Dakota Community Church
June 7, 2009
Life in the Vine
John 15:1-8
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
Introduction:
These verses are an allegory (a work in which the characters represent other things and symbolically express a deeper meaning). There are four characters in this little drama.
• The Father is the gardener (v. 1).
• Christ is the vine (v. 5).
• The disciples are branches (v. 5).
• Those who do not abide in Christ are useless branches (v. 6).
Where is the church here? The fruitful church is the branch that the gardener prunes, but the unfruitful church is the branch that the gardener removes and throws into the fire.
Vineyards are familiar. People pass vineyards as they walk from place to place. Some own their own vineyard or work in a vineyard. They are able to discern fruitful branches from those that will drain the vine’s energy. They trim unfruitful branches, all the while feeling good about the surgical purpose of their work. The pruning might seem cruel, but it renews the vine’s vitality. Useless vines drain the plant’s strength. To leave them in place serves no purpose and reduces the value of the vineyard. The gardener cuts away unfruitful branches and, finding them unusable, burns them.
This morning I want us to focus on three key elements of this passage and hopefully in the process we will leave here having been nourished by the Word of God and equipped for the work of the ministry God has prepared for each of us this week.
1. The connection
John 15:4-5
Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
Not since the Tower of Babel has there been a time in human history where people have had a great understanding of connectedness and of the value of connections.
Parents of travelling children have never been so blessed. We have Facebook, Twitter, AND Skype! We have cell phones, instant messaging and unlimited texting!
My Dad joined the Canadian forces at 16 and went to Germany where he did not phone home for 6 months, and then only after being ordered to by his Sergeant.
Connections to each other are important, connection to Jesus is a matter of life and death.
a.) Connection to Jesus is a requirement for fruitfulness. No Jesus equals - no fruit.
What does this tell us about good deeds?
This reinforces the idea that fallen man cannot earn God’s approval; our fruit is spoiled, our deeds are filthy rags without the connection to Jesus.
b.) Connection to Jesus is optional. “Remain in me, and I will remain in you” - “If a man remains in me…”
This is another example of the free will element of relationship with God. You can be in him, in Jesus, in the church the Body of Christ – and choose not to remain!
How is the connection defined?
Are you connected?
Are you “remaining in him”?
How does that look?
We could say that prayer, bible reading, worship, fellowship with and love for other believers, the fruit of the Spirit, and a desire to reach the lost, might all be indicators of connectedness; I don’t think anyone can say for certain who is and who is not connected to the vine except the gardener.
2. The blade
John 15:1-2
…my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
Every branch gets the blade!
This is not popular theology in modern North American Christianity.
I myself prefer the positive thinking approach to life. I like to be problem free, I like to be happy and I like it when everyone else around me is happy. I would prefer a world where we can pull the right strings and get God to do our bidding – I’ve tried it in fact. Did you know the Bible says God resists the proud?
Ever been resisted by God?
You will feel the blade… it is not the plan and purpose of God for believers to sail through life on a happy high by chanting the right confessions and discovering the right secret keys.
Hebrews 12:7-11
Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
Abbreviated Jesus By: Michael Spencer
The other day a strange feeling came over me.
Don’t get me wrong about what I’m about to say here. It was just a feeling. I’m not claiming any powers of discernment or certainty.
I got the distinct feeling there’s something wrong with a lot of people who say they are Jesus-followers/believers.
If you want to supply your own vocabulary, like “aren’t saved” or “aren’t Christians,” do so at your own risk. I’m not saying that. (There’s other blogs for that game, if you are burning to know.)
No, but it was as plain as daylight to me that when I hear a lot of people talk about Jesus, I feel like I am hearing….an abbreviation.
I said abbreviation. A shortened version of the real word. You see the abbreviation; you’re supposed to know what it means. We all agree on the abbreviation.
Don’t we?
We all know what the shorthand version stands for.
Right?
Or maybe we don’t.
I’m beginning to get the feeling that when people say Jesus, I can’t trust the abbreviation.
I’m getting the feeling that we’re talking about a kind of “mini-Jesus.” A diluted, declawed, demoted savior who is a symbolic representation for a kind of anemic, watered-down, unbiblical, culturally acceptable Jesus.
I get the feeling that if you move beyond the standard biographical paragraph; you’re going to discover that the Jesus you’re hearing about has considerably less to say than Jesus as we meet him in the Gospels.
You’re going to discover that he has little or nothing to do with most of the Bible, especially the Old Testament and the more demanding parts of the new.
You’re going to discover that there’s a remarkable resemblance between the abbreviated Jesus and the current version of political correctness. (Isn’t it unusual how Jesus takes an interest in whatever happens to be the current rage on CNNMSNBCCBSSUSATODAY?)
I’m not sure this abbreviated Jesus believes in hell.
He seems considerably more flexible on sexual matters than one would believe reading the Bible.
Living together before marriage? The abbreviated Jesus seems to have not issued a statement on that one.
I actually think the abbreviated Jesus doesn’t like to be bothered with issues of morality, character or behavior. He’s mostly interested in larger political and cultural issues, or your experience at your local church, or how you’re doing in your relationships.
The abbreviated Jesus has quite a bit in common with contemporary “life coaches,” talk show hosts, political apologists, faith-based advocates, teachers of “principles,” community organizers and family values lobbyists.
The people who talk about the abbreviated Jesus don’t seem to know much about the Bible. Not at all.
But they still have a surprisingly strong opinion about the meaning of all kinds of things Jesus said and did in the Bible.
The abbreviated Jesus can convincingly seem like the real Jesus, until you look and listen closely. Then it appears that he’s lost his laptop, his luggage and his cell phone. So for right now, he’s reading it all off the teleprompter.
The abbreviated Jesus doesn’t vary much from the script.
In fact- and this is what really got my attention- the abbreviated Jesus would only get crucified if there were some terrible mix-up.
The abbreviated Jesus is Jesus without the Biblical context, Jesus without church history, Jesus without Jesus theology, Jesus without costly discipleship, Jesus without offensive teaching or mysterious parables. The abbreviated Jesus is so easily explained, so comprehensible and user-friendly that anyone can follow him, even without instructions.
In millions of cases, the abbreviated Jesus is Jesus without the church. He’s Jesus who lets you pick your friends, pick your community and pick your comfortable seat. He’s OK with whatever your plans are for the weekend. He’s not making demands on your time. (He’s a major spokesperson for unplugging the fourth commandment.) He’s not making any demands on your money that don’t follow your emotions. (He wants you to feel personally fulfilled about whatever you choose to support.)
The abbreviated Jesus seems to always need one more book to really get down to what he actually means.
He has a lot of preachers who understand him, and a lot of churches where his way of doing things has become very popular.
Aside from abortion and gay marriage, the abbreviated Jesus is pretty happy in America. There’s so much for his friends to do and enjoy!
I don’t trust the abbreviated Jesus.
Sometimes, he’s been in my house, my head, my heart and my preaching. And I don’t like him.
He’s flat. Empty. Easy. Moldable.
He’s not full of the Holy Spirit. He’s full of us.
Frankly, he seems to be full of….well…..there are words here that my daddy used, which I’m not supposed to use on this blog. If you don’t know what they are, write me. Or ask a farmer who knows the real Jesus.
I’m announcing that I’m afraid of the abbreviated Jesus and his followers. I’m afraid of his “church,” his books and his kind of “discipleship.”
I’m uninviting him from my life and my interactions with other Christians.
I want to know Jesus. The untamed, old school, offensive, mysterious, demanding, awe-inspiring, transformational, life altering, crucified, risen, ascended, revolutionary Jesus.
Spell it out: He’s the creator. The mediator. The fulfiller and establisher of the law. He’s the Passover lamb. He’s the head of the church. He’s the heart and key to Holy Scripture. He’s the meal on the table. He’s life in the living water. He pours out the Holy Spirit. He’s the rider on the white horse. He’s the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He’s the eternal God.
He doesn’t need my explanations, endorsements or euphemisms. He isn’t reading my note cards and nodding. He doesn’t tolerate my sin. He’s the life of God for the sin of the world. He’s righteousness, sanctification and holiness. He’s the Kingdom bringer, the executor of judgment, the one who is worthy to open the scroll and read the books. He’s the light of heaven and the conqueror of hell, death, sin and the grave.
He’s the one in whom all history, poetry, story and theology come together into the great I AM. He’s the mystery and the Word that reveals God to all persons. He’s the Gospel itself, the meaning of every message and the open door of God’s mercy.
You can’t abbreviate him.
You fall at his feet and worship. You get up and follow. You die and he raises you on the last day.
That’s Jesus, and I’ve got a feeling a lot of people really don’t have a clue.
(Michael Spencer – internetmonk.com - May 20, 2009)
The knife is used to make us more fruitful.
Are you a fruitful Christian? Do you need pruning?
3. The glory
John 15:8
This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
Our motivation is the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
If we are to do everything with the Glory of God in mind; and if God is glorified by our fruitfulness then what exactly does it mean for a Christian to be fruitful?
What does a fruitful Christian look like? (Bulletin cartoon)
Philippians 1:21-26
For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.
Colossians 1:9-14
For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
There is fruit that glorifies God as a result of our service to others.
Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
There is an inner fruit that is produced through relationship with God that also glorifies Him.
Conclusion
Let’s conclude by reading the words of Jesus one more time.
John 15:1-8
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
PowerPoint available (Free of charge) on request dcormie@mts.net
