EASTER 2013
LOVING ACTS
John 15:1-17 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 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. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 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. 5 "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. 6 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. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8 This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. 9 "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other.
INTRODUCTION: THE PASSAGE BEFORE US THIS MORNING IS THE FINAL PASSAGE OF THE “I AM’S” OF JESUS. THIS IS A PORTION OF THE TEACHING OF JESUS IN THE UPPER ROOM. JESUS IS INSTRUCTING HIS DISCIPLES AND US ON THE ISSUE OF LOVE. GOD’S LOVE, THE LOVING EXAMPLE OF JESUS, AND HOW WE SHOULD PRACTICE THE LOVE GOD AND HIS SON HAVE SHOWN US.
I. LOVE IN THE GARDEN 15:1-8
a. THE VINE AND THE GARDENER
i. THE VINE IS JESUS
1. SINGLE VINE
2. BEARING MANY GRAPES
ii. GOD IS THE GARDNER
1. A GARDNER CULTIVATES THE VINE
2. A GARDNER PROTECTS THE VINE
b. THE GARDNER AND BEARING FRUIT
THE DESIRE OF GOD IS TO HAVE FRUIT
EIGHT TIMES IN THIS PASSAGE FRUIT IS MENTIONED
i. CUTTING OFF – TWO MEANINGS
1. TAKE UP FROM THE GROUND
a. IN ORDER FOR A BRANCH TO BE FRUITFUL THE BRANCH NEEDS TO BE TAKEN UP OUT OF THE DIRT.
b. THE PSALMIST SAYS IT BEST – TOOK MY FEET UP FROM THE MIRY CLAY AND SET THEM UPON A ROCK
c. WHEN YOU AND I CAME TO KNOW JESUS CHRIST, GOD STARTED THE PROCESS OF OUR FRUIT PRODUCTION.
d. GOD IS IN THE PROCESS OF CLEANING YOU UP, AND EXPECTS THAT AT SOMETIME, YOU WILL BEAR FRUIT FOR HIM.
2. TO TAKE OFF FROM WHAT IT WAS ATTACHED TO
a. AFTER A WHILE OF PRUNING AND CARING, THERE COMES A TIME WHEN IT BECOMES OBVIOUS THAT FRUIT WILL NOT BE PRODUCED.
b. THE ISSUE OF NOT PRODUCING RESULTS IN BEING REMOVED FROM THE VINE.
Many people try to be good, honest people who do what is right. But Jesus says that the only way to live a truly good life is to stay close to him, like a branch attached to a vine. Apart from Christ our efforts are unfruitful. Are you receiving the nourishment and life offered by Christ, the Vine? If not, you are missing the key to living the Christian life.
Life Application Bible Commentary - Life Application Bible Commentary – John.
ii. PRUNING
1. THE PROGRESSION OF FRUIT IS FRUIT, MORE FRUIT, AND MUCH FRUIT.
2. FRUIT PRODUCTION REQUIRES PRUNING TO INCREASE PRODUCTION.
3. THERE ARE SEASONS FOR FRUITFULNESS AND TIMES OF PRUNING.
Criteria to gauge your spiritual productivity:
1. Is my life bringing God glory?
2. Is my life an example of discipleship?
Life Application Bible Commentary - Life Application Bible Commentary – John.
iii. OUR RESPONSIBILITY IN FRUITFULNESS – 15:3
1. ACKNOWLEDGING OUR REDEMPTIVE CLEANLINESS
a. SALVATION CLEANED US
2. ACTIVATE OUR POSITIONAL CLEANLINESS
a. CONFESSION KEEPS US CLEAN
3. ACCEPT OUR DAILY FRUITFULNESS
a. FRUITFULNESS TAKES WORK
b. FRUITFULNESS INVOLVES “REMAINING”
i. NOT A SINGULAR ACT
ii. IMPLICATION IMPLIES INTIMATE KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT SOMEONE SAYS
THE WORDS OF CHRIST NEED TO BECOME A VITAL PART OF OUR LIVES!
iii. FRUITFULNESS IS THE LIFE OF CHRIST REPRODUCED IN SOMEONE ELSE
iv. BEING IN CHRIST AND CHRIST BEING IN US RESULTS IN FRUIT!
NOTICE THE WARNING – YOU CANNOT HAVE SPIRITUAL FRUIT ON YOUR OWN. SPIRITUAL FRUIT ONLY COMES FROM ABIDING IN CHRIST! – INTIMATE WITH CHRIST!
IT IS AN INTERESTING FACT THAT A BRANCH PRUNED FROM THE VINE WILL BEAR FOLIAGE, BUT NOT FRUIT. VERY SIMILAR TO WHEN JESUS CAME TO THE FIG TREE AND FOUND NO FIGS WHERE FIGS WERE TO BE EXPECTED!
4. AVOIDING FRUITLESSNESS
a. FRUITLESSNESS RESULTS IN SEPARATION
b. FRUITLESSNESS RESULTS IN WITHERING
c. FRUITLESSNESS RESULTS IN BURNING
i. BRANCHES CUT FROM THE ROOT IF NOT REMOVED WILL BECOME DISEASED AS THEY HAVE NO NOURISHMENT TO PROTECT THEM.
ii. ONCE DISEASED THEY CAN INFECT EVEN THE HEALTHY BRANCHES
THE PERK OF FRUITFULNESS
ABIDING IN CHRIST AND HIS WORDS – WHAT HE SAYS, PRODUCES EFFECTIVE PRAYER AND POSITIVE RESPONSE! VERSE 7
II. LOVE BY EXAMPLE – 15:9,11-16
a. JESUS IS AN EXAMPLE IN ACTION
i. JESUS MODELS TO HIS DISCIPLES THE SAME MANNER OF LOVE WHICH GOD THE FATHER LOVED HIM.
ii. JESUS ASKS US TO FOLLOW THAT SAME EXAMPLE WITH EACH OTHER. WE ARE TO ABIDE/CONTINUE LOVING EACH OTHER.
b. JESUS IS AN EXAMPLE IN WORD
i. TELLS US TO LOVE SO THAT THE JOY HE HAS MAY BE OURS AS WELL!
Hebrews 12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
JOY ALLOWS US TO PERSEVERE THROUGH THE MOST DIFFICULT OF CIRCUMSTANCES
ii. OBEDIENCE IN JOY
1. THESE TWO ARE LINKED TOGETHER
2. WITHOUT OBEDIENCE OUR JOY IS INCOMPLETE
a. THE COMMAND OF LOVE
i. THE COMMAND OF LOVE IS MUTUAL – AS I HAVE LOVED YOU
ii. THE COMMAND OF LOVE IS DEMONSTRATED BY JESUS – LAY DOWN HIS LIFE
iii. THE COMMAND OF LOVE IS INTIMATE – I HAVE CALLED YOU FRIENDS
1. SLAVE DO WHAT THEY ARE TOLD WITHOUT A RELATIONSHIP TO THE MASTER OR WITHOUT AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHY THEY ARE DOING WHAT THEY ARE DOING
2. FRIENDS HAVE A RELATIONSHIP AND HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHY THEY DO WHAT THEY DO. IT IS BASED ON THE FRIENDSHIP!
b. THE CHOICE OF LOVE
i. JESUS CHOSE US FIRST. JUST THINK, WOULD YOU HAVE CHOSEN JESUS?
1. APPOINTED TO BEAR LASTING FRUIT
I. LOVE IN PRACTICE
a. CONDITIONAL – IF YOU LOVE ME
b. POSITIVE TOWARDS CONDITION – YOU WILL OBEY
c. NEGATIVE TOWARDS CONDITION – YOU WILL NOT OBEY. GO BACK TO VERSE 1!
d. RESULT OF OBEDIENCE ABIDING INTIMACY WITH JESUS
e. RESULT OF DISOBEDIENCE – SEPARATION FROM GOD
f. WE HAVE THE SAME RESPONSIBILITY TO OBEY THAT JESUS DID
GOD HAS SHOWED US HIS LOVE IN THE GARDEN
JESUS MODELED HIS LOVE IN GOING TO THE CROSS
WE ARE LEFT WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO FOLLOW HIS EXAMPLE.
