The Jesus Way Pt. 4 | Chris Gross | Radiant Life Church

been walking through and as we've been

talking through this and maybe you've

done some study on your own or you're

looking at it. The disciples are in a

place where they were probably living

high like things are great. Miracles are

happening. Jesus is bringing people back

from the dead, back to life, healing,

restoring their bread, a few loaves and

fish turn into food for 5,000. Another

time for 4,000. Like it would have been

something. Anybody you could have sat

there and like what? This is awesome,

right? That's what they were

experiencing.

Then Jesus tells them in chapter 13,

"Hey guys, uh, I'm about to leave. I'm

heading out and you're going to be

left." So basically, I don't think he

said good luck, but that's, you know,

I'm sure they heard it that way. Good

luck guys. I'm out of here. And

everything changed in one moment where

what they thought was going to happen,

what they thought Jesus was going to do,

all of a sudden came crashing down. And

I could just imagine that instantly what

they felt like they were fully connected

to all of a sudden felt like broken,

disconnected, like it was no longer what

it should be. And I tell you, I think in

my life and different situations or

different seasons of life, I remember

where boy, I I think I've walked a time

or two where I got a little more

disconnected or didn't understand what

was happening. And generally in my life,

I can trace it back and look and see

that I have gotten out of the word. I've

gotten out of this what God would have.

I've maybe disconnected myself just

because of laziness or because all of a

sudden I just haven't been in the word

or spent time in prayer like I once did.

And all of a sudden I feel disconnected.

But I also think there's times in our

life where like the disciples, an event

happens, something takes place and where

I was yesterday all of a sudden feels

quite different today. Maybe you've had

a diagnosis or maybe a job lost or

whatever it was and all of a sudden a a

normal things seemed good going in a

certain direction were gone just like

that. And I believe that the word of the

Lord today that we're going to read in

John chapter 15 is Jesus

John 15 · chapter mention

proclaiming to us, giving to us what it

is that we need so that when life

happens, we can stay connected to the

vine. We can stay connected and not be

separated from the things of God.

But I also think there's a choice on the

front end of my life of Lord, what do

you want to do? Who do you want me to

be? I pre-choose. I'm going to stay

connected to Jesus no matter the

circumstances, no matter the situations,

no matter what comes around me. Had my

daughter up here a few minutes ago and

if uh you're newer to the church, we

have five amazing children and uh I it's

amazing. They're all now 11 to 18 years

old as of this morning. And before we

had our first child, Pastor Rachel and

I, we sat together and in praying and

thinking through saying, "No matter what

happens, no matter the situation, we're

going to trust the Lord. We're giving

our kids to the Lord. We're going to

dedicate them to the Lord." But that

means we've got to trust our children to

the Lord. If something happens we don't

understand, we're going to trust the

Lord. If parenting is hard, we're going

to trust the Lord. If whatever it is,

we're going to trust the Lord. I see

some babies, a few in the room here

today. There may be a day or two or

three with a a baby in your house where

you're like, "Lord Jesus, I can't make

it one more day. If I don't get to

sleep, maybe you're not like me, but I

require sleep." So, I'm like, "Lord, I

need sleep." It's like my biggest words

of advice to parents are, "This too will

pass. If it's a good season, it will

pass. If it's a bad season, it will

pass." Right? the seasons of parenting

and we must be connected to the things

of God and decide on the front end,

Lord, I'm going to follow you. I'm going

to trust you. I'm going to rely on you.

I think Jesus gives us words of life

here that can change us and mold us and

set us up for the things to come as well

as help us get connected and stay in

what he would have for us. So this

morning we're going to dive into John

John 15 · chapter mention

chapter 15 verse one and then we'll jump

to three and four and uh continue on. It

says I am the true vine and my father is

the vine dresser. Then three 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.

Now we'll come back to verse two. Don't

worry, we're not going to skip it for

long. But we see here that Jesus invites

us to be partnered, to be connected, to

be in tune with what God is doing in

their lives. He opens. He's I am the

true vine. What's he saying? Maybe we

need a reminder today. Maybe we need to

hear it today. He's saying, "I alone am

the source of spiritual life. I alone

give you strength. I alone can bear and

help you bear fruit in your life.

Everything else we try to dry life off

of, joy off of, peace off of, in the end

will not accomplish what we want it to

accomplish. But when we walk in Jesus,

he brings those things to us. And he

says that God is the vine dresser. God

is the one who intentionally, lovingly,

he's involved in your life. He's

involved in your situation. He's

involved in every detail of your life

and what you do. And I'm so thankful

every time I read the word over and

over, it says in one way or another this

thing. It's not me. It's not my power.

It's not my strength. And I'm thankful

thankful for you all as well. It's not

you. It's not your power. It's not your

strength. But it's God. The one that is

our vine dresser, the one that keeps us

and prunes us and takes care of us. He's

intentional in our life when we come and

we let him move in us.

Now, in verse verse number three, I love

as we're just going and trying to

understand what the Lord would have here

and right from the beginning, right?

He's the vine. And then in verse three,

already you are clean because of the

word that I have. And before we go on in

this sermon and this service, I think

it's vital to realize every day to

remind ourselves and just how we are.

Some of us need to remind ourselves

more. Church, you today come in this

place and if you're walking in the Lord,

if you've given your life to the Lord,

if you're just trying to serve the Lord

and be connected to the Lord, church,

you are clean in Jesus, he's purified

you. He's made you whole. His grace is

sufficient for you. that when we talk

about anything else, it all comes back

to Lord, I'm thankful that when I come

into church this morning, I've given you

my life. I am pure. I am whole. I am

well. And not because of me, but because

of Jesus who even while we were yet

sinners, he came and he died for us and

he defeated death, hell, and the grave.

And so today, as we start this sermon,

as we look into the word in John chapter

John 15 · chapter mention

15, if we're partnered with him, if

we're connected to him, if we're walking

and he's our Lord and Savior, church,

you are clean. And if anything within

you tells you anything else, it's a lie

from the enemy that you can say today,

no, I am clean before the Lord. I am

pure before the Lord. And that is where

we walk. And that is where we begin our

relationship with Jesus is because of

him. We're pure. We're clean. We're

whole. We're right.

We get to walk in him. And then he

invites us that that that cleansing in

us, that purification. In fact, that

word actually means in the Greek

purified, prepared, and positioned. So

when we come before him, he doesn't just

clean us, cover us, but he positions us

and places us where he would have us.

The father cares about you, loves you,

has the greatest things for you. And

Jesus then invites us to abide in him,

which I think is pretty great, just the

fact we can abide in him. But it doesn't

stop there. It goes on. It says, "And he

in us, he abides in us. We get to have

the God of the universe

in us." Then we don't do this alone.

It's his strength. It's his power. And

we just open our hearts to the one as we

stay connected to him.

As we partner with him, as we abide in

him, something mighty happens within us.

That word abide means to remain. It

means to stay, to dwell, to continue.

Church, I want you to know that we don't

come and meet with Jesus on Sunday

morning and then we go home and do our

thing. But we are called to abide with

him. I think Sunday morning, it's my

favorite time of the whole week, I love

it. I love worshiping Jesus. I love

being with my church family, with people

I love. But church, if all we do is come

to church and worship him and then go

and live our lives the rest of the week,

we miss the whole point. We are called

to abide. We are called to stay with

him. We're called to be with him. We're

called to to be in intimate connection

with him.

It's a all day every day sort of a

situation.

And if we are weak and empty inside,

it's probably because we're not abiding.

We're not staying in him. That maybe our

walk with the Lord is more of a

religious thing we do than the

relationship he invites us to. And

church, that's not what it's called to

be. We are to know him, to abide in him,

to be partnered with him.

He's so good. He loves you. He loves

you. We think of this partnering. It's

the number one thing, Lord. We come, we

partner, we lay our lives before you. I

think a word maybe we use it even a

little more. We submit oursel to you.

Anything that you have, we're going to

listen. We abide in Jesus. And you know

what? When we abide, when we partner

with him, you won't just survive, but

you will thrive. You're going to

experience him in new ways, exciting

ways, and in ways that change who you

are. That's what he offers to us this

morning. So, we partner with him.

Secondly, we get to see pruned. And

we're going to go back to verse two and

then also jump to verse five and six.

And it says, "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. Then

verse five, 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. Now, we're

going to come back to verse six. That

seems pretty harsh. like woo this this

is a big deal I think the point this is

a big deal did you notice as we start

there in verse two every branch of me

that does not bear fruit he takes away

and so let's let's just start there

first

when we walk with the Lord and we're

partnered with the Lord and we're

abiding in the Lord I think it shows it

reveals as our life becomes green just

think about a a plant a flower at your

house you think about it and what's

connected is green and vibrant and it

rains and the sun and it looks better

and better and what maybe got a cut in

it or what is disconnected very quickly

goes from green and alive to dead and no

longer

in fact it gets brittle you can just

break them easily the branches and the

things and you know I was thinking about

my own life and uh no one would ever

call Rachel or myself a green thumb in

any way but who in here you you just you

touch plants and they do well like they

pro that you're gifted. Okay, there's a

few. Look, Mike, I never would have

guessed. Come on. He's like, that's me.

There's like four of you in the room.

There's got to be more. Yeah. Yeah,

there's a few more right back there.

Yep. Okay, let's go on the other side.

Who you touch a plant, it just dies. You

know, it's going to die. Yeah. Way more.

Way more of us here. Uh

at my house, if you ever come next to

our garage on the right in between our

garage and our porch, we now have this

beautiful tree of some sort. It's

probably destroying the foundation of my

house. I don't know. But uh it is

beautiful. But before that beautiful

tree, we tried I think it was four times

to grow a same sort of tree in the same

exact location. And we planted this tree

over and over. I mean a different one of

course. And it would maybe survive for a

year or maybe two years, maybe even

three years. And then it would die. And

every time I'm like, why? What have we

done? I mean, no need to worry about

probably doesn't didn't get enough light

because of its location, nor did we

water it or take care of it or do

ANYTHING ELSE. BUT WHY DID IT DIE? IT

DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.

And you know what? When we would pull

that thing out, you wouldn't even

necessarily need to pull it out because

somehow the roots were smaller now than

when I put it in in the bigger pot that

was there. I'm like, what has happened

to this tree? Now, I blame my my dad,

Pastor Dave, our founding pastor, was

here the first service and uh he built

our house when I was four years old

actually and we've bought it from him

and uh we love it. Kind of kind of cool

growing up in our my the house I grew up

in. But the land that we are on, it is

the worst land. Like the the dirt, it is

clay, it is horrible. And I have decided

that we plant things and it goes to that

clay. Once again, nothing to do with our

watering or anything else that we do,

but the ground is terrible and the the I

the roots just won't grow. They're just

not going to do it. And so, we tried

four times and I would pull it out.

Literally could just pull a tree out

after a year or two. Not what's supposed

to happen because it wasn't connected.

It didn't grow. It didn't take root. And

I don't know why, but the fifth time,

the fifth time it worked. That thing

won't die. I can prune it all the way

back to a small thing, and it grows.

Everything is good. But you know what?

Over and over again, what wasn't

connected in that spot died. What wasn't

right died where all of a sudden it

looked good. And then all of a sudden,

not any longer. It died. And those

things had to be removed because they

weren't going to come back. They needed

to be planted and put in the right place

and taken care of a little bit. And

Jesus, he's saying to us today that if

it's dead, it's going to be removed. And

did you know that there's things in your

life, there's things in my life, I bet

today that if we sit with the Lord, if

we ask the Lord, he will reveal to us

that just simply need to be thrown away.

Like get rid of it. Some of you right

now, you're like, "Oh, I know what they

are." Some of you, you might need to sit

with the Lord. We need to sit with the

Lord and see, is there something in our

life that just simply needs to be

removed? It could be really clear and

obvious like a sin, something that's in

us, something that we're we're bound by

or that that we just can't seem to get

rid of, right? We need that thing pr

gotten rid of from our life for sure.

Maybe it's something that's not so

obvious. It's not like a ten commandment

sin, but that when we walk with the

Lord, we realize that's no longer what

God would have. It needs to be and is

disconnected. And we get rid of it

because who I was is not who I am now.

And who I am now is not who God is going

to have me be. So therefore, there's

going to be areas I've got to get rid of

that aren't bad. Maybe then, but now

it's no longer beneficial and the Lord

has something better for me and get rid

of it. But you notice also that then it

doesn't only talk about what needs to be

thrown away, but the branch that does

bear fruit, what does it say? He gives

you cheers for and claps for. No, he

says the the branch that does bear

fruit, he prunes.

Now, I don't know about you, but I'm

like, Lord, this area is doing good.

There's there's fruit growing. Why do

you have to prune that area? Because I'm

just going to go back to that tree. When

I prune the tree, I I hope God's

clippers are are better than mine. But

when I prune the tree, I'm like trying

to get the branch to cut because I need

better clippers. God, I think he's a

little bit better than that.

But the good part of the tree, if we

want and you want your fruit tree to

bear fruit, you cut off parts that are

green that are good because you're

thinking of the future and you're

thinking of what's better and you don't

want only a good part, but you want the

best part. And therefore, you've got to

make it the right shape and the right

size and the right uh thing to be able

to produce the best. And in your life,

there are areas where good things are

happening that Jesus is going to come

and over time, he's going to say, "Hey,

this is good, but there's a pruning that

needs to happen.

And we might be like, "Lord, things are

good. Why you got to touch that? Anybody

ever been like that with the Lord?"

Like, "That's not bad. This is actually

good." And he's like, "Snip." You're

like, "Ah, it hurts." Sometimes pruning

hurts.

But pruning sets us up not for where we

are, but it sets us up for where God has

us to go. And sometimes even the good

things within us, he prunes. Not only

what's disconnected, but the things even

bearing fruit, he prunes. This pruning

is a cleansing. It's a refining. It's a

coming a cutting back. Or, you know,

when we really think about it, it's

removing what's going to hinder us from

what he sees and where we're going to

be. Maybe in the moment, I don't even

understand, but he sees where I am

going.

Pruning is also proof of the father's

nearness. He prunes what he cares for.

He tends for what he values and shapes

what he intends to use. Do you know that

sometimes in our life and our spiritual

walk in our church family there's things

in prune not not because they're not

working but maybe because of what God

has in the future there's going to be

changes on this side that prepare me and

I might not understand but in a year or

three or five I might say Lord thank you

so much that what I thought was so

valuable actually wouldn't have been

helpful long term the Lord moves within

us he prunes what he values he is

showing his nearness as we continue to

open our hands to him. Lord, you show

me. You do your work. Purify me for what

you have for the future.

And pruning, I think, so often feels

like subtraction. But in the kingdom,

subtraction oftent time leads to

multiplication. God cuts away lesser

things to make room for greater things.

And we must understand that we have to

be people that are submitted to the Lord

where we say, "Lord, get rid of the dead

stuff, but also even what seems right

and seems good. You prune anything you

want because Lord, I want to be all that

you've called me to be." And your vision

of what I'm supposed to do, church, I

want you to hear. His vision of what

you're supposed to do is bigger than

what you can think or dream or imagine.

He's got big plans for you. and don't

sit in where you are and just be

comfortable but let his let him prune

let him lead and guide you know I think

so often

we are oftent times and talking to

people counseling and leading people

sometimes even in the messes of our life

we're comfortable in those we're

comfortable where we are even if it's

not the best where we know what it is

and we can get in a place in our

spiritual walk where it's good It it's

it's good, but God has so much more. But

I'm comfortable here. And when I start

to ask the Lord, Lord, prune anything,

expand any area, build my faith, let me

believe for more. All of a sudden, I'm

opening myself up that what my

comfortable life, my spiritual walk

might get a little uncomfortable.

But you know where we grow? We grow when

we're uncomfortable. We grow when we've

got to take a step of faith. We grow

when we say, "Lord, I can't do it on

myself." And he says, "I've got you

right where I want you." Because if you

could do it on your own,

do we need him? Are we really trusting

him? Are we really relying on him? Let

him prune away in your life and watch

new growth happen. Stay surrendered.

Pruning is how the father positions you

to thrive. Walk in him, trust in him,

and watch him position you for what's

ahead.

Jumping on to uh verse 7 here as we

finish out these scriptures today of

verse or through 11. If you had known

me, you would have known my father also.

From now on, you do know him and have

seen Oops. I'm sorry. I'm in the wrong

chapter. I did that a few weeks ago. I

don't know. There we go. 15. Here we go.

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, so

prove to be my disciples. As the Father

has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide

in me, my love. If you keep my

commandments, you 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. We

partner with him. We abide in him. He

prunes us, creates us, makes us what

we're going to be and who he has called

us to be. And then over and over and

over in the word, our faith, our walk

with the Lord, who we are in him, it

leads us to a place where we're

producing, where we're bearing fruit,

where a life isn't just about surviving,

but it's about thriving and making a

difference in our world.

if you abide in me and my words in you.

It shows that faithfulness starts with

staying rooted in relationship. Church,

we must let the word of God be real to

us. We must let the word of God shine in

our life above anything else.

When we let the word become real, all of

a sudden we can experience and get

through anything and and walk to the

other side. And no matter the situation,

his word will sustain us, will mold us.

We can produce. We're going to follow

his word. He over and over in this

section in 14 and 15, we see that he

says, "If you love me, you obey my

commandments." And something happens

within us when we begin to love the Lord

so much. That just a natural overflow of

our life is doing what he's called us to

do. is changing our mindset from Lord,

if I just try one more time. If I just

do it one more time, I can do it. It's a

striving thing to a Lord, I love you so

much. I'm abiding in you so much. I just

spend time with you that what I used to

do, I don't want to do anymore. Sin in

my life, I don't want to do anymore.

Things that weren't sin, but they're not

the best, I don't want to do them

anymore. I want to be pruned because I

want to experience you and your love one

more time. And I begin to follow him,

and I love better. and I keep his

commandments which is means I'm going to

love him. I'm going to love my neighbor.

I'm going to walk in his power and fruit

is going to be something that comes from

my life meaning visible evidence an

outward expression.

There's going to be spiritual results as

we walk with the Lord and love him and

know with him and abide in him and let

him prune even the good things so the

best things can take hold in our life.

I mentioned verse six. In verse six, if

we jump back there, 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. And church, I don't want that. I

don't want that for me and I don't want

that for you. This isn't talking about

the parts like we can miss out on what

God is doing entirely. Church, I want to

be connected to the vine that he's

pruning and he's guiding. He's getting

rid of the the dead parts in me. He's

pruning even good things that I never

find myself and that we never find

ourselves in a place where we're being

pushed aside. Not because of his love

that he doesn't love us, but because we

won't receive what he has for us.

Church, we get to produce in the father.

And his love is just a natural overflow

of being connected, of being pruned, of

being partnered with the things of God.

Church, we have the opportunity to make

a difference in our world, to love

people well, to pour his grace and his

mercy on people around us. But church,

it's not about us. It's about saying,

"Jesus, help us be connected. Help us

know you. Help us love you more." And

once again, not because of us, but Lord,

because we just stay connected and in

tune with what you are doing.

We must be in his word. We must let his

spirit lead us. Last week, we talked

about the helper. We can't live without.

We need the spirit in our life guiding

our next step.

And we may not know five years or 10

years down the road, but Lord, would you

show me what I need to do next? Would

you show me what the next step is? You

know what? When job opportunities come,

when family issues arrive, when whatever

the things of life may be, the question

is, are we turning to God? Because we're

abiding in him and we're just asking

him, Lord, what do you have for me?

That's the kind of relationship he wants

is just a we're with him. You know him.

So, we spend time with him. And you

know, as I've been thinking this week,

as I've been praying this week, I I feel

like sometimes we try to over complicate

what we're supposed to do and how we're

supposed to connect with him. And my

challenge for us, and in a few minutes,

we're going to have a a closing song and

we're going to maybe come to the altars

and we're going to prayer teams and

we're going to pray and maybe he'll

speak to you in that moment. But I

believe that some people this week need

to sit with the Lord and maybe this

would be new for you. And I encourage

you, you get your Bible. Maybe you I

mean, you could ask Google, "What are

some encouraging scripture on whatever

you're thinking of?" And you could ask

and you can read the word. Let the word

become real to you. And you sit maybe

you turn on a worship song. Maybe you

just talk to the Lord. Maybe you then

turn that worship song off and you say,

"Lord, would you reveal to me what you

want to prune out of my life?" Maybe

start, "Lord, would you show me the dead

things that need to be gone?" And you

know what? before and after a time

sitting with the Lord or you do that

consistently, maybe in a week or two or

three, you will realize things in your

life that you thought were normal and

what God wanted and you'll realize, oh,

those aren't actually what God does

want. And you will keep walking with him

and you'll realize you give those things

to him and he prunes them out, the

things you thought were good might

actually be what is dampening joy and

peace in your life.

Because all of a sudden you say, 'Lord,

I need you. And the need for God

overrides anything else.

When we were youth pastors, Pastor

Rachel and I, there was a a young lady

that she was a part of our our group and

she struggled with feeling like and

thinking that people were coming and

people were like going to abduct her,

come to her house, felt that there were

always people around her home and

different things. And it was it was

looked at there weren't people. And so

as we were talking just thinking of you

know spiritual attack and some of those

elements started to ask hey what what

shows do you watch like what do you put

in you and found out that this young

lady they weren't bad shows they were

fine but they were all about people

abducting and like CIS and cop or cop

things and people doing terrible things

and I was like hey I've got a an idea

maybe these shows they're not bad but

they are not giving giving you life.

They're not giving you peace. And why

don't you just cut those out? Like,

don't watch that stuff anymore. Don't

put into your mind the things you're

struggling. But, but remove those.

Maybe I don't know. I think this is a

pretty consistent one, but if the news

doesn't bring you life, maybe you just

cut that out a little bit. At least some

of it. You know, maybe you're like, I

have to know the news. I bet 15 minutes

of the news would get it all covered for

you. You like a week or a month,

probably. Maybe a day. 15 minutes, watch

the first segment of whoever your

favorite person is. Great. But then move

on. Cut some stuff out and you'll

realize, oh, you know what? I have way

less anxiety when I don't watch this,

when I don't participate in this. God

will literally show you over time. What

brings life? And can I encourage you

something? Do the things that bring life

through Jesus and cut out the stuff that

lets anything else in your life. And it

doesn't have to be some horrible show.

It's not about all this is garbage and

trash, but is it bringing life to you?

And I find it amazing that in this room,

someone's favorite show that might not

be a problem for them for somebody else

in this room would be detrimental to

their spiritual walk and to their mind

and to their joy. And I don't care if

you watch one show and you watch it. I

don't care. But why would we put stuff

in us

that's removing us and pulling us away

from the power of God? And it's not a TV

only. That's an easy one. But you know

what? If when you get together with your

extended family and all of a sudden

there's no peace, you can't cut your

family out. But maybe you let the Lord

speak to you and you don't have to be

the one that has the final word or even

any word. And you can just sit and just

be joyful. You can be peaceful in the

middle of a storm. And I guarantee you

that if you do that and if that wasn't

your norm that over time your family

would be like, "What happened to you?"

And you know what? God will use you

right in the middle of something. And

what was so disunifying could now be a

peaceful time. And even if the storm all

around you, you just sitting in the

goodness of God wherever you are. But

church, it takes more than just wanting

it. It takes sitting with Jesus and

asking, "Lord, would you heal me? Would

you restore me? Lord, would you give me

peace? Lord, would you show me what

needs pruned? What needs cut out?" And

he'll do it. In whatever area of your

life, sit with the Lord. Ask him. get in

his word, do some study, and watch him

reveal to you. You know what? I don't

need that.

I tell my wife periodically on social

media, I'm like, "Hey, I'm just

wondering, does that person give you joy

and peace in your life or not?" Like,

"Well, no." I'm like, "Mute them. Just

mute them. You don't have to unfriend

them. Just mute them. You don't see

their stuff anymore." Sometimes we don't

need to be in other people's stuff. and

we let the Lord heal us and restore us

and give us peace where we can then love

those people and love in every situation

in every season. Worship team, if you

come on back up here this morning, we're

going to close just with an opportunity

to say, "Lord, I want and need I want to

bear fruit. It's what you've called us

to do. And Lord, I need pruned in my

life. And Lord, I need to partner with

you." And first today, if you're here

and you say, "I've never made Jesus the

Lord of my life." There's nothing

better. That's why we are here as a

church family. In a moment, I'm going to

give you the opportunity to say, "Hey, I

want Jesus. I need a relationship with

him. I want to partner with him." Then

my prayer is that every person in this

room would say, "Lord, the partnership

is there. And Lord, I need you to come."

And would you prune my heart?

Would you get rid of what's dead and

disconnected, Lord? And would you prune

even the good stuff because Lord, I

don't want to stay where I am today. I

might have a relationship and things

might be pretty good, but Lord, there's

more that you have. And so, Lord, I open

my heart and would you prune me? And if

that means my news intake or my TV

intake or my family and how I relate and

how I speak or my job, what I allow in

me instead of bringing the joy of the

Lord, whatever it is, Lord, I'm going to

walk in you. And the word of God said in

verse 11, it says, "These things I have

spoken to you that my joy may be in you

and that your joy may be full." And

church, when we are partnered with the

Lord and he prunes us and he gets us to

a place we're producing in him, life is

joyful, we should walk in the joy of the

Lord. And not every season's easy, but

church, I believe that we can walk in

the joy of the Lord even in the middle

of hardship

because we're looking at Jesus.

Now, we might be grieving inside, but

Lord Jesus, you're so good. I'm going to

walk in your joy even in the midst

because I'm staying connected to the

vine. If we could stand all over this

room this morning.

And if you're here today and you say,

you know what, I've never given my life

to Jesus. Or maybe today you need to

rededicate your life and say, God, I

give you my heart. I give you my life. I

offer you every part of who I am.

Then I want to invite you just to say

yes to him. The Bible says that he

stands at the door of your heart and he

knocks. He's waiting. He's saying, "Hey,

I love you. I love you. I want the best

for you. And if you're not walking in

relationship, I invite you to come

become a child of the most high partner

with the God of the universe and watch

what he will do in your life." And in

fact, if you're here, I'm going to count

to three. And if you say, "That's me. I

want to make Jesus the Lord of my life."

I'm going to invite you just to raise

your hand and say that's me and we're

going to pray together. We're going to

celebrate and cheer cuz that's what it's

all about. Then we're going to pray.

We're going to go. WE'RE GOING TO SAY,

"GOD, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO? HOW DO YOU

WANT to prune?" But this is the most

important thing. If you say, "I need

Jesus to be the Lord of my life. I want

to repent. Give him all of me." The

count of three, would you raise your

hand? One,

two,

three. all over this room. Is there

somebody or a bunch that would say,

"That's me. I want to make Jesus the

Lord of my life." Anybody in this room?

I don't want to miss anybody. The most

important thing that we could possibly

do.

Maybe you're at home today or podcast

later on. All you have to do, church, is

just call out, "Lord, forgive me of my

sins. I make you the Lord. I repent. I'm

going to follow you the rest of my

life." And he welcomes you as a son or

daughter. It's the best thing you could

possibly do. Most of us in this room,

we've already done it. We're like,

"Jesus, move in our life." And we want

you to join in on the party.

But now, for everybody in the room, I

invite us, let's take the next five

minutes or so, partner with Jesus. Ask

him, "Is there anything in my life?"

Maybe you need to commit to a a time of

sitting with Jesus. Maybe every day, it

just taken 5, 10, 15 minutes. Get start

somewhere to sit with Jesus. Read his

word, but also let him speak to you.

What's he speaking?

Right now, if our prayer team could come

to the front, we're going to close this

time by asking the Lord, do what? Today

is your day. Maybe you just need him to

reveal himself in power and might to do

something new in you, to prune an area

of your life. Come and let's watch him

restore and make new. Whatever it is,

maybe you come and join a group or maybe

you come and you just need to spend some

time at an altar or come to the front.

Sometimes a new position opens us up for

all that God has in a new way. But we're

going to close the last five minutes of

our time. Lord, do whatever you want to

do and let's watch him. Let's watch him

do something special. So right now, we

just ask you in this place, let our

faith arise, Jesus, Lord, that we won't

just come to a front or sit in our seat,

but Lord, we're going to let you move

within us, prune us, make us new today.

We want to be partnered with the God of

the universe so we can leave here even

more prepared to produce and to bear

fruit to obey your commandments as

you've called us to do. So Lord,

challenge us, mold us, make us. We

submit ourselves to the word of God, to

what you're doing. We thank you that our

faith arise today. Come, let's pray. If

you need prayer or join a team, you can

find a place in an altar. Make your

chair an altar today.

caught up in your presence.

I just want to sit here at your feet.

I'm caught up in this holy

moment.

and never leave.

I'm not here for blessings.

Jesus, you don't owe me anything

more than anything

that you can do.

I just want you.

I'm sorry

when I've just gone through the motions.

I'm sorry.

And I just sang another song. Take me

back to where we start.

I open up my heart to you.

>> I'm sorry.

could have come with my

I'm sorry,

but I forgot that you're enough. Take me

back to where we start.

I open up my heart to you.

>> Sing, I'm caught up in your presence.

I'm caught up in your presence.

I just want to sit here at your feet.

Caught up in this holy

moment.

>> And I never want to leave.

>> I'm not here for blessings.

Oh, I'm not here for blessings.

Oh

Jesus, you don't owe me anything

more than anything

that you can do.

I just want you.

I just want you

and nothing else.

Nothing else.

Nothing else will do.

I just want you.

Nothing else.

Nothing else will do.

I just want you.

Nothing else.

I just want you.

Nothing else.

Nothing else will do.

I just want you.

Nothing else. Heat.

Heat.

Nothing else.

We just want you.

>> We just want you.

>> You're all we need.

We love you, Lord.

>> We just want you.

We just want you.

>> We don't need anything else.

>> Caught up in your presence.

>> I just want to sit here at your feet.

I'm caught up in this holy

moment

>> and I never want

>> I'm not here for blessings.

>> Oh, I'm not here for blessings.

>> No,

Jesus, you don't owe me anything.

and more than anything

that you can do.

I just want you.

>> Come on, church. That's our prayer

today. We just need Jesus.

I want to encourage you this week. Stay

connected, partnered with Jesus. He's

got your next step. But don't just walk.

Don't just know of him. Let him prune

and make new and make newness in your

life that changes everything.

Let's have that goal. Next year when we

look back at this year, we say, "Wow,

look at what God has done. Look at how

he's moved cuz he pruned. He took care.

He showed us. He revealed his way." And

we just had enough smarts to just say,

"Yes, Lord. I'm going to take the next

step. Let's walk in him." And this week,

let's produce fruit. Let's take the love

of Jesus to our world. So Lord, one more

time, we just thank you for your word.

Lord, let your word be real to us. It

builds faith. It is all that we need.

And Lord, let us love it. Let us devour

it. Let us get in it every day, God. Let

us spend time just sitting with you. And

Lord, I pray once again that that

pruning that we would just spend time

sitting in your presence. We'd spend

time asking you, Lord, what do you want

to do? What do you want to take away?

What do you want to remove? What do you

want to give, Lord? and let us actually

listen for what you want to say so we

can look more like you tomorrow than we

do today. We thank you. We praise you.

And we worship you, Jesus. You're so

good.

You're so powerful. We love you. We love

you. We love you. We love you, Jesus.

Let's give him praise one more time this

morning, church. We thank you, Lord.

Thank you, Lord Jesus.

Thank you, Lord Jesus. You're so good.

Come on. Our God is good. And I want to

say thank you for being here this

morning. Want to remind you all of our

team life volunteers. March 20th, I'm

praying everybody you can come. In fact,

if you're not on a team yet, we believe

that this is the greatest way to get

connected to have a group of people to

take those small disciplehip journey

steps together as we serve and as we

receive from the Lord. And we'd invite

you March 20th, come out, anybody, but

if you're a team, we need you there. If

you're on a team, we need you to be a

part. But then we invite everybody else.

Join us 6:30 on March 20th. You can sign

up at radiant.family through the church

center. Let us know. Sign up your kids,

child care, all those things. It's going

to be a night of vision celebration. And

believe in God for the next steps of

what he has. But we're thankful for you.

We love you all. This week, Radiant

Life, be careful what you watch. Be

careful what you listen to. Be careful

what you talk about. Savor the presence

of Jesus. See you again next week.