A Work In Progress

John 15:1-11

The verses below describes an allegory not a parable.

A parable is realistic; but an allegory may not be. In an allegory, Christ might be a door or a vine, believers might be sheep or branches.

v. 1 – I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.

Pruning – (v. 2 – he prunes us) – the removal or reduction of parts of a plant, tree or vine that are not requisite to growth or production, are no longer visually pleasing, or are injurious to the health or development of the plant.

As we read in the verses, we see that God desires to prune. In pruning, I believe that God is trying to get up to an understanding of what He wants from us. The purpose of pruning is to get you to bear:

I Fruit (verse 2)

II More Fruit (verse 2)

III Much More Fruit (verse 5)

God wants you to be a productive Christian, knowing Him and enjoying the benefits and blessing but also empowering the next generation to experience the same relationship with God.

Every thing you do in God is to be enjoyable and not miserable.

If you are in God, then you have been planted! Verse 2 – But God can take away any fruit He wants.

You must understand as we read that if any part is harmful to the growth of a plant, it is pruned out (cut off).

Many times delays look like setbacks. But some of you must realize that God is pruning you. Setbacks are setups to go to the next level.

Where you are today is not where God wants you to stay – MUCH MORE FRUIT!

You need to believe God through your relationship.

You develop trust through the relationship over the years.

But this comes through a PROCESS.

PROCESS:

A natural phenomenon marked by gradual changes that lead toward a particular result (2) : a natural continuing activity or function

Why does the community of God fearing people believe that God only does things instantaneous?

Let’s look at the pruning process:

Pruning Process:

I Remove dead things so that new life (improvement) can come

II Enhances shape and potential; cosmetic surgery

III Incorrect pruning can cause plant to be weak and vulnerable to disease or insect damage

IV Need surgeon for major damage caused by intense circumstances such as strong winds,

lightning, fire, ice, and disease. If left uncorrected, such damage can result in the death of

the tree.

V Surgery procedures

a.Removal of broken, dead or diseased branches

Comes through trials and tribulations.

In this world you will have these, but He has overcome them.

Job 5:17

Comes through chastening of the Lord.

He knows how to clean you up; he knows how to take the right things away.

b. Cutting back limits that interfere with traffic, impede power and telephone lines, obstruct views, or mar the shape of a tree

Hebrews 12:1 “lay aside the weight” – heavy load

c. Thinning to permit air circulation and secure more light

Removal of flowers or young fruit (thinning) is done to permit the remaining fruits to grow more rapidly and to prevent development of such a large crop that the plant is unable to flower and set a commercial crop the following year.

Romans 12:2 – be ye transformed by the renewing of the mind

d. Removal of branches that rub against others to prevent wounding and possible future decay

Christ said if they don’t abide, burn them.

John 10:7-16

e. Judicious cutting to compensate for root loss and promote formation of blossoms

Having, exercising, or characterized by sound judgment; discreet.

John 15:5

The purpose of this pruning is that you get to the level of producing MUCH MORE FRUIT.

The only way to get there is found in verse 4.

Abide – stay in Me.

Christ precedes any fruit in your life.

Abiding in Christ means dependence (which implies confidence, and refine to Him on whom we depend for strength, and cling to him).

We are to abide in His love.

As long as I am on ship, it ain’t sinking.

You may lose faith, but trust sustains you.

You are only going to produce fruit as your relationship is with Him. In other words, it is going to have to be “face to face”.

God said that Abraham was His friend. Friendship is a mutual participation in a covenant relationship. It was not a one-sided relationship. God wants ALL of your friendship. He won’t accept a partial friendship.

Many of you today are going to have to drop some ungodly and worldly friendships because if you are a friend of the world’s you are not a friend of God. You cannot expect God to be initimate and close to you when you’ve adapted a style of living that conforms to the world. Anyone who dishonors God cannot be your close friend.