Blank Checks
We are using the same block of scripture this morning, technically last Sunday I only covered three or 4 of the verses. This particular scripture has this repeating pattern using the word abiding that can make it easy to skip over like a flat rock across a pond, just touching down for a moment.
Last week the main point that I stressed for you to consider was that we as Christians often think it is our job to bear fruit. We think that it is our efforts and struggles that make some people/churches successful, and when I say successful I mean the church grows in number.
However, according to the words of Jesus we are not responsible for producing fruit we are responsible to not take our relationship with Jesus Christ for granted. We are to abide, to spend time exposed to God in a variety of ways.
If we do that we will be shaped and changed and fruit will develop. However if we think it is up to us alone we will always fail.
The overall plan and the actually progress and the ultimate success are all the responsibilities of the vinedresser….God.
Our only direct responsibility is to abide….listen….however listening is not just sitting around is not passive. Abiding is work because first of all we have to make an effort…we exorcize our free will and choose to be a branch or a Christian.
Let me mention Verse 3 sounds a bit confusing, it seems like the subject of abiding and this clean stuff just stuck in the middle of the passage. I thought I would explain the context. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
Many of the vines that were used in Israel grew close too and on the ground. The earthly vine dresser spent a lot of time washing the leaves and the even the fruit so that they could grow better and to keep the bugs out.
The word used that is translated clean in this reading is the same word that is translated as pruned in this passage. The act of God to prune the branches could be translated clean the branches. If you were to compare several translations you would find that some use pruned for Jesus’ work in this verse 3.
Remember this teaching is offered to the apostles only at this point. They are believers, and there for are clean, or pruned ultimately changes by their contact with Jesus. They are sanctified because of their relationship with Jesus.
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
Secondly, I pointed out that I believe that the failure to abide is probably the problem of the long time Christian and not a new believer.
We compared the process to that pattern of a marriage where the couple takes each other for granted. Sometime not listening like we did when the relationship was new.
The love is there… However, the effort, the work at keeping the relationship fresh is not a priority. Comfort in a relationship tends to complacency.
This week we it is all too uncomfortable to remain connected to the illustration of marriage as we review what the scripture describes happens if we totally fail to abide.
If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
The question that comes to my mind is wither He is describing that the separation happens to non-Christians or to Christians.
As we read this it sounds like Jesus is describing a way that people can lose the gift of salvation.
Let me qualify that there are four common ways that the scholars look at this scripture.
All four agree that Jesus is speaking to people that we would describe today as Christians. But not all agree about whom is being described.
The first area of thought believes that the cast out branches are the ones that were once true believers and somehow loose their faith.
They take the relationship for granted and drift away. They totally quit abiding, listening to Christ via the Holy Spirit until they no longer believe.
They cross over the line to unbelief - they no longer belong to God. We might use the old Methodist word Back-slid to describe this view.
The second thought is that the cast out branches were never really believers in the first place. Maybe they came to church and felt something but never fully came to faith and but, looked like they were in a relationship.
Unfortunately, they never really pursued a connection to Jesus.
I think that they can describe people that felt pressure to go down the isle to satisfy family or under a desire to make other people happy.
Sometimes it could describe people that wanted relationships with people perhaps for personal gain such as friendship.
Some believe that Judas would be an example of a person that looked like a branch to most of the believers.
The third idea is that the branches that are cast out are Christians that never bear fruit. That somehow their waste of the resources or only being a taker in the relationship. That eventually God drops them from the roles of heaven because they don’t produce or give back to the community of faith.
Perhaps someone like “Lot” could come to mind, tagging along for the ride and the benefits but never giving back to the family.
The forth common view is that the cut off branches are actually people that never come to faith and therefore are automatically condemned to destruction.
So as we look at our scripture this morning let’s sort out the 4 views. Starting with the forth one.
Jesus is addressing the apostles and I think that means that he is addressing persons that are in the wider group of followers, believers.
So while all unbelievers are headed for judgment, I don’t think that this is who Jesus is describing.
The third is described as being just unfruitful believers. No absolutely not.
Jesus describes elsewhere that faith is the only requirement for salvation.
So works/fruit are not absolutely needed but, I believe that the lack of them puts a person in danger: because, there will be a minimum amount of abiding and listening and growth.
The second one of people pretending to be Christians is excluded because if they are not believers that puts them into the 4th category.
It is not up to us to sort out those that have not really obtained a full connection to God.
However, it is our responsibility to always offer the opportunity to accept Christ or for anyone to rededicate their lives to Christ without any judgment from us.
We are to always offer grace.
It seems that that the first view is the strongest potential.
That in extreme cases a person could lose their connection.
Well it is time for me to step out on a dangerous limb here and let you decide if you are hanging on with me or of you are going to saw it off.
Our denomination does not believe in “preservation of the saints,” or “eternal security”. Or to say it in a more common way the old phrase “once saved always saved.”
That concept is a part of predestination which discounts free will.
Ok, I need some of you to stay with me here, listen to the rest of it before you grab your saws.
We believe that God is constantly woooing or calling to us and will always take us into his arms no matter what we have done.
It only takes the tiniest spark of faith to move any person from unsaved to saved.
However, we believe in free will which means that at any time we can reject God and therefore reject salvation.
However, it is only the most extreme of circumstance that the loss of salvation can occur and even then only God is the judge of when that happens.
Let me add, that just hating God because of some tragedy in your life won’t do it. Even someone that stands in the street and screams how much they hate God is actually making a statement of faith.
However, for a relationship that produces fruit -- abiding is not an option.
Any form of abiding in Christ works to your advantage. Bible Study, Christian Music, Sunday School, sharing with Christian friends are all ways of connecting to Christ. They will all help you to mature as a Christians and enable you to develop fruit.
That means your life will be productive in the hands of God.
As if being useful in the hands God were not enough of an draw how about verse 7..
If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
Wow, a blank check from God. That is so great isn’t it?
If we are abiding we can ask for WHAT WE DESIRE……AND IT WILL BE DONE!!!!
Man that is so great!
Do you think that is some sort of reward…for abiding?
Can you imagine what our world would be like of God granted our every request?
If we really had a blank check, what would we write on it?
How would God decide who would win the super bowl Or what about political elections?
There must be Christians on both sides.
What about other prayers where we just give God a list of the things we want?
A mixture of stuff and special help that we think we need.
Unfortunately, I am pretty sure that this scripture is not as plain as it looks.
We have to go back to the subject of Jesus’ teaching. He has been talking about the relationship between believers and how the Vinedresser shapes the branches to produce fruit.
So that makes me believe that the focus of the prayer should be on the natural development of fruit and not on wants that don’t have eternal value.
In the list of abiding that we talked about so far, I have not mention prayer.
However, I believe that prayer is the strongest form of abiding that there is.
-- A retired teacher was giving her little nephew some help with his schools work.
He was normally a good, attentive child, but on this occasion he could not fix his mind on his work. Suddenly he said, "Aunt Sally, may I kneel down and ask God to help me find my marble?"
She told him to go ahead, the little boy knelt by his chair, closed his eyes, and prayed silently. Then he got up and went on with his lessons contentedly.
The next day, his aunt was almost afraid to ask about the prayer request. She was a little worried that if he did not find the marble that his simple faith would be damaged.
She finally decided to ask anyway and said to him, "Well, dear have you found your marble? " No," was the reply, "but God has made me not want to."
-- When we abide in Christ, especially in prayer, I believe that we develop and grow into a healthy branch that conforms to God’s image.
He changes our hearts desires and helps us to trust in His actions in our lives.
Jesus describes the affects of prayer like this:
By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
When Jesus explains that we will get what ever we desire, he is talking not about personal power or wealth or importance.
He is talking about developing healthy desires which are actually things to glorify God.
Our desires will match what God desires.
We will yearn to see people saved. We will cry out to be a part of helping people to heal from their pain and suffering; physical, emotional and spiritual.
When we start to pray with the mind and heart of God we will find that we will be changed in what we view as important.
We will be changed in how we love people.
We will be changed in how we will trust God to make us into what he wants us to be.
People that are abiding in their relationship with Jesus Christ will never have any question of their salvation. Not because they have done anything personally to secure it but, because each and every day they will glorify God with their lives and will live a life that screams their faith in all of the times of life, good and bad.
Another little boy was spending the day with his father. They went to a diner for lunch. When the waiter brought the food, the father said, “Son, we’ll just have a silent prayer.”
The dad got through praying first and waited for the boy to finish his prayer. The little boy sat there for a long time with his head bowed. When he finally looked up, his father asked him, “What in the world were you praying about all that time?”
The little boy replied, “How do I know, Dad? It was a silent prayer.”
Do you ever let the Holy Spirit lead your prayers or more importantly your listening?
Do you just speak your prayers and ever wait to see if you hear a response? Do you let God speak to you through your connection with Jesus Christ?
Abiding is work, It requires attention and effort and time.
It also requires that you actually understand that you acting alone can never do anything all that impressive and powerful.
But if you are a part of the family of God, you are a child of the king and because of His position and role you can witness God working around you and often through you.
When you understand the will of the king you get to see his work and his power in using you.
When you are abiding in your relationship, you will witness the answer to prayer and often you will be a part of that answer for other people.
And the best part, you will see that your prayers and the desires of your heart and answered as well.
All Glory be to God!
