Fruit that Remains

Take your Bibles from John 15 this morning. John 15 as we talk about fruit that remains.

! But I just wanted to encourage you here this morning for just a thought here. You know, when we have an

! instrumental special like that, one of the things that you can do and is very helpful for you is going

to benefit you is why they're playing. And I know that's something to enjoy, but be thinking about

how you prepare your heart for the message that's going to follow. You know, to really concentrate

upon what the Lord would have for you. You know, because we need to keep in mind one thing, that

church is not for our entertainment. There's things we can feel, get our attention and grab a hold of

us and even touch us, but you know, it's not there about us, it's about Him. And we ought to focus our

things on that. I appreciate Matt playing this morning. And, but when you have those opportunities,

I just want to encourage you to be thinking in that line instead of just kind of listening along,

be thinking, Lord, how are you going to prepare me through this? And to do that. And so just

something for thought there, be benefit to you. And as you prepare each Sunday, you know, if you come

prayed up, you're going to get something. You know, I want to let you know that if you don't get

something at church, it's probably because you're not prayed up. Because you're not happening what

exactly we're talking about here, and that's abiding in the vine. You know, you're going to feel distant

if you're not attached to the vine. And that's the reason Jesus had spent much time as they made their

way to the garden here, as we see in John 15. You know, he knew there'd be one that would soon betray

him. And that it'd be one that was known by the other 11. And that he understood the essential nature

of this time. And he understood the need to comprehend that necessity of abiding in him, the true vine.

You know, because the disciples were about ready to go through a very difficult, what you might say,

pruning process. God was going to put them through some things that was going to challenge them in a

great way. Hey, Darren, can you turn that, my mic down just a touch? It's kind of echoing up here.

I'm hearing myself twice. And I want you to understand that even as we go through a pruning process in our

life, that God prepares us for it. You know, remember Jesus, last week we talked, Jesus talked

about a friend tells you what's going to happen. You know what? When you're connected to the vine,

connected to Jesus Christ, he tells you that there's going to be some pruning process happen in your life.

You know, he doesn't promise you everything's always going to be great. But what he does say,

it's for your good, it's for your benefit, it's for his glory. You know, I want you to understand that

it's not always easy, but it is what the master says is best to produce fruit. You know, because

one of the things I think we have a problem with in society, especially amongst believers today,

we all think, what is in it for me? You know what? A branch on the vine isn't about how bushy it can get

and how prosperous it may look. It's about what fruit does it develop. You know, the measure of a

branch is by the fruit that's developed upon it. And the importance of it, today we're going to be

talking about the fruit that remains, because Jesus made it clear that if they're not a part with,

if they're not a part of him, that branch is no longer getting substance that it needs

from the vine, fruit is going to linger. Fruit is going to be shriveled up. Fruit is going to be

non-existent. But you know, you were saved to produce fruit for God's glory. You know, and fruit to our

account is, we're going to look here this morning, fruit that remains. And he tells us why he's doing

all of this because he understood the importance of it, that a believer would abide in him, just as his

disciples were about to face a very challenging moment. You know, I don't know if you ever stopped

to think about what the disciples went through as Jesus went to the cross. What was going through

their mind? That they had given three and a half years of their lives following the one they thought

in their mind was the Messiah. Now he's telling them, hey, we're going to go to the cross and die.

But he says, you know, be of good cheer. You know, understand something. I'm going to rise again.

But you know, just like them, oftentimes we hear the first part, not the second part.

We don't understand what was going on. They were going to go through a very challenging time.

It was going to try them in many ways. And Jesus said, you need to abide in difficulties.

To understand, because as we've been talking through this series, you know, where a branch stays,

a branch bears. You know, when you think about that reality, when you're attached to the vine,

you will survive. You will produce fruit. You will become fruitful. It's just a dynamic of it.

You know, when the branch stays, the fruit stays also. And he tells these 11 men that he did not,

that they did not choose him, but he chose them for what he was going to do, to send them out.

And that's what they were to do. They were supposed to bring forth fruit that will remain. So the

question this morning is not whether you've been fruitful for a moment, but I want you to think

about, is your fruit something that's going to remain? Is this something that has substance in your

life? Everything from your character to eternal fruit that's laid up in heaven where moth and rust is

not corrupt? Because I want you to understand, Jesus isn't looking just in the future, but he's looking

in the present. That there ought to be fruit present in your life. That's the essence of what Jesus is

telling him. No matter what, there ought to be fruit. So if you found John 15 this morning, let's stand

together in honor of reading of the word of God. And we'll read here verses 16 and 17, and we'll have

a word of prayer. And then we'll get into the message here this morning. So let's look here at verse 16.

He says, you have not chosen me, but I have chosen you and ordained you that you should go forth and

bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remain. That whatsoever you shall ask of the Father in my

name, he may give it you. These things I command you that you love one another. Let's pray. Heavenly

Fathers, we just come before you this morning, Lord, once again. Lord, we're thankful that you are the one

that sustains. You're the one that provides. Lord, you're the life giver of everything in our lives.

Lord, that our fruit is dependent upon you and us staying in you, abiding in you, remaining in you.

And Lord, help us to see the necessity of even the challenges of life that we might stick to you.

Lord, we might abide. Lord, we understand the principle here. And Lord, we pray that we might apply

that truth. And Lord, we just give you all the praise in Jesus' name. Amen. May be seated.

You know, as we see here, God starts, Jesus starts out with a very direct statement as he looks at these

11. He says, I have chosen you. You know, he tells them that very clearly. You have not chosen me,

but I have chosen you and ordained you. Now, this is important because this is where some people get

confused because the question is, what did Jesus choose them and ordain them to do?

Because he didn't choose them to salvation. That's not the context of the passage.

People will twist it that way, but I want you to understand that's not the context. He's talking to

a group of men who had something very important happen in their life. I want you to understand they

were chosen and ordained for a purpose. Their purpose was to be a foundation of the church that

Jesus was going to form and to put forth. And as the churches go forth in the order and things

established by the prophets and apostles, these men were chosen for a very specific task for a very

specific time. They were chosen for responsibility. And we're going to see, because I want you to

understand that it's not just them. God, when you get saved, God has chosen you. He has placed you.

He's got some things for you. But we want you to see that they did this. These individuals, if you

understand the New Testament, you'll find that God chose them out from among all that followed.

Jesus didn't have 12 guys following him. When he chose the 12, there wasn't just 12 in the crowd.

They didn't get selected because they showed up. The Bible tells us and makes it very clear that

they were chosen. They were appointed by Jesus to the apostolic office. And he's speaking now to 11

of them because Judas is having gone out. And that's a whole other thing to talk about on a different

time. You can get on a whole rabbit trail about Judas. But I want you to understand that what Judas did

was already foretold. The Old Testament told exactly what Judas was going to do.

It did not catch Jesus by surprise. That's a whole different dynamic. But I want you to understand,

Judas is gone. And it was an office that no man can just take on themselves. When he put,

Jesus put those 11. At this point, he says, I've chosen you. I have ordained you. And he put them

forth. I want you to understand, they had a specific task and responsibility given unto them.

They were selected for this purpose. That's the chosen that it's talking about. Because these men

were chosen out of a crowd of learners and qualified by years of following Jesus. And they laid a foundation

in the church. Now look over Ephesians chapter 2 for a moment. Ephesians chapter 2 and verse 20.

Ephesians 2 · chapter mention Ephesians 2 · chapter mention

And it says, and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being

the chief cornerstone. What's that talking about? It's talking about the church. A local church. And I

want you to understand, it's not a universal church. It's a particular, each church is independent before God.

Amen. It's the only way it works. I've never seen a universal assembly of the saints. But I have seen a

physical assembly of the called out believers in an area gathering together. That's a reality

that we see. But he says, built upon the foundation of the apostles. These men had a commissioning to go

forth. It's not a statement though about their salvation. Because salvation, I want you to understand,

was to whosoever will may come. Jesus made it very clear when speaking to Nicodemus. It says,

whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. You know, the whosoevers.

You know, I love that song we sang a few weeks ago. Whosoever will. You know, I'm glad that God

didn't condemn some to hell and put some in heaven. He put it upon you and I as an individual say,

what am I going to do with God's free gift of salvation? God offers it freely.

But a gift is only good if you accept it. That if you take it, you know, Peter goes a little later

and says this. He says, the Lord is not slack concerning his promises. Some men count slackness,

but is longsuffering to us. We're not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to

repentance. You know, that is key to understand that God doesn't rejoice in the death of the wicked.

You know what God desires for everybody to turn to him? But you know what the reality is? Many people

reject him. Very blatantly. We live in a society today that wants to blatantly reject God.

Reject his truth. That's the reason we have people celebrating a mom who slaughters her children

in a place that wants moms to be able to murder their babies up to the moment right before birth.

You know what that is? That is against nature. That's against God's creation. It's a rebellion,

an open rebellion against God. God didn't reject them. They rejected him. I want you to understand

that because the world wants you to think opposite. That God hates people. When you think about it,

I want you to think about when you hear people talk, their opinion is, God wants to just judge me.

God doesn't want to judge you. He provided a way for you not to be judged. He said, I took the penalty

of your judgment upon myself. That's a loving God that prepared. And Jesus said, I'm preparing you to do

this, preparing you to go forth as I would describe and desire for you to do. But their office is

something that God put them in for a particular time at a particular place, and they were going to

have to walk in it. I want you to understand, we talked about this a couple of Wednesdays ago about

what is an apostle. So if you weren't here on Wednesday, you can go back and look at that. That should be up

online. We spent about 25 minutes talking about an apostle. So I'm not going to get back into all the

details of that. So you can go back and reference that if you want, and where we talk about all that. But I want

you to understand that the apostolic office is closed today. It closed in the New Testament.

When those men died off, they were not replaced. But I want you to understand there are something

about us today because God has chosen us in a different way. Similar in a parallel way because

we're not called or chosen to be apostles, but we are a chosen generation. We are set apart for him.

He has chosen us for a purpose. When you called upon him, he made it very clear. This reality, Ephesians 2

in verse 10 tells us this, for we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus under good works with God

hath before ordained that we should walk in them. You know what? If you're saved, God has ordained,

God has chosen you to be obedient and to walk in those things that he has instructed. But oftentimes,

we miss the point that it's a responsibility. When we understand what Jesus is telling them here,

the reality of this, and so I don't want you to just sit here this morning and think that what Jesus

ordained them to accomplish is finished because what he sent them to do is still going on in the sense that

we follow through. You know, look a little later. Look over to John 17. Just turn over a page in your Bible

there, and you'll find as you look at John 17, and you look down in verse 20, Jesus here in John 17

is his great priestly prayer before he goes to the cross, and he says this, for them also which shall

believe on me through their word. In other words, we are a continuation of what took place.

If you're saved today, Jesus was praying for you right then. You're a part of the fruit that remained.

I want you to understand every church that is a true church of Jesus Christ that follows the

scripture, follow those things. I want you to understand is the reality of what Jesus is telling

there's going to be fruit that remains. We are fruit that remains when you partake in what

Christ has done. It's a lasting dynamic. Bible tells us that Jesus is the one that's going to build it,

and the devil's not going to prevail against it. When we understand what's happening here,

that he's sending them forth, and this dynamic applies to us, the branch that abides is a branch

that bears, and it applies to us just as it did to them. Because look here at verse 16 again,

and he tells them this, that you should go and bring forth fruit. He sent them for a reason. He sent

that the fruit might remain, that your fruit should remain. You know, we see here that he tells them

and instructs them. He says to go. I want you to understand if you're going to follow Jesus, it takes

some action. You don't follow Jesus in a chair. You follow Jesus by doing. Following is an active

participation. I want you to understand. Jesus is telling them this dynamic and understood that fruit

ought to be something that makes a difference in your life to go and to do. Jesus gives us instructions

to go. You know, the gospel doesn't go out by osmosis. The gospel's validated by your life,

but it's shared when it goes forth. When you tell somebody about what Jesus has done in your life,

that I'm not just a good, I'm not good in your eyes of the choices I make because of who I am,

but it's because of who he is. You know, oftentimes I think we get a little self-righteous and think

we're good because of ourselves. We forget that we're a sinner saved by grace and our goodness

and righteousness and everything is in Christ. It's only in him that makes a difference. That's the

reason this abiding is essential for us to go and to do what he would want us to do because when we

think about this fruit, the going produces fruit. And these, you know, a couple weeks ago we talked about

that fruit in our life. We talked about three areas. We talked about our character, our conduct,

and converts. Who did your life impact? How was your character? You know, I want you to understand

fruit isn't just seeing people saved. Fruit is abiding. It's all of the above. Because I want you

to understand sometimes people replace abiding with saying, well, I handed out 2,000 tracts. I want you

to say that might be a good thing, but if you didn't abide with Jesus, you missed the point. Well, some

people say, well, I'm abiding, but I never share. You know, you missed the point. Because notice what he

tells them here, that you should go and bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remain.

What ought to remain in you? You know, Romans chapter 6 tells us this in verse 22. It says,

Romans 6 · chapter mention

now being made free from sin and become service to God, you have your fruit unto holiness and the

end everlasting life. I want you to understand holiness in your life is not seasonal. The vine that grows

in our character and it ends in everlasting life. You know, I want you to understand that your character

of where God really works in your life happens under pressure. What are you abiding in? You know,

a believer's character shows up under pressure. Not when everything's good. When life presses down on us,

when things get difficult, when things are a challenge, is when you find out, am I connected to the vine or has

everything been strangled? Because if you're connected to the vine, it doesn't matter. When something weighs in your

life, you're going to be able to withstand it, whether it's a wind, the drought, or even the husbandman

that comes and prunes in our life, what comes out is whatever the vine has been feeding it. You know,

I want you to understand, if you abide in the vine, you're going to be provided with what you need.

He's going to take care of you.

He's one that's going to provide the nourishment of your life that your character might stay intact.

Because when God allows a hard thing in your life, He's not manufacturing your character. He's revealing

are you actually have godly character that you ought to have. How do you respond under pressure?

Is what He's producing growing in your life?

You know, James chapter 1 tells us this. He says,

James 1 · chapter mention

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptations, knowing this, that the trying

of your faith worketh patience, and let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire,

wanting nothing. What's James talking about there? He's talking about abiding in the vine,

that you might stay nourished. You might have that joy, that peace, that love, all those things of your

character that ought to come forth from the Spirit of God being viable in your life. When you're yielded to

the Spirit, you will do those things. Those things will come forth. I want you to understand, a trial

doesn't make you. A trial reveals what you've been abiding in.

What you've been trusting in. When life gets hard and it affects your relationship to the Lord,

you need to evaluate some things. Because if it didn't make the connection stronger,

there's an abiding problem. Preacher, that's hard. That's what Jesus is telling them.

He says, guys, if you're going to go through this difficulty, you must continue to abide.

Because it not only remains in you, it remains in others. You know, think about 1 Thessalonians 2.

It says, for what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Not even ye in the presence of our Lord

Jesus Christ is coming, for ye are our glory and joy. You know, Paul's saying the fruit

had names and faces in his life, the ones he impacted. Everybody from Timothy that we're

talking about on Wednesday night, the impact and the fruit that had been produced in Timothy's life

through his abiding in Christ. And Paul makes note of it as he writes to him. But I want you to

understand, your fruit doesn't just remain here. Fruit is everlasting to your account.

You know, Romans chapter 7 says, but you also become dead to the law by the body of Christ that

Romans 7 · chapter mention

you should bring forth fruit unto God. I want you to understand, when you get saved,

your fruit isn't unto yourself. Your fruit is something that's unto God. It's for his glory

and his honor. The union with the risen Christ is essential. The fruit follows. The fruit is unto God,

not us. You know, that's the reason 1 Corinthians chapter 3 talks about there's different things

1 Corinthians 3 · chapter mention

that we produce in our life, and some of them are wood, hay, and stubble, and they're burned up. Gold,

silver, and precious stones, it talks about. Things that survive the fire. Things that are laid up in

heaven. I want you to understand that when Jesus talks about our treasures being laid up in heaven,

he isn't referring about sending ahead a 401k. He's not talking about how much money you can send

forth. He's talking about fruit. The fruit in your life to his glory. Because that's the reality.

You know, Mark, notice here how it remains. The word rendered here, abide, is the same one in verse 4.

It talks about remain. That's the same word. Abide and remain are doing the same task.

Your fruit will stay. It'll be something that is there. The fruit stays where the branch stays.

A severed branch does not keep its grapes. They go off with it. It's a necessity that the reality of

continuing. And here, I want you to understand this carefully. Not that you're standing with his

hands by the strength of your grip. I want you to understand that no man plucks him out of heaven.

We're not talking about salvation here. That's important to keep in mind. What we're talking

about today is not salvation when it comes to abiding. Because you don't put yourself in salvation.

Salvation happens when you recognize the free gift that God has given to you. And Jesus says that once

you're saved, he has you. Nobody can take you out of his hand. You don't care what other people say.

I'll trust God. I'm glad that my security

in him isn't dependent upon how much I can hold on.

The abiding is different.

It means you're already attached. You're already there.

And you have a choice of what you're going to do with it.

How are you going to bring forth fruit?

And Jesus is encouraging these men

because they were about to face a challenge

that many people would probably

wane away from.

Going to feel isolated.

Going to have people that want to kill them.

But Jesus said remain.

Abide.

Trust me. Do those things.

Reveal the reality of it.

I want you to understand that

fruit which is no longer fed does not keep.

You know, think about Psalm 1.

Psalm 1 says,

And he shall be planted by the rivers of waters

that bringeth forth his fruit and his season.

His leaf also shall not wither.

What a powerful reality.

Colossians tells us, he says,

Rooted and built up in him

and established in the faith.

The reality of abiding

and the importance of it

which brings us back to the hard thing

that God has allowed in your life.

It will do one of two things.

It will either drive you deeper

to the vine

or it will pull you out of fellowship with him.

As you stop feeding

and you stop abiding

you stop fellowshipping with him

and the fruit will tell on you either way.

You know why Christians keep fading

farther and farther away?

Because they stop abiding.

Remember we talked about abiding

getting that nourishment from the vine.

His word, prayer.

You know it amazes me

how many people

can read the Bible

and say they say a prayer

but they never live godly.

I think the problem is

we read with our eyes

and not our mind.

Our reading is a task

and not a connection.

To be rooted and built up.

The fruit will tell on you

trials don't cut off the branch.

He holds it

but it does decide

whether the branch keeps drawing

and what it needs

for nourishment to continue.

You know we talked a few weeks ago

about that

about the joy.

Jesus says

my joy might remain in you.

He says guys

you're going to have a lot of pressure.

Life is going to go upside down.

You're going to be shaken.

You're going to have

all sorts of adversity.

And he says

but you ought to still have joy.

In our minds

it doesn't make sense

and Jesus said

hey if you abide in me

you will have my joy.

It makes a difference.

When we understand

the picture here

that you might be joy

he doesn't say

that you might be joyful.

He says that my joy

might remain in you.

You know today we say

I want the emotion.

I want the feeling.

But I want you to understand

joy is not an emotion.

The joy that Jesus

talked about here

is a calm reassurance

that he has it under control.

You know we live in a generation

that everything's run

off the cuff of emotion.

Jesus doesn't tell us

to run our life

from emotion.

How I feel about it

doesn't matter

in a lot of ways.

Now that's hard

for people to grab a hold of.

I know a lot of people

don't agree with me

because people want to live

by their emotions.

How does it feel?

What does it make me

you know

oh that didn't feel good

so I'm not going to do it.

It's like you know what

some of the best things in life

are things you did

that were uncomfortable.

That took you outside

of your comfort zone.

When you step out

by faith to follow Christ

it's going to step you

outside your comfort zone.

But you know what

a lot of people

won't step out

their comfort zone.

I have a box

and a perimeter

and say

I'm perfectly content

where I am.

I'm not going to be obedient

in this area

or that area.

I don't know

what that area

might be in your life

but I guarantee

we all struggle

with areas

where we say

Lord

I don't know

if I can be obedient

to that.

But you know what

Jesus said

trust me

abide in me.

Because look here

what he promises them

here

he says this

that whatsoever

you shall ask

of the Father

in my name

he may give it you.

You know

the sender

supplies the sent.

In other words

Jesus said

if you abide in me

I'm going to supply

what's needed.

It's amazing

the Bible talks about

us being

there's a spiritual war

going on around us.

When you look at

history of warfare

you know one of the

biggest reasons

that armies lose?

Supply chain.

No matter how big

your army is

if it's not supplied

with what it's need

it will be overrun

by an enemy

that's supplied.

Abiding means

in the midst of trial

in the midst of struggle

I'm connecting

to my supply chain.

Prayer is one of those

connections

to your supply.

He supplies

as he says

that whatsoever

you ask

of the Father

in my name

he may give it

you.

You know

think about

John 16

he says this

and in that day

you shall ask me

nothing

verily verily

I say unto you

whatsoever

you shall ask

the Father

in my name

he will give it you

hitherto

you have asked

nothing

in my name

ask

and you shall

receive

that your joy

may be full.

You know

what he's saying?

hey

your joy

that is in me

my joy

is channeled

through

your connection.

You cannot

receive

the supply

you need

if you're not

connected

to the one

who supplies it.

It's important

for us to understand

because the one

who is sent

is given access

to the resources

of the sender.

Jesus is saying

you can go forth

you can have confidence

you can abide

and understand

there's going to be

fruit that remains

because there's going

to be a flow

of supply

to meet the need

in the moment.

Look up at verse 7

he told him earlier

it says

if ye abide in me

and my word

abide in you

you shall ask

what ye will

and it shall be done

unto you.

Here in verse 16

he brings this very idea

again to them

he connects it

to the supply.

Christ opens

this section

with a promise

of prayer

and closes it

with a promise

in prayer

and everything

between the two

much fruit

his joy

love one another

fruit that remains

is what the promise

is for.

I want you to understand

Jesus promises

these things

but he says

this is how they get there.

If you're not connected

to the supply chain

you will miss out.

there's a lack

of those things

in your life

you ought to check

and see how is my

supply chain working.

It's important

to grab a hold of

because we notice here

that he fences

these promises

with the word abiding

his word abiding

in us

and in my name

he puts those things

together

it's not a phrase

to close in prayer with

but to ask

as his representative

on an errand

with his authority.

I want you to understand

Jesus said

I've already determined

you will have

the supply

that you need

if you're connected

to it.

You remain

if you abide

but if you disconnect

now remember

we're not talking

about salvation

we're talking

about fellowship.

People get that confused

because once you're

part of God's family

at the moment

of salvation

nothing changes

the family connection.

you are legally

placed in the family

of God.

Jesus referred to

as adoption.

You know

people get in a family

two ways

you're either born

or you're adopted.

Jesus says

you must be born again

and then he puts it

a little later

and he says

that you're adopted

you're placed in

in other words

he says

not only

are you there

by the blood

of Jesus Christ

that purchased you

that you're born again by

but he says

I'm going to put

a legal stamp on it

and adopt you.

That's security.

He says

I want to leave

no question

so we can be secure

but I want you

to understand

that we can have

confidence

you know

look over what

1 John tells us

1 John chapter 5

1 John 5 · chapter mention

and verse 14

tells us this

and it says

this is the confidence

that we have in him

that if we ask

anything according

to his will

he heareth us

and if we know

that he hear us

whatsoever we ask

we know

that we'll have

the petition

that we desired

of him.

Now I want you

to understand

that's not a name

and claimant

that's saying

according to his will

if you're abiding

in him

and you have

his supply

you're going to say

Lord I want some more

of your supply

in this.

Not my supply

but your supply

what I need.

Put this together

whether the word

decides what you ask

for and the name

decides whether

it's his business.

In other words

he says

if you're about

my business

if you're abiding

and doing what

you're supposed to do

Jesus said

I will supply.

We have a God

that's greater

than any other.

What about the sequence?

Abide

ask

bear

and remain.

The asking

is not the

branch straining

it's the branch

drawing

the resources

that are offered

to it.

Given those things

because notice

look at verse 17

and it says

these things

I command you

that you love

one another.

Finds us back

to the reality

of fruit

to love

one another.

The fruit

is to love

one another.

Now I want

to make this

very clear

because sometimes

people get this

confused.

Text in the

scripture

is important.

who's he

talking about?

He's talking

about the

other believers.

He said

the family

tie

ought to

supersede

everything else.

To understand

the fruit

he names

is to love

one another.

These things

I command you

that you love

one another.

It lands

back here.

It means

this dynamic

love isn't

just oh

I love you.

I want you

to understand

think about

the descriptions

you find

of love

in the

scripture.

Love

involves

being

patient.

Oh preacher

you're asking

a lot.

This person

is prickly.

You want

me to have

patience?

They make

me uncomfortable.

Yes.

Being kind.

Talks about

love being

kind.

Oh no

we got another

one.

Long

suffering.

They get

that right.

Do they

know they

offended me?

Probably not.

But they

do.

Jesus loved

you.

He was

long

suffering.

Giving.

Oh.

You know

that's the

fruit that

remains.

Kindness.

Long

suffering.

Forgiving.

Restoring.

Is willing

to reconcile.

Problems is

a lot of

people refuse

to reconcile.

We would

live by the

principle and

the fruit that

God gives

us.

What he

gives us to

sustain and

produce fruit.

These are the

things that will

be produced in

life.

Biggest

problems with

couples when

they're married

is a failure

to forgive.

A failure of

long suffering.

Why don't they

change right

now?

You know

instead of

worrying about

them you

ought to worry

about yourself.

What are you

doing that needs

to be different?

Are you

willing to

say Lord I'm

going to love

them because

love isn't an

emotion attached

to them it's a

choice attached

to them.

It's forces and

be kind one to

another tender

hearted forgiving

one another even

as God for

Christ's sake

hath forgiven

you.

It's a theme

you'll find

through this

section of

scripture.

He commands

it to 11

men who are

in an hour

about to be

scattered.

Their love

one for

another was

to be the

fruit that

had to

survive not

only that

night but

the things

to come.

They had to

hold it

together.

You know

what happened

is they did

what Jesus

told them to

do.

They held

things together

when they saw

Christ resurrected

it changed.

On the day of

Pentecost they

saw great fruit

they saw

3,000 souls

come to the

Lord because

there was already

other fruit

present.

One for

another.

Their long

suffering towards

one another.

Understand the

disciples weren't

a bunch of

guys that sat

around and

sang

Kubayah

together.

They were

men who

were focused

together on

the principle

of what Christ

had called

them to do.

They had to

lay aside

their personalities

their preferences

to the fact

that I want

to abide

in the vine.

Those things

are secondary

to what he's

chosen us

to do.

The same

is true

for you

and I

today.

Understand

being part

of God's

family and

abiding

isn't about

a personality

of us

it's about

the person

of Jesus

Christ.

Our eyes

on the

right things

it makes

a difference.

You know

Jesus tells

them in

John 13

just before

this he

says this

by this

shall all

men know

that you

are my

disciples

if you

have love

one to

another.

The reality

make a

difference.

You know

sometimes we

look at the

great men

of the

Bible that

stand out

you know

Peter and

Paul and

others that

you read

about.

Have you

ever considered

Andrew?

Peter's

brother.

Single

sermon

recorded by

Andrew.

The Bible

doesn't record

a single

sermon from

him.

I'm sure

he preached

some.

He's

known for

that when

he found

Jesus the

first thing

he did

is he

went to

his brother

Simon and

brought him

to Jesus.

He used

Simon Peter

in a mighty

way.

It's part

of Andrew's

fruit.

It looks

like much

what it

starts out.

I want you

to understand

the importance

of this

that God

wants to

look at

fruit as

it's

completed

not how

it might

look today

because when

you abide

in him

it changes

the fruit.

You know

this morning

I want to

encourage you

if you're

not saved

don't leave

this building

without knowing

him.

For sure

that of

who Jesus

is and

what he's

done for

you that

I want you

to understand

he is

calling you

today to

turn to

him.

He tells

us he says

whosoever

will let

him take

of the

water of

life

freely.

He wants

you to

come and

get things

settled with

him today.

He has

called you

to say

I provided

everything.

Will you

accept my

gift of

salvation?

Gift.

You have to

do something.

I'm not

talking about

works.

I'm talking

about response.

Recognition.

to understand

what he's

done for

you.

If you

know that

you're

saved and

you've

just been

sitting there

the charge

is there

to go

and to

bring forth

fruit.

I want you

to understand

he didn't

ask you to

be Peter

but you

are asked

to be an

Andrew.

Part.

Maybe this

morning I want

to encourage you

maybe you need

to come and

just pray and

say God I

have a

specific person

on my

heart that

I need to

pray for.

Family member,

co-worker,

your neighbor,

your aunt,

uncle,

your fifth

cousin twice

removed.

I don't

care who

it is.

They all

need the

Savior.

Maybe it's

been a rough

time.

Maybe it's

been a time

where God

is pruning

you and

that God

prunes to

prepare for

fruit.

God doesn't

do things

without the

foresight of

saying this

is what's

going to

bring forth

much fruit.

And his

fruit in

your life

will remain.

Don't

waste what

God is

doing in

your life.

Come and

yield to

what God

is doing.

Get connected

to the

vine.

The vine

has not

changed and

the one who

keeps it,

the husbandman,

God the

father,

has not

retired.

He's still

doing the

same thing

today.

He did

when he

told the

charge to

these

apostles.

But the

question is,

will you

stay in

the vine?

His heads

are bowed

and eyes

are closed

this morning.

What about

you today?

Do you

know for

sure that

you're

saved?

Do you

know for

heaven?

Let me

ask you a

question.

If somebody

was asking

you,

are you

100%

sure you

would go

to heaven?

If your

response is,

I hope

so,

you've

missed the

promise.

Because

Jesus says

that you

might know

that you

have eternal

life.

A

confidence

in a

living

Savior.

Maybe you

need to

call upon

him.

Maybe you're

here this

morning and

God has

spoke to

you about

something in

your life

that's

affecting your

abiding.

Are you

going to

keep it

there or

are you

going to

deal with

it?

Are you

willing to

lay it

before him

this morning?

Heavenly

fathers, we

come before you

today.

Lord, we

just thank you

and praise you

for your

word.

Lord, for

the opportunity

we have.

Lord, to

respond to

you.

Lord, this

invitation, this

opportunity to

make a

difference in

our own

lives towards

you that we

might be

connected

solidly.

Lord, that

we might get

the supply

that we

need, not

from ourselves,

not from the

things of the

world, but

Lord, from

you, the

giver of

life.

Lord, I

pray that you

just work

mightily in

hearts and

lives today.

Lord, we

have an

opportunity to

respond to

you and we

turn this

time to you

in Jesus'

name.

Amen.

His heads

are bowed

and eyes

are

bowed.