The True Vine

Let's turn to our sermon text. So today, our series in the Gospel of John takes us to John

John 15:1–11

chapter 15, verses 1 through 11. So let me invite you to turn there with me,

and as you turn there, let me pray as we come to God's Word together.

Father, we ask that you would pour out your Spirit among us to help us to understand this Word

that your Spirit has inspired, and to help us to understand and to know Christ more,

because we know that as we see him in all of his glory, we are transformed

into his likeness from glory to glory. Lord, clothe us with your beauty as we behold you in

your Word, we pray. In Christ's name, amen. So let me read John chapter 15, verses 1 through 11 for us.

John 15:1–11

Jesus says to his disciples, I am the true 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, and 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 have I 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. So in 1989, Stephen Covey published a book called

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. In this book, Covey seeks to lay down what he calls

the universal and timeless principles for how a person can live a productive and effective life.

And since 1989, this book has gone on to sell something like 25 million copies. That's one of

the best-selling books on productivity and personal management and self-help ever written.

Now clearly, if it has sold that many copies, this book speaks to a need that many, many people feel.

Right? And since then, hundreds of books have been written and seminars taught and TED Talks given

about how we can be more productive and more effective, not just at work or in time management,

but in life. You see, deep down as humans, we don't just want to exist. We don't just want to float along.

We want to be fruitful. We want to be and do something that lasts, that's meaningful.

And this desire goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden. You see, when God created humanity, God made us

with a purpose to steward creation, to work and keep the garden, to see the glory of God extend to the

ends of the earth as we, his image bearers, use the gifts he's given us to bring flourishing to the world

he has made. But of course, the human story took a tragic turn, didn't it? Rather than using our gifts

to cultivate creation for the glory of God, we chose to become our own gods and use our gifts

to advance our own kingdoms rather than God's kingdom. And the result of the fall has been

alienation and disintegration and death ever since. So we as humans are a bit of a walking contradiction,

aren't we? On the one hand, we want to use our gifts and our powers to do something that lasts,

to flourish and to bear fruit, and that's good. But on the other hand, we're too often motivated to

be fruitful by a desire to exalt ourselves rather than the God who made us. Too often we're motivated

by a desire to make a name for ourselves, like the builders of the Tower of Babel. Do you remember of

that story? Only to see it all kind of end in confusion. Now the passage before us, John 15,

1 through 11, is all about bearing fruit. As disciples of Jesus, we want to be productive

and effective for God and his kingdom. In fact, this whole section of John's gospel, what we call

Jesus's farewell discourse, is about Jesus preparing his disciples not just for his departure, but for

their upcoming mission when he returns to the Father. And how will the disciples, how will the church

go forth and bear fruit that lasts? Now being fruitful here is sort of an all-encompassing

thing, bearing fruit. In the New Testament, we see that bearing fruit can refer to a number of things.

Bearing fruit can refer to becoming Christ-like in character. Remember Galatians 5, where Paul talks

about the fruit of the Spirit. Bearing fruit can also mean doing good works, loving our neighbors as

ourselves. Remember Colossians 1, 10, where Paul talks about bearing fruit in every good work. And of

course, it can also mean winning others to Christ. It can refer to evangelism and discipleship. A little

earlier in Colossians 1, Paul says, in the whole world, the gospel is bearing fruit and increasing as

it does among you since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God and truth. So bearing fruit

means helping others come to faith in Christ. So you see, bearing fruit kind of describes the totality

of our life as followers of Jesus, becoming like him in character, doing good works, sharing the gospel,

winning others to faith. But how do we do that? We want to be fruit-bearing Christians, but what's the key

for doing so? Because we don't want to go build another tower of Babel that just ends in confusion

and alienation. We want to bear fruit that lasts. So what's the key?

Well, here's the big idea of our passage. In order to bear fruit as disciples, we must abide in Christ.

Abiding in Christ is the necessary, non-negotiable, irreplaceable thing if we're going to bear fruit.

You can go to a seminar, you can attend a class, you can read a book, you can listen to a lecture,

you can double your effort, double your zeal, double your time, double your activity, you can

strategize, plan, and prepare, you can research, and rehearse, and review, and all those things might

be right and good, but they will amount to nothing if we aren't abiding in Christ.

Verse 5 says it all. Jesus says, I'm 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. So if you want to bear fruit,

you must abide in Christ. And our passage answers two questions about this idea of abiding in Christ.

First, our passage answers the question of why. Why must we abide in Christ in order to bear fruit?

And then it answers how. How do we abide in Christ so that we bear much fruit? So let's look first at

why, and then we'll look at how. So first, why? Why must we abide in Christ in order to bear fruit?

Verses 1 through 6 kind of provide an answer to that question that's twofold. Jesus is basically

going to tell us, you have to abide in me because of who I am, and because of who the Father is.

Because of who Jesus is, and because of who the Father is. That's why we have to abide in Christ.

So let's look at first, we have to abide in Christ in order to bear fruit because of who Jesus is. And

Jesus says, because he's the true vine. That's how the passage begins, right? Jesus says, I am the true

vine. Now this is the last of the famous I am statements in the Gospel of John. And like all the

previous I am statements, this one is a rich and powerful metaphor. Jesus is the true vine.

In a vineyard, think about it, where do the grapes come from? Well, they grow off the branches. And

what are the branches connected to? Well, they're connected to the central vine, right? It's the vine

that carries life and energy and vitality that flows through the branches and so produces the fruit.

Now John has already told us as much about Jesus in his prologue. Do you remember in John 1-4,

John says about Jesus, in him was life? Life is in Jesus. Jesus Christ, who was one with God from the

beginning, the one through whom all things were made, he is life. He is the true vine.

And just look at the records we have of Jesus' earthly ministry and you see this must be true.

His words were words of authority and life-giving truth. His character was full of love and courage.

His deeds were like none who had come before or after him. The blind were given sight, the lame were

made to walk, the sick were made whole, the lepers were cleansed, the dead even were raised back to life.

The power of life flowed through Jesus just like life-giving sap and energy flows through a vine,

bringing fruit and life in its wake. We have to abide in Jesus to bear fruit because Jesus is the true vine.

He's life itself. We were joking this week as a staff that wouldn't it be a great sort of visual

illustration if I walked down to this little flower thing and just cut it off?

And I'd say, see what happens when you're not connected? You die. Do you want to be like that?

I figured I wouldn't go that way, but then I just did. So now it's in your mind. So it's done.

Jesus is the vine. He's true life. We have to stay connected to him to bear fruit.

But you know, this I am statement, this I am statement's more than just a metaphor.

You know, these I am statements that Jesus makes in John's gospel,

they're all rich actually, not just in metaphorical power, but they're rich with Old Testament overtones.

There's a biblical, redemptive, historical reality that Jesus is talking about here.

You see, in the Old Testament, the metaphor of a vine was used again and again to refer to what?

To refer to God's people, to refer to Israel.

God called Abraham and formed the people of Israel so that they, like a vine,

might be planted in the midst of fallen creation and bear fruits amidst the ashes of Babel.

That in the fallout of human confusion, Israel might be the place where God's fruit started to flourish again.

Israel was meant to be a fruitful vine, glorifying God, a kingdom of priests, a holy nation,

declaring God's life and light to the nations.

They were meant to be the vine where fruit finally grew again.

But what's interesting is that in places like Isaiah 5 or Jeremiah 2 or Ezekiel 15 or Hosea 10,

when the prophets speak of Israel as the Lord's vine,

it's not their success that we hear about, but their failure.

That Israel, like the rest of us in humanity,

we can't bear the fruit that we were meant to create.

That Israel, too, must be rescued.

And in Psalm 80 that Eli read for us earlier,

Jerusalem, much like the Tower of Babel, ends in ruin and confusion.

The people are judged and sent away into exile, and Jerusalem lies in ashes.

And yes, God would eventually end the exile,

and God would eventually rebuild Jerusalem,

but still the people were waiting.

When would God make us fruitful?

When would we become the vine he intended us to be?

And into this Old Testament hope,

Jesus says to his disciples,

I'm the true vine.

The hopes of Israel,

the mission of Israel,

the people of Israel,

all find their fulfillment.

In me, Jesus says,

I'm the true vine.

And if you want to bear fruit,

if you want to overcome the fall,

if you want to do something that lasts,

if you want to escape the pride and the folly of Babel,

then you must be united to me.

There's no other way.

The mission of God to redeem the nations

and heal creation,

the mission that God launched through Israel,

is now fulfilled in Jesus,

the true Israel.

So if we want to be God's people,

if we want to be fruit-bearing people,

we need to be Jesus' people,

united to him,

abiding in him.

So why must we abide in Christ in order to bear fruit?

On the one hand, because of who Jesus is.

He's the true vine.

There's no other.

But on the other hand,

because of who the Father is.

Verses 1 and 2, Jesus continues.

He says,

I'm the true vine.

My Father is the vine dresser.

Every branch in me that does not bear fruit,

he takes away.

Every branch that does bear fruit,

he prunes that it may bear more fruit.

The Father, Jesus says,

is the vine dresser.

He's the gardener.

He's the farmer.

He's the vine grower.

The vineyard belongs to him.

And just like a vine grower is jealous

for the success of his vines

to see them flourish,

so the Father is jealous

for the glory of his Son,

whom he loves.

And that brings a warning and a promise.

The warning is that

if we say we are Christians,

but bear no fruit,

Jesus says,

our judgment will be the same as those

who reject Christ altogether.

Every branch in me that does not bear fruit,

the Father takes away.

And then he says again in verse 6,

if anyone does not abide in me,

he's thrown away like a branch and withers.

The branches are gathered,

thrown into the fire,

and burned.

So the warning is this to us.

If we merely profess to be believers,

that is, if we take the name of Christ

to ourselves,

but our lives show no fruit

of a real relationship with Christ,

if they show no fruit of real union with him,

no real change,

no real vital union,

then eventually,

we will be removed altogether

from the presence of God

like branches bundled for the fire.

So we must not merely profess Christ

with our lips.

We must embrace him

and surrender to him

with our whole hearts.

We must abide in him.

That's the warning.

But there's also a promise.

Every branch that does bear fruit,

Jesus says,

the Father prunes,

that it may bear more fruit.

For those who abide in Christ,

the Father will use

every circumstance of our lives,

not just the good circumstances,

but also and especially the trials

and the hardships

and the challenges

and the losses

to prune us

that we might bear even more fruit.

Like a master gardener,

he will cut away

what is lifeless,

what is distracting,

what is sinful,

so that the life of Christ

might flow for us,

flow through us

even more richly

that we might bear even more fruit.

So brothers and sisters,

if you are in a season of trial

or pain right now,

do not despair.

The life of the true vine

is still flowing through you.

And your heavenly Father

is pruning you,

shaping you,

so that you might bear

even more fruit.

You know,

what you think

might be

your greatest loss

or your greatest liability

for the kingdom,

your greatest setback

in your Father's hands

becomes the work

of a loving gardener

who has a vision

to see you flourish

in beauty and praise.

That's the promise.

So in order to bear fruit,

we must abide in Jesus.

Why?

Because of who Jesus is

and because of who the Father is.

Jesus is the true vine

and the Father is the vine dresser.

And now listen to what Jesus says

in verse 3.

If you have it open,

look there.

Already,

Jesus says,

you are clean

because of the word

that I've spoken to you.

Now there's a bit of a play

on words here.

In Greek,

the same root

underneath the word prune

in verse 2

is also underneath

the word clean

in verse 3.

In other words,

Jesus is saying,

the Father cleans up

those who are already clean.

And how are they clean?

Because of the word

that Jesus has spoken to us.

Friends,

hear this loud and clear.

How do we get connected

to Jesus,

the true vine?

Do we earn our way

into proving

that we can sort of

bear a lot of fruit?

Is there sort of

some kind of like

vineyard tryout?

Where the Father

sort of lines us all up

and says,

okay,

make some fruit

on your own

in order to win

a spot on the vine.

No!

That's the whole point

of the metaphor.

The whole point

of this metaphor

is that you can't

produce fruit

on your own.

You can't perform

your way

into a saving relationship

with God in Christ.

Apart from Christ,

we're dead wood.

So how do you get

connected in the first place?

Jesus says,

because of the word

I've spoken to you.

The word of Jesus

comes to us,

outside of us,

as a word of grace.

The word of Jesus

that says,

come to me,

all who are weary

and heavy laden,

and I'll give you rest.

The word of Jesus

that says,

I've not come to be served,

but to serve,

and to give my life

as a ransom for many,

for you.

The word of Jesus

that says,

whoever believes in me

will have eternal life,

and you will dwell in me,

and I will come

and dwell in you.

We're united

to the vine

when we hear

the words of Christ

and respond

with believing trust in him.

And we don't place our trust

in a sort of set of doctrines,

although biblical doctrines

are beautiful,

and we don't put our trust

in a system of ethics,

although biblical ethics

are so life-giving.

No,

we place our trust

in a person,

in the crucified,

risen,

and ascended Lord Jesus

who says,

I'm the vine.

Believe in me.

And through believing

in his word,

Jesus says,

you're clean.

You're mine.

And now,

I want you to abide in me

so that my life

can flow through you

more and more

and so that you can go

and bear much fruit.

So that brings us

to the next natural question.

We've seen why

we must abide in Christ

in order to bear fruit.

Now we need to ask how.

Right?

How do we do that?

How do we abide in Christ

in order to bear fruit?

Well,

in verses 7 through 11,

Jesus tells us how.

He doesn't leave us guessing.

He gives us very practical means,

actually,

for abiding in him.

First,

he says,

if you want to abide in me,

then abide in my words.

Look again at verses 7 and 8.

If you abide in me

and my words abide in you,

ask whatever you wish

and it'll be done for you.

By this,

my Father is glorified

that you bear much fruit

and so prove to be my disciples.

So,

abiding in Christ

means first and foremost,

abiding in his words.

So,

what does that mean?

Well,

think about the word abide itself.

How might we define

that word abide?

I've been sort of using it

a lot this morning,

but what does it mean?

Some translations say remain,

some say live,

some say stay.

One translation even put it,

make your home in.

And I sort of liked that last one.

To abide in Christ

is to sort of make our home

in Christ.

That he's the place

where we stay.

He's the place

where we rest.

He's the place

where we dine and celebrate.

He's the place

where we can weep

and find comfort.

Christ is our home

and we abide in him.

And to make ourselves

at home

in Christ

is to make ourselves

at home

in his words.

The things that he's said

and the things

that he continues to say.

Now,

where do we find those words?

Well,

we find them in the Gospels,

of course.

And so,

we must read

and ruminate

and meditate

on the Gospel records

of Jesus.

But you know,

in the Gospels,

Jesus also teaches

that the Old Testament

was really all about him as well.

Jesus says,

the Old Testament

was my word too.

So,

then,

we read

and we ruminate

and we meditate

on the Old Testament,

on the Pentateuch

and the history books

and the wisdom literature

and the prophets

because that too

is the word of Jesus.

But we also see

that Jesus himself

commissioned

the New Testament apostles,

gave them the Holy Spirit

that they might go

and teach

and instruct

and pass on

all that he taught them

in his name.

So,

that means

not just the Gospels

and not just the Old Testament

but the rest of the New Testament

as well

is also the Jesus-authorized

word of Christ.

So,

you see,

the whole Bible,

it's not just

merely a collection

of 66 books

written by various authors

over the course

of 100 years.

Yes,

it is that.

But through the work

of the Spirit of Christ

in and through

those authors,

the whole Bible

is the very word

of Jesus

to us,

his church.

So,

if we are to

abide in Christ,

we must make ourselves

at home

in the words

of Christ.

Christ.

And look at what a treasure

he has given us.

All the pages of Scripture

are there

so that we might

commune with him

and commune with him

as intimately

and personally

as a branch

is vitally connected

and organically

knit together

to the vine.

Now,

how do we know?

How do we know

we're abiding

in Jesus' words?

And how do we know

we're sort of abiding

in his words

and his words

are abiding in us

and we're not just

sort of reading them,

right?

After all,

plenty of folks

can read the Bible

and not abide in Christ.

Well,

look at what Jesus

says here.

If you abide in me

and my words

abide in you,

ask whatever you wish

and it will be done

for you.

In other words,

prayer

is the sign

that our reading

of the Bible

has become

a real abiding

in Christ.

So,

I think

that causes us

to ask ourselves

a good question.

When you and I

read Scripture,

do our minds,

do our hearts

move to prayer?

Do you start

talking to God,

asking God

for the things

that you see

him showing you

in his word?

Now,

don't be immediately

discouraged

if you think,

well,

that's not really

true of me.

if your reading

doesn't often

turn into praying,

then just take

the simple advice

of many,

many saints

down through

the ages.

Slow down.

Read

less

so that you

might pray

more.

You know,

rather than reading

three or four

chapters of a gospel,

try reading

three or four

verses

slowly

and then

reread them.

Reread them

as if Jesus

intended these

words to be

handed down to

you so that

you might

commune with

them and hear

his voice

because that's

exactly why

Jesus inspired

the Scriptures.

Ask,

what's the point

of the passage?

Is there anything

that jumps out

at you?

Where is the

Spirit drawing

you in,

challenging you,

comforting you?

Slow down

and then pray.

And when we

start praying

in line with

the word

in this way,

Jesus makes

the incredible

promise that

God will

answer those

prayers.

So abiding

in Christ,

how do we

do it?

First,

abide in

his word.

Let his

words abide

in you.

Abiding

in Christ

means second,

abiding

in his

love.

Look again

at verses

9 and 10.

As the

Father has

loved me,

so have

I 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.

Now,

how might

we abide

in the

love of

Christ?

How do

we make

ourselves

at home

in the

love of

Christ?

And isn't

this great?

Jesus is

saying,

look,

it's not

just about

hearing my

words and

kind of

getting them

into your

head and

your heart,

but you

also need

to abide

in my

love.

What does

that mean?

Well,

first,

I think

abiding

in the

love of

Christ

means

returning

again and

again to

the fact

that the

love of

Christ for

us is

the thing

that is

most true

and most

real about

us.

To make

yourself at

home in

the love of

Christ means

to remind

yourself again

and again

that is what

is most

real about

me.

Too quickly,

we are tempted

to leave the

love of

Christ and

set up shop

in our

accomplishments

or our

successes,

but then,

as we all

know,

that means

we've also

set up shop

in our

shortcomings

and in

our

failures.

But Jesus

says,

remain in

my love.

Let my

love be the

vital energy

that flows

through you

like sap

flowing from

a vine to

its branches.

And abiding

in the love

of Christ

also means

that we

will be

constantly

returning

to the

cross of

Christ.

For at

the cross,

the love

of Christ

is seen

in its

fullness.

You know,

the first

time I

went to

a vineyard,

I was

really surprised

actually,

because I

was expecting

when I went

to this

vineyard to

see like

rows and

rows of

big,

bushy,

thick vines,

strong and

sturdy,

ready to

like give

life to

the branches

and the

grapes.

Of course,

if any of

you have

ever been

to a

vineyard,

you know

that's

not what

I saw,

right?

The first

time I

visited a

vineyard,

what I

found out

was that

the vines

that produce

the most

desirable

grapes

aren't

strong and

aren't

huge and

aren't

massive.

They're

these

gnarled,

twisted,

ugly things

coming out

of the

dirt,

like three

or four

feet high,

looking very

weak.

fruit.

But from

those twisted

and naked

vines in

time come

the most

beautiful

fruit.

Isaiah 53

2 says,

For he

grew up

before him

like a

young plant

and like a

root out of

dry ground.

He had no

former majesty

that we should

look at him

and no beauty

that we should

desire him.

Friends,

Jesus is a

true vine,

the only

truly fruitful

one.

But look at

where his love

would take

him.

Look at where

his love for

us would lead

him.

He would be

twisted and

gnarled on a

cross and

hang on a

rough piece of

dead wood and

himself would

die.

Why?

Why would the

true vine be

cut off like

that?

God.

Because he

loves us.

Because he

wanted to

rescue us from

the death our

sins deserve.

Because he

died as a

substitute to

deliver us from

sin and death.

So that we

could abide in

his love.

And so that we

might say with

the apostle Paul,

the life I now

live, I live by

faith in the

son of God who

loved me and

gave himself for

me.

Now how do

you know you're

abiding in the

love of Christ?

How do you know

you're abiding

there?

Well, again,

what does Jesus

say?

If you keep my

commandments, you'll

abide in my love.

Just as I have

kept my father's

commandments and

abide in his

love.

Love and

obedience go

hand in hand.

Jesus the

son abides in

the love of the

father and so

keeps the

father's commands

in the same way

we abide in the

love of Jesus the

son and so we

keep the son's

commands.

Now let's be

honest.

The commandments

of Jesus are

not easy.

Love your

enemies.

Pray for those

who persecute

you.

If your hand

causes you to

sin, cut it

off.

Take up your

cross and

follow me.

Wash one

another's feet.

Serve one

another.

Forgive one

another.

Not just seven

times but 77

times.

What on earth

could lead

someone to want

to do anything

like that?

the love of

Christ can.

Because all

the fear and

all the pride

and all the

anger and all

the confusion

that we harbor

the love of

Christ meets us

there and

heals us and

forgives us and

comforts us and

gives us hope and

gives us strength so

that we not only

want to obey but

that we actually can

obey his commands.

And when we're

abiding in the love

of Christ suddenly

we can turn to

someone who's

wronged us and

we can forgive

them.

Because we know

that the true

vine was twisted

and gnarled for

us.

How could we not

forgive?

How could we not

pray for those who

persecute us?

How could we not

want to rid sin

from our lives?

How could we not

want to serve one

another and love

one another?

So abiding in

Christ's love leads

to obedience just

like abiding in

Christ's words leads

to prayer.

But last we don't

just abide in his

words or in his

love we also abide

in his joy.

Verse 11

These things I've

spoken to you that

my joy may be in

you and that your

joy may be full.

When we make our

home in the words

of Christ and in

the love of Christ

do you know what

follows?

We suddenly find

ourselves at home in

the joy of Christ

and we stay there

and we remain and

we abide.

Even in sorrow

even in pain

even in loss

and brothers and

sisters you know

as Christians we

will face all

those things in

this life but

even there there's

a joy that nothing

can steal away.

The kind of joy

that comes not

just from being

loved but also

from having hope.

You know the

reason why a vine

dresser can look

out across a field

of old gnarled

vines and have a

smile on his face

is because he knows

what's coming.

In a few short

months those vines

are going to push

out tendrils and

those tendrils are

going to push out

leaves and those

leaves and tendrils

will grow into

branches full of

color and full of

life and then there

will be a flower and

then there will be

fruit and then there

will be a harvest and

then there will be a

celebration.

celebration.

Perhaps you look out

over your life at

present and you just

see a twisted bunch

of sticks.

But if only you

could see what your

father the vine

dresser sees.

If only you could

see what soon will

be reality.

The leaf, the

flower, the fruit,

the harvest and

yes soon brothers and

sisters the

celebration.

celebration.

Christ will make all

things new and in

him you will join the

celebration and the

fruit that you have

born in this life

though it was made in

the midst of much

pruning your fruit will

be caught up in the

celebration of

eternity.

After all why did

Jesus do what he do?

Did it do what he

did?

Why was he willing to

hang fruitless and

alone on a cross?

The book of Hebrews

says for the joy set

before him and you

are part of that joy

so abide in him.

And what will be the

sign that you're

abiding in his joy?

If the sign of

abiding in his word is

prayer and the sign of

abiding in his love is

obedience what's the

sign you're abiding in

his joy?

Well what does Jesus

say?

These things I've

spoken to you that my

joy may be in you and

that your joy may be

full.

Friends the end of joy

is well it's joy.

Unstoppable unshakable

joy.

And that's why God

made us in the first

place to glorify him

and enjoy him forever

as the old catechism

says.

Joy in Christ is the

end.

His joy leads to our

joy and that's the

fruit of it all.

Humanity redeemed from

our confusion and

death to know eternal

joy in God once again.

And you know this joy is

starting to take root

when the old things that

used to give you joy

don't seem to have the

same power anymore.

When the old lusts and

the old addictions and

the old needs and the

old fears and the old

longings when they've

just started to lose

their taste and now

joy in God is what

really counts and what

really satisfies you.

It will be imperfect and

it will be ongoing in

this life to be sure but

it will be real.

And your joy will start

to be full.

So friends if we want to

be fruitful if we want

to be productive we

must abide in Jesus in

his words in his love

and his joy.

At the end of the day

there aren't seven

habits of highly

effective people as

helpful as that book

is there's only one

that really counts.

I'm the true vine Jesus

says abide in me.

Let's pray.

Our Father send your

spirit that we might

abide in you and

abide in your son.

And Lord cause us to

be a people in this

day in our time in our

city that bear much

fruit for the glory of

your good and holy

name.

Lord help us to slow

down that we might

abide in you.

Help us to remember

your love and your joy

would it flow through

us we pray in Christ's

name.

Amen.

Amen.