come

back

we'll

discuss

that

let me

pray

for

us

and

we'll

close

our

service

this

morning

Lord

we

want

to

be

fruitful

people

we

want

to

be

a