It is great to be with you all this morning. While I wish that I could be hear under different circumstances, I do count it a privilege to share with you today.
For many people the Christmas season is met with dread rather than joyful anticipation; sadness rather than joy; and frustration rather than peace. Hollywood paints a picture that we have all bought into of a perfect Christmas, and try as we may ours never reaches Norman Rockwall status. In our country today suicide attempts, divorce, depression, and various horrific crimes spike incredibly at Christmas.- The Birthday of Jesus Christ- Why? There are probably many reasons, but when you and I take our eyes off the true meaning of Christmas and turn to the world’s substitute then we will be constantly disappointed. As we approach Christmas, let us remove everything that hinders us from embracing this year- Jesus.
This morning I want to focus upon the basic of basics and that is Jesus or rather our need or dependence upon Jesus. In our self-sufficient world to say we need or depend on someone or something runs contrary to the norm, but John 14: 6 clearly paints this utter dependence picture when Jesus says:, I am the way, the truth, and the life no man comes to the father except through me. There are no plan B’s, no alternative routes. It is Jesus or nothing. Now we hear that, we nod our heads, we may even say a lot Amen to that, but do we really believe it. True belief in something means you total trust and depend on it.
This morning I totally believed that the traffic lights were working, when the color green came on, I went forward. I trusted that my car would get me where I needed to go, I trusted in the front pew and I sat down on in trusting it would hold my weight. You see my point is that just believing is not enough, we must act, we must trust and obey.
Jesus in John 15 spells this truth out even further. If you have your Bibles turn with me to John 15-beginning in verse 1.
In Hampton Court near London, there is a grapevine which is about 1,000 years old. This grapevine has one root which is at least two feet thick, and some of the branches are 200 feet long. Despite its age the vine produces several tons of grapes each year. Although some of the smaller branches are 200 feet from the main stem, they still bear the sweet and delicious fruit because they are connected to the vine. Life flows from that single root and through out the vine bringing nourishment and strength to each of the branches. In this same way the analogy of the vine is used to describe our utter dependence upon Him.
Listen to John 15 starting in verse 1
From this passage I see at least 3 areas where utter dependence on Jesus is needed.
First, We must first depend on Jesus for our salvation.
Listen to verse 6… 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.
There is only one way to be saved and that is through Jesus. We live in a day that says there are many ways. Ultimately, don’t all religions end at the same place just take different paths. We live in a day where diversity and tolerance are seen as moral almost religious qualities. And yet if we are true to the word of God.- Jesus says I am the way, no one can come to the father except through me… If anyone does not abide in me. Whether it is close minded or narrow the Gospel says that the only way to heaven is through faith in Jesus nothing more… nothing less.
If you are depending on Good works, church attendance, financial generosity, diversity or tolerance, or simply personal hard work, you are on the wrong path and you are not saved. You must depend solely and only on Jesus Christ.
This morning you cannot fake it with God. If you are not connected to the vine, then you are out. Don’t expect to walk in the spirit if you do not have a relationship with Jesus Christ. You may say we got it you emphasis this point a lot, But we cannot miss this basic point.
Lazarus… Forever is a long time
Second we must depend on Jesus for our personal growth and discipline
If you are saved, if you are in the vine, then you must expect to be at times disciplined- pruned. You must depend on the voice of the Holy Spirit to direct and sometimes re-direct your paths. This dependence needs to lead to action where confession of personal sin and active repentance is clearly evident.
James 1:2 spells it out like this: Consider it pure joy, my brothers whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance, perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature, not lacking anything.
John 15 spells it out when it says:
Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes a way; and every branch that bears fruit he prunes; that it may bear even more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
Dad and the azalea bushes
With my own children we are quick to correct and to discipline. Often they get mad and wonder why we do what we do, but guess what they are our children under our care and our discipline then they really have no choice but to submit to our discipline. In the same way we must as adult believers submit and depend on Jesus as if we were children and had no other choice.
Often our lives are lived without any influence or power because we have allowed un-confessed sin and our self-centered ways to quench and grieve the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
D. L. Moody said, “I believe firmly that the moment our hearts are emptied of pride and selfishness and ambition and everything that is contrary to God’s law, the Holy Spirit will fill every corner of our hearts. But if we are full of pride and conceit and ambition and the world, there is no room for the Spirit of God. We must be emptied before we can be filled.”
A story is told of a missionary named Herbertt Jackson As a new missionary, he was assigned a car that would not start without a push. After pondering his problem, he devised a plan. He went to the school near his home, got permission to take some children out of class, and had them push his car off. As he made his rounds, he would either park on a hill or leave the engine running. He used this ingenious procedure for two years. Ill health forced the Jackson family to leave, and a new missionary came to that station. When Jackson proudly began to explain his arrangement for getting the car started, the new man began looking under the hood. Before the explanation was complete, the new missionary interrupted, "Why, Dr. Jackson, I believe the only trouble is this loose cable." He gave the cable a twist, stepped into the car, pushed the switch, and to Jackson’s astonishment, the engine roared to life. For two years needless trouble had become routine. The power was there all the time. Only a loose connection kept Jackson from putting that power to work. J.B. Phillips paraphrases Ephesians l:19-20, "How tremendous is the power available to us who believe in God." When we make firm our connection with God, his life and power flow through us.
Third we must depend on Jesus by trusting and obeying the word of God
John 15 :9 and following puts it this way:
As the father has loved me, so I have loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I obeyed my fathers commands and remain in His love. I have told you this that your joy may be complete.
When faced with life decisions and crossroads, do we seek first the words of the Bible or every other source but. Every answer to every problem is in this book.
The preacher stood on the street corner preaching to anyone who would listen. A man approached him who looked like he had lived on the street forever. "Can I help you" asked the preacher. "I think you can" said the bum. "Would you like me to tell you about Jesus?" "No." "Would you like me to pray for you?" "No." "If you don’t want me to tell you about Jesus, and you don’t want me to pray with you, how can I help you?" "You can give me your Bible." "Why would you want my Bible if you have no interest in knowing more about Jesus?" "I noticed that the pages of your Bible are very thin; I can use the pages to wrap a cigarette (or a joint)." Wisdom came suddenly to the preacher, who said, "I’ll give you the Bible, if you will agree to read a page (of the Bible) before you smoke it." The bum agreed, took his new Bible, and left. The preacher thought he had seen the last of the bum, but he could get another Bible. Several months passed, and the preacher was on the street corner once again. A man came up to him dressed in a three piece suit. "You don’t know me, do you?" said the man. "No. I’ve never seen you in my life." "Yes you have. I’m the man you gave a Bible to (about four months ago)." The preacher couldn’t believe his eyes and ears. "What happened? Tell me what happened." "Well, I smoked Matthew, and then I smoked Mark, and then I smoked Luke--and then John smoked me."
Hebrews 4:12 says: For the word of God is living and active sharper than any double edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrows. It judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
As we read and obey the word of God we are able to listen to the words of Jesus, hear his commands, his principles, his encouragements and then put them into action.
Ann Graham Lotz holds an evangelistic conference entitled Just Give me Jesus… As a result of that conference Jeremy Camp penned a song with that theme in mind I want to close this message with its words.
In the morning when I rise, In the morning when I rise,
In the morning when I rise, Give me Jesus
Give me Jesus Give me Jesus
You can have all this world
Just give me Jesus
When I am alone, When I am alone,
When I am alone, Give me Jesus
Give me Jesus. Give me Jesus
You can have all this world
Just give me Jesus,
When I come to die, When I come to die,
When I come to die, Give me Jesus
Give me Jesus, Give me Jesus
You can have all this world
Just give me Jesus
Give me Jesus, Give me Jesus
You can have all this world (X3)
Just give me Jesus ,Jesus
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