Abiding In The Vine - Brett Hickey 10/26/06

John chapter 15. The Bible says Jesus speaking.

John 15 · chapter mention

This is really just a short time before he's going to be betrayed

and crucified. 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 bears fruit, he prunes that it may bear more fruit.

You are already clean because of the word, which I have spoken to

you abide in me. And I, in you as the branch

cannot bear fruit of itself. Unless it abides in the vine.

So neither can you unless you abide in me?

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. 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.

If you abide in me and my words abide in you, you will ask what

you desire and it should be done for you by this, my father is

glorified that you bear much fruit.

So you will be my disciples as the father loved me.

I also 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 remain in you

and that your joy may be full. I love that last verse tells us,

something doesn't it? We probably could figure this

out. But God wants for you and God

wants for me to have the best possible life even here on

Earth. We think about heaven, we look

forward to heaven and we should. But are we enjoying the best

possible life that we can enjoy for a little sojourn down here?

Where we have some of them? The keys that Jesus has brought

and left for us and we're going to explore what it means.

Means to abide in the vine, the vine and the branches as we

pray. Thank you so much for praying

for Jill Burns. She's doing better and she's got

a long ways yet to go. But also, if you would remember

another boy, he's 10 years old. His name is Gideon patent as a

very rare disease, and he's had this for some time.

It's gotten increasingly worse this week, he had to 40 minutes.

Seizures within a short period of time prayers.

Have been answered though he has been blinded for a couple of

weeks and almost sleeping incessantly and he woke up

today. I believe it was or yesterday

and was conscious and apparently has Vision had returned but when

he tried to walk he wasn't able to do that.

They have a long way to go. And so if you remember getting

Gideon patent as well as Jill burns when you when you pray,

certainly They are for airworthy.

There's a damp damnable doctrine that dominates the

denominational landscape. Every time you turn on the radio

the TV. Are you look at the printed

page, you're likely to read something about this idea.

It sounds beautiful. And it goes like this.

You have eternal security and it's unconditional security

there. Once you've become a Christian

that you can never fall, either heard one of the famous

television, and radio, syndicated preachers.

Say that a person could actually be a Christian at one point and

then later be an atheist and still somehow be secure in

Christ. Well this evening that is not

the case but we do have Have eternal security.

In John, 10, verse 28. We're told by Jesus, that, no

John 10:28

one can snatch us out of the father's hands.

But that's not to say that. If we choose that, we can't

leave the father that we can't run away from him, we have that

freedom until the very day that we die.

And I hope one of the things you learned from this study and that

sticks with you is the possibility of falling away from

the faith. Well, we're in John chapter 15,

John 15 · chapter mention

the arrest in the garden is only hours away and only 24 hours or

less. Jesus will be crucified and he

knows it. And so that makes the words that

we've just read, it will be reading back over even more

pressing and interesting. Jesus.

So often taught obscure spiritual truths through images

that were very familiar to his audience and what would be more

familiar to people living in that day and time and That place

then a lesson from the vine. And you here in this area are

certainly familiar with this idea and the image and probably

know much more about this than then I do.

But there are some lessons that we can draw simply from

understanding and reading a little bit about what Jesus is

talking about here. Jesus, so often Drew from

lessons in nature, we read of the parable of the sower, the

Fig Tree, we notice last night, I believe it was Matthew.

Seven, verse 16 through 18. Jesus talked a lot about fruit

and he has a lot to say in this place about fruit.

You will know them by their fruits do men, gather grapes

from thornbushes or figs from thistles, even.

So every good tree Bears, good fruit and a bad tree Bears.

Bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear.

Bad fruit nor can a bad tree bear.

Good fruit. One of the key words and our

study tonight is fruit when you read through this study with me

and as we envision the teaching that Jesus has before us, I hope

you will keep in mind the image of the vine and the image of

fruit big juicy healthy fruit but also fruit that is not what

it should be and even a Barren Vine.

Back to verse 1. Let's take this verse by verse,

don't know how far we'll get. But verse 1 says Jesus speaking,

I am the True Vine. Jesus is the vine.

What brought this idea to Jesus mind Scholars have a number of

suggestions. One is the thought of the

Passover and that observance and and the fruit of the vine being

there, that that would naturally suggest to Jesus, any kind of

illustration that he might want to present to them, some have

suggested that it was the golden Vine that was in Graven on the

temple that it was That that led Jesus to talk about and to

present this illustration. Others say it was just passing

the grapevines that they would as they went on their Journey on

route to get simony. Jesus says, I am the True Vine

course. So many other sources today are

pointed to is The Fountainhead of Abundant Living and

Enlightenment, some till still say it's Moses, others, say it's

Muhammad still others. I say it's Buddha another say

it's nature. Well, pleasure.

And on the list goes with Jesus says, I am the True Vine people.

Go on a lot of different directions looking for

sustenance, looking for the good life.

But Jesus says, it's right here. It's right here with me.

And then he says, and my father is the vine dresser here.

I Think Jesus is suggesting the intimacy between the members of

the godhead, their Unity of purpose, and that the origin of

the messiah's, work wasn't Idea. It's the father's he says my

food or my meat is to do the will of my father and the object

of Glory for any and all good fruit born by man, all goes back

to the vine dresser it all goes back to God.

Paul would say in 1st Corinthians, 3 Verse 6, I have I

have planted Apollo's watered but God gave the increase and as

we so often sing or have sung and the books that we used to

sing from to go God be the glory for whatever good happens within

the kingdom of Jesus Christ. My father is the vinedresser.

I believe that this suggests that God did more than just set

things in motion at the beginning and just sat back and

watched them happen. No, I believe he invest himself

in the lives of Godly men and women.

He's concerned about our progress and all of our

productivity is rooted in him. And I think this also says, yes,

that there is power in prayer. There he is, the vine dresser

and what vinedresser would not do all he could to Foster the

most possible, abundant fruitfulness within the

branches. Philippians 2 verse 13 says, it

Philippians 2:13

is God who works in you both to Will and to do for his own good

pleasure. I don't know how to explain all

of this but I know that the good that we accomplished, it takes

place because of God working in US.

And through us to me, that verse sound so much, like the husband,

and the vine, and the branches, ponder it again in another

light, Ephesians 3:20. He speaking of God, is able to

Ephesians 3:20

do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we ask or think the

vine dresser in us, if will, but let him work in us and through

US verse 2 reads this way. Every Branch he's not talking

here. About denominations know every

branch is talking about individual disciples every

branch in me. Every branch in the vine.

This is another phrase going to see repeatedly In this passage.

I think in the first seven or eight verses you find seven or

eight times. This phrase in Me In Christ, is

the idea. And why would he be talking

about that? This is a theme that that

permeates the new Sam. And I think specifically about

Ephesians chapter 1. There we find infusions 1.

Ephesians 1 · chapter mention

Verse 3, that all spiritual blessings, all spiritual

blessings are found in Christ Jesus.

Now there are many material blessings that can be found

outside of Jesus Christ in Matthew 5:44 through 46.

Matthew 5:44–46

We find that the rain falls on the just as well as the unjust

and that's why people living, Wicked sinful lives out in the

world, sometimes things seem to be going pretty good.

For them. But when it comes to spiritual

blessings, the depth of Life, the kind of life that we want,

the kind of life that Jesus came to give, that can only be found

can only be experienced and those who are God's children.

We find this expressed in a number of different ways, but

one of these ways is found in Ephesians 1:22 and 23, what does

Ephesians 1:22

it mean to be in Christ? What are some other ways in

which this is expressed? And this passage the Bible says

and he put all things under his feet and gave him to be head,

over all things to the church, which is his body.

The fullness of him who fills all in all to be in Christ or to

be in the vine means to be in the body in the church.

You cannot be outside of the body outside of the church and

be in the Vine. What work will fit in the vine

in the body in Christ in his church and in no other and

Galatians chapter 3, verse 26 and 27.

Galatians 3:26

We see again The Importance of Being in Christ and we see

specifically of how we become in Christ.

Galatians 3, verse 26 for ye are all sons of God through faith in

Galatians 3:26

Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were

baptized into Christ. Have put on Christ.

How did you become a branch on the vine through faith?

You obeyed the gospel planned. You were baptized into Christ,

and you put on Christ. And at that point is, when you

were became a branch in the vine, there's no other way.

No substitute for this. You cannot substitute the

sinner's prayer. You can't substitute a bunch of

Miracle. So-called the only way is to

obey the father and then you are in Christ.

We are not in Christ. We're not connected to the vine

until we follow through, on our faith in baptism.

What does this mean? This means that we're dependent

on him for our life, spiritual life for our strength, for a

growth and development and all the bull of the Bible, doesn't

specifically say this, I believe it can be implied.

The sap that flows from the vine, is the word of God.

That contains the power of the spirits.

In Colossians chapter 1, verse 5 and 6.

Colossians 1:5

The Bible says the word of the truth of the Gospel has come to

you and is bringing forth fruit. You get out of the word and

you're not going to bear fruit. You got to get in the word

because that's where the fruit comes from.

The sap. So-to-speak flows from the

father from the Holy Spirit and forth through the vine to you.

If you let it, and that's how you bear fruit.

Every branch in me that does not bear fruit.

We're talking about food. The first condition, he mentions

is, The branch that does not bear fruit.

Someone who's in Christ, who's in body in the his body, who's

in the church? But is not bearing fruit.

You might have figured, this is not the way God wants it.

In fact, we get a warning right here.

Every branch in me that does not bear fruit.

We'll get to this in just a minute.

A few thoughts though. It's clear that our purpose as

Christians is to bear fruit. We find the idea of fruit

mentioned 75 times and 14 New Testament books.

This is something very pause. This means our lives have

meaning every last member within the body in the vine has a

purpose and has a meaning To fulfill every Christian who is

not productive, who is not fruitful, who is not fulfilling

his purpose, who is not realizing his potential.

Is disappointing. The vinedresser, the husband,

the father. He's looking down in his

Vineyard and he's looking at you as a branch in the Vine.

He's looking for fruit. Is it getting it?

Are you being productive? Listen, it's not natural for a

bind Branch, not to bear fruit, and it's not natural for a

Christian. Not to show evidence of his

conversion or her conversion. His spiritual growth or maturity

but you know why sometimes We as branches are not productive.

Why? We're not growing.

It's because growth demands. Something else that's

uncomfortable, that's change. We don't want to change.

We like ourselves the way we are and we're not ready to change.

And so on were confronted with something in the word of God

that says, you got to change ready.

We turn the page or we turn a deaf ear.

If we're in the assembly or we turn a deaf ear it when we're in

a Bible study because we don't want that, we don't want to

change. Change.

But when you decide I'm not changing, you are also deciding

I'm not growing and when you're not growing, the vinedresser is

watching and the vinedresser is Dishonored and we don't want to

do that. I want to ask you tonight, what

are your spiritual goals? What are your plans for the

future? How do you intend in the future

to bring forth more fruit for the father than you have in the

past? Even think about such when you

talk about that, when you have relationships in the body that

are strong enough and healthy enough, where we can talk to

each other about these things. Fruit over and over again and

Matthew chapter 3, verse 8 and 10.

Matthew 3:8

We read There were to bring forth fruit meet for repentance

bear fruit. Worthy of repentance.

It's not optional, there's got to be a change.

It's got to be a change reflected in our lives and when

we repent, we've got to show a change in Behavior fruit,

Galatians 5:22 and 23. All we need to talk about this

Galatians 5:22

more fundamentals of the faith. This is fruit.

We call it the Bible calls it, the Fruit of the Spirit.

You want to know if the holy spirit is making a difference in

your life, you just compare your life to these characteristics.

And that's the extent in which the holy spirit is having an

effect on you love joy. Peace longsuffering, gentleness

goodness, Faith or faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Fruit, these are good for this is the things that God wants to

see when he looks at us as individual disciples as branches

in the vine. Second Peter chapter 1 verse 5.

2 Peter 1:5

Through 8, your memory mentions the Christian gracious and how

weird it continually add to them those and we're continually to

have those in. Increasing measure Faith, virtue

knowledge, self-control patience, godliness, brotherly

kindness and love. Listen what he says he says

after that, if these things are yours, Yours and abound, you

will neither be Barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of

our Lord Jesus Christ, and he says something else in verse 10,

if you do these things. You will never fall if talking

about fruit, he's talking about security but it's conditional.

It's conditioned upon us and our response to the word of God.

Titus 314. Let our people also learn to

maintain. Good works to meet urgent.

Needs that they may not be unfruitful.

I hear about some of this going on right here in the body of

Christ at plans Road, that's a beautiful thing and you're

bearing fruit when you're doing that, when you're doing your

good works, when you see someone needs help and you reach out,

That's fruit. How do we bear fruit?

There's a lot of ways we can bear fruit to God and honor him.

As he looks down as that at the vine dresser every time you

reject a Temptation every time you pick up the phone and call a

brother or sister you know as lonely that's hurting that needs

an ear to hear every kind words you offer every good work done

with a smile for the sick and for the downtrodden, listen

brother, sister your bearing fruit when you do that, God is

glorified. When you do that.

He's honored. Every time you broach the

subject of Jesus Christ to a lost to a lost soul.

Every time you persevere through a child.

Child with a heart to praise. And worship God, you bear fruit.

I like guarantees. And second Peter. 1 verse 10 is

2 Peter 1:10

a guarantee from God. You will not fall.

Let's go back to our passage verse to every branch in me.

That does not bear fruit. What's going to happen?

If you do not bear fruit, there are consequences as we'll talk

later on in the meeting to not bearing fruit.

But specifically, he says, here, he the vinedresser takes away.

What you talking about? Well, there's another several

passages that help us understand what exactly what he's talking

about. Parallel Passages.

At least to some extent. We've already looked at Matthew

Matthew 3:10

3 verse 10. He says, the ax is laid to the

root of the trees, therefore every tree which is not bear.

Good, fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

Matthew 719 every tree that does not bear.

Good, fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

That could be you. That could be me.

We see this in and I Bias and Sapphira in Acts chapter 5.

Acts 5 · chapter mention

Only, they were taken away immediately weren't they and

Luke Chapter 13 Verse 6 through 9.

Luke 13:6–9

And whether you've farmed or not, whether you've had a garden

or not, I think everybody can relate to the feeling or the

frustration that God has when something that's supposed to be

producing fruit is not producing fruit.

Luke 13 6 through 9 worried about a man, a certain man.

Had a fig tree planted in his Vineyard and came seeking fruit

on it and found none. Then he said to the keeper of

his Vine look for three years. I come seeking fruit on this fig

tree and find none, cut it down. Why does it use up the ground?

But he answered sir, let it alone this year.

Also until I dig around it and fertilize it and if it bears

fruit well, but if not after that, you can cut it down.

I wonder. How many times this very

conversation could be had about us?

Who are in Christ. There's so much confusion out

out in the world. But you, I have found the Lord

and we're in Christ. We're in the Vine.

We're not bearing fruits. Parable of the sower.

Mark chapter 4, verse 3 through 8.

Mark 4:3–8

One of the places we read in Matthew 13 is another Notice

what's the, what happens at the at the end of each of these

different types of soil. It's the evaluation of how much

fruit after the first time the Wayside never in the vine.

No fruit. No fruit.

God can't be happy with that. Satan has taken away the word,

then we read about the Stony ground, there's no depth,

there's no route shallow shallow and what happens it Withers

away. It's tribulation and

persecution. The hardships of this world,

they're going to come to all of us.

We've got to fight through it. We've got to overcome as

assistant was saying today. We got a hold on.

You gotta hold on. I will do like that.

Will wither away, and what happens?

No fruit, no fruit. Then there's the thorny ground

choked by the weeds. What happens?

No fruit, no fruit. No fruit for the vinedresser.

What is it? The cares of the world.

The deceitfulness of riches, these things that parish, and

then there's the good ground. We're in one of these four

categories tonight. Everyone in this room is in one

of these four. Are you the good ground or one

of the others? The good ground increased and

produce fruit. Some thirtyfold, some sixtyfold

some 100, God wants fruits. John 15:5, he about.

John 15:5

He who abides in me and I in him Bears, much fruit.

Haha, here's a key. Here's a, here's a log.

Here's a another guarantee. If we abide in him.

And he abides in us. We will bear fruit.

Are you bearing fruit? If you're not, you can find the

problem right here in John 15 verse 5.

John 15:5

If I abide in him and I allow him to abide in me than I will

bear fruit. Branches, that don't bear.

Fruit are either sick or diseased or dead.

Are you bearing fruit? If not, it's one of these two

problems right here or third possibility, you're not in the

mine. What happens if that's the case?

Well, let's talk about that. Just just for a moment longer.

Let's go to First John chapter 2.

1 John 2 · chapter mention

Here, again, talking about abiding in Christ abiding in the

vine. How do we know if we're abiding

in Christ? Well, this is so straightforward

and so so clear. You can't miss it first.

John 2. Now by this, we know that we

know him if we keep his Commandments.

Now, the world wants to talk about this relationship stuff

and I do believe we have a have a relationship with God, and

he's talking about a relationship right here.

But this this other kind of stuff, that's kind of nebulous,

kind of hard to sink your teeth into the world is talking about

that. You don't have to obey the

Commandments of God and somehow you have this relationship with

God. That it that's not the Bible

Way. Here's the Bible way to have a

relationship with God. Now by this, we know that we

know him if we keep his Commandments he who says I know

him personal relationship and does not keep his Commandments

is a liar and the truth is not in him.

Till I can't get any clearer than that.

We can lie too, though. Verse 5 says, but whoever keeps

his word true. The love of God is perfected in

him by this. We know that we are in him, he

who says he abides in him that were to buy.

Something means remains in him, ought himself also to walk just

as he walked listen, there's 1050 Commandments of men.

He's counted them up in the New Testament.

There's quite a few in there and if we're not diligently seeking

to learn what those are and abide by those.

You can say, you can talk personal relationship all day

long but you don't know him, you don't know him.

You don't know the Lord. you don't know the, you know, the

vine dresser How is that going to be on the Judgment Day?

If you don't know the Lord, they can't be good.

It can't be good. Read read the rest of First

John. There's so much in it about that

relationship. I being in Christ.

But let's go back to our text in John 15 and pick up where we

were where we left off. And every branch.

That bears fruit. He prunes Where's it getting

better now? Hope this is about, this is us.

Now, what does everybody in the room?

Would that be great? Some fruit, every branch that

bears fruit. He prunes The Living oracle's

Translation reads this way. Every fruitful Branch, he cleans

by pruning to render it more. Fruitful that it may.

Bear more fruit if you're bearing fruit, don't be

complacent, don't be satisfied. Don't think.

Well, I'm doing pretty good or I'm, I'm bearing more fruit than

brother so-and-so or sister. So, and so know some fruits, not

good enough and God sometimes will present Situations and

circumstances. That may not be very pleasant.

But what's the result? The end result is to be more

fruit. God wants more fruit from me and

he wants more fruit from you from a human standpoint.

You know what we do? Sometimes we think, well, we've

been fruitful, we've borne fruit.

So we should just be left alone but that's not how God sees it.

You know, if it was left up to us, I think many times we'd be

satisfied with just offering a few shriveled-up operations to

the Lord, every now and then. That's not what what God is

looking for. God is looking for big juicy

grapes. He wants fruit and he wants more

than some fruit. He wants more fruit.

One commentator said the pine branches need pruning less, all

the sap should run to the leaves.

Only it can get to where we're going through the motions and it

looks real good. Lots of leaves all over the tall

than that vine look pretty listen but it's not prune if

it's not cut back. The amount of fruit will be

reduced. So what does God do?

He cuts that find a way back way back.

You know sometimes in the Christian Life, less is more and

That's hard for us to accept and hard for us to get used to and

sometimes we rebel against that, but sometimes pruning is God's

answer. To our prayer to be more

fruitful. Looking Hebrews chapter 12,

Hebrews 12:4–11

verse 4 through 11. You have not yet resisted to

Bloodshed striving against sin and you have forgotten the

exhortation, which speaks to you as Sons.

These Christians were, like, sometimes we are as Christians,

they were whimpering whining. Christians, not enough is

happening, not enough. Good thing is happening to us,

they were complaining. He says, have you shed any blood

yet? And may I ask you, as I remind

myself, have you shed any blood yet for the Lord?

When you're talking about how hard your life, it is, and how

hard it is to live the Christian Life.

And you have forgotten the exhortation, which speaks to

you. As the sons, my son, do not

despise the chastening of the Lord nor be discouraged.

When you rebuked by him for whom the Lord loves he chastens.

And scourges every son whom he receives.

If you endure chastening God deals with you as with sons for

what son is. There whom my father does not

chase him but if you were without chastening of which all

have become partakers then you are illegitimate and not Sons

verse 11 now. No chastening seems to be joyful

for the present but painful, nevertheless afterward it

yieldeth, the Peaceable Fruit of righteousness to those who have

been trained by it. Listen, you write it down the

love of God. As we experience it in our daily

walk, as Christians will not always feel good.

There's going to be some times when you're out of line and a

brother or a sister is going to talk to you about some changes

need to be made in your life and you know what that mean?

Not feel too good. But you listen to what they're

saying and if what they're saying fits with what the Bible

says, you know that that chastening is for your good and

it's time to do some pruning. And every branch that bears

fruit, he prunes that it may bear more fruit.

He wants us to Bear more fruit. I love how the Apostle Paul

builds up to this truth. And First Corinthians 15.

He's talking about the resurrection and our glorious

bodies that we're going to someday have not like these and

then he caps it off after expressing to them all the

blessings, the greatest of blessings that they have to look

forward to and then he says in verse 58.

Therefore My brethren. My beloved Brethren be

steadfast. Does that describe you?

Steadfast steadfast immovable. Well, what's he talking about?

And well, he's talking about abiding remaining in the vine,

not wandering out in the world Yonder far away from the Vine.

Immovable, always, always abounding in the work of the

Lord were to bounding means ever-increasing.

Knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord Abiding and

abounding. They go together.

If we're abiding in the Lord, we will have will be abounding.

You all verse 3 are already clean because of the word which

I have spoken to you interesting.

We don't have time to look into this but in John 13 He says you

were not all clean. You know why?

Because Judas was there. You're already clean because of

the word. That's what cleanses it's the

word that cleanses verse 4. Here's a command he's saying

what has already expressed abide in me and I in you Jesus will

abide in you and in your life as a branch in the bite unless you

crowd him out of your life and you can do that is possible to

do that to crowd Jesus. Why would we do that?

Doesn't make any sense. What we do?

Sometimes, we feel so many things in our life, We don't

have time for him. James 4 verse 8 says, draw near

James 4:8

to God and He will draw near to you.

People have all kinds of ideas of what you have to do to draw

near to God. You have to speak in tongues as

they call it. You have to perform some kind of

Miracle. Some of them think you have to

handle snakes and on and on the list goes the thing.

You got to do some big things to draw near to God.

No, you don't simple. Basic fundamental things, about

Christianity meditating on his words, we've talked about

reading his word spending time with him in prayer.

Coveting. The association of your brothers

and so on, and so on. Read on as the branch cannot

bear fruit of itself. Unless it abides in the vine,

neither, can you? Unless you abide in me?

It doesn't matter how educated you are.

It doesn't matter how well bread you are.

How talented you are. You are worthless apart from

Jesus Christ. Don't let anybody kid you out in

the world. There are people that will tell

you of how special and how wonderful you are.

And I know they're talking about.

Apart from Jesus Christ. You don't need the church.

You don't need the word of God. You don't need any of that.

You're wonderful without it, you're worthless.

Separate and apart from Jesus Christ.

Some Believers think that they can grow meet their potential

detach from the church or barely hanging on.

Can you truly abide in the vine without being attached connected

to the other branches? No others pretend that they can

Thrive without growing in the Lord through personal Bible

reading and study, as we talked about earlier this week,

spiritual reflection ongoing meditation Without that you're

not abiding, in the vine unless you abide in his word verse 5.

I am the vine. You are the branches, he who

abides in me and I in him. Bears much fruit.

This is what we want. This is where I want to be. if

we do abide in him and he abides in us, we let him will bear much

fruit. Keep that image in your mind

when you read this passage, big juicy grapes.

The vinedresser when he sees that in our lives.

He's honored. Don't shortchange him.

Don't sell yourself short. Don't teach yourself and don't

cheat God. If you're not bearing fruit, one

of two things is true. You may have been in Christ but

not really abiding or remaining drives.

You may have obeyed. The gospel, had your sins washed

away, but you're not remaining in Christ or you're not allowing

Christ to remain in you, you're feeling your heart, your life

with anything everything. But what you need to, how are

you and Jesus doing tonight, how would you describe your

relationship with God? Close and personal.

That he's your most important relationship.

That the kingdom is the most important thing in your life.

You can't wait to know more about him.

You can't wait to grow closer to him.

Close and personal is that you? I hope so.

Or maybe your relationship would better be described as

frequently. Friendly you have your good

times. You have your clothes times with

the Lord. I mean you pray it bedtime.

You pray it meal time. You get revved up during a

gospel meeting but you're hot and cold you're off and on.

You're not giving the Lord your best.

Is that you somewhat neighborly have a respect for God, but you

really don't have much of a relationship.

You can see it. There's obvious commands that

you're neglecting your disobeying in your life.

I hope you're none of these. I hope you're not dead.

On the vine, hope you're not dying on the vine.

Beautiful thing about this. It's obvious when you read John

15. It's on you and it's on me if

I'm not bearing fruit. If I'm very no fruit.

I can blame no one else but myself, and if I'm just burying

a little fruit when the Lord is expecting a lot of fruits.

Doesn't matter what people are saying or doing to me or what

they're not doing to me. My responsibility to respond as

he tries to prune and and and bring more fruit from this

Branch. Are you bearing much fruit

tonight? Don't cheat God, don't cheat

yourself. Where you at?

How is it with you and are you in Christ?

We saw it takes to become in Christ.

So then Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God,

you've heard the word of God. You've heard enough about the

word of God that you don't have to leave this building without

becoming in the vine tonight in Christ, in his body in the

church. Want to be added to the body.

Once you allow Jesus to number you as one of the branches in

that vine. We thank you for listening to

our podcast, put on by the Church of Christ at 22:15 plans.

Road in Bakersfield, if you would like any additional

information or you would like to receive a free Bible

correspondence, course by mail. Please email us at info at True

Church of Christ Bakersfield.com.

Our service times are on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and

Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. Please make plans to join us.

We would love for you to be our honored guest.