John 15:1-8 "At Home with Jesus"

You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.

Our passion is to experience and express grace.

Join us.

Jesus, draw us close and teach us to abide.

Help us, Holy Spirit.

We're not very good at this.

Thank you, our good Father.

Even now for your word, we give you thanks in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Remember, we are with Jesus in the upper room as he gives his final marching orders to his disciples that he's sending out into the world.

And on that final night before the cross, Jesus gives his followers one final I am statement.

A revelation of his unique identity.

For the first time in all of these series of statements, it's followed by an explanation of someone else's identity.

The Father has a role in this image, and we do too.

It's an image that they were just singing about.

It's at the absolute heart of what it means to be a follower of Jesus.

It's so crucial.

We're going to spend a couple weeks here seeking to understand and apply what Jesus tells us.

But for now, we'll pick up Jesus' commissioning words.

At verse 1 of John 15, we're going to read the first eight verses.

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

Every branch of mine that does not bear fruit, he takes away.

And every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes that it may bear more fruit.

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

Abide in me, and I in you.

As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine,

neither can you unless you abide in me.

I am the vine.

You are the branches.

Whoever abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit.

For apart from me, you can do nothing.

If anyone does not abide in me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers,

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

If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish,

and it will be done for you.

By this, my Father is glorified that you bear much fruit,

and so prove to be my disciples.

Thus far, God's holy word.

Perhaps, like me, you're not super familiar with vines,

and vine dressers, and branches, and so forth.

But Jesus and his friends would have been very familiar around them all the time.

In fact, at the entrance of the temple in Jerusalem was a golden vine

with clusters of grapes the size of a man right there at the front of the temple.

A vine was an image that God had often used with his people Israel.

The Old Testament repeatedly tells us Yahweh planted Israel to be his vine,

except that over and over again, Israel does not bear the fruit as it should.

So the image of Israel as the vine of God is one where judgment and exile

for their unfruitfulness are in view.

Just one of many examples from the prophet Isaiah.

The vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel.

The men of Judah, his pleasant planting.

And so God, the Lord, the vine dresser,

he looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed.

For righteousness, but behold, an outcry.

God's the vine dresser, and he doesn't like what he sees in his vineyard, does he?

Its own character, its relationship with him, its impact on others,

it's not what it should be.

The first thing Jesus is saying here then is that he is the true vine,

the true Israel, the one planted again by the Father,

the vine dresser still.

So the vine will be tended and produce the fruit that the Father desires.

Jesus will be faithful, obedient, just, and merciful,

the righteous king, a light to the nations in a way Israel never was.

That's what he's saying.

These are astounding claims, actually,

as there was when Jesus explained that he himself was the true temple

where God truly dwelled with his people.

So that now as Jesus starts talking about branches,

we realize that to be a part of the beloved people tended by the divine vine dresser,

we have to be connected to whom?

To Jesus.

Grafted in, as it were, to the covenant people of God by being united to

and led by the true vine.

Do you hear what he's saying about himself?

Think of what life must be pulsing through the vine

to be the source of life for all of God's children.

Think of the goodness that he must have

to please the perfectly righteous vine dresser.

Think of the power that he must have

to hold together all the many and diverse branches of God's family

from every tribe and tongue and nation,

all held together by him.

Well, the second time he identifies himself as the vine here,

Jesus adds something,

that we are the branches,

that as such we must stay connected to him.

We're going to come back to the heart of that with the word abide

and what that means.

But notice briefly before we do that,

the promise and the warning to the branches,

because that's us.

The promise for branches connected to Jesus divine

is fruitfulness and life.

Notice Jesus talks all through here about bearing fruit.

Six times in eight verses,

he is sending his disciples in the world to bear fruit.

There's no question.

We're going to talk more next week,

but fruit at least for now in terms of personal growth.

How hopeful this is for all of us that we can change,

that others will grow.

You don't have to give up.

There will be much patience,

lots of peace,

bunches of gentleness,

even when we don't feel strong.

There's fruit here of powerful prayer

and the joy of seeing God answer and work.

Fruit of certainly hear others coming to know

and trust Jesus to be grafted into him.

This fruit is such a priority

that the father himself tends the vineyard

and even is willing to prune the fruitful branches,

through suffering,

through cutbacks.

For what purpose?

So that even more fruit will come

and so that verse eight,

all of this fruit produced

actually brings glory to the father.

That's how important it is.

It shows him to be such a wise and gracious gardener.

Maybe you're feeling some of that pruning right now.

It hurts.

But regardless,

even in the painful seasons,

there is life and vitality from the vine,

the one who is the life himself.

It's coursing into the branches connected to him.

So no matter how you feel right now,

fruit will come.

He promises that.

On the other hand, there's a warning.

What's the warning?

The warning is that disconnected from Jesus,

apart from me,

we can do what?

Nothing.

Nothing.

Not a few small good things every once in a while.

Not just some tiny grapes here and there.

Nothing.

In the Greek, it says nothing.

Nothing.

Of lasting value at all.

In fact, verse six says,

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.

The warning is that unfruitfulness also leads to death.

Branches are a perfect picture of this, aren't they?

I brought one of the prettiest ones I could find.

Have you ever piled up some branches after a storm?

You know, you had to collect them from the yard.

They may, when you first find them on the ground,

have some green leaves on them.

This one did.

It's just been in my yard a few days.

Picked it up and,

huh,

there's not a lot green left here.

They get dry really fast, don't they?

Not good for a whole lot.

Unless you need some dry wood for a fire.

Right?

Might work for that.

When you break them off from the vine,

from the trunk,

and the fruit dries up,

the branches die.

It's not hypothetical here.

Judas has just left the room, hasn't he?

Cut off from the vine,

headed to his own death,

we'll see.

The only one there not clean,

pruned,

and ready to bear fruit

for Jesus.

It's a stark distinction

between fruitfulness in life,

the promise,

and unfruitfulness in death,

the warning.

We better understand

what distinguishes such branches.

Because see,

as important as fruit bearing is here,

Jesus actually never commands us

to go bear fruit.

I mean,

try telling a random branch

to start bearing fruit.

How's it gonna do?

Come on,

maybe this afternoon,

if we all just look at it long enough,

there will be some green leaves

that will sprout up.

Is that what you expect

to happen with this branch?

You think if we wait here long enough,

we'll see some fruit?

It lacks the resources,

doesn't it?

It can't provide the nutrients.

What's the one thing

that Jesus does command us

so that we will know this life,

bear this fruit,

glorify God the way

that He made us to?

It's in verse four.

The command is,

abide in me.

It's the only command here

in the whole passage.

I checked.

Abide.

Your Bible may translate it,

remain.

It means the idea of the word

is not just come and visit,

but come and stay,

even to be at home in,

to make your home with Christ.

I want us to linger here

and think about abiding

from several angles.

It's not a word we use a lot,

is it?

Abide in me.

What would that mean?

Being at home with Jesus.

See, home,

I think this helps us.

It's our default setting,

isn't it?

It orients us.

Home is where we know

we're accepted,

we're welcomed,

perhaps by people,

maybe by a pet,

by a favorite seat

where I'm gonna feel just right.

so that when we are there

with that person

or in that place,

we can really find rest.

Right?

That's home.

Home is where we draw strength.

Think of the actual nutrients

flowing from vine to branch.

See, home is what we actually

depend on for growth

that actually shapes

the shape that our lives take.

Think of that vine.

Whether we want to admit it or not,

that's what's shaping us.

That's home.

That is where you're abiding.

Who or what is home

for you?

Where do you rest?

Like, when your brain

is not on a specific task,

where does it go?

Where do you draw strength

when you know you got a hard day

and you don't have enough strength

on your own?

Where do you draw it from?

What do you find your life

shaped by when you're not

even aware of it?

If you look back

at the end of the day,

you'd say,

what shaped the way

I spent my time

and invested my energy?

Is it really Jesus?

Jesus?

Let's play a game

to help you think about that

a little bit more.

I like games,

you know that.

This is a great game

to play with your grace group,

by the way.

I'm telling you,

you will all have a blast.

When you play Pastor Will's games,

he's always got the best games

and everybody wants

to be a part of the party.

Stop laughing at me.

Here's the game.

Think of one word.

A verb.

Not English class,

but it needs to be a verb

for how you relate to Jesus.

What best describes

how you relate with him?

I want you to write it down.

If you're writing down

abide in,

you're cheating,

you wouldn't have written

that yesterday,

don't write that word.

I want you to come up

with another word.

I played this game this week.

That's how much fun I have.

And I wrote,

serve.

I serve Jesus.

That's biblical.

It's a good one.

There are a lot of good words

in the Bible.

I'm not trying to play

a gotcha game right here.

Follow.

Learn from.

Worship.

Know about.

Find hope in Jesus.

Maybe extra points

if you write love

or rest in.

I want to share

some of my story with you

because God has really

been teaching me

about abiding in Christ.

And even though I know

your story will be

different from mine,

perhaps we can learn

together how to abide

or maybe how we sometimes

miss out

on what's so important

about it.

I picked serve

for my relating

to Jesus word

because it really fits

for me all the way

back to childhood.

I grew up in the church

like many of you.

I loved being in church.

As long as I can remember,

I wanted to learn

about Jesus.

I wanted to know

things about him.

And I wanted to live

for Jesus.

To serve him.

Right?

That's the way

our relationship worked.

But when I was a child,

I was at home

when I was performing

and achieving.

Sometimes that was

on the baseball field.

Sometimes it was

in the classroom.

Sometimes it was

at youth group.

But I found rest

in being an all-star

that others could count on.

I loved it.

I drew strength

from the praise

of people

who thought

I was smart

or nice

or whatever.

That is what

shaped my life.

I wanted that

so much.

So I visited

Jesus

pretty often.

Right?

I needed to know

from him

how to answer

my friends' questions

so they would think

I was smart

and spiritual.

I needed to know

from him

how he wanted me

to perform.

I needed to find out

from Jesus

how to impress

the other Jesus people

so they'd think

I was great.

And then I would

go out

from Jesus

to do all of my

performing.

I'd visit him

but then I needed

to leave

because I had

stuff to do

and people to impress.

And what happened

was sometimes

over here

where I was performing

I got really

worn out

performing

for Jesus.

Maybe you've

felt that before.

Other times

I actually

didn't achieve

the standard

that others

expected of me

and I was

deeply insecure

about that.

In fact

sometimes

I bore really

bad fruit

that smelled

of rotten

pride

self-importance

of self-indulgence

I could make

an excuse

to do anything

I wanted

as long as it

got me

the approval

of others.

Because sometimes

home

was somewhere

other than Jesus.

Another season

of life

I went to seminary

for three years

reading

and talking

and writing

about Jesus

every day.

I visited

Jesus

very often

for those

three years

okay.

So I likely

know more

things about

Jesus

than many

of you

in this room.

I visited

him all the

time

and I remember

hearing people

while I was

around him

saying how

important it

was for me

actually

to rest

in Jesus

as my

home

home.

But sometimes

I thought

I had a

little better

idea

wouldn't it

be even

more godly

if I actually

just went to

class and to

church and

visited him

to learn

about him

not because

I needed it

but because

other people

would need it

for their

benefit

wouldn't that

be unselfish

and loving

of me?

Wouldn't I

be so wonderful

if that's how

I related to

Jesus?

When you're

used to

performing

being home

that makes

sense.

I've experienced

that same

struggle

in a more

recent season

as a husband

and a father

wanting to

love my

family and

wanting them

to love me

and wanting

to point them

to Jesus

so it's easy

to feel that

what Jesus

primarily wants

in my relationship

with him

what really

matters to him

is the example

I set for

my kids

right?

It's the wise

counsel that I'm

able to give

to my wife

when she asks

for it.

It's the consistency

of family worship

together

and hear me

those are such

good things

I'm not

criticizing them

but do you see

how easy it is

to lose sight

of home?

Home's over here

but I've visited

often enough

I can leave him

I think I'll bear

such good fruit

on my own

I've got so

many good ideas

now Jesus

I'm going to

exhaust myself

with all these

good activities

and think that

that's loving

my family

because they

seem to like

being busy too

and Jesus

tells me to

focus on

one thing

to find rest

in one place

to draw strength

from one relationship

and then I actually

will love them

well

it's what he says

it is easy

to be busy

with many

good things

and be busy

missing

the best thing

we are prone

to wander

aren't we

even when we know

where home is

we're prone

to leave

the God we love

to think we've seen

him enough lately

that we're probably

okay in our own strength

that we can probably

do a lot of good things

and it will

see relationship

with Jesus

is not first

about serving

him

following his example

even teaching

about him

those are all

good verbs

if you wrote them down

I'm not mad at you

they're just not first

first it's about

abiding in him

being with Jesus

resting at home

in Jesus

myself

or he says

none of the rest

of our verbs

all of the good ones

that we think

none of them

will bear fruit

if we are not

constantly

connected

to the vine

yes listen

remember

Jesus is sending

all of us out

to bear fruit

oh we

we don't want

to be dead

branches

but he doesn't

say

because what you need

is to bear fruit

go be busy

go work hard

what does he say

stay in me

rest

abide

never

leave

me

it's really for me

just been the past

couple years

that God's been

showing me

that pattern

that I have

of visiting Jesus

and then going to life

of coming and going

with him

that's often

kept me

from abiding

from finding my

home

with him

he's shown me

how much I need

to be at home

with Jesus

how in fact

most of the real

fruit

that I've seen

in my life

like moments

of patience

with others

that offers them

actually rest

in Jesus

that they so need

rather than

offering them

a busy performance

treadmill

to join me

on

that kind of

fruit has grown

from

from actually

resting in

and drawing

strength

from Jesus

myself

maybe you too

have had seasons

of your life

where you realize

Jesus is at best

someone you've

visited

while home

was really

the opinion

of others

the security

of your money

the success

that you're

making

of yourself

maybe you feel

like you're living

that way today

maybe you feel

like that's exactly

what you're doing

this morning

is you're

you're visiting

Jesus

and you've

established

a quite normal

pattern in your

life the same

way I did

you visit Jesus

nearly every week

that's the pattern

a weekly

visit

and then

leaving him

to busy

yourself

with all

sorts

of good

things

you're

you're

very busy

all week

you even

hope along

the way

that you'll

follow some

of his

commands

that you'll

serve his

kingdom

here and

there

hopefully do

some really

good stuff

right

you probably

do

but if we

trust the

words of

Jesus here

that kind

of coming

and going

pattern

of life

it is as

silly

as ridiculous

as a branch

leaving the

vine

breaking off

to go do

some good

fruit bearing

over here

and then

coming back

to present

the fruit

to the vine

no way

y'all have you

have you ever

done that

have you stood

there by the

side of the

road while the

branches are all

piled up and

thought I bet

the leaves will

be greener next

week

I bet that's

what I wonder

if I took this

one back and

taped it to a

tree if there

would be green

fruit next time

I come

no that will

never work

no matter how

much we think

it makes sense

to us

Jesus says

it won't

work

have you ever

wondered why

there's not

more revival

in 21st

century America

why are there

not more

deeply content

Christians

why are there

not more

sacrificial

marriages

why is there

not more

passionate

prayer

from a human

perspective

I tell you

that's because

in general

we only

visit Jesus

but we live

with the world

we're at

home

with ourselves

with whatever

makes us

feel good

and as the

branch

cannot bear

fruit by

itself

unless it

abides in

the vine

neither

can you

unless you

abide

in me

unless your

home

is Jesus

but remember

if you long

for those

things

there's great

reason here

for hope

where is it

the vine

the vine

is still

strong

and full

of life

even

if you're

not

look

whoever

abides

in me

and I

in him

bears

much

fruit

in fact

sees

miraculous

answers

to prayer

in fact

even glorifies

God himself

with all

this fruit

lifelong

insecure

people

connected

to Jesus

become

joyful

and hopeful

the fearful

become

courageous

and many

are drawn

into the

mutual

love

of the

vines

community

that is

finally

offering

the life

that it

was called

to offer

the nations

all the way

back since

the Garden

of Eden

that'll

happen

what's the

most amazing

home

you've ever

been in

can you

think of

one

maybe

you've

toured

a palace

or an

old

mansion

can you

imagine

you're there

with a bunch

of tourists

and you're

just checking

out this

amazing

place

can you

imagine

if you

were

invited

to

live

there

to

dine

at that

grand

table

behind

the

ropes

to

sleep

in the

luxurious

bedroom

to

spend

all

day

talking

with

the

wonderful

home

owner

that's

what

Jesus

is

doing

for

us

here

he's

saying

abide

in me

be at

home

with me

don't

just

visit

come

and

stay

pastor

Andrew

Murray

who

would

after

seeking

the

king's

palace

be

content

to

stand

in

the

door

just

to

visit

when

he

is

invited

to

dwell

in

the

king's

presence

and

share

with

him

in

all

the

glory

of

his

royal

life

oh

let

us

enter

in

and

abide

and

enjoy

to

the

full

all

the

rich

supply

his

wondrous

love

hath

prepared

for

us

imagine

if you

were

living

there

24

7

if

all

you

did

was

feast

at

the

royal

table

and

constantly

think

about

how

well

fed

you

were

and

discuss

with

the

others

sitting

there

the

wonders

of

the

last

dish

don't

you

think

a

deep

contentment

a

real

satisfaction

in

Christ

a

delight

in

Jesus

would

start

growing

in

your

heart

if

that

was

all

you

did

all

day

every

day

beautiful

fruit

that

would

be

wouldn't

it

what

if

instead

of

that

your

your

default

your

resting

place

your

your

life

shaping

time

what

you

were

most

focused

on

was

scrolling

through

the

tour

of

homes

on

social

media

and

contemplating

all

that

you're

missing

out

on

envy

would

grow

discontent

jealousy

rotten

fruit

yes

I mean

imagine the

difference in

your reaction

when you hear

about an

election not

going your

way

or a

school

shooting

or rumored

layoffs at

your company

if you

have been

at home

recently

constantly

in your

own fears

in media

messages

in investment

strategies

thinking that's

what's going to

get you

through

or

if when you

hit that

moment you

have been

actually at

home

every day

in the

promise of

Jesus to

hold you

and never

let you

go

and promises

that God

will meet

all your

needs

according to

his

glorious

riches

in Christ

Jesus

which

version

of you

bears the

fruit of

anxiety

which

version

of you

the fruit

of more

peace

I suspect

today some

of you are

here

investigating

Jesus

and

it's

possible

that all

this talk

of abiding

feels like

it's setting

a really

high

bar

like I

will never

reach that

I mean I'm

just interested

I'll never

be that

spiritual

never be

that

committed

I'm barely

managing

life already

Will

listen it's

true that

Jesus changes

everything

it can feel

like it's

life changing

but it's not

because it's a

really high

bar of

performance

for you

Jesus is

actually inviting

you to

abide

not

demanding

that you

bear enough

fruit

I want to

make sure

you hear

that

see his

father

grafts

you into

him

and then

the way

he works

is that

he tends

the weakest

branches

especially

tenderly

if you think

that you

listen again

to South

African

pastor of

the last

century

Andrew

Murray

in his

little book

abide in

Christ

if you can

remember that

difficult title

you should read

it and I have

extras in my

office I'll give

you one

abiding in

Christ is

just meant for

the weak and

so beautifully

suited to their

feebleness

it is not the

doing of some

great thing

and does not

demand that we

first lead a

very holy and

devoted life

no it is

simply weakness

entrusting itself

to a mighty

one to be kept

the unfaithful

one that can be

you casting

self on one

who is

altogether

trustworthy

and true

see you

you can

abide

you can

abide today

because he

is still

mighty

and trustworthy

and true

the clear

command for

us in this

passage

is to

abide

but the

focus of

the whole

passage is

clearly

the vine

right

that's where he

starts

I am the

vine

Jesus says

nothing helps

weak branches

like us

abide

like delighting

in the

glorious strength

of the vine

y'all the one

calling you

to make your

home with him

is the one

who just last

week promised

us if anyone

loves me

he will keep

my word

and my father

will love him

and we will

come to him

and make

our home

with him

he abides

with us

by his

holy spirit

that's your

home

friends the

vine

this god

is the

keeper

of his

people

he never

slumbers

nor sleeps

he is the

bread of

life

who fully

satisfies

eyes

if you're

afraid

things are

out of

control

he is in

omnipotent

control

of everything

in the whole

world

his love

for you

is an

everlasting

love

that started

before you

were born

and will not

stop

till after you

die

it goes on

and on

he will never

stop loving

you

in fact

he came to

give his

life

in your

place

so that

you can

have a

home with

him

now

and forever

he is in

Andrew Murray's

words

the infinite

Emmanuel

I love

that

take that

with you

this week

okay

the infinite

Emmanuel

God

with us

without

end

no limits

beyond

comprehension

God

with us

is he

one

worthy

of

finding

rest

for your

soul

then

is he

capable

of

providing

the

strength

that you

need

or are you

going to

need to

go looking

somewhere

else

is he

trustworthy

to hold

you

no matter

the storm

no matter

the pain

of the

pruning

no matter

the distance

that you

have broken

off and

blown away

before being

grafted

back in

dear ones

he is

he is

so worthy

he is

so powerful

he is

so good

he is

so

trustworthy

abide

in

Christ

you can

start that

fresh

now

if you

need to

just by

coming

to find

rest

at the

family

dinner

table

being

at home

right here

with him

don't start

thinking of

all the

reasons

you deserve

to be here

all the

things you've

done

that will

impress

him

just

right where

you are

without any

record to

bring

you can

be

home

here

he invites

you to

rest

he invites

you to

draw your

strength

not from

yourself

but from

him

he invites

you

in these

next few

minutes

to have

your

week

shaped

by

this

and not

any other

priority

that's what

he's inviting

you into

right now

he did that

for his

disciples

on that

night

that he

spoke

these

words

to them

that he

would

eventually

be

betrayed

he took

bread

and he

broke

it

and he

gave

it to

them

as I

ministering

in his

name

give this

bread

to you

and he

said

take

eat

this is

my

body

given

for you

do this

in remembrance

of me

and then

after supper

he took

the cup

and he

said

this cup

is the

new

covenant

in my

blood

shed

for many

for the

forgiveness

of sins

drink

from it

all of

you

for as

often

as you

eat

this

bread

and drink

this

cup

you

proclaim

the

Lord's

death

until

he

comes

you

say

I'm

home

in

Jesus

and

nowhere

else

there's

no place

I can

go

where I'm

always

welcome

always

accepted

always

safe

but there's

a person

that I can

live with

today

and I

will

always

always

be at

home

with him

if that's

your joy

this is not

Southwood's

table

the Presbyterian

church's

table

this is

Jesus's

table

he sets

it for

you so

that if

you find

your home

in him

if you

are actively

abiding

in Jesus

and drawing

your life

from him

you should

come

and eat

and be

strengthened

for living

with him

again this

week

if you're

not there

with Jesus

today

maybe because

you have

never been

there with

Jesus

or maybe

just because

you have

been but

lately

you've

honestly

you're

finding

home

somewhere

else

then

don't

come take

these elements

this morning

but please

hear the

invitation

of Jesus

to you

to come

and abide

and find

life

forever

with him

we would

love to

talk

or pray

with you

about that

this morning

we're so

glad you're

here

to celebrate

with us

where we

find life

let's pray

and we'll do

that together

Jesus

the one

who is

the way

the truth

and the

life

the one

who brings

us to

the father

the one

who has

sent his

spirit

to abide

in us

help us

even through

very normal

bread

wine

to have

something

really

unusual

happen

in our

hearts

that we

might

actually

value

someone

else

more

than

ourselves

that we

might find

you to be

sweeter

than

anything

else

that we

might

find

life

with you

to be

where

true

life

is

found

do that

in our

hearts

by your

spirit

we ask

in Jesus

name

amen

for more

information

visit us

online

at

southwood.org

you