Please turn to the Gospel of John, chapter 15 beginning at verse 1. Remember, your eternal salvation is too important to trust to someone else—you need to read and know God’s word for yourself.
Read from bible. John 15:1-12
When I stand at the foot of the steps each Sunday greeting you as you leave the sanctuary, I enjoy it when someone tells me that my sermon touched them and that they needed to hear what I said.
But what I would like even more than that -is to see your life reflect that you have not only listened to it but you have applied its teachings to your life.
One of the reasons I have been preaching on the same subject for the past month is because I know that the only way for us to live a Christ centered life is if our hearts are centered on Christ.
The Psalmist says in Psalm 1 verse 2 that people who focus on the God’s Word day and night delight in doing everything he wants and they have great joy.
1. All over the nation people are sitting in churches today.
2. They are there for many different reasons.
3. Some are there to worship God.
4. Some are there because they love the Lord and want to give honor and glory to God as they worship together.
5. Some there because they are going through some tough times and feel the church is a place of refuge.
6. Some are there because their parents make them.
7. Some are there simply because it’s Sunday and it what they’ve always done.
Now I don’t know your reason for being here but I do know why I am here.
I am here because this is where God has placed me to help you get to know and understand his word.
• I am here because I love you and don’t want to see any of you miss out on the wonderful gift of salvation that God offers –that his Son Jesus has already paid for with his blood.
• I don’t want any of you to miss out on the real joy of living a true Christian life - a life that bring honor and glory to God.
Two weeks I asked if you were experiencing the benefits of being a Christian. Today I want to continue along the same line of thought by asking if you are experiencing the JOY of being in a close intimate relationship with Jesus Christ?
Psalm 1 verse 2 suggests that an intimate relationship with God grows out of both the quantity and the quality of time we spend focused on him.
When I talk about Joy I’m talking about the kind of joy that is constant in our lives—
The kind of joy that is not dependent upon our circumstances but comes out of a deep sense of inner peace that comes from making the Holy Spirit our constant companion.
Now please, I don’t want you to confuse JOY with HAPPINESS.
There is a difference between the two.
First of all Happiness is based on our circumstances.
When thing go well in our lives we are happy.
Like having a good job.
Lots of toys to play with.
No conflicts in life.
Well behaved children.
All of these things are nice and we usually feel happy when we experience them but they don’t bring real everlasting joy. As soon as things start to unravel and go sour we become unhappy.
Real joy is constant. Real joy doesn’t fluctuate and come and go as our circumstance change.
Real joy remains the same regardless of whether good things are happening to us or not.
Because Real Joy is not based upon our circumstances, but on our relationship with Jesus. Amen.
Being able to experience joy in times of trouble and tribulations is one of the benefits of being a true follower of Jesus.
In Philippians 4, the Apostle Paul says: I have learned the secret of living a contented life no matter what my circumstance.
He says, “I know what it is to have plenty and I know what it is to be in need. I know what it feels like to be well fed and I know what it feels like to be hungry.
Whether I have a little or a lot it doesn’t make any difference, I remain content because of the one who lives In me.
He says: “I can do all this through Him who strengthens me.”
There are millions of people who are going through some tough times today and they are not experiencing joy or contentment because they have become separated from the one who gives joy or they have never known him.
And there are others who have no relationship with the Holy Spirit but have everything they want but they still don’t have the kind of joy that comes from being in relationship with God.
Jesus teaches us in today’s text that if we want to have the full joy of life we must be connected to the giver of joy.
First of all Jesus says that if we want to have a relationship with God the Father, we must first be connected to God the Son. Amen.
Some people want to bypass Jesus and go straight to the father, but it doesn’t work that way.
Jesus says I am the way,
I am the truth and I am the light.
No one, I repeat no one gets to the father except through Jesus.
And going back to what I have been talking about all this year- how do we get connected to Jesus?
Through the Holy Word of God. Amen.
There are 3 absolutes in life that a real Christian disciple must follow if he or she is to live a Christ Centered life and experience the eternal joy that God promises.
1. Confession of sin. We must recognize that we are sinners and that we cannot save ourselves.
We must confess our sins and ask God’s forgiveness with a repentant heart. By repentant heart I mean with a sincere desire to be forgiven and a sincere desire to change the way we live.
2. We must accept Christ as our Risen Savior and acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God.
3. And 3 which is the one where most of us fail – We must Build an intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit through the daily practice of reading and studying God’s Word. Because it is through his word that he reveals himself to us and makes us to know his will.
Without number 3 it is almost impossible to benefit from 1 and 2. Because without the Word drawing us into a closer relationship with the Holy Spirit we will ultimately fall back into our old way of life. Amen.
If Jesus is the true vine then we must be connected to him if we want to continue growing and become a healthy branch on the vine. Amen.
We stay connected to Jesus by saturating ourselves with the Word of God allowing it’s convicting and cleansing power to transform us into true disciples. Doesn’t it say in Romans 12 that we should not copy the behavior of the world but let God transform us into new persons by changing the way we think?
Some of you are probably thinking that you don’t have time to spend in the Word. That you are too busy and you have too much to do.
Well, let me share with you something I have learned through the years. If we put God first in everything we do, we will always have more than enough time to do all the things we need to do.
Notice I said need and not want. Sometimes many of the things we want to do would be better off left undone.
Often times we put a high priority or a sense of urgency on doing things that are not really important.
For instance watching a TV show that we just can’t miss.
Or catching the big Game between State and Michigan.
Most of us when we get up we think about all the things we have to do for the day but how often do we begin with studying the scriptures?
Actually that should be the first thing on the list because God may have some instruction for us that will help us have a better and more prosperous day.
Jesus says in verse 4 to
4 Remain in Him, as He also remains in us
He says, No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can we bear fruit unless we remain in Jesus.
Any growing disciple, in whom the Father and the Son live through the Spirit, must be continuously connected to Jesus.
If we want to experience real joy in life we must recognize and understand that LIVING IN JESUS requires studying and knowing of the scriptures.
Let me give you a personal example from my own life.
I have no problem facing whatever challenges that confront me because I am armed with the power of God.
The more time I spend in the Word, the more I find myself doing all the things I have been trying to do for so many years without even realizing that I am doing them.
That is the transforming power found in God’s Word. It has a way of guiding us to do the right thing without trying to do the right thing.
One area where I have always failed is in my driving habits. It was very difficult to keep my car down to 70.
Today I find myself obeying the speed laws without trying because my attention is on pleasing God and I spend hours in his presence as I read and meditate on his Holy Word.
There are people sitting in churches all over the nation who have been attending church all of their lives. But they are still babes in the faith because they have not been growing. The reason they have not been growing is because they have not been getting enough spiritual nourishment.
Let me share with the words of Jesus so that there is no misunderstanding.
Beginning at verse 5- Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.
6Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned.
7But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!
8When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.
9“I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love.
10When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.
11I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! 12This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.
What more proof do you need?
This is right out of the mouth of Jesus.
Stat spending more time in the Word and let Jesus transform you into what he wants you to be. It may not be easy at first but it will truly be worth it. Let us Pray.
Most Gracious and Loving God.
You have given us everything we need to live a godly life.
You gave us your living Word and then you gave us your Son so that we might have a brand new start.
Help us O God, to make time in our busy lifestyle to include time for you. Help us to focus on the cross and what it means.
Help us to accept the intimate relationship that you are offering while there is still time. It is in the mighty and precious name of Jesus the vine that keeps us connected to you that we pray. Amen.
