Made for Spiritual Vitality

2020 Vision: Made For  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
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As we turn to 2020 with hope, promise and possibility for ourselves and our church, there are voices that will lay claim to having quick fix, silver bullet hacks and solutions to help us achieve our dreams and experience new life. Jesus cuts through the noise of competing "truths" with his would be followers: abiding in him is the only path to fruitfulness.

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Introduction

[SLIDE 1]: NEW SERIES INTRO
[SLIDE 2: MADE FOR SPIRITUAL VITALITY
[SLIDE 3]: 2019 is in the books! Turning the page.
Some: Glad 2020 is over
Others: sad its gone
Gym memes

What’s Your 2020 Vision?

What will you do to be your best self this year?
Or how about to have your best, optimized life?
Or even experience the promise of God for new life?
You, family
How can we experience the promise of God for new life?
What will the year hold?

Our Church

What will we do to be a more deeply spirit filled faith community?
Reach more people?

SLIDE 4] What We’re Seeking

Vitality: More meaningful and fruitful lives…to be more well, productive, have deeper relationships, etc.
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Plenty of Solutions to Help you Get there FAST

Gurus
Systems
Plans
Hacks, etc
#1 thing to do or pay attention to

No Shortcuts, Hacks, etc

The How is as (if not more) important as the what

Vine Metaphor

John experienced Jesus’ life and ministry.
He was familiar with the expectations for the messiah; he lived the ethnic hostilities between Jews and Samaritans and the contempt the religious people had for the common people.
#1 thing to do or pay attention to
He understood Jewish ideas, customs and traditions as well as the Greco-Roman context where his readers lived.
He wanted anyone who would read this that they might believe (for the first time AND in this passage keep on believing that Jesus is the Messiah and have
Life - the Messiah is not just for information but the path to life...
Vitality
Main message: God sent Jesus and he comes to bring vitality to life.
The How is as (if not more) important as the what
So John writes about the last of the 7 I am sayings after the last supper during passion week.
John 15:1–5 ESV
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 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. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 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 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.
This is the last of the 7 I am sayings (I am the true vine...my father is the gardener).

[SLIDE 5] Jesus on the What: 2 Parts

Jesus on the What

[SLIDE 5.1] Fruitful Life

Galatians 5:22–23 ESV
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Galatians 5

[SLIDE 5.2 ]Fruitful Ministry

Disciple making which is the result of the work of the Kingdom and it’s Gospel in and through us
2-3: Vine metaphor helps us understand roles, relationships, function or work.

SLIDE 6] Jesus on the Who: 3 Players

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The Father

Gardener. The Father (gardener) is in control of both Jesus' ministry (as the vine) and that of his disciples (the branches).
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Provides everything needed for a healthy, fruitful vineyard.
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There is a play on the words to clea (kathairo) and clean (katharos). The disciples have already been made clean and now the Father also cleanses/prunes the disciples/branches so that they would bear more fruit.

Jesus

True Vine
The fruitful vine (Ez 17:5–10) and “the vine brought out of Egypt” () were symbolic of the Jewish people. Jesus compares himself to the true vine of which his disciples were the branches (). The grape vine was held in high regard by the Israelites.
True (alethinos) - what is genuine. True worshipers, true bread, true vine, true God.
As the true vine, he produced what the nation of Israel failed to produce: fruit for which the Father was looking: restoration, salvation, etc.

Disciples

Made clean through the word Jesus spoke and then our response to it is where we become more fruitful or are continually pruned.
branches = Fruit Bearers
Disciples - branches/fruit bearers.
Ex: Judas was a branch cut off (). Allusion her to the spring pruning of vines during the flowering stage so that fruit-bearing is maximized.

Relationships

The Father and Jesus

Jesus and Us/Disciples

[SLIDE 7] Jesus on the How: 2 Activities

Pruning

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MSG - v 2 - he cuts off every branch OF me. Others - IN me.

Disciples are pruned to increase our fruit bearing OR cut off because they fail to produce fruit.
Ex: Judas was a branch cut off (). Allusion her to the spring pruning of vines during the flowering stage so that fruit-bearing is maximized.
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To prune (kathairo) also means to clean or to purify

3 - MSG: you are already pruned back by the message I have spoken.
Declared clean/right/good
Continually made clean/right/good
Jesus Gives that which makes us clean: the word spoken to them = what he taught them.

Every branch (disciple) that does produce fruit he cuts back so it will bear even more fruit

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Disciples are pruned to increase our fruit bearing OR cut off because they fail to produce fruit.
Ex: Judas was a branch cut off (). Allusion her to the spring pruning of vines during the flowering stage so that fruit-bearing is maximized.
Ex: Judas was a branch cut off (). Allusion her to the spring pruning of vines during the flowering stage so that fruit-bearing is maximized.
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Every branch that does produce fruit he cuts back so it will bear even more fruit.
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What he taught them and us empowers us through his abiding with us
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In 13:10-11 is used to describe the disciples (- Judas) as clean and here to the 11: you are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.
There is a play on the words to clea (kathairo) and clean (katharos). The disciples have already been made clean and now the Father also cleanses/prunes the disciples/branches so that they would bear more fruit.
Pruning - have been made clean (declared) and are continually made clean (Spirit and word) through the ongoing work of the spirit and truth and our response to it.
Made clean through the word Jesus spoke and then our response to it is where we become more fruitful or are continually pruned.
What else gets cut back?
What are the things that God cuts out of our lives in order that we might experience his presence and others would experience his presence by being around us?
How is our response to Jesus' teaching doing that?
Some of us read this and clearly it’s sin. He removes sin from us. Possible that’s what this can mean.
Often healthy, good branches are also cut back so others can thrive. There are good things in our lives that might need to be removed to put us in the position to be more fruitful.
Hobby, way of thinking, attitude, a routine or habit
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How God prunes, cuts back in our lives
Make your home in me
Intimate and organic relationship with Christ
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Abiding

Fruitful life and ministry happen from abiding in Christ
In 3, we bear fruit as we respond to Jesus' teachings.
in 4, we cannot bear fruit unless we abide/remain in Christ.
Making Our Home With Jesus
5 - MSG: when you are joined with me and I with you, the relationship is intimate the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can't produce a thing.
Gk: Remain, stay, reside (abide) - stay at home, where you are; be present, dwell in, live in, share living space. Make a home together.
John was getting across to his readers that by sharing in the life of Christ we are the recipients of Christ's hospitality.
We also share in the nature of the relationship between the Father, Son, and Spirit.
Responding to What He Teaches = Obedience
1. What does it mean to remain in Jesus? Disciples likely saw this not as an organic union with Jesus but rather in terms of loyalty and fellowship that would continue as they obeyed his word. 2 other places he talked with them about remaining in him and his love and both involved keeping his word.
Disciples saw abiding as an organic union with Jesus but rather in terms of loyalty and fellowship that would continue as they obeyed his word.
Abiding in Christ: Spirit and Word.
2 other places he talked with them about remaining in him and his love and both involved keeping his word.

Abiding

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True (alethinos) - what is genuine. True worshipers, true bread, true vine, true God.
As the true vine, he produced what the nation of Israel failed to produce: fruit for which the Father was looking: restoration, salvation, etc.
in 4, we cannot bear fruit unless we abide/remain in Christ.
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What does it mean for Jesus to remain in the disciples? Think: continuing fellowship.
Abiding: the combination of us as disciples remaining in fellowship with Jesus by obeying his word and Jesus' remaining in us as his disciples through the coming of the spirit which produces fruit that the Father is pleased with.

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Committing himself to be with them and for them (Holy Spirit).
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What he taught them and us empowers us through his abiding with us
What does it mean for Jesus to remain in the disciples? Think: continuing fellowship. Committing himself to be with them and for them (Holy Spirit). Abiding: the combination of us as disciples remaining in fellowship with Jesus by obeying his word and Jesus' remaining in us as his disciples through the coming of the spirit which produces fruit that the Father is pleased with.

Disciples

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Remain, stay, reside (abide) - stay at home, where you are; be present, dwell in, live in, share living space. By doing so, we are the recipients of Christ's hospitality. Especially in John's gospel. He extends the metaphor of abiding.dwelling and of hospitality to describe our relationship with Christ, the spirit as reflective of Jesus' relationship with the Father.
1. What does it mean to remain in Jesus? Disciples likely saw this not as an organic union with Jesus but rather in terms of loyalty and fellowship that would continue as they obeyed his word. 2 other places he talked with them about remaining in him and his love and both involved keeping his word.
Abiding in Christ: Spirit and Word.

Abiding Means Living Within Our Limits

High Capacity - we believe we can do anything and everything, handle anything and everything and expect to thrive.
Moses had to learn he wasn’t high capacity (just like we have to learn we can’t multi-task).
-Sent his family away so he could focus on leading Israel.
-Tried to judge all the cases himself
-path to spiritual exhaustion.
-Had to be coached to recruit and train others.

Living beyond our limits

Irritability or hypersensitivity
Restlessness
Compulsive overworking
Emotional numbness
Escapist behaviors: veg out, substance abuse, movies, internet.
Disconnected from our identity
No time for life giving needs: sleep, nutrition, taking care of our health.
No energy for spiritual practices
Look to someone else’s life, situation, job, and wish it was ours
Living within limits means having a realistic view of of who we really are, our ego-driven plans
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There are limits to what we are called to do Need to live within the limits of who we are as individuals and organization, to give our very best to the field we have been given to work in and to trust God to enlarge our sphere of action if and when we are ready.
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Living Within Limits

Living within limits means having a realistic view of of who we really are, our ego-driven plans
Limits of life in this body, community, set of relationship, financial situation, place we are called to serve.
There is a finiteness to how many relationships we can engage in meaningfully; to time; to our energy.
There is a finiteness to every stage of life.
Living w/in our limits allows us to become people of substance, courage, intelligence, dignity and generosity.
Allows us to accept flaws, failures rather than fight to show we’re capable.

How: Spiritual Rhythm of Engagement and Retreat

Important for Jesus and disciples.
Solitude, retreat. Return of 72: come away and rest a while.
Often the quality of life and work lacks fruitfulness because we’ve lost the ability to be present to God, others and discern what is really needed in situations in front of us.
Result: sloppy desperation.
One Physician: When tired, overworked, ordered a lot of tests. So exhausted, couldn’t tell what was happening. Relied on outside sources to tell him what he was missing. When rested, patient, listened to the patient, he could rely on his intuition and experience to know what was happening. “When I could take the time to listen and be present with them in their illness, I was almost always right.”
When depleted, we become overly reliant on voices outside ourselves to understand our reality.
We rely on other people’s models, consultations, conferences, experts because we are too tired to listen in our setting and create something uniquely suited to meet the needs that are there.
When rested, we bring steady, alert attention for true discernment about what is truly needed in our situation and the energy and creativity to carry it out.
On retreat there is time and space to attend to celebrations and joys, grieve the losses, sit with questions, process emotions, attend to loneliness and allow God to love you in those places.
Not time for problem solving or fixes. Not everything can be fixed or solved.
On retreat we rest in God, wait on him to do what is needed.
Eventually we return to battle with fresh energy and keener insight and better words.
“Right speech comes out of silence.”
Psalm 4:4–5 ESV
Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord.
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Obstacles to Spiritual Rhythms

Expectation to respond to others’ crises, to alleviate all their issues, concerns, meet their needs. Fix them now.

Doesn’t come easy for those of us busy trying to make things happen.
Takes energy to be restrained and actively wait for the work of God in our lives and in the world around us.
The more active we are, the more silence we need.
The greater call for decisive action, the more we must be sure we have listened long enough to receive clear direction.

Being Out of Rhythm

The KEY to effective rhythm of engagement and retreat is this:
Either without the other is not adequate.
If we pray and never do anything, nothing will get done.
If we keep doing things but avoid stillness, chances are our actions will be less than what is really needed.
It is the rhythm of silence and action that makes it good.

Practice of Abiding Rhythms

Pattern of attitudes, behaviors, practices that are regular and routine and produce a quality of life and character in us.
Allows us to enter the deeper things of the spiritual journey and begin to attend to our vitality - what is really required for us to be well.
In Community
For us together to live within our limits, we must practice this kind of rhythm for a deeper and vital spiritual journey together and for our community.
The choice to commit to spiritual rhythms in our fast-paced, high-demand environment is radical.
IJM Illustration (Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership, pp. 130-132).
The fruit of spiritual rhythms means three things:
Humility - just being with God is humbling.
Wisdom - There is a different kind of quiet inside for hearing God.
Peace - The urgent, painful things we deal with every day can make us anxious and frustrated. Being quiet in God’s presence brings us to a place of trust in him.
fruit is produced as disciples maintain fellowship with Jesus by keeping his word and when Jesus is in fellowship with disciples by the Spirit means that fruit is the entire life and ministry of those who follow Jesus and experience his presence in their lives through the spirit.
Fruit - character, etc. Cannot be moral, cannot be _____ through hacks, etc. Only as we abide in Christ (spirit and word). Continuing fellowship.
A. Right living
Now states it clearly: I (Jesus) am the vine; you (disciples) are the branches. If we are abiding with one another, (you follow my teaching) and I empower you with my Spirit) you will be fruitful. There is no other way to be fruitful. Outside of abiding, you can do nothing for my kingdom.
B. The result of proclaiming the Gospel.
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