Title: Christ the True Vine Meta: We come to Jesus Christ alone, and look to His finished work alone, to be received by faith alone, regarding our right standing. But we don't move on from Jesus to begin to live the Christian life and bear much fruit. Beloved, we never leave Jesus. We remain in Jesus and we only go deeper, and deeper, into Jesus. We never get beyond Jesus for all eternity. Tags: John 15,vine,fruit,Jesus Christ,John 1 00:00:04,739 --> 00:00:07,884 Open up the Scriptures to us, Father. 2 00:00:07,884 --> 00:00:10,274 Help us to see these things. 3 00:00:10,274 --> 00:00:12,072 As we've sung in many songs, 4 00:00:12,072 --> 00:00:14,099 the cry of our heart, Lord, 5 00:00:14,099 --> 00:00:16,643 show us Christ. 6 00:00:16,643 --> 00:00:19,344 Show us Christ in Your Word, Lord. 7 00:00:19,344 --> 00:00:22,212 Give us understanding in these things. 8 00:00:22,212 --> 00:00:23,933 Let us take them to heart. 9 00:00:23,933 --> 00:00:27,013 And I pray for the increase of the Word, God. 10 00:00:27,013 --> 00:00:28,851 Help me in the preaching. 11 00:00:28,851 --> 00:00:30,755 Help us in the hearing, God. 12 00:00:30,755 --> 00:00:33,733 And help us in the believing of these truths 13 00:00:33,733 --> 00:00:36,243 to appropriate them, Lord. 14 00:00:36,243 --> 00:00:38,709 And to live in light of them for Your glory. 15 00:00:38,709 --> 00:00:40,431 We ask for Your grace and Your help 16 00:00:40,431 --> 00:00:41,533 in all these matters, 17 00:00:41,533 --> 00:00:43,179 in the name of Jesus we pray, 18 00:00:43,179 --> 00:00:44,666 Amen. 19 00:00:44,666 --> 00:00:46,215 Amen. 20 00:00:46,215 --> 00:00:50,290 I'll be preaching two times here at the conference. 21 00:00:50,290 --> 00:00:52,208 And I'm going to preach both sermons, 22 00:00:52,208 --> 00:00:55,421 Lord willing, here from John 15. 23 00:00:55,421 --> 00:00:58,546 So tonight, I'll lay a foundation for us in the text. 24 00:00:58,546 --> 00:01:00,287 And then tomorrow, Lord willing, 25 00:01:00,287 --> 00:01:03,342 we'll open it up. 26 00:01:03,342 --> 00:01:05,387 I'm going to read, if I could here, 27 00:01:05,387 --> 00:01:08,582 in John 15:1-11. 28 00:01:08,582 --> 00:01:12,156 Before I do that - a little bit of context. 29 00:01:12,156 --> 00:01:15,804 In John 14, Jesus is preparing His disciples 30 00:01:15,804 --> 00:01:17,199 for His departure. 31 00:01:17,199 --> 00:01:19,263 He's getting ready to leave. 32 00:01:19,263 --> 00:01:21,978 He encourages the disciples by telling them, 33 00:01:21,978 --> 00:01:24,418 I'm not going to leave you alone. 34 00:01:24,418 --> 00:01:26,377 And He talks to them about the Helper, 35 00:01:26,377 --> 00:01:27,700 the Holy Spirit, 36 00:01:27,700 --> 00:01:30,490 who will come to them. 37 00:01:30,490 --> 00:01:33,238 And He says the Spirit will lead you and guide you 38 00:01:33,238 --> 00:01:34,121 into all truth. 39 00:01:34,121 --> 00:01:35,588 He'll bring into remembrance 40 00:01:35,588 --> 00:01:38,040 the things that I am teaching to you. 41 00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:42,244 And two chapters after 15 is chapter 17 42 00:01:42,244 --> 00:01:44,694 where Jesus prays His high priestly prayer. 43 00:01:44,694 --> 00:01:46,518 And then in chapter 18 is where 44 00:01:46,518 --> 00:01:48,349 He's going to be betrayed by Judas, 45 00:01:48,349 --> 00:01:50,920 and arrested in leading to His crucifixion. 46 00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:53,603 The very hour for which Jesus Christ came 47 00:01:53,603 --> 00:01:55,865 to rescue His people. 48 00:01:55,865 --> 00:01:58,517 And that's the context we have here. 49 00:01:58,517 --> 00:02:01,192 That Jesus is getting ready to leave, 50 00:02:01,192 --> 00:02:03,056 but He's not going to leave them alone. 51 00:02:03,056 --> 00:02:04,793 And He's letting His disciples know, 52 00:02:04,793 --> 00:02:06,365 you're going to stay here 53 00:02:06,365 --> 00:02:08,941 and continue the work here that I've started. 54 00:02:08,941 --> 00:02:12,032 And that's what leads us here to John 15. 55 00:02:12,032 --> 00:02:14,359 If you'll follow along as we read God's Word 56 00:02:14,359 --> 00:02:18,412 in verses 1-11 now. 57 00:02:18,412 --> 00:02:23,235 "I am the true vine. And My Father is the vine dresser. 58 00:02:23,235 --> 00:02:25,988 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, 59 00:02:25,988 --> 00:02:27,453 He takes away. 60 00:02:27,453 --> 00:02:29,481 And every branch that does bear fruit, 61 00:02:29,481 --> 00:02:33,399 He prunes that it may bear more fruit. 62 00:02:33,399 --> 00:02:37,161 Already you are clean because of the Word I have spoken to you. 63 00:02:37,161 --> 00:02:39,367 Abide in Me and I in you. 64 00:02:39,367 --> 00:02:41,980 As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself 65 00:02:41,980 --> 00:02:44,232 unless it abides in the vine; 66 00:02:44,232 --> 00:02:47,137 neither can you unless you abide in Me. 67 00:02:47,137 --> 00:02:50,301 I am the vine and you are the branches. 68 00:02:50,301 --> 00:02:52,708 Whoever abides in Me and I in Him, 69 00:02:52,708 --> 00:02:55,078 he it is that bears much fruit. 70 00:02:55,078 --> 00:02:57,661 For apart from Me, you can do nothing. 71 00:02:57,661 --> 00:02:59,271 If anyone does not abide in Me, 72 00:02:59,271 --> 00:03:02,065 he is thrown away like a branch and withers. 73 00:03:02,065 --> 00:03:06,237 And the branches are gathered and thrown into the fire and burned. 74 00:03:06,237 --> 00:03:09,326 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, 75 00:03:09,326 --> 00:03:12,285 ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. 76 00:03:12,285 --> 00:03:14,590 By this My Father is glorified, 77 00:03:14,590 --> 00:03:16,357 that you bear much fruit, 78 00:03:16,357 --> 00:03:19,212 and so prove to be My disciples. 79 00:03:19,212 --> 00:03:22,223 As the Father has loved Me, so I have loved you. 80 00:03:22,223 --> 00:03:23,977 Abide in My love. 81 00:03:23,977 --> 00:03:26,660 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, 82 00:03:26,660 --> 00:03:28,844 just as I have kept My Father's commandments, 83 00:03:28,844 --> 00:03:30,545 and abide in His love. 84 00:03:30,545 --> 00:03:32,547 These things I have spoken to you, 85 00:03:32,547 --> 00:03:36,024 that My joy may be in you, 86 00:03:36,024 --> 00:03:41,627 and that your joy may be full." 87 00:03:41,627 --> 00:03:45,815 Jesus is teaching an analogy here. 88 00:03:45,815 --> 00:03:49,998 And Jesus wants His disciples to know 89 00:03:49,998 --> 00:03:52,028 that God is glorified in a way. 90 00:03:52,028 --> 00:03:53,374 And He gives them the way 91 00:03:53,374 --> 00:03:56,147 that God is going to be glorified in their lives. 92 00:03:56,147 --> 00:03:57,413 And the way He gives them 93 00:03:57,413 --> 00:03:59,735 that God is going to be glorified in them, 94 00:03:59,735 --> 00:04:01,624 in verse 8, He says, 95 00:04:01,624 --> 00:04:05,020 "By this My Father is glorified 96 00:04:05,020 --> 00:04:07,385 that you bear much fruit 97 00:04:07,385 --> 00:04:10,315 and so prove to be My disciples." 98 00:04:10,315 --> 00:04:12,435 So Jesus is teaching them a parable, 99 00:04:12,435 --> 00:04:13,546 and analogy here, 100 00:04:13,546 --> 00:04:16,348 and the emphasis is on them bearing fruit. 101 00:04:16,348 --> 00:04:18,229 Which we know is the chief end of man: 102 00:04:18,229 --> 00:04:22,124 to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. 103 00:04:22,124 --> 00:04:24,225 And God is glorified, Jesus says here, 104 00:04:24,225 --> 00:04:27,106 by bearing much fruit. 105 00:04:27,106 --> 00:04:28,932 Beloved, if we are born again, 106 00:04:28,932 --> 00:04:31,591 and your heart beats for the Lord Jesus, 107 00:04:31,591 --> 00:04:35,793 the chief desire of the regenerated person's heart 108 00:04:35,793 --> 00:04:39,273 is that God would be glorified. 109 00:04:39,273 --> 00:04:41,723 And if this is your chief desire, 110 00:04:41,723 --> 00:04:46,303 it's the desire for which all other desires in our life bow to. 111 00:04:46,303 --> 00:04:50,220 They give preference to this chief desire 112 00:04:50,220 --> 00:04:52,564 of glorifying God. 113 00:04:52,564 --> 00:04:54,465 And if this is our chief desire 114 00:04:54,465 --> 00:04:56,387 and we hear that God is glorified 115 00:04:56,387 --> 00:04:58,461 when you bear much fruit, 116 00:04:58,461 --> 00:05:00,621 then our ears begin to perk up. 117 00:05:00,621 --> 00:05:02,812 Because our heart's desire is just this: 118 00:05:02,812 --> 00:05:07,633 it is to glorify God. 119 00:05:07,633 --> 00:05:09,313 I'm impressed to ask us all here: 120 00:05:09,313 --> 00:05:12,496 Is this our chief desire? 121 00:05:12,496 --> 00:05:14,399 To glorify God? 122 00:05:14,399 --> 00:05:16,978 When we talk about chief desires, 123 00:05:16,978 --> 00:05:19,491 I think it's important that we differentiate 124 00:05:19,491 --> 00:05:21,580 between having knowledge of what 125 00:05:21,580 --> 00:05:23,636 our chief desire should be, 126 00:05:23,636 --> 00:05:27,648 and the reality of the chief desire in our heart. 127 00:05:27,648 --> 00:05:29,507 You've probably been taught a lot 128 00:05:29,507 --> 00:05:33,399 that glorifying God should be the chief desire. 129 00:05:33,399 --> 00:05:36,122 But in the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit, 130 00:05:36,122 --> 00:05:39,375 He makes that the true desire of the believer 131 00:05:39,375 --> 00:05:44,053 by revealing Jesus Christ, the chief treasure, to them. 132 00:05:44,053 --> 00:05:45,745 Again, beloved, if you are His 133 00:05:45,745 --> 00:05:48,135 and you hear that God is glorified 134 00:05:48,135 --> 00:05:50,898 in you bearing much fruit, 135 00:05:50,898 --> 00:05:54,150 then we all get excited about things like this. 136 00:05:54,150 --> 00:05:56,083 We hear a way that we can glorify God 137 00:05:56,083 --> 00:05:58,097 and we want to glorify God. 138 00:05:58,097 --> 00:06:00,445 But one of the greatest struggles that we face 139 00:06:00,445 --> 00:06:02,686 as Christians is that we don't glorify God 140 00:06:02,686 --> 00:06:04,818 as much as we want to. 141 00:06:04,818 --> 00:06:06,137 We want to glorify God. 142 00:06:06,137 --> 00:06:08,386 We want to cry out with the inward voice 143 00:06:08,386 --> 00:06:10,111 for the redemption of the body 144 00:06:10,111 --> 00:06:11,769 along with all creation, 145 00:06:11,769 --> 00:06:14,146 that we be redeemed from this body. 146 00:06:14,146 --> 00:06:17,252 And that there would be unhindered glory to God 147 00:06:17,252 --> 00:06:18,945 given through our lives. 148 00:06:18,945 --> 00:06:21,487 And this is what we desire. 149 00:06:21,487 --> 00:06:27,581 All true believers want to bring glory to God. 150 00:06:27,581 --> 00:06:29,098 I'll tell you in two sermons, 151 00:06:29,098 --> 00:06:32,499 it's going to be difficult to cover John 15. 152 00:06:32,499 --> 00:06:36,624 It's worthy of numerous sermons. 153 00:06:36,624 --> 00:06:39,987 Jesus begins in verse 1 by telling us 154 00:06:39,987 --> 00:06:41,982 something important about bearing fruit 155 00:06:41,982 --> 00:06:43,309 which brings glory to God, 156 00:06:43,309 --> 00:06:45,839 if you'll look at it there with me. 157 00:06:45,839 --> 00:06:47,955 Jesus is speaking, and He makes the seventh 158 00:06:47,955 --> 00:06:49,535 of His I AM statements, 159 00:06:49,535 --> 00:06:53,159 and He says, "I am the true vine." 160 00:06:53,159 --> 00:06:54,865 "I am the true vine." 161 00:06:54,865 --> 00:06:57,029 And there are two things I want us to see 162 00:06:57,029 --> 00:07:00,575 in Jesus' declaration that He is the true vine. 163 00:07:00,575 --> 00:07:01,939 The first one is this: 164 00:07:01,939 --> 00:07:04,397 When Jesus says, "I am the true vine," 165 00:07:04,397 --> 00:07:09,405 He is contrasting Himself with a false vine. 166 00:07:09,405 --> 00:07:11,874 Or a not-true vine. 167 00:07:11,874 --> 00:07:17,086 The false vine in regards to bearing fruit for Jesus 168 00:07:17,086 --> 00:07:21,121 is really anything that we begin to set our eyes upon 169 00:07:21,121 --> 00:07:24,766 that we look to as the source for bearing fruit. 170 00:07:24,766 --> 00:07:27,117 So anything we begin to look upon 171 00:07:27,117 --> 00:07:29,211 as a source to bear fruit 172 00:07:29,211 --> 00:07:30,938 would be a false vine. 173 00:07:30,938 --> 00:07:32,452 But in the context here, 174 00:07:32,452 --> 00:07:35,198 what Jesus is contrasting Himself with 175 00:07:35,198 --> 00:07:37,348 is the nation of Israel, 176 00:07:37,348 --> 00:07:39,531 as Brother Charles mentioned earlier. 177 00:07:39,531 --> 00:07:42,121 Jesus is the substance of that which 178 00:07:42,121 --> 00:07:45,026 the nation of Israel was a shadow. 179 00:07:45,026 --> 00:07:46,658 And throughout the Old Testament, 180 00:07:46,658 --> 00:07:50,856 what we see is that Israel is referred to as the vine. 181 00:07:50,856 --> 00:07:52,705 Let me give you an example of that 182 00:07:52,705 --> 00:07:56,013 in Psalm 80:8-9 183 00:07:56,013 --> 00:07:58,784 It says, "You brought out a vine, 184 00:07:58,784 --> 00:08:00,268 out of Egypt. 185 00:08:00,268 --> 00:08:02,451 You drove out the nations and planted it. 186 00:08:02,451 --> 00:08:04,473 You cleared the ground for it. 187 00:08:04,473 --> 00:08:08,595 It took deep root and filled the land." 188 00:08:08,595 --> 00:08:10,980 But what do we know about the nation of Israel, 189 00:08:10,980 --> 00:08:13,987 the people of Israel? 190 00:08:13,987 --> 00:08:18,267 They could never fulfill what we find in Jesus Christ. 191 00:08:18,267 --> 00:08:20,094 Although they were a people, 192 00:08:20,094 --> 00:08:21,789 they being Jewish did not mean 193 00:08:21,789 --> 00:08:23,768 that they would bear fruit. 194 00:08:23,768 --> 00:08:26,152 And when Jesus says, "I am the true vine," 195 00:08:26,152 --> 00:08:29,019 He's letting us know that being a people 196 00:08:29,019 --> 00:08:31,072 of Hebrew descent does not guarantee 197 00:08:31,072 --> 00:08:33,087 that you're going to bear fruit. 198 00:08:33,087 --> 00:08:35,357 What guarantees that we would bear fruit 199 00:08:35,357 --> 00:08:37,731 is that we are in the true vine, 200 00:08:37,731 --> 00:08:42,585 which is Jesus Christ. 201 00:08:42,585 --> 00:08:44,128 What Jesus is doing again here 202 00:08:44,128 --> 00:08:47,896 is He is showing that He is the fulfillment 203 00:08:47,896 --> 00:08:49,771 of all that the Old Testament 204 00:08:49,771 --> 00:08:52,538 types and shadows could not fulfill. 205 00:08:52,538 --> 00:08:54,585 And all throughout the Gospel of John, 206 00:08:54,585 --> 00:08:57,622 what Jesus is doing is showing again and again 207 00:08:57,622 --> 00:08:59,826 that He is the fulfillment of all 208 00:08:59,826 --> 00:09:01,841 of these types and shadows. 209 00:09:01,841 --> 00:09:03,775 If we were to go back into chapter 1, 210 00:09:03,775 --> 00:09:07,338 we would see that the Word tabernacles among us. 211 00:09:07,338 --> 00:09:09,171 What is Jesus talking about there? 212 00:09:09,171 --> 00:09:11,281 He's saying what the tabernacle was 213 00:09:11,281 --> 00:09:13,694 was a meeting place where God would come 214 00:09:13,694 --> 00:09:17,060 and man would meet with God in the tabernacle. 215 00:09:17,060 --> 00:09:20,035 And Jesus said He comes to tabernacle among us now, 216 00:09:20,035 --> 00:09:21,346 meaning what? 217 00:09:21,346 --> 00:09:23,342 The meeting place is no longer a building, 218 00:09:23,342 --> 00:09:24,890 built with human hands, 219 00:09:24,890 --> 00:09:26,858 but the meeting place between God and man 220 00:09:26,858 --> 00:09:29,990 is the person of Jesus Christ. 221 00:09:29,990 --> 00:09:32,771 Jesus talks about Him being the Lamb of God. 222 00:09:32,771 --> 00:09:35,151 What all the Old Testament types and shadows 223 00:09:35,151 --> 00:09:37,718 of bulls and goats could not accomplish, 224 00:09:37,718 --> 00:09:40,324 they find their fulfillment and substance 225 00:09:40,324 --> 00:09:42,484 in the person of Jesus Christ - 226 00:09:42,484 --> 00:09:44,240 the Lamb of God. 227 00:09:44,240 --> 00:09:47,111 So Jesus is the true tabernacle. 228 00:09:47,111 --> 00:09:49,047 Jesus is the true temple. 229 00:09:49,047 --> 00:09:53,535 And here we see that Jesus Christ is the true vine. 230 00:09:53,535 --> 00:09:57,274 He is the source of where all fruit will come from. 231 00:09:57,274 --> 00:09:59,543 The second thing we see established 232 00:09:59,543 --> 00:10:02,136 in this metaphor that Jesus is the true vine, 233 00:10:02,136 --> 00:10:08,087 is that Jesus truly is the only source of fruit bearing. 234 00:10:08,087 --> 00:10:11,090 Beloved, although we are forgiven in Jesus Christ, 235 00:10:11,090 --> 00:10:14,792 although we are regenerated by the power of the Holy Spirit, 236 00:10:14,792 --> 00:10:18,494 we do not have fruit bearing capabilities 237 00:10:18,494 --> 00:10:20,964 in us alone. 238 00:10:20,964 --> 00:10:23,546 We do not have fruit bearing capabilities 239 00:10:23,546 --> 00:10:25,212 in us alone. 240 00:10:25,212 --> 00:10:27,814 What Jesus is trying to get us to see here 241 00:10:27,814 --> 00:10:30,551 is that He, He Himself, 242 00:10:30,551 --> 00:10:34,568 is the source for which fruit bearing comes from. 243 00:10:34,568 --> 00:10:36,848 When you and I, again, hear that God 244 00:10:36,848 --> 00:10:40,169 is glorified in much fruit bearing. 245 00:10:40,169 --> 00:10:42,566 It may be because of bad teaching; 246 00:10:42,566 --> 00:10:45,075 it may be because of pride in our lives 247 00:10:45,075 --> 00:10:48,243 or the delusion of our own ability within ourselves, 248 00:10:48,243 --> 00:10:51,971 but we hear, ok, God's glorified when we bear fruit, 249 00:10:51,971 --> 00:10:53,609 so we begin to say to ourselves, 250 00:10:53,609 --> 00:10:55,416 well, let's go bear some fruit then. 251 00:10:55,416 --> 00:10:57,736 Because we want to glorify God. 252 00:10:57,736 --> 00:10:59,983 So we set off with a right desire: 253 00:10:59,983 --> 00:11:01,822 to bring glory to God. 254 00:11:01,822 --> 00:11:06,212 But we approach it with bad doctrine. 255 00:11:06,212 --> 00:11:07,302 Because why? 256 00:11:07,302 --> 00:11:08,913 Because of delusion of strength, 257 00:11:08,913 --> 00:11:10,862 delusion of power within ourselves 258 00:11:10,862 --> 00:11:12,949 apart from Jesus Christ. 259 00:11:12,949 --> 00:11:15,204 Look at verse 4 with me. 260 00:11:15,204 --> 00:11:18,080 "Abide in Me, and I in you. 261 00:11:18,080 --> 00:11:22,739 As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, 262 00:11:22,739 --> 00:11:25,848 unless it abides in the vine. 263 00:11:25,848 --> 00:11:28,267 Neither can you, 264 00:11:28,267 --> 00:11:32,987 unless you abide in Me." 265 00:11:32,987 --> 00:11:36,876 Saints, we don't see branches laying out 266 00:11:36,876 --> 00:11:38,948 on the ground out here, 267 00:11:38,948 --> 00:11:41,168 apart from trees, 268 00:11:41,168 --> 00:11:43,516 bearing much fruit. 269 00:11:43,516 --> 00:11:47,020 It's a very simple truth that Jesus uses to teach us. 270 00:11:47,020 --> 00:11:50,582 That is not something that you see. 271 00:11:50,582 --> 00:11:52,453 But there's something wrong with us, 272 00:11:52,453 --> 00:11:55,583 and we'll get into more of this tomorrow. 273 00:11:55,583 --> 00:11:57,676 That we believe at times, 274 00:11:57,676 --> 00:11:59,945 again, because of bad teaching 275 00:11:59,945 --> 00:12:02,018 or delusion of our own strength, 276 00:12:02,018 --> 00:12:05,245 that we, apart from Jesus Christ, 277 00:12:05,245 --> 00:12:09,807 can begin to bear fruit. 278 00:12:09,807 --> 00:12:12,973 Some of us may be able to put on 279 00:12:12,973 --> 00:12:15,049 a front of fruit. 280 00:12:15,049 --> 00:12:18,567 We may be able to produce something within us 281 00:12:18,567 --> 00:12:20,461 that looks like fruit. 282 00:12:20,461 --> 00:12:21,765 But I want you to know, 283 00:12:21,765 --> 00:12:24,138 if we are not abiding in Jesus Christ, 284 00:12:24,138 --> 00:12:26,730 whatever is being produced from your life, 285 00:12:26,730 --> 00:12:29,805 although it may look very religious, 286 00:12:29,805 --> 00:12:31,990 it does not bring glory to God. 287 00:12:31,990 --> 00:12:34,273 The only way to glorify God 288 00:12:34,273 --> 00:12:36,827 is through abiding in Jesus Christ 289 00:12:36,827 --> 00:12:38,640 and then the fruit that is born 290 00:12:38,640 --> 00:12:42,164 from that abiding. 291 00:12:42,164 --> 00:12:43,982 Do we see what Jesus is saying here 292 00:12:43,982 --> 00:12:46,001 when He says I am the true vine. 293 00:12:46,001 --> 00:12:49,556 He's saying, again, any attempt on our part 294 00:12:49,556 --> 00:12:52,444 to bear fruit apart from abiding in Jesus, 295 00:12:52,444 --> 00:12:55,331 will fail. 296 00:12:55,331 --> 00:12:56,629 Will fail. 297 00:12:56,629 --> 00:12:58,084 Throughout the New Testament, 298 00:12:58,084 --> 00:13:00,872 we see pictures painted of Jesus. 299 00:13:00,872 --> 00:13:04,128 Like Paul uses in Ephesians 4 300 00:13:04,128 --> 00:13:07,586 when he says Jesus is the Head 301 00:13:07,586 --> 00:13:09,614 and the church is the body. 302 00:13:09,614 --> 00:13:11,138 What would happen if we removed 303 00:13:11,138 --> 00:13:13,225 the head from the body? 304 00:13:13,225 --> 00:13:14,960 It would be lifeless. 305 00:13:14,960 --> 00:13:16,509 It would be powerless. 306 00:13:16,509 --> 00:13:19,450 And it would not bear any fruit. 307 00:13:19,450 --> 00:13:20,658 And in the same way here 308 00:13:20,658 --> 00:13:23,776 when Jesus is referred to as the true vine, 309 00:13:23,776 --> 00:13:25,555 we need to come to the conclusion 310 00:13:25,555 --> 00:13:29,966 that Jesus Christ is the source of any and all 311 00:13:29,966 --> 00:13:31,953 true fruit bearing. 312 00:13:31,953 --> 00:13:35,132 I'm afraid many of us are very frustrated 313 00:13:35,132 --> 00:13:37,333 because we've been regenerated, 314 00:13:37,333 --> 00:13:39,247 and we have a desire in our heart 315 00:13:39,247 --> 00:13:41,847 to have God be glorified. 316 00:13:41,847 --> 00:13:47,369 But we're approaching this all wrong. 317 00:13:47,369 --> 00:13:48,862 Let me share this with you. 318 00:13:48,862 --> 00:13:53,069 We come to Jesus Christ alone. 319 00:13:53,069 --> 00:13:56,072 And look to His finished work alone. 320 00:13:56,072 --> 00:13:59,063 To be received by faith alone. 321 00:13:59,063 --> 00:14:02,852 Regarding our right standing. 322 00:14:02,852 --> 00:14:05,658 But we don't move on from Jesus 323 00:14:05,658 --> 00:14:07,812 to begin to live the Christian life 324 00:14:07,812 --> 00:14:10,712 and bear much fruit. 325 00:14:10,712 --> 00:14:13,340 Beloved, we never leave Jesus. 326 00:14:13,340 --> 00:14:14,735 We remain in Jesus. 327 00:14:14,735 --> 00:14:16,930 We only go deeper and deeper 328 00:14:16,930 --> 00:14:19,203 and deeper into Jesus. 329 00:14:19,203 --> 00:14:25,220 We never get beyond Jesus for all eternity. 330 00:14:25,220 --> 00:14:27,622 If we are to bear fruit and to glorify God, 331 00:14:27,622 --> 00:14:29,120 we must understand, beloved, 332 00:14:29,120 --> 00:14:32,371 that there is one source of that fruit bearing 333 00:14:32,371 --> 00:14:35,193 and it is Jesus Christ. 334 00:14:35,193 --> 00:14:38,191 Before we move on, can I give you maybe one hint 335 00:14:38,191 --> 00:14:41,683 that you're not abiding in Christ 336 00:14:41,683 --> 00:14:45,188 and you're trying to bear fruit in and of yourselves? 337 00:14:45,188 --> 00:14:47,711 One of the overflows when someone has 338 00:14:47,711 --> 00:14:49,897 looked away from Christ 339 00:14:49,897 --> 00:14:51,561 in an effort to glorify God, 340 00:14:51,561 --> 00:14:53,369 but they're looking unto themselves 341 00:14:53,369 --> 00:14:54,625 to begin to bear fruit 342 00:14:54,625 --> 00:14:56,235 apart from abiding, 343 00:14:56,235 --> 00:14:58,628 is they begin to speak much about 344 00:14:58,628 --> 00:15:00,268 what they are doing. 345 00:15:00,268 --> 00:15:01,854 They begin to speak much about 346 00:15:01,854 --> 00:15:04,485 all of their own spiritual disciplines. 347 00:15:04,485 --> 00:15:06,034 They begin to speak much about 348 00:15:06,034 --> 00:15:08,008 their ministry efforts 349 00:15:08,008 --> 00:15:10,472 and all that God is doing in and through them. 350 00:15:10,472 --> 00:15:15,499 And they speak very little about Jesus Christ. 351 00:15:15,499 --> 00:15:18,158 There is no hope for us to bear any fruit 352 00:15:18,158 --> 00:15:21,626 unless we are abiding in Jesus Christ. 353 00:15:21,626 --> 00:15:22,998 Jesus goes on in verse 1, 354 00:15:22,998 --> 00:15:25,367 He says again, "I am the true vine, 355 00:15:25,367 --> 00:15:29,301 and My Father is the vine dresser." 356 00:15:29,301 --> 00:15:32,892 The Father God here is identified as the vine dresser. 357 00:15:32,892 --> 00:15:35,186 You know what that tells us right away? 358 00:15:35,186 --> 00:15:37,918 We need a vine dresser. 359 00:15:37,918 --> 00:15:40,370 We need a vine dresser. 360 00:15:40,370 --> 00:15:45,087 Our great problem, beloved, is not self-esteem issues. 361 00:15:45,087 --> 00:15:47,580 Most of what happens in church buildings 362 00:15:47,580 --> 00:15:50,205 across America is meant to build up 363 00:15:50,205 --> 00:15:52,438 self-esteem in people. 364 00:15:52,438 --> 00:15:54,698 To encourage people in and of themselves. 365 00:15:54,698 --> 00:15:57,189 But that's a pagan, worldly philosophy. 366 00:15:57,189 --> 00:16:01,865 We don't need building up in and of ourselves. 367 00:16:01,865 --> 00:16:04,602 We need building up in Jesus Christ. 368 00:16:04,602 --> 00:16:07,498 And it tells us here that God the Father 369 00:16:07,498 --> 00:16:09,148 is the vine dresser. 370 00:16:09,148 --> 00:16:11,913 Again, we all have this delusion of strength 371 00:16:11,913 --> 00:16:13,425 in ourselves. 372 00:16:13,425 --> 00:16:16,348 Jesus is the all-sufficient vine. 373 00:16:16,348 --> 00:16:18,233 We are branches in Him, 374 00:16:18,233 --> 00:16:20,098 regenerated and saved, 375 00:16:20,098 --> 00:16:23,223 but we still need a vine dresser. 376 00:16:23,223 --> 00:16:25,219 Meaning, we need help. 377 00:16:25,219 --> 00:16:26,995 What does that vine dresser do? 378 00:16:26,995 --> 00:16:29,387 Look at verse 2. 379 00:16:29,387 --> 00:16:31,889 "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit 380 00:16:31,889 --> 00:16:33,771 He takes away. 381 00:16:33,771 --> 00:16:36,182 And every branch that does bear fruit, 382 00:16:36,182 --> 00:16:41,338 He prunes that it may bear more fruit." 383 00:16:41,338 --> 00:16:45,157 Let's start with these branches that are taken away here 384 00:16:45,157 --> 00:16:48,449 because they do not bear fruit. 385 00:16:48,449 --> 00:16:49,787 What does He do? 386 00:16:49,787 --> 00:16:52,170 What does the vine dresser, God the Father, 387 00:16:52,170 --> 00:16:55,202 do with these branches that do not bear fruit 388 00:16:55,202 --> 00:16:57,160 and are taken away? 389 00:16:57,160 --> 00:16:58,967 He tells us in verse 6. 390 00:16:58,967 --> 00:17:00,691 Look at it. 391 00:17:00,691 --> 00:17:02,569 "If anyone does not abide in Me, 392 00:17:02,569 --> 00:17:05,762 He is thrown away like a branch 393 00:17:05,762 --> 00:17:07,308 and withers, 394 00:17:07,308 --> 00:17:09,259 and the branches are gathered 395 00:17:09,259 --> 00:17:13,734 and thrown into the fire and they're burned." 396 00:17:13,734 --> 00:17:16,395 That's a sobering thought. 397 00:17:16,395 --> 00:17:19,486 Jesus is speaking about final judgment here. 398 00:17:19,486 --> 00:17:21,157 When He says they are taken away, 399 00:17:21,157 --> 00:17:25,729 gathered together, thrown in the fire, and they're burned. 400 00:17:25,729 --> 00:17:28,881 And it impresses upon me to ask all of us right now, 401 00:17:28,881 --> 00:17:32,018 if you claim to be in Christ today, 402 00:17:32,018 --> 00:17:35,287 are you bearing fruit? 403 00:17:35,287 --> 00:17:36,909 Are you bearing fruit? 404 00:17:36,909 --> 00:17:38,224 Because the warning here 405 00:17:38,224 --> 00:17:40,693 doesn't get any more serious. 406 00:17:40,693 --> 00:17:43,500 If there's not evidence of fruit in our lives, 407 00:17:43,500 --> 00:17:45,811 then we have to come to the conclusion here 408 00:17:45,811 --> 00:17:47,636 based on verse 6, 409 00:17:47,636 --> 00:17:49,745 that we will be taken away. 410 00:17:49,745 --> 00:17:52,754 Gathered together, thrown into the fire, 411 00:17:52,754 --> 00:17:54,963 and burned in the end. 412 00:17:54,963 --> 00:17:56,959 When we talk about bearing fruit, 413 00:17:56,959 --> 00:18:00,718 we're not talking about perfection of life. 414 00:18:00,718 --> 00:18:05,690 We're talking about this direction of life. 415 00:18:05,690 --> 00:18:08,017 I'd imagine everyone who has come here tonight 416 00:18:08,017 --> 00:18:11,693 has made a claim to be a follower of Jesus Christ. 417 00:18:11,693 --> 00:18:13,752 Has made a claim to be a disciple. 418 00:18:13,752 --> 00:18:17,270 Or said, yes, I've put my faith in Jesus Christ, 419 00:18:17,270 --> 00:18:18,903 and you may bear witness of that 420 00:18:18,903 --> 00:18:21,407 with a profession of faith in Christ. 421 00:18:21,407 --> 00:18:22,921 But I want to ask you again, 422 00:18:22,921 --> 00:18:25,205 are you bearing fruit? 423 00:18:25,205 --> 00:18:27,375 Because know this, beloved. 424 00:18:27,375 --> 00:18:29,990 A profession of faith in Jesus Christ 425 00:18:29,990 --> 00:18:31,817 that does not bear fruit, 426 00:18:31,817 --> 00:18:33,491 can find no assurance in Scripture 427 00:18:33,491 --> 00:18:37,120 that they're truly in Jesus. 428 00:18:37,120 --> 00:18:40,178 Many of the testimonies of you here are like mine. 429 00:18:40,178 --> 00:18:42,036 Where you grew up sitting in churches, 430 00:18:42,036 --> 00:18:44,293 made professions of faith. 431 00:18:44,293 --> 00:18:45,818 Sat for years. 432 00:18:45,818 --> 00:18:49,212 Putting on morality which you called fruit. 433 00:18:49,212 --> 00:18:51,510 But you weren't bearing the fruit of Christ, 434 00:18:51,510 --> 00:18:54,739 because you weren't abiding in Christ. 435 00:18:54,739 --> 00:18:55,800 And my warning again, 436 00:18:55,800 --> 00:18:57,291 the warning here in Scripture, 437 00:18:57,291 --> 00:18:59,516 is that if we die in this place, 438 00:18:59,516 --> 00:19:02,543 where our life as a direction is not bearing fruit, 439 00:19:02,543 --> 00:19:04,844 we will be gathered in the end, 440 00:19:04,844 --> 00:19:07,824 thrown into the fire and burned. 441 00:19:07,824 --> 00:19:10,765 And that should bring a sobering look into each of our lives 442 00:19:10,765 --> 00:19:14,078 to say is there fruit of Christ here? 443 00:19:14,078 --> 00:19:16,476 Since I made my profession of faith in Christ, 444 00:19:16,476 --> 00:19:19,148 since I so-called was born again, 445 00:19:19,148 --> 00:19:22,574 has my life been transformed inwardly? 446 00:19:22,574 --> 00:19:24,930 And is the evidence there outwardly 447 00:19:24,930 --> 00:19:28,183 in the bearing of fruit for Jesus Christ? 448 00:19:28,183 --> 00:19:30,451 Well, what is this fruit bearing? 449 00:19:30,451 --> 00:19:33,583 Fruit bearing is the life of Jesus 450 00:19:33,583 --> 00:19:36,395 being lived out through you. 451 00:19:36,395 --> 00:19:37,767 What is fruit bearing? 452 00:19:37,767 --> 00:19:39,457 It's the life of Jesus Christ 453 00:19:39,457 --> 00:19:41,991 being lived out through you 454 00:19:41,991 --> 00:19:43,129 and in you. 455 00:19:43,129 --> 00:19:45,211 It's the life and character of Jesus 456 00:19:45,211 --> 00:19:47,204 flowing through us. 457 00:19:47,204 --> 00:19:48,982 Evidenced by what? 458 00:19:48,982 --> 00:19:52,150 Evidenced by obedience to His Word. 459 00:19:52,150 --> 00:19:53,583 Look at verse 10. 460 00:19:53,583 --> 00:19:55,573 "If you keep My commandments, 461 00:19:55,573 --> 00:19:56,917 you will abide in My love, 462 00:19:56,927 --> 00:19:59,159 just as I have kept My Father's commandments 463 00:19:59,159 --> 00:20:01,139 and abide in His love." 464 00:20:01,139 --> 00:20:02,907 What else will it look like? 465 00:20:02,907 --> 00:20:05,679 It will be joy manifesting in your life, 466 00:20:05,679 --> 00:20:06,975 the fruit of the Spirit. 467 00:20:06,975 --> 00:20:08,320 Look at verse 11. 468 00:20:08,320 --> 00:20:10,127 "These things I have spoken to you 469 00:20:10,127 --> 00:20:14,912 that My (Jesus') joy may be in you." 470 00:20:14,912 --> 00:20:17,441 It's not a joy that we produce. 471 00:20:17,441 --> 00:20:21,944 It is Jesus Christ's joy flowing in and through us. 472 00:20:21,944 --> 00:20:23,342 What else will it look like? 473 00:20:23,342 --> 00:20:26,491 It will look like verse 12 if we were to step another verse out. 474 00:20:26,491 --> 00:20:30,619 The love of Jesus Christ manifesting through us. 475 00:20:30,619 --> 00:20:31,922 "This is My commandment 476 00:20:31,922 --> 00:20:33,211 that you love one another 477 00:20:33,211 --> 00:20:35,801 as I have loved you" 478 00:20:35,801 --> 00:20:39,376 "...as I have loved you." 479 00:20:39,376 --> 00:20:42,222 And the other evidence of that will be in verse 2. 480 00:20:42,222 --> 00:20:44,874 That you're being pruned by the Father. 481 00:20:44,874 --> 00:20:47,873 We're going to talk about the pruning of the Father tomorrow. 482 00:20:47,873 --> 00:20:49,159 What does that look like? 483 00:20:49,159 --> 00:20:51,027 But one of the things I'll tell you, 484 00:20:51,027 --> 00:20:52,969 one of the ways the Father does prune us 485 00:20:52,969 --> 00:20:55,495 is through chastening us. 486 00:20:55,495 --> 00:20:57,387 When we have disobeyed the Lord, 487 00:20:57,387 --> 00:20:58,696 He comes and He chastens us 488 00:20:58,696 --> 00:21:00,299 to bring us back. 489 00:21:00,299 --> 00:21:01,851 So if you sit here this evening 490 00:21:01,851 --> 00:21:02,815 and you say, 491 00:21:02,815 --> 00:21:03,991 don't worry about me, 492 00:21:03,991 --> 00:21:05,012 I'm good. 493 00:21:05,012 --> 00:21:06,370 I know the doctrine. 494 00:21:06,370 --> 00:21:08,074 I've made the profession of faith, 495 00:21:08,074 --> 00:21:09,915 and I've walked the aisle. 496 00:21:09,915 --> 00:21:11,750 But is there fruit in your life? 497 00:21:11,750 --> 00:21:13,503 Do you see the love of Christ 498 00:21:13,503 --> 00:21:15,564 flowing through your life? 499 00:21:15,564 --> 00:21:18,914 Do you see joy in Jesus 500 00:21:18,914 --> 00:21:21,647 and Jesus' joy working in and through you? 501 00:21:21,647 --> 00:21:25,007 Do you find it burdensome to keep His commandments? 502 00:21:25,007 --> 00:21:27,662 Or are those the desire of your heart? 503 00:21:27,662 --> 00:21:31,161 Do you see His love working in and through you? 504 00:21:31,161 --> 00:21:33,873 And beloved, when we look for these fruits in our life, 505 00:21:33,873 --> 00:21:35,840 it's important that we do this. 506 00:21:35,840 --> 00:21:40,248 We're not talking about just in some big areas of your life. 507 00:21:40,248 --> 00:21:41,321 How about this? 508 00:21:41,321 --> 00:21:44,352 If we can't point to the Sunday mornings, 509 00:21:44,352 --> 00:21:49,357 but in the small, mundane, street-level living of your life, 510 00:21:49,357 --> 00:21:53,994 do you see the fruit of Jesus Christ, 511 00:21:53,994 --> 00:21:56,852 His peace and His love. 512 00:21:56,852 --> 00:21:59,988 How about in the way that you respond to people? 513 00:21:59,988 --> 00:22:03,203 And again, we're talking about a direction of life. 514 00:22:03,203 --> 00:22:05,959 Not a perfection of life. 515 00:22:05,959 --> 00:22:07,952 But since your conversion, 516 00:22:07,952 --> 00:22:13,343 do you see these realities flowing out of your life? 517 00:22:13,343 --> 00:22:17,840 Do you see Christlikeness? 518 00:22:17,840 --> 00:22:20,374 Another thing I'm not asking in that 519 00:22:20,374 --> 00:22:23,838 is I'm not asking, could there be more? 520 00:22:23,838 --> 00:22:25,341 Of course, there could be more. 521 00:22:25,341 --> 00:22:27,123 That's what this text is about, 522 00:22:27,123 --> 00:22:29,438 is God the Father, the vine dresser, 523 00:22:29,438 --> 00:22:32,249 pruning us to produce more fruit. 524 00:22:32,249 --> 00:22:34,037 So when we look at our lives to say, 525 00:22:34,037 --> 00:22:36,089 am I really in Christ? 526 00:22:36,089 --> 00:22:37,508 Is there really fruit in me? 527 00:22:37,508 --> 00:22:39,845 The question is not could there be more. 528 00:22:39,845 --> 00:22:41,823 Of course, there could be more. 529 00:22:41,823 --> 00:22:46,229 But is there the reality of it? 530 00:22:46,229 --> 00:22:48,193 When we look at our lives, 531 00:22:48,193 --> 00:22:49,919 honestly, before the Lord, 532 00:22:49,919 --> 00:22:53,081 is there the reality of the fruit of Christ 533 00:22:53,081 --> 00:22:57,592 seen in our lives? 534 00:22:57,592 --> 00:23:01,079 Let me tell you something that's not being taught here, 535 00:23:01,079 --> 00:23:03,482 that's really important for us to see. 536 00:23:03,482 --> 00:23:07,520 Jesus is not teaching here in verse 6 537 00:23:07,520 --> 00:23:11,063 that those who are in Christ, if they don't produce fruit, 538 00:23:11,063 --> 00:23:12,606 are cut off. 539 00:23:12,606 --> 00:23:15,151 Meaning that's He's not saying that we are Christians 540 00:23:15,151 --> 00:23:17,085 and then we don't produce enough fruit, 541 00:23:17,085 --> 00:23:19,977 so He cuts us off and throws us into the fire. 542 00:23:19,977 --> 00:23:21,560 One of the things we need to see 543 00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:23,445 as we read through the New Testament, 544 00:23:23,445 --> 00:23:27,465 and it's really explicit here in the Gospel of John, 545 00:23:27,465 --> 00:23:29,301 is that there are many people 546 00:23:29,301 --> 00:23:34,719 who give outward evidence of seeming to be in Christ. 547 00:23:34,719 --> 00:23:36,815 In other words, they're called disciples, 548 00:23:36,815 --> 00:23:38,392 referred to as disciples, 549 00:23:38,392 --> 00:23:41,449 or they're referred to as believers, 550 00:23:41,449 --> 00:23:43,526 but because they do not bear fruit, 551 00:23:43,526 --> 00:23:45,114 they are removed. 552 00:23:45,114 --> 00:23:46,357 And one evidence of that, 553 00:23:46,357 --> 00:23:47,955 you can look, 554 00:23:47,955 --> 00:23:51,370 is in John 6 if you'll peek back there with me real quick. 555 00:23:51,370 --> 00:23:54,549 In John 6:66, 556 00:23:54,549 --> 00:23:57,068 listen to how John writes. 557 00:23:57,068 --> 00:23:58,462 He says, "After this, 558 00:23:58,462 --> 00:24:01,089 many of His (Jesus') disciples 559 00:24:01,089 --> 00:24:05,906 turned back and no longer walked with Him." 560 00:24:05,906 --> 00:24:09,311 You have people that Scripture refers to as disciples, 561 00:24:09,311 --> 00:24:11,837 followers, pupils of Jesus. 562 00:24:11,837 --> 00:24:13,398 And outwardly, they were. 563 00:24:13,398 --> 00:24:15,418 And momentarily, they were. 564 00:24:15,418 --> 00:24:17,173 And they're referred to as that. 565 00:24:17,173 --> 00:24:19,377 But we know they're not genuinely in Him, 566 00:24:19,377 --> 00:24:21,941 because they don't persevere to the end. 567 00:24:21,941 --> 00:24:23,978 But there are many who are referred to 568 00:24:23,978 --> 00:24:25,983 as disciples or believers. 569 00:24:25,983 --> 00:24:28,446 As we're turning back, we can stop in chapter 8 570 00:24:28,446 --> 00:24:30,254 and see another example of that. 571 00:24:30,254 --> 00:24:32,973 In chapter 8:31, it says, 572 00:24:32,973 --> 00:24:34,682 "So Jesus said to the Jews 573 00:24:34,682 --> 00:24:37,192 who had believed in Him." 574 00:24:37,192 --> 00:24:39,871 Here we have people who say they have believed in Jesus. 575 00:24:39,871 --> 00:24:42,244 But if we follow that to the end of the chapter, 576 00:24:42,244 --> 00:24:45,667 in verse 59, look what these so-called believers 577 00:24:45,667 --> 00:24:47,196 in Jesus are doing. 578 00:24:47,196 --> 00:24:50,065 "So they picked up stones to throw at Him, 579 00:24:50,065 --> 00:24:54,830 but Jesus hid Himself and He went out of the temple." 580 00:24:54,830 --> 00:24:57,162 What we see as the testimony of Scripture, 581 00:24:57,162 --> 00:24:59,106 is that there are people who are 582 00:24:59,106 --> 00:25:01,224 referred to as disciples; 583 00:25:01,224 --> 00:25:03,316 people who are referred to as believers; 584 00:25:03,316 --> 00:25:06,327 but they do not persevere unto the end. 585 00:25:06,327 --> 00:25:07,923 So when Jesus says here, 586 00:25:07,923 --> 00:25:10,489 all those in Me who do not bear fruit; 587 00:25:10,489 --> 00:25:13,507 He's not saying these are Christians who are cut off, 588 00:25:13,507 --> 00:25:16,977 but people who give the appearance of being in Jesus, 589 00:25:16,977 --> 00:25:18,917 but because they don't bear fruit, 590 00:25:18,917 --> 00:25:20,889 the vine dresser, the Father, 591 00:25:20,889 --> 00:25:23,496 He comes in and He removes them. 592 00:25:23,496 --> 00:25:25,463 There's other evidences here in the text 593 00:25:25,463 --> 00:25:27,142 if you look grammatically as well, 594 00:25:27,142 --> 00:25:28,502 that we could point to. 595 00:25:28,502 --> 00:25:31,194 In other words, how do you use the prepositional phrase 596 00:25:31,194 --> 00:25:32,442 "in Jesus?" 597 00:25:32,442 --> 00:25:34,615 Should "in Jesus" refer to the fruit? 598 00:25:34,615 --> 00:25:38,208 Or should it modify those that Jesus is speaking to? 599 00:25:38,208 --> 00:25:41,512 Six other times here in the Gospel of John, 600 00:25:41,512 --> 00:25:45,097 the word "in Christ" here is used 601 00:25:45,097 --> 00:25:47,310 to modify the fruit that people produce; 602 00:25:47,310 --> 00:25:49,421 not necessarily they themselves. 603 00:25:49,421 --> 00:25:51,261 But throughout the testimony of John, 604 00:25:51,261 --> 00:25:52,955 through the testimony of Scripture, 605 00:25:52,955 --> 00:25:55,735 and also if we were to look at it in grammatical structure, 606 00:25:55,735 --> 00:25:57,132 I think it clearly shows us 607 00:25:57,132 --> 00:25:58,941 that these are not people 608 00:25:58,941 --> 00:26:01,021 who are genuinely in Christ, 609 00:26:01,021 --> 00:26:02,669 and truly abiding in Him, 610 00:26:02,669 --> 00:26:04,061 and then are cut off. 611 00:26:04,061 --> 00:26:06,738 Because all those that God justifies 612 00:26:06,738 --> 00:26:10,323 we know, in the end, He glorifies. 613 00:26:10,323 --> 00:26:12,934 The Father is the vine dresser. 614 00:26:12,934 --> 00:26:15,146 He purges and takes away those 615 00:26:15,146 --> 00:26:17,408 who do not bear fruit. 616 00:26:17,408 --> 00:26:19,215 But look back with me at verse 2. 617 00:26:19,215 --> 00:26:22,153 He says that every branch in Jesus 618 00:26:22,153 --> 00:26:24,408 that does bear fruit, 619 00:26:24,408 --> 00:26:26,138 what does He do with them? 620 00:26:26,138 --> 00:26:28,093 He prunes them. 621 00:26:28,093 --> 00:26:29,581 Why? 622 00:26:29,581 --> 00:26:33,373 That they may bear more fruit. 623 00:26:33,373 --> 00:26:37,791 Take note with me the intimacy here. 624 00:26:37,791 --> 00:26:41,256 Every branch 625 00:26:41,256 --> 00:26:46,232 that is in Jesus - truly in Jesus, 626 00:26:46,232 --> 00:26:51,961 God the Father prunes. 627 00:26:51,961 --> 00:26:54,163 There's an intimacy there. 628 00:26:54,163 --> 00:26:58,108 A very deep intimacy. 629 00:26:58,108 --> 00:26:59,845 We know the Bible talks about 630 00:26:59,845 --> 00:27:01,670 His understanding of us physically. 631 00:27:01,670 --> 00:27:03,661 He knows the number of hairs on our head. 632 00:27:03,661 --> 00:27:06,119 But I want you to get the picture here spiritually, 633 00:27:06,119 --> 00:27:11,549 of the Father's attention to your spiritual fruitfulness. 634 00:27:11,549 --> 00:27:12,874 I don't know about you, 635 00:27:12,874 --> 00:27:14,777 but that brings me a lot of comfort. 636 00:27:14,777 --> 00:27:16,654 When I read that God the Father, 637 00:27:16,654 --> 00:27:21,107 the vine dresser, He prunes every single branch 638 00:27:21,107 --> 00:27:24,588 that is in Jesus Christ. 639 00:27:24,588 --> 00:27:27,249 He doesn't miss one of them. 640 00:27:27,249 --> 00:27:29,494 I know pastorally, we are called 641 00:27:29,494 --> 00:27:30,986 to be undershepherds. 642 00:27:30,986 --> 00:27:33,740 We are called to be in the life of the people 643 00:27:33,740 --> 00:27:35,595 that God has entrusted to our care. 644 00:27:35,595 --> 00:27:38,013 We are to be an example to them. 645 00:27:38,013 --> 00:27:39,169 We are to feed them. 646 00:27:39,169 --> 00:27:41,347 We are to teach them. 647 00:27:41,347 --> 00:27:43,004 We are to protect them. 648 00:27:43,004 --> 00:27:45,234 But I can tell you this, 649 00:27:45,234 --> 00:27:48,988 sometimes some of them slip through. 650 00:27:48,988 --> 00:27:52,509 Not out of a desire - we pray that it wouldn't happen. 651 00:27:52,509 --> 00:27:54,804 But just out of how much time we have 652 00:27:54,804 --> 00:27:56,929 in study and preparation and prayer 653 00:27:56,929 --> 00:27:59,013 and being in the lives of people. 654 00:27:59,013 --> 00:28:03,024 Sometimes we don't get to some people. 655 00:28:03,024 --> 00:28:05,182 But I want you to know this. 656 00:28:05,182 --> 00:28:10,590 That never, ever happens with God the Father. 657 00:28:10,590 --> 00:28:14,682 Not one single branch slips through. 658 00:28:14,682 --> 00:28:17,733 Not one single branch that is in Jesus Christ 659 00:28:17,733 --> 00:28:20,147 goes unnoticed. 660 00:28:20,147 --> 00:28:23,113 God the Father is intimately concerned 661 00:28:23,113 --> 00:28:26,970 with your fruit bearing in this life. 662 00:28:26,970 --> 00:28:30,045 He is tending to it continually. 663 00:28:30,045 --> 00:28:32,847 When He says He prunes every branch, 664 00:28:32,847 --> 00:28:34,284 it's in the present tense. 665 00:28:34,284 --> 00:28:37,872 God the Father is actively, at all times, 666 00:28:37,872 --> 00:28:40,959 in the life of every branch, pruning you 667 00:28:40,959 --> 00:28:44,360 that you may bear more fruit. 668 00:28:44,360 --> 00:28:46,316 That should bring us a level of comfort. 669 00:28:46,316 --> 00:28:48,423 Again, when we've been regenerated, 670 00:28:48,423 --> 00:28:50,299 our heart beats and says, 671 00:28:50,299 --> 00:28:52,029 God, I want to glorify You. 672 00:28:52,029 --> 00:28:53,120 And then we read here, 673 00:28:53,120 --> 00:28:54,943 that happens through bearing fruit. 674 00:28:54,943 --> 00:28:56,637 But if He were to leave you alone, 675 00:28:56,637 --> 00:28:58,370 and say, now go bear fruit, 676 00:28:58,370 --> 00:29:00,338 it couldn't be accomplished. 677 00:29:00,338 --> 00:29:02,132 We're not faithful enough. 678 00:29:02,132 --> 00:29:03,669 We don't have the power. 679 00:29:03,669 --> 00:29:05,584 We don't have the life within us. 680 00:29:05,584 --> 00:29:07,770 But God the Father is concerned 681 00:29:07,770 --> 00:29:11,106 with the same thing that we're concerned for. 682 00:29:11,106 --> 00:29:14,444 He is concerned with your conformity 683 00:29:14,444 --> 00:29:16,822 into the image of Jesus Christ, 684 00:29:16,822 --> 00:29:19,334 and in that, He gets glory. 685 00:29:19,334 --> 00:29:21,240 How comforting it is for me 686 00:29:21,240 --> 00:29:23,979 to see the intimacy of God the Father. 687 00:29:23,979 --> 00:29:26,427 In fact, we know it's a triune working here 688 00:29:26,427 --> 00:29:29,614 between the Father, the Son, and the Spirit 689 00:29:29,614 --> 00:29:32,672 in our fruit bearing. 690 00:29:32,672 --> 00:29:35,288 We've read in other places in Scripture 691 00:29:35,288 --> 00:29:37,885 that God works all things together for good. 692 00:29:37,885 --> 00:29:40,981 Do you know what the good is in that context? 693 00:29:40,981 --> 00:29:44,184 Your conformity to Jesus Christ. 694 00:29:44,184 --> 00:29:45,554 And when we look tomorrow at 695 00:29:45,554 --> 00:29:48,699 how the Father prunes 696 00:29:48,699 --> 00:29:51,126 His people. 697 00:29:51,126 --> 00:29:53,089 And we're going to begin to see 698 00:29:53,089 --> 00:29:55,195 that the sovereign hand of God 699 00:29:55,195 --> 00:29:58,578 is over every single thing in your life 700 00:29:58,578 --> 00:30:00,977 at this time. 701 00:30:00,977 --> 00:30:04,258 And He is working it, pruning it, 702 00:30:04,258 --> 00:30:07,671 to produce fruitfulness in you. 703 00:30:07,671 --> 00:30:12,756 Beloved, that should bring us much comfort. 704 00:30:12,756 --> 00:30:13,573 Now know this, 705 00:30:13,573 --> 00:30:16,567 that does not remove the responsibility you have 706 00:30:16,567 --> 00:30:18,770 in living out the Christian life. 707 00:30:18,770 --> 00:30:20,517 But I'll tell you what it does do, 708 00:30:20,517 --> 00:30:23,851 it gives hope to the responsibility 709 00:30:23,851 --> 00:30:25,370 to glorify God. 710 00:30:25,370 --> 00:30:29,789 It gives hope to it. 711 00:30:29,789 --> 00:30:32,697 Well, there's one more thing I want to focus on 712 00:30:32,697 --> 00:30:35,016 for our attention tonight. 713 00:30:35,016 --> 00:30:39,056 And then on Saturday, we'll look at this foundation. 714 00:30:39,056 --> 00:30:41,039 And look at what does it mean to abide 715 00:30:41,039 --> 00:30:42,948 and how do we abide. 716 00:30:42,948 --> 00:30:45,862 And how does the Father prune us in these things. 717 00:30:45,862 --> 00:30:48,164 But one of the things that we need to see here 718 00:30:48,164 --> 00:30:50,226 that's very important: 719 00:30:50,226 --> 00:30:53,965 Jesus Christ knows that when He starts talking 720 00:30:53,965 --> 00:30:59,416 about glorifying God and producing fruit, 721 00:30:59,416 --> 00:31:03,008 that all true believers hear that kind of talk, 722 00:31:03,008 --> 00:31:05,484 and they get excited. 723 00:31:05,484 --> 00:31:07,626 They get excited about that. 724 00:31:07,626 --> 00:31:09,818 They get excited about God being glorified. 725 00:31:09,818 --> 00:31:13,062 And they get excited about producing fruit for His glory. 726 00:31:13,062 --> 00:31:15,834 And He knows though when we hear those things 727 00:31:15,834 --> 00:31:16,960 and we get excited, 728 00:31:16,960 --> 00:31:18,964 that we have a tendency. 729 00:31:18,964 --> 00:31:20,984 And the tendency is this, 730 00:31:20,984 --> 00:31:24,312 that we will begin to find our identity 731 00:31:24,312 --> 00:31:27,855 and our right standing based on 732 00:31:27,855 --> 00:31:30,394 the fruit that we bear. 733 00:31:30,394 --> 00:31:32,483 He wants us to bear fruit. 734 00:31:32,483 --> 00:31:35,490 The whole analogy or parable is about bearing fruit. 735 00:31:35,490 --> 00:31:36,952 We want to bear fruit. 736 00:31:36,952 --> 00:31:38,614 We want to glorify God. 737 00:31:38,614 --> 00:31:40,020 So what we begin to do is 738 00:31:40,020 --> 00:31:41,820 we begin to say, let's run off 739 00:31:41,820 --> 00:31:43,249 and go bear some fruit, 740 00:31:43,249 --> 00:31:44,863 but He's afraid we will begin to 741 00:31:44,863 --> 00:31:46,233 find our identity, 742 00:31:46,233 --> 00:31:49,499 He's afraid we will begin to find our right standing 743 00:31:49,499 --> 00:31:52,069 before the Father based on the amount 744 00:31:52,069 --> 00:31:54,133 of fruit that we bear. 745 00:31:54,133 --> 00:31:55,910 And He doesn't want that. 746 00:31:55,910 --> 00:31:59,038 So what does He do to keep us 747 00:31:59,038 --> 00:32:01,902 from finding our identity or right standing 748 00:32:01,902 --> 00:32:05,914 or our acceptance based upon the amount of fruit that we bear? 749 00:32:05,914 --> 00:32:08,850 He reminds us of something. 750 00:32:08,850 --> 00:32:12,081 Look at verse 3. 751 00:32:12,081 --> 00:32:15,261 "Already you are clean 752 00:32:15,261 --> 00:32:20,408 because of the Word I have spoken to you." 753 00:32:20,408 --> 00:32:23,239 What's the Word He's spoken to them? 754 00:32:23,239 --> 00:32:27,839 Think back with me about John 14:6. 755 00:32:27,839 --> 00:32:30,900 "I am the way, the truth, and the life 756 00:32:30,900 --> 00:32:33,910 and no one comes to the Father but by Me." 757 00:32:33,910 --> 00:32:37,065 The disciples who were following Jesus here, 758 00:32:37,065 --> 00:32:39,337 have put their faith and trust 759 00:32:39,337 --> 00:32:43,136 in the words that Jesus has spoken to them. 760 00:32:43,136 --> 00:32:45,291 He is the Lamb of God. 761 00:32:45,291 --> 00:32:47,685 He takes away sin. 762 00:32:47,685 --> 00:32:49,134 And He tells them here, 763 00:32:49,134 --> 00:32:50,826 I don't want you to forget this. 764 00:32:50,826 --> 00:32:53,500 Already you are clean 765 00:32:53,500 --> 00:32:56,744 by the Word I have spoken to you. 766 00:32:56,744 --> 00:32:59,294 And I hope that brings hope to all of us. 767 00:32:59,294 --> 00:33:01,251 In our desire to glorify God 768 00:33:01,251 --> 00:33:03,880 and knowing that it comes from bearing much fruit, 769 00:33:03,880 --> 00:33:06,384 we cannot lose sight of the reality 770 00:33:06,384 --> 00:33:10,024 that we are already clean. 771 00:33:10,024 --> 00:33:12,454 How clean are we 772 00:33:12,454 --> 00:33:15,928 because of the Word He has spoken to us? 773 00:33:15,928 --> 00:33:18,821 We are perfectly clean. 774 00:33:18,821 --> 00:33:19,998 We are washed. 775 00:33:19,998 --> 00:33:21,344 The crimson has been washed 776 00:33:21,344 --> 00:33:24,412 as white as snow is now. 777 00:33:24,412 --> 00:33:27,873 Beloved, we cannot improve upon perfection. 778 00:33:27,873 --> 00:33:29,303 And Jesus knows, 779 00:33:29,303 --> 00:33:31,761 if you forget this, 780 00:33:31,761 --> 00:33:33,641 then you will strive to bear fruit 781 00:33:33,641 --> 00:33:35,521 to gain acceptance from the Father, 782 00:33:35,521 --> 00:33:37,798 but that's not how it works. 783 00:33:37,798 --> 00:33:39,908 I don't want you to forget 784 00:33:39,908 --> 00:33:43,964 that you are already clean. 785 00:33:43,964 --> 00:33:45,700 When I read through that, 786 00:33:45,700 --> 00:33:47,485 that you are already clean, 787 00:33:47,485 --> 00:33:50,190 it reminded me of something else in the book of John. 788 00:33:50,190 --> 00:33:52,336 Turn back to John 13. 789 00:33:52,336 --> 00:33:54,492 Do you remember what is happening in John 13? 790 00:33:54,492 --> 00:33:56,777 Jesus is sitting around with the disciples. 791 00:33:56,777 --> 00:33:59,649 He begins to wash the disciples' feet. 792 00:33:59,649 --> 00:34:02,694 He says I'm giving you an example here. 793 00:34:02,694 --> 00:34:05,397 And we know Peter sees Jesus get down 794 00:34:05,397 --> 00:34:08,041 to wash his feet and he begins to struggle with that. 795 00:34:08,041 --> 00:34:09,053 Look at verse 7. 796 00:34:09,053 --> 00:34:10,683 "But Jesus answered to him, 797 00:34:10,683 --> 00:34:12,881 'what I am doing, you do not understand now, 798 00:34:12,881 --> 00:34:15,369 but afterwards you will understand.' 799 00:34:15,369 --> 00:34:16,694 And Peter said to Him, 800 00:34:16,694 --> 00:34:18,672 'You shall never wash my feet.' 801 00:34:18,672 --> 00:34:19,816 And Jesus answered him, 802 00:34:19,816 --> 00:34:21,267 'If I do not wash you, 803 00:34:21,267 --> 00:34:23,330 you have no share with Me.' 804 00:34:23,330 --> 00:34:24,739 So Simon Peter said to Him, 805 00:34:24,739 --> 00:34:26,165 'Lord, not my feet only, 806 00:34:26,165 --> 00:34:28,425 but also my hands and my head.' 807 00:34:28,425 --> 00:34:29,689 But Jesus said to him, 808 00:34:29,689 --> 00:34:31,345 (look at verse 10 here) 809 00:34:31,345 --> 00:34:35,171 'The one who has bathed, does not need to wash, 810 00:34:35,171 --> 00:34:36,290 except for his feet, 811 00:34:36,290 --> 00:34:38,827 but is completely clean. 812 00:34:38,827 --> 00:34:41,279 And you are clean, 813 00:34:41,279 --> 00:34:43,928 but not every one of you.'" 814 00:34:43,928 --> 00:34:46,920 Just like He said here in chapter 15:3. 815 00:34:46,920 --> 00:34:49,609 You're already clean, by the Word 816 00:34:49,609 --> 00:34:51,239 that I have spoken to you. 817 00:34:51,239 --> 00:34:53,531 Simon, you are already clean. 818 00:34:53,531 --> 00:34:55,320 You don't need to be bathed again, 819 00:34:55,320 --> 00:34:57,776 just your feet here. 820 00:34:57,776 --> 00:34:59,738 And really what is happening here - 821 00:34:59,738 --> 00:35:03,313 there's a play on words happening here. 822 00:35:03,313 --> 00:35:06,824 Because this pruning that the Father 823 00:35:06,824 --> 00:35:08,465 is going to do in verse 2, 824 00:35:08,465 --> 00:35:10,515 is really the same root word 825 00:35:10,515 --> 00:35:15,231 as the clean word here in verse 3. 826 00:35:15,231 --> 00:35:18,191 So it's kind of like Jesus is saying this: 827 00:35:18,191 --> 00:35:22,720 You are already pruned. Completely. 828 00:35:22,720 --> 00:35:25,288 Now the Father's going to prune you. 829 00:35:25,288 --> 00:35:27,228 You are already clean, 830 00:35:27,228 --> 00:35:29,391 but He's going to clean you. 831 00:35:29,391 --> 00:35:31,614 And we see that understanding 832 00:35:31,614 --> 00:35:32,950 in what we talk about 833 00:35:32,950 --> 00:35:35,698 the already-but-not-yet. 834 00:35:35,698 --> 00:35:38,230 In Jesus Christ, through our union with Him, 835 00:35:38,230 --> 00:35:40,841 through faith in His death, burial, and resurrection, 836 00:35:40,841 --> 00:35:43,760 we are perfectly clean. 837 00:35:43,760 --> 00:35:45,937 But in the living here on earth 838 00:35:45,937 --> 00:35:48,893 in this life and the reality of that being expressed 839 00:35:48,893 --> 00:35:50,025 and lived through us, 840 00:35:50,025 --> 00:35:51,668 it's still becoming more and more 841 00:35:51,668 --> 00:35:53,261 of a reality. 842 00:35:53,261 --> 00:35:55,681 And what Jesus doesn't want us to lose sight of 843 00:35:55,681 --> 00:35:58,573 is you're already clean. 844 00:35:58,573 --> 00:36:02,914 The writer of Hebrews spoke about this in Hebrews 10:14. 845 00:36:02,914 --> 00:36:05,407 He said, "by a single offering, 846 00:36:05,407 --> 00:36:07,556 He has perfected for all time, 847 00:36:07,556 --> 00:36:10,095 those who are being sanctified." 848 00:36:10,095 --> 00:36:11,556 Or as a single offering, 849 00:36:11,556 --> 00:36:14,083 He has sanctified completely holy 850 00:36:14,083 --> 00:36:17,489 for all time those who are being sanctified. 851 00:36:17,489 --> 00:36:18,614 Meaning what? 852 00:36:18,614 --> 00:36:20,563 We are already clean. 853 00:36:20,563 --> 00:36:23,690 We are sanctified in Jesus Christ, 854 00:36:23,690 --> 00:36:27,565 but we are being sanctified here on this earth. 855 00:36:27,565 --> 00:36:30,054 You are already clean in Jesus Christ, 856 00:36:30,054 --> 00:36:31,846 but the vine dresser, the Father, 857 00:36:31,846 --> 00:36:33,405 is going to prune you 858 00:36:33,405 --> 00:36:36,067 to make more of the heavenly reality 859 00:36:36,067 --> 00:36:38,493 regarding our standing, a reality here on earth 860 00:36:38,493 --> 00:36:40,439 in the life that we live. 861 00:36:40,439 --> 00:36:43,127 This is what the Father is committed to. 862 00:36:43,127 --> 00:36:45,002 We cannot lose sight here, 863 00:36:45,002 --> 00:36:46,927 that we are already clean 864 00:36:46,927 --> 00:36:53,285 in the finished work of Jesus Christ. 865 00:36:53,285 --> 00:36:55,136 Another thing I would say about verse 3 866 00:36:55,136 --> 00:36:56,531 that He's helping us with, 867 00:36:56,531 --> 00:36:59,040 which will lead us to the next session on Saturday is this: 868 00:36:59,040 --> 00:37:00,619 You've heard people talk about 869 00:37:00,619 --> 00:37:04,166 what we say is the indicatives driving the imperatives? 870 00:37:04,166 --> 00:37:06,214 The indicatives are the mood tenses here 871 00:37:06,214 --> 00:37:07,719 of the words in Greek. 872 00:37:07,719 --> 00:37:10,521 And the indicative is a statement of fact. 873 00:37:10,521 --> 00:37:12,807 And what we see in the testimony of Scripture 874 00:37:12,807 --> 00:37:14,815 before there's an imperative given, 875 00:37:14,815 --> 00:37:17,396 often an indicative - a statement of fact, 876 00:37:17,396 --> 00:37:19,971 a truth about who Jesus is, 877 00:37:19,971 --> 00:37:21,976 a truth about what Jesus has accomplished, 878 00:37:21,976 --> 00:37:24,849 a truth, a reality about who we are, 879 00:37:24,849 --> 00:37:26,532 united to Him in faith, 880 00:37:26,532 --> 00:37:28,406 is given to us as a reminder 881 00:37:28,406 --> 00:37:30,747 to lead us in with right motivation 882 00:37:30,747 --> 00:37:33,021 into the commands that God gives us. 883 00:37:33,021 --> 00:37:35,724 The entire book of Ephesians is divided up like that. 884 00:37:35,724 --> 00:37:38,315 Chapters 1-3 are all the truths 885 00:37:38,315 --> 00:37:39,741 concerning who Christ is and 886 00:37:39,741 --> 00:37:41,482 what He has accomplished, 887 00:37:41,482 --> 00:37:42,593 and then in chapter 4, 888 00:37:42,593 --> 00:37:44,867 we are are to live in light of those realities 889 00:37:44,867 --> 00:37:47,117 as he moved into the practical aspect 890 00:37:47,117 --> 00:37:49,215 of living out Christianity. 891 00:37:49,215 --> 00:37:51,447 Well, the same thing is being taught here. 892 00:37:51,447 --> 00:37:53,678 Verse 3 is the indicative. 893 00:37:53,678 --> 00:37:55,627 You're already clean. 894 00:37:55,627 --> 00:37:58,255 That's a statement of fact that will never be changed. 895 00:37:58,255 --> 00:37:59,841 It was secured by Christ. 896 00:37:59,841 --> 00:38:02,469 It was applied to us through faith. 897 00:38:02,469 --> 00:38:06,274 But what's the imperative that He gives us? 898 00:38:06,274 --> 00:38:07,802 It's in verse 4. 899 00:38:07,802 --> 00:38:09,975 "Now abide in Me." 900 00:38:09,975 --> 00:38:12,254 But beloved, before we go to verse 4, 901 00:38:12,254 --> 00:38:15,869 we have to be convinced of verse 3. 902 00:38:15,869 --> 00:38:18,648 You have to know that you have a right standing 903 00:38:18,648 --> 00:38:20,677 with God forever 904 00:38:20,677 --> 00:38:23,251 in the finished work of Jesus Christ. 905 00:38:23,251 --> 00:38:25,863 You cannot move on to verse 4, 906 00:38:25,863 --> 00:38:27,778 which is abiding in Jesus, 907 00:38:27,778 --> 00:38:29,491 which leads to the fruit bearing, 908 00:38:29,491 --> 00:38:30,825 which brings glory to God, 909 00:38:30,825 --> 00:38:33,728 until you have a right understanding of verse 3. 910 00:38:33,728 --> 00:38:36,925 Think of the kindness of the Lord 911 00:38:36,925 --> 00:38:38,889 that as He gives us this imperative, 912 00:38:38,889 --> 00:38:40,416 "Abide in Me," 913 00:38:40,416 --> 00:38:42,074 first, He reminds you; 914 00:38:42,074 --> 00:38:46,666 Do not forget you are already clean. 915 00:38:46,666 --> 00:38:49,334 Very kind of the Lord 916 00:38:49,334 --> 00:38:54,586 in how He gives us information in His Word here. 917 00:38:54,586 --> 00:38:56,657 What have we learned so far here 918 00:38:56,657 --> 00:38:59,061 in just these first three verses? 919 00:38:59,061 --> 00:39:00,110 We have learned this: 920 00:39:00,110 --> 00:39:06,931 God is glorified in us bearing much fruit. 921 00:39:06,931 --> 00:39:10,624 We have learned that Jesus is the true vine. 922 00:39:10,624 --> 00:39:12,548 He is the all-sufficient Savior 923 00:39:12,548 --> 00:39:16,121 and there is no fruit that will be born in our lives 924 00:39:16,121 --> 00:39:19,670 apart from us abiding in Him. 925 00:39:19,670 --> 00:39:22,585 Left alone, we do not bear fruit. 926 00:39:22,585 --> 00:39:24,046 What else have we learned? 927 00:39:24,046 --> 00:39:27,450 God the Father is the vine dresser. 928 00:39:27,450 --> 00:39:32,521 He is pruning every single branch continuously 929 00:39:32,521 --> 00:39:35,920 to drive them to Jesus Christ. 930 00:39:35,920 --> 00:39:41,088 He is committed to your growth in sanctification. 931 00:39:41,088 --> 00:39:42,585 And above all this we learned, 932 00:39:42,585 --> 00:39:44,187 and don't you dare forget, 933 00:39:44,187 --> 00:39:45,900 that we are already clean 934 00:39:45,900 --> 00:39:48,416 because of the Word that Jesus spoke to us 935 00:39:48,416 --> 00:39:51,551 that He is the all-sufficient Savior 936 00:39:51,551 --> 00:39:53,173 and through our faith in Him, 937 00:39:53,173 --> 00:39:55,159 we are already clean. 938 00:39:55,159 --> 00:39:57,296 And if those things are true, beloved, 939 00:39:57,296 --> 00:39:59,303 we have a foundation now that we're going 940 00:39:59,303 --> 00:40:00,752 to come back to on Saturday, 941 00:40:00,752 --> 00:40:02,980 and understand then how do I abide? 942 00:40:02,980 --> 00:40:04,866 Or what does this abiding look like? 943 00:40:04,866 --> 00:40:07,712 And exactly what does this pruning of the Father look like? 944 00:40:07,712 --> 00:40:10,404 And what does it accomplish in our lives? 945 00:40:10,404 --> 00:40:14,026 And my prayer as I was leading up to what to preach, 946 00:40:14,026 --> 00:40:17,172 was that I would encourage you all. 947 00:40:17,172 --> 00:40:19,449 And I pray that as we get to Saturday, 948 00:40:19,449 --> 00:40:21,160 and we put these things together, 949 00:40:21,160 --> 00:40:24,325 that you are encouraged in Jesus Christ. 950 00:40:24,325 --> 00:40:25,990 That's my prayer for us all. 951 00:40:25,990 --> 00:40:27,384 Let's pray to that end 952 00:40:27,384 --> 00:40:28,874 that God would do that for us. 953 00:40:28,874 --> 00:40:34,167 And then we'll take a break. 954 00:40:34,167 --> 00:40:39,526 "God, we come to You again in the name of Jesus. 955 00:40:39,526 --> 00:40:44,967 God, would you ingrain these truths on our hearts? 956 00:40:44,967 --> 00:40:49,120 God, I confess that I am so often deceived 957 00:40:49,120 --> 00:40:52,775 that I can bear fruit apart from You. 958 00:40:52,775 --> 00:40:55,473 God, I thank You that You are committed 959 00:40:55,473 --> 00:40:58,973 to rescuing me from me. 960 00:40:58,973 --> 00:41:02,019 You are committed to bringing me back 961 00:41:02,019 --> 00:41:06,018 to the only source of life, power, 962 00:41:06,018 --> 00:41:08,336 and true fruit bearing: 963 00:41:08,336 --> 00:41:11,457 Your Son the true vine, Jesus Christ. 964 00:41:11,457 --> 00:41:13,454 God, we thank You again that in Him, 965 00:41:13,454 --> 00:41:15,402 we are already clean. 966 00:41:15,402 --> 00:41:17,460 God, right our motives as we seek to 967 00:41:17,460 --> 00:41:19,886 bear more fruit to Your glory. 968 00:41:19,886 --> 00:41:22,343 That's He has accomplished the right standing. 969 00:41:22,343 --> 00:41:24,130 And that we would live in light of 970 00:41:24,130 --> 00:41:27,535 that reality and bring glory to Your name. 971 00:41:27,535 --> 00:41:30,027 God, we need Your help as we spoke before. 972 00:41:30,027 --> 00:41:31,993 Open these things up to us, 973 00:41:31,993 --> 00:41:33,362 and prepare us. 974 00:41:33,362 --> 00:41:34,723 In the name of Jesus we pray 975 00:41:34,723 --> 00:41:35,915 and commit these things, 976 00:41:35,915 --> 00:41:38,484 Amen.