Sermon Tone Analysis

THE LIFE OF JESUS

John 15:1-5 - 1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.

2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you.

As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.

Abiding results in fruit-bearing.

SERMON 6

- 5 I am the vine; you are the branches.

Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.

Abiding in Christ glorifies the Father.

JESUS: THE TRUE VINE

- 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

ETS – LIFE OUTSIDE THE VINE (JESUS) IS DANGEROUS AND FRUITLESS…

ESS – ABIDING IN CHRIST IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE BELIEVER…

OSS – ABIDING IN CHRIST LEADS TO AN EFFECTIVE, FRUIT-BEARING, GOD-HONORING LIFE…

PQ – ARE YOU ABIDING IN CHRIST?

UW – ABIDING

INTRODUCTION:

TAKE YOUR BIBLE AND TURN WITH ME TO THE GOSPEL OF JOHN, CHAPTER 15…

THIS MORNING I WANT US TO LOOK AT JESUS TEACHING ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE VINE AND THE BRANCHES…

BECAUSE UNLESS WE RECOGNIZE THE CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF BEING CONNECTED TO JESUS, WE WILL NEVER PRODUCE THE TYPE OF FRUIT THAT GLORIFIES GOD…

IF YOU ARE ABLE, STAND WITH ME AS WE READ VERSES 1 THROUGH 11 IN JOHN, CHAPTER 15…

STAND – READ – PRAY

1. ABIDING IN CHRIST IS THE ONLY WAY TO BE EFFECTIVE.

a. (ESV) - 1 “I AM THE TRUE VINE, AND MY FATHER IS THE VINEDRESSER. 2 EVERY BRANCH IN ME THAT DOES NOT BEAR FRUIT HE TAKES AWAY, AND EVERY BRANCH THAT DOES BEAR FRUIT HE PRUNES, THAT IT MAY BEAR MORE FRUIT. 3 ALREADY YOU ARE CLEAN BECAUSE OF THE WORD THAT I HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU. 4 ABIDE IN ME, AND I IN YOU.

AS THE BRANCH CANNOT BEAR FRUIT BY ITSELF, UNLESS IT ABIDES IN THE VINE, NEITHER CAN YOU, UNLESS YOU ABIDE IN ME.

i. JESUS POINTS TO NATURE TO ILLUSTRATE THE IMPORTANCE OF ABIDING…

1. TO BE EFFECTIVE, THE BRANCH MUST BE CONNECTED TO THE VINE…

2. A BRANCH THAT BEARS NO FRUIT IS OBVIOUSLY DEAD.

3. SO, IN ORDER US TO BE EFFECTIVE SERVANTS OF CHRIST, WE MUST BE CONSISTENTLY CONNECTED TO HIM…

4. IN THAT, OUR RELATIONSHIP MUST BE ONE OF CONSTANT ABIDING IN HIM…

5. AND WHEN WE ARE ABIDING IN HIM…

ii.

WE EXPERIENCE THE SOMETIMES PAINFUL PROCESS OF PRUNING…

1. VERSE 2B – EVERY BRANCH THAT DOES BEAR FRUIT HE PRUNES…

2. THE GARDENER DOES NOT PRUNE THE BRANCH BECAUSE HE HATES THE BRANCH…

3. HE PRUNES THE BRANCH BECAUSE HE KNOWS THAT DOING SO WILL MAKE IT MORE HEALTHY AND MORE PRODUCTIVE…

4. THE SAME IS TRUE FOR US AS FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST…

iii.

GOD PRUNES OUR LIVES, REMOVING WHAT IS DETRIMENTAL, SO THAT WE CAN BE MORE HEALTHY AND MORE PRODUCTIVE FOR HIM…

b.

HE KNOWS THAT THE ONLY WAY FOR US TO BE EFFECTIVE IS TO ABIDE IN HIM…

2. ABIDING RESULTS IN FRUIT-BEARING.

a. (ESV) - 5 I AM THE VINE; YOU ARE THE BRANCHES.

WHOEVER ABIDES IN ME AND I IN HIM, HE IT IS THAT BEARS MUCH FRUIT, FOR APART FROM ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING.

6 IF ANYONE DOES NOT ABIDE IN ME HE IS THROWN AWAY LIKE A BRANCH AND WITHERS; AND THE BRANCHES ARE GATHERED, THROWN INTO THE FIRE, AND BURNED.

b.

THERE ARE A COUPLE OF LESSONS IN THIS PART OF THE PASSAGE…

c.

THE FIRST ONE IS THIS…

d.

THE EXPECTATION OF FRUIT-BEARING…

e. THE EXPECTATION OF FRUIT-BEARING CANNOT BE OVERLOOKED IN THIS PASSAGE…

i. THE WORD “FRUIT” OCCURS EIGHT TIMES IN THE VERSES 1 THROUGH 17.

ii.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR A BELIEVER TO “PRODUCE FRUIT?”

1. JESUS’ USE OF THE WORD “FRUIT” HERE IS INTERESTING, BECAUSE THE WORD TRANSLATED “FRUIT” MEANS ‘PLUCKED FRUIT…”

2. NOW WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN “FRUIT” AND “PLUCKED FRUIT?”

a. FRUIT THAT HAS NOT BEEN PLUCKED IS ONLY BENEFICIAL TO THE ONE…

i. IT REALLY CAN ONLY SERVE TO BE ADMIRED BY OTHERS…

ii.

IT REALLY CAUSES THE FOCUS TO BE ON THE BRANCH…

b.

FRUIT THAT HAS BEEN PLUCKED IS BENEFICIAL TO OTHERS…

i. IT CAN BE USED TO IMPACT THE LIVES OF OTHER PEOPLE…

ii.

AND IT CAUSES THE FOCUS TO BE ON THE GARDENER…

iii.

BY THE WAY, GOD IS THE GARDENER…

1. JESUS REFERRED TO HIM AS THE “VINEDRESSER” IN VERSE 1…

c.

THE POINT IS THIS…

d.

GOD IS NOT CONCERNED WITH US PRODUCING FRUIT FOR ADMIRATION…

e. HE IS CONCERNED WITH US PRODUCING FRUIT THAT CAN BENEFIT OTHERS FOR HIS GLORY…

iii.

SO LESSON ONE IS THE EXPECTATION OF FRUIT-BEARING…

f.

THE OTHER LESSON IN THESE VERSES IS THE DANGER OF A LIFE OUTSIDE OF A RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS…

i. IN VERSE 6, WE READ, “6 IF ANYONE DOES NOT ABIDE IN ME HE IS THROWN AWAY LIKE A BRANCH AND WITHERS; AND THE BRANCHES ARE GATHERED, THROWN INTO THE FIRE, AND BURNED.

1. HERE, WE SEE A CLEAR ANALOGY OF THE DESTINY OF THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO REJECT CHRIST…

a. THERE WILL BE A GREAT GATHERING OF THOSE WHO REJECT CHRIST, AND THEY WILL BE CAST INTO THE ETERNAL FLAMES OF HELL…

b.

NOT BECAUSE GOD DOES NOT LOVE THEM, BUT BECAUSE THEY CHOSE TO REJECT THE GREAT LOVE GOD SHOWED FOR THEM IN THE REDEMPTIVE SACRIFICE OF JESUS CHRIST…

ii.

AND SO JESUS POINTS OUT WHAT HE EXPECTS OF THOSE WHO DO ABIDE IN HIM, AND THE FATE OF THOSE WHO DO NOT…

g.

THERE IS A THIRD TRUTH IN THIS PASSAGE…

3. ABIDING IN CHRIST GLORIFIES THE FATHER.

a. (ESV) - 7 IF YOU ABIDE IN ME, AND MY WORDS ABIDE IN YOU, ASK WHATEVER YOU WISH, AND IT WILL BE DONE FOR YOU. 8 BY THIS MY FATHER IS GLORIFIED, THAT YOU BEAR MUCH FRUIT AND SO PROVE TO BE MY DISCIPLES.

b.

THERE IS AN UNDERLYING TRUTH IN VERSE 7 THAT MAN Y PEOPLE MISS…

i. IT PIVOTS ON THE WORD “IF…”

ii.

“IF YOU ABIDE IN ME, AND MY WORDS ABIDE IN YOU…” JESUS SAYS…

iii.

THEN ASK WHATEVER YOU WISH, AND IT WILL BE DONE FOR YOU…

iv.