Keep sharing good news without ads.
Sermon Notes: notes.cornerstonesj.org
Proven
Church, my name is Michael.
I just wanted to introduce myself and I wanted to mention a connect card that we have if you're new here or
Been here a couple times and we haven't been able to connect with you.
This is a great way to do it.
If you are new here and need one of these cards in just a minute I'll have Bob come
around with a pen and one of these cards and if you slip up your hand He'll see it and then he can
Give this to you for you to fill out Just your name and some information.
This allows us to have a record of your visit and also allows us to send you a thank -you Email to say thanks for
coming.
If there's anything we can do for you, you would just let us know through that through that email.
If you do fill one of these out You can put it in the offering box in the back or you can give it to someone up here and
they'll get it back To us and we can process it and send you a thank -you note.
So, thank you for your attention and Drew's going to share some things with us.
So I'm gonna open The Bible today.
We're gonna start with that and we are going to read from John chapter 14.
Because that is where a certain person Ended up the last time he preached so we can have a
little reminder today of what we heard the last time that Jeff was here.
So this is John chapter 14 verse starting verse 25 these things I have spoken to you while
abiding with you.
But the helper the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name He will teach you all things
and bring all things to remembrance the things I've said to you.
Peace.
I leave with you my peace.
I give to you not as the world gives.
Do I give to you?
Let your heart not be troubled nor let it be fearful.
You have heard that I said I will go away and I will come to you if you love me.
You would have rejoiced because I go to the Father who is greater than I and Now I have
told you before it comes to pass that when it comes to pass you may believe
I will not speak much more with you for the ruler of the world is coming and he has nothing in me.
But that the world may know that I love the Father and as the Father gave me commandment even so I do.
Arise let us go from here and that's what Jesus said to his disciples after
The time in the upper room the Last Supper and Jeff is going to continue from there today.
Very excited.
We are a little bit excited to have Jeff back today, aren't we?
It's great pastor John was here this morning, too.
So we're great to see John and Jeff back and just grateful to see what the Lord's doing just all over the place.
And I just for announcement wise I'll just mention a few things because I know a certain someone wants to get up
here.
So the fall season is gonna be busy folks.
We're gonna have a lot of things going on.
The care groups are gonna start ramping up again.
We're gonna have a few more New classes, I believe we're gonna have more information on that coming forward.
But immediately we need to announce that we're going to have a baptism on September 17th.
So that's not too far away September 17th, we're gonna have an outside baptism, which
means we're going to after the second service.
We're going to go down to the shore and in the water down there.
We're going to have a baptism.
So if you are interested in baptism, please see pastor Jeff.
Please see myself or one of the other elders baptism classes are going to start next week.
During this service during the second service.
So you could come to the first service go to the baptism class in the second service if you're interested and the baptism class
will Continue for a few weeks and then we'll have that baptism.
So if you're interested, please see one of us also.
Marriage matters mentioned that a last few times.
There are still openings for that class.
That's a beautiful class where couples come together.
They study the Word of God together.
They learn a little bit more about each other.
Even if you've been married for 45 years.
You married for one year, whatever it is.
It's a beautiful class for you to grow together with each other and closer to the Lord.
So if you're interested in that that the Biddle's are going to be leading that class and that's going to be on
Tuesday night starting on September 13th.
From 7 to 8 30 at their house.
So if you're interested in that again see one of the elders see Jeff or see the Biddle's and you can sign up online, too.
When the pastor Graham goes out you can click on that you can sign up that way, too.
So that's wonderful.
I also want to bring to your attention that There's something missing in the sanctuary.
The big booth back there that was back there which was beautiful and it was made with care and with hands.
That love and we're so grateful for the people who donated their materials and their time and
We just want to say thank you for that and there's going to be an upgrade to the sound system.
So keep you know, keep your eyes on that.
We're so grateful for all the worship team and the work that's going on there.
I just want to say thank you to all the folks that have worked on that and also a request.
We do need folks to clean the church.
There's a sign -up sheet out in the foyer and we're grateful for the folks that have cleaned the church over the years, but
we do need some more folks to sign up now and If you are interested in that You could
see again one of the elders and what we'll do is we'll give you a list of responsibilities.
A kind of a you know a checklist.
This is how you do the work.
But also show you where the supplies are and we'd be very thankful if you'd be willing to do that.
So thank you, and that's it for the announcements and we will go to the word and prayer.
And let's do that.
Father we see a glorious day before us and Lord is in every day glorious with you.
Father you are holy and you are mighty and you are awesome.
And when we sit before you today Lord, we want to be lifting up your name.
We want to be honoring you with our lives with our words with our thoughts.
Father you are gracious and a wonderful God and we want to thank you and praise you we pray for this service father.
You would be with Jeff.
We're so thankful that he is here and we pray for the worship team as we all with one heart and one voice
lift up Holy hands and beautiful words to your name.
We thank you Jesus and we pray in your name.
Amen.
Good morning, let's stand together as we sing in Psalm
89.
It says I will sing of your steadfast love forever My mouth will
proclaim your faithfulness and your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens
Give thanks to the Lord our God and King His love endures
forever For he is good he is above all things
his love endures forever Sing praise
Sing praise.
With a mighty hand and an outstretched arm his love endures
forever.
Life has been reborn his love endures forever
Sing praise Sing praise
Sing praise
Praise forever.
God is faithful Forever God is strong
Forever.
God is ever
for rising to
the setting Sun his love Endorsed forever and
by the grace of God we will carry on.
His love endures forever Sing praise
Sing praise Sing praise.
God is faithful Forever God is strong.
God is with us forever.
And in Psalm 87 verse 10 For you O Lord are the most high
over all the earth for you are exalted far above all gods.
Let those who love the Lord hate evil For he guards the lives of his faithful ones
and delivers for them from the hands of the wicked
from the ends of the earth From the
depths of the sea From the heights of the
heavens Your name be
praise from the hearts of the People
from the shouts of the strong From the lips
of all people.
This song we Lord
Throughout the endless ages You will be
crowned with praises Lord most high
Exalted in every nation Sovereign
of all creation.
Lord most high be magnified
The ends of the earth From the depths of the
sea From the heights of the heavens
Your name be praise From the hearts of the
weak From the shouts of the strong
From the lips of all people.
Throughout the endless ages You will be crowned with praises Lord most high You will be
crowned with praises Lord
Exalted in every nation Sovereign of
all creation.
Be magnified.
Oh Lord Lord we stand before you humbled Before your throne
Lord, we know that was only by you That we can stand here redeemed
you came from your holiness Came to this earth to save us because you loved us so much
We believe in you Lord Jesus.
We know that you've risen from the dead.
We know that you reign victorious The Lord will be
king over all the earth and on that day.
There will be one Lord and his name only will be praised
in Christ.
Risen from the dead He now reigns victorious.
His kingdom knows no end through his resurrection.
Death has lost its hold.
I Know on that final day I'll rise as Jesus rose.
On that day We will see you Shine brighter than the
sun on that day.
We will know you as we lift our voices one till that day.
We will praise you for your never -ending grace.
And we will keep on singing on that glorious day.
What a blessed hope.
Though not tired and worn We will spend eternity
Around our savior's throne.
Though we grieve our losses We grieve not in vain.
For we know our crown of glory waits beyond the grave.
And on that day We will see you Shining brighter than the sun
on that day.
What a day it will be.
For at home with you my joy is complete.
As I run into your arms open wide I will see
My father who is waiting for me.
Hallelujah, what a day it will be.
At home with you my joy is complete.
On that day I will see you shining brighter than the sun
On that day We will see you shining brighter than the sun
We will praise you Lift our voices one till that day.
And we'll keep on singing on that glorious day.
Day You may be seated.
So back from sabbatical, I know that while I was gone Pastor John Laskin
Let you know what I was going to be doing on sabbatical and that was to climb Mount Washington.
However, I got to thinking Why go climb a mountain when I could just lay by the
beach.
You could see the glory of God in the ocean just like in a mountain so.
Instead I didn't do that.
I can do that in 2030 at my next sabbatical.
How's that sound?
So that was an utter fail my my desire.
I didn't pull that off.
But I was blessed to get to watch online and see the sermons that were preached while I was gone.
And aren't we blessed in this church by the the leaders and the teachers that were filling this pulpit those
last eight weeks.
Those young guns tim and jacob coming in here and preaching the word
praise god.
And to all of you that served behind the scenes and kept everything together.
It's just you know, I read some horror stories about Pastors that go on sabbatical and they come back and the church
is empty.
And it's like oh man.
But instead like it's better than when it before I left.
So maybe I should take some more time off right now.
I am excited to be back and i'm just I want to tell you church.
Thank you For sending me away on sabbatical not a lot of churches do that, but it was a good
time for us to refresh.
We lost jen's mother.
Just prior to that sabbatical so to have extra family time.
And to be able to to have that time together was a true blessing for our family.
And it was a lot of love that you guys showed to send us away for that.
So, thank you.
Let's pray.
Gracious heavenly father we do give you all the thanks and all the praise for what you are doing here at
cornerstone church.
The hand of your favor is evident.
Your presence we can feel.
Your goodness toward us in our lives is just so tangible.
You are a good god and you have done great things for us.
And we are filled with joy.
Thank you lord and now as lord i'm looking at seven more years of ministry.
God, I pray that the things to come are greater than the former things.
I pray lord that this ministry would bear much fruit lord.
In salvation that many would come to saving faith.
That we would be baptizing dozens each year.
Or more lord if it be your will.
Lord we pray that those who claim the name of jesus would walk as
genuine disciples in the truth.
That we would be growing in grace and knowledge.
Wisdom and depth of insight.
Thank you lord.
Now as we open your word, we pray that you would work powerfully in us.
Through the preaching and hearing of your word in jesus name.
Through your prayers and the help given by the spirit of jesus christ.
What has happened to me has turned out for my deliverance.
So paul spoke to the philippians and I see that also true in my life.
The last time that I preached here was before I went to fullerton, california.
For the efca controversy and all that went down there.
You know I feel like a jar of clay.
There's no power in me to accomplish anything great.
But to show that the all -surpassing power comes from god and not from us.
The treasure who is christ in us the hope of glory is held in jars of clay.
Pastor john Advised me not to make many decisions about what to do regarding the
evangelical free church until after my eight -week sabbatical.
And Looking back on it eight weeks later.
I am seeing things very differently than when I went away on sabbatical.
I want to highlight for you a few things.
The person Who I addressed in woke free church who had introduced some of the woke
teachings into the efca.
He said that white evangelical support for donald trump is evidence of racism in the
evangelical church and I called that out.
And a number of other woke teachings this person Stepped down from the board of
ministerial standing.
The person who brought charges against me for spurious charges christian nationalism influence
attitude and misrepresentation.
This person who refused to provide any evidence of those things.
Has also stepped down as the chairman of the board of ministerial standing.
And the person who prosecuted me the most.
At that quote -unquote trial in october of 2022.
He was the diversity inclusion equity officer for the denomination.
This is not something in which to rejoice, but he was discovered to be in some kind of scandal of one sort
or another.
They didn't tell us but he was removed from the efca as well.
And again, we don't delight in any kind of fall of any kind.
But i'm looking to my left and to my right and those who were against us.
I am now saying where are my enemies.
God is the one who will vindicate.
In fact, it says in isaiah chapter 54 Verse 17 no weapon formed
against you shall prosper.
But you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment.
This is my vindication and the inheritance of my saints.
So I look to the lord for deliverance.
And i'm seeing that god's power is at work behind the scenes, but the most encouraging thing to come from
fullerton Was a statement issued by the president.
He came out and said five things that were incredibly encouraging to me now remember.
Back in 2018 at a theology conference.
They introduced social justice and the elements of critical race theory and wokeness and a number of other
things.
But at this conference in june of 2023 The president said
we are not adherents of the social justice movement.
And he said we are not woke.
We are not adherents of critical race theory.
He went on to say we do not believe that a person's biological sex Should be separated from their
self -perception as a man or woman.
Nor that the body should be altered when it does not conform to that self -perception.
A strong statement.
Against what's happening in our culture?
And he said we are not egalitarian.
Egalitarian now egalitarian for those of you who don't know refers to female preachers.
And they definitively said that they are not.
Now in this statement that he read there were some caveats.
Which allow some wiggle room for those who are more of the woke social justice crt
persuasion.
So I don't think this is a slam dunk that ends the fight forever.
But what I am saying to you Is that we have stood against the woke movement this little church in
mount laurel, new jersey.
And the the focus of that conference was to repudiate the very things that were introduced in 2018.
I look at the conference in 2018 as like the battle of britain.
Out of nowhere.
We received teaching from sweeney and williams and ellis
and some other teachers about woke.
Ideology and it was like the battle of britain this air raid that's coming over the free world
freedom versus the incursion of a foreign enemy.
An indoctrination of unbiblical concepts.
There was a battle of britain that raged In 2018, but we weathered that storm.
2023 were the shores of normandy.
By god's grace and through the power of prayer and the help given by the spirit of jesus christ.
God sent us To rebuke the woke movement.
And did you know I was not scheduled to speak in fullerton.
I had been given the opportunity to write a 2 000 word essay and that was to be my voice and that was delivered
to the delegates.
But you were here praying all week and there was a prayer meeting in this building at that very time.
And through your prayers and the help given by the spirit of jesus christ a power that does not come from us.
But it is his power.
A door of opportunity was opened and they gave me three minutes to address the conference.
I wasn't supposed to speak and so rather than defend myself I pointed out examples of the woke
direction in which the church had been moving.
And I called for biblical justice rather than diversity diversity inclusion equity.
But to follow the biblical pattern of justice.
And I want to thank you church for praying because if you had not prayed There would have been no opportunity to speak.
And so what is my mind at this point as I look at the denomination?
I think we stay in fight.
We continue on because the the direction of the denomination now is against the very
things that they once introduced.
So according to act 1637 paul says let them come and escort escort us out.
If there's somebody that would say they want cornerstone gone from the denomination let them come escort us out.
But for the time being we will pray.
And we will seek the lord and listen church.
When we do that.
When we are a praying church that's in the word his word abiding in us.
And we calling upon the name of jesus.
Supernatural power from heaven will be born through this church.
We can move an entire denomination back to the truth.
God can do that through us his power not ours.
It's a power of prayer.
And I believe it's happening in our midst.
Beautiful thing and this is the lesson for today.
When you are connected to the vine the true vine.
When you are abiding in christ his word abiding in you and you're praying and asking of your father.
He will do what you ask for in prayer.
And you will bear much fruit.
The normal pattern of the christian life is not to be dry and withered on the vine.
To be bearing fruit.
To have life from god flowing through you working in you and on you and then that
power to manifest in the world.
Through ministry powerful ministry that does not come from us.
We have the privilege of seeing god at work in our lives, let's open to john 15.
Today we'll cover verses 1 to 8.
Before I read it Let me just remind you of a theme that john has developed
in his gospel beginning early in chapter 2 verse 23.
We are told that many believed in his name
but Jesus did not entrust himself to them because he knew what was in a man.
Translation.
There is a kind of believing in his name, which is only superficial.
It's only an outward connection an appearance of being connected to the vine.
But it's a false conversion.
Judas iscariot is prototypical of the false convert.
The theme develops in john chapter 6 verse 66 you can remember it because of 666.
When his teaching became too hard for them too difficult to accept namely he was claiming
to be the bread of life and.
And that they must eat his body and drink his blood.
Which means to believe in him.
Or else they have no part.
It says that many departed from him.
So the crowds were following him and then they turned away.
They proved to be false converts.
And then explicitly in john chapter 8 verses 30 and 31 many believe
in him.
But he goes on to say if you abide in my word, you are my disciples indeed
so the point is There is a kind of believing Discipleship which is
outward only.
It's possible that some who are gathered here in this congregation.
You are outwardly identified with christ.
It's a christian church and we assume you're saved.
Because you're here and you're singing and you're listening you're underlining.
It's possible that some Are not genuinely converted
in john chapter 13 verses 10 and 11.
Jesus says that you are clean.
Referring to the 11 but not all of you referring to the one Judas
iscariot.
And so now we will read john 15 with that in mind.
Recognizing there's a kind of in christ in this chapter believing in him identified as a
disciple.
Which is not genuine.
Let's read john 15 one day I am the true vine.
And my father is the vine dresser.
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.
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.
If you abide in me my words and my words abide in you.
Ask whatever you wish And it will be done for you.
By this is my father glorified That you bear much fruit and so prove
To be my disciples.
May god bless the hearing of his word and now as we Exposit what is contained here
We pray that the lord would guard us from errors And lead us into all truth.
I titled my sermon proven.
Because the issue here comes from that last verse.
As the thought is culminated there in verse 8 to prove To be my
disciples.
You do not earn salvation by bearing fruit.
If what you did for god earn something from god, it wouldn't be grace.
Salvation is by grace alone and not by works.
And so fruit Is not what earns anything from god.
It's what proves the genuineness of the branch.
A branch that's genuinely connected to the vine a true christian will bear fruit.
So it proves the state of things.
Now there would be no life If jesus had not come.
We would be dead in our sins.
Jesus is the source of life.
So we must start by looking at him and this incredible claim in john 15 verse 1
I am the true vine.
Just those words I am carry the force Of god.
He is claiming to be god in the greek.
The word is ego.
Ame two words I am the septuagint Was a greek
translation of the hebrew bible.
And when you read how god speaks in the septuagint at the burning bush
moses says who shall I say sent me.
And god answers I am.
Or in the greek ego.
Ame.
Again, this is picked up in the isaiah 40s again and again god claims I am.
This is how you know, he is the true god.
So when jesus says I am the true vine He is making a claim to be
god.
And the analogy to a vine means he is the source of life.
A branch cut off from the vine Can do nothing it dies.
It is dead.
But to be connected to the vine is to receive life and this is the point of the book of john
John 20 31.
I have written these things that you may have life.
He says before that that you may believe that jesus is the christ the son of god and believing have
life.
Consider the claims he's already made in the book John 3 16.
Everybody here can quote this one, right?
For god so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him will not perish but have
everlasting life.
In john 4 verse 10 the woman at the well.
If you knew Who who it was that is speaking to you?
You would have asked him.
And he would have given you living water.
He's the source of life.
After multiplying the bread and the fish and feeding the 5 000 he makes the bold claim john 6 35
I am The bread of life.
That's the first of the iam statements in the book of john.
In chapter 7 verse 37 He cries out
In jerusalem if anyone is thirsty let him come to me and drink.
He promises to give them what?
Living water.
And wells of water will spring up from the inside.
In john 8 12, he says I am the light of the world.
Later in john 8 he'll say unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.
In the greek It simply translates unless you believe that ego a me that I am unless you
accept this claim that I am god.
You die in your sins.
And of course, how did they welcome that claim?
In john chapter 8.
They very much rejected that claim.
And so he said before abraham was born.
John 8 58 I am.
He claims to be god.
In john 9 he heals a blind man and then finds him later and talks to him.
And ask him if he knew who the son of man was.
The now seeing man says tell me lord that I may know and he says I who am speaking to you.
Am he the claim to be son of man comes from daniel?
And it is a claim to deity the one to whom all dominion and power and authority will be given
the I am.
In john chapter 10. He says I am the door and then he turns around and says I am the good shepherd
after raising lazarus from the dead.
Or just prior to that in asking the believing sisters.
If he believes if they believed he could do that, what does he say to them?
I am the resurrection and the life.
John 14 6.
I am the way the truth and the life.
No one comes to the father, but by me.
So when jesus makes a claim here, this is the final of the seven I am statements.
But there's other places where he claims to be the I am in fact at at the arrest in john 17, I believe
it is.
The soldiers come to him.
And they're looking for jesus of nazareth.
If you read the actual statement, he says he simply says Eggo a me.
And at the the power of his confession to be the I am the soldiers fall
down like dead men.
His claim through the book Of john is to be the I am.
So if we don't start here we miss the point.
He's claiming to be the source of life.
There's no other way to live.
He gives life to those who believe in him.
And apart from him you can do nothing.
You will not live.
You will suffer the fate Of the disconnected branch as we read on.
Next thing I want you to notice In the text is the word true.
Or stand out to you.
He doesn't just say I am the vine.
He says I am the true vine.
Why would he say true vine?
When he's introducing an analogy, well, clearly there must have been a false vine an
imposter vine.
One that did not accomplish the purpose for which it was sent.
What is the false vine in this analogy it is israel.
Notice at the end of chapter 14 verse 31.
Jesus has been in the upper room.
He's washed their feet.
They've had the supper.
What does he say?
Rise, let us go from here.
Did you ever notice that in the text?
They leave the upper room.
And it's likely that as they come down out of the upper room they go past the temple before they head east
to the garden of gethsemane.
As jesus was passing the temple or perhaps passing a vineyard.
He gives an analogy here to israel.
There was two great historians From that time period that tell us what things were like.
In israel at that time one was tacitus.
And the other was josephus.
Both of them described what the temple looked like in the first century.
It had giant pillars holding things up, but on the pillars of the temple Was
an ornate golden vine.
A beautiful golden vine that would run up The side of the pillar that held up the temple.
And this was to symbolize israel.
Israel was the vine of god.
Read isaiah chapter 5 on your own time.
In isaiah chapter 5 the vineyard of god is israel and they were meant to bear fruit
for god.
The creation of israel was to mediate blessing to the world.
Genesis 12 1 to 3.
Through israel through the descendants of abraham.
Blessing would come to the world.
The trouble is in isaiah 5.
They're not bearing fruit.
The vine bears no fruit.
He looked for good grapes from his vineyard, but behold nothing, but wild grapes.
Isaiah chapter 5.
And so sprinkled throughout the old testament.
Didn't tim robinson do a great job last week showing the old testament prophecies fulfilled in christ.
There are six old testament prophecies about a coming branch.
From the vine.
This branch that they're looking for is none other than christ himself.
What israel could not do as a nation.
The whole lot of them couldn't represent god to the world.
There is one coming the christ.
Who could do what israel could not do.
The true vine.
The true branch.
A shoot Will come up from the stump of jesse.
A branch from his root will bear fruit.
The spirit of god will be on him the spirit of wisdom and understanding.
Counsel and power of knowledge and the fear of the lord.
He will not decide by what he sees with his eyes.
But in righteousness he will judge the nations and with swiftness justice.
Give decisions for the poor of the earth.
Who is the branch?
Promised who's baptized in the holy spirit.
This is none other than christ himself.
The branch is promised in jeremiah and in zechariah six places.
I was just quoting for you isaiah 11.
But see jesus identifies himself as the true vine.
Because israel has not been able to give life to bless the world.
Isaiah 49 foresaw salvation to the ends of the earth.
But israel had become broken and insulated and insular.
And unable to mediate blessing.
So christ himself comes to give life.
He is the true vine and israel Is the imposter vine.
They have fallen short.
And been unable to mediate this blessing.
So you have to start there verse one.
You have christ as the only source of life, but now we get into the meat of the argument.
And what should really capture everybody's attention in this room?
Because in verses two and three We see that there are two branches two kinds
of branches.
And the difference between them Is night and day.
It's heaven and hell.
Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away.
Contrast that branch which is taken away.
With every branch that does bear fruit.
Which he prunes.
That it may bear more fruit and this one is already clean because of the word two
kinds of branches.
Now before I exposit what we are to understand from that and apply to our lives I want
to warn you of two bad interpretations of this verse.
You're driving through the text.
And you veer off into a ditch.
You're trying to understand what jesus is saying and you veer off into a ditch one way or another.
Another the ditch on the left is liberalism.
And this ditch Misinterprets the words take away follow me.
Every branch in me that does not bear fruit.
He takes away.
I was listening to joseph smith.
No, that's the mormon guy joseph prince.
Who was on tbn?
And he said, you know Teachers for all these years have missed the point
of this verse.
He says.
The translators all got it wrong now church.
Listen to this.
This is very important when someone brings a novelty.
Something that they're seeing that hasn't been seen for 2 000 years.
That should be a red flag.
It's possible that the church has missed something at some point.
But the burden of proof is on the one who's disagreeing with all the translators.
The king james and the esp or whatever good translation you have.
If it's a novel idea.
You should be suspicious at the at the outset.
Okay.
But we determine these things from the text not from tradition.
So therefore sola scriptura we go by the word.
Here's what he says.
Takes away is the word array from the root arrow in the greek.
And this greek word can mean takes away.
But it can also mean lift up.
And that's true.
Within the semantic domain of the word arrow you could have the idea of taking something away or
simply lifting it up.
But what this teacher does is he says it does not mean take away.
It means lifts up.
So as a vine gets Dirty, it's running through the ground.
It can't bear fruit because it's in the dirt.
The gardener comes along and he gently lifts it and he puts it up where it can bear fruit.
This sound plausible.
Because god is the lifter of those who are broken.
If you're depressed god will be the lifter of your head.
So maybe this means arrow lifting.
So the first danger in this teaching is that it's novel it goes against the translators.
The second danger and what exposes it for the lie that it is.
Is that it doesn't follow the context?
Of the passage itself.
As we go through i'll have you notice verses two and three
are the first iteration.
Of a concept that repeats itself in total three times.
There is a repetition in verses one to eight.
And it always begins the same way by showing the branch that's taken away because it bears no
fruit.
And then the good branch and these two are held in contrast.
So as you follow the flow of the text you see the meaning of the first iteration.
It means takes away because in verses four and five you have the branch by itself.
Versus the branch that's connected.
And then in case you miss it the second time you come to the third time in verse six.
You cannot miss the point the branch that's taken away
Is thrown away and burned in fire.
Hold that in contrast to the true branch the good branch that bears
So the point being.
We reject that interpretation because the flow of the text exposes it.
The big idea throughout the text is there is a kind of branch that only looks like a branch.
It's an outward connection to christ.
But it will be taken away there is a
troubling tendency among preachers.
To empty the bible of the hard sayings.
And there is an impulse to focus only on the encouraging what's affirming.
And it's far more affirming to say lift up than take away.
But it's far more loving to say what jesus meant in context.
Because this warning is for every person in this room.
If you are not abiding in the vine.
If you are not connected to the source of life if you're not truly saved and clean.
You will be thrown away and burned in fire.
You will be taken away.
The warning is loving because it calls you to attend to the true state of your heart.
Do not assume That just because you gather In the assembly that
you have been born again.
Do not assume that and the first warning here is he takes it away now the second
error the second ditch Comes from those who
claim that you can lose your salvation.
Do you see where they get it in verse 2?
They'll say see it says in me.
And then it gets taken away.
Looks like you have a saved person.
Who loses their salvation and ends up burned.
That assumption is built on a wrong understanding of in me in the book of
john.
This is why that earlier context was so important.
John 2 23.
John 6 66.
John 8 30 and 31.
John 13 versus 10 and 11.
Again and again.
John is teaching us that there's a kind of in Which is only in appearance only.
There's a kind of believing in his name, which is only some intellectual ascent.
That's not fully believing.
There's a kind of disciple that only looks like a disciple, but he's really a judas.
John's point is there are kinds of gatherers That are
associated with christ in him.
They're here.
Judas was right there.
He looked apart.
But he ended up being taken away.
That Is john's point.
I think what ends up happening by the person who goes this wrong way into the ditch.
Is they're taking paul's meaning in ephesians 1 to be in christ union with christ and assuming that
that's what's meant here.
But it's not the context of john.
And i'm going to prove it in a couple more ways very quickly.
If you look at verses 2 and 3 this is important in case someone ever argues this with you an important point of
doctrine eternal security.
Notice it says every branch that does bear fruit.
He prunes.
So there's a kind of branch that gets pruned and you say, okay.
Well, what does that have to do with eternal security?
The next verse Is actually describing that same branch the kind of
truly saved branch and what does it say already you are clean.
It's already done.
Your sins are already gone and washed away.
How so because of the word?
It's not by buried fruit.
It's because you have heard and believed faith comes by hearing hearing by the word of god you have heard.
And the word has accomplished this change in you to graft you into that vine that you are connected to the vine.
And you're already clean.
Your sins are Forgotten forever thrown in the sea of forgetfulness.
You say well, how do you know that clean? refers to prune.
How do you know that this branch is the one referred to in verse 3 in the english?
It's a little ambiguous.
As you study a little deeper.
It's obvious.
The word prune in greek is kathare.
The root the word clean in greek is katharoi.
It's the same root.
In fact the legacy standard bible translates one opposite prune and
clean.
He cleans the vine or he prunes the vine.
It's the same word.
So the the branch That is in christ that is being pruned
Is already clean.
That same word is used in john 13 10.
In the same phrase, so you don't even need greek for this.
When it says already you are clean.
That's repeating the same words from from john 13 10 and 11.
So the disciples that were clean Are the 11 who have been genuinely born again and he says
but not all of you are clean because judas.
Was the deceiver make sense?
And we could prove it again what the point is is established at this point.
So here's the first test of your salvation.
If you've been cleaned.
You're being pruned meaning
if you're going on sinning.
And you don't feel conviction of sin.
And there's no vine dresser in your garden.
You go on and life goes on as normal no conviction and no discipline from
the father.
No pain in your life when you sin.
That's a bad sign.
But if you feel conviction of sin.
And you see discipline coming upon your life.
It comes in some sort of affliction.
Some kind of hardship.
That god will not let you just keep going on in a fruitless way.
He will prune you.
The pruning is evidence that you are clean.
Make sense.
That's the first test.
Put in the words of hebrews chapter 12.
Where it's explained explicitly hebrews 12 6 to 8 in your notes or.
You can just listen the lord disciplines the one he loves.
Chastises every son whom he receives.
It is for discipline.
That you have to endure.
God is treating you as sons.
For what son is there whom his father does not discipline.
If you are left without discipline.
In which all have participated all genuine sons have discipline.
Then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
You see the point.
So there's two tests this morning the first is if you're being pruned.
If you're not being pruned You're an illegitimate son.
Let's move on to the second chapter 15 verses 4 and 5 abide
in me and I and you.
As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself.
Unless it abides in the vine.
Whoever abides in me and I in him.
He it is that bears much fruit.
For apart from me you can do Nothing.
The second test.
That you've truly been born again that you're not a judas, but you are connected to the source.
Is that you bear fruit?
And How obvious this becomes over time.
Now the new believer is growing and it's not quite as obvious early on.
But as you've walked with him for time the difference becomes much fruit
versus nothing.
You're bearing much fruit or there's no fruit.
Pretty stark contrast isn't there.
I fancy myself to be a bit of a gardener.
I care a lot about my lawn and these plants that i've been trying to grow tomatoes and raspberries.
But for how much effort I put into it i'm probably the least effective gardener.
In the church for sure maybe in the world I I grow
raspberries.
In my side yard.
The problem is they always blossom the week we're gone on summer
vacation.
And every year we come back and the birds have just feasted on these things and we're eating the leftovers.
I grow tomatoes, but now our dog eats the tomatoes before we can get to them.
But there's one vine in Our yard that doesn't belong it's the
neighbors from behind our house this vine.
I don't know how it does it.
It just reaches up and grabs our evergreen tree every year and then it just strewns itself
through the tree branches.
And so each year I've been climbing up on a ladder and just pulling this thing down get this vine
out of my yard.
Until this year I realized something that I should have figured out a little sooner.
All you have to do Is go where it runs from its stump To my branch
and cut it.
Then I don't have to climb ladders and pull things down.
It's silly, but it illustrates an incredibly important point.
Any vine any branch that's not connected to the source will die.
And that's the point here.
If you are disconnected You die.
Look how strong the language becomes in verse 6.
Not abiding thrown away like a branch.
Withers and the branches are gathered thrown into the fire and burned.
This is what I do now with these vines that were in my tree.
They just fall out and I throw them in the pile to be burned.
So there's two kinds of branches.
There's one that bears fruit and that's how you know, it's alive.
It's connected to the source and so the raspberries or the tomato whatever comes out of it.
Tomatoes are a fruit by the way, not a vegetable.
So they say.
Or there's the dead branch.
Because it's not connected to the vine.
Which brings us to our last point we're speaking now in terms of an analogy.
You're bearing fruit.
Or you're not.
What is bearing fruit?
That becomes the question right.
What does it mean to bear fruit.
And I know what some of you are thinking.
Love joy peace patience kindness goodness faithfulness gentleness self -control.
That's bearing fruit.
Galatians chapter 5.
But again Let's figure out what the text is saying fruit is in this
context.
Because it's not referring to inward attitudes of the heart.
Although that comes out in other ways.
Look at verses 6 to 8 and then we'll be done.
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.
Okay, that's pretty clear.
The warning that's not bearing fruit.
So what is bearing fruit?
Let's look at verses 7 and 8.
If you abide in me.
And my words abide in you.
Ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you feel
the weight of that.
And by this my father is glorified that you bear much fruit and so prove
In this context bearing fruit is to ask of the father.
And he answers prayer in ways that you cannot manufacture.
You can make some fake fruit like for a christmas tree an ornament.
An apple or whatever and hang it on your tree, but it's made of plastic.
It's not real fruit.
Only a living vine can produce real fruit and only the power of god.
Working in a believer can do effective ministry for god answers to prayer that you
cannot manufacture.
Bearing fruit is powerful christian ministry done in the name of jesus christ.
And it is the inheritance of every true branch.
Do you see this.
If you abide in me and my words abide in you ask whatever you wish.
And it will be done for you.
The pruning that we receive in our lives Does not itself.
Make us like christ.
The pruning in terms of the affliction Does not change us.
Very many people endure great suffering in their life and they are not trained by it.
They might beat their head against the wall doing the same thing again and again feel the suffering but not
be trained by it.
What accomplishes the pruning?
Which results in the fruit?
It is the word of god.
If you abide in me and my words Abide in you.
Spurgeon put it this way.
It is the word that prunes the christian.
It is the truth That purges him.
The scripture made living and powerful by the holy spirit eventually and effectively
cleanses the christian.
Affliction is the handle of the knife.
Affliction is the grindstone that sharpens the knife, but the knife
is the word.
See the difference.
God is god is the gardener the father is the gardener and he brings affliction.
That's the handle of the knife.
But it is the word That trains you by it.
It is when his word is abiding in you and you're looking to scripture to understand God and his ways
and then the affliction comes.
And that knife is the word that trains you.
It is that kindness that leads you to repentance.
As you begin to think rightly about your life.
And you accept the discipline of the father and you're trained by it.
The word is what sanctifies you not the suffering itself.
You are not entirely passive in this.
The gardener is cutting away the dead parts of your life, but it's the word in you that's accomplishing the
change.
And so you must abide that is the one command of these eight verses.
Abide in me and I in you.
If you do that if the word is in you and you're praying in communion with the father.
The afflictions will come and to your good.
It will accomplish good in you.
But as soon as you stop abiding.
It's only affliction.
It's only knife cuts that open you up more deeply.
Are you abiding?
In the vine.
What gets cut?
It's not you're not a vine.
You're not a branch physically.
So it's not your physical body that he's cutting unless that's the affliction that you go through some injury or something.
It's the you you.
You the essence of who you are your decision your thought process how you think.
That's who you are.
How you respond to situations?
He will change this you he will cut away the parts that need to be cut away.
So it's not about your body.
The fruit that you bear is powerful ministry.
I I look here at our brother russ I see.
And we have talked about his life that he's he's been through suffering where his body
Doesn't function much.
Outwardly not much he can physically do.
But i'll tell you that video that russ produced telling his testimony, which is now on our website.
If you click the popular videos.
So many hundreds and hundreds of views bearing fruit.
Because fruit does not come from us.
We're just jars of clay.
But when you're abiding every person who's been around our brother russ and talked to him.
Experiences that fruit that joy of the lord that love of the word.
Simply abiding that's all you have to do.
There's one command in the text you abide.
The fruit will come the fruit will prove it because god is doing something supernatural that you don't
manufacture from yourself.
The fruit is supernatural work from god.
It's answers to prayer that you could not have imagined.
It's powerful ministry, what's your ministry?
How is the lord using you?
What are you praying about?
See his word will direct how you pray.
You're praying according to his will because your heart being conformed to his.
That's why you work in the nursery.
Or you sign up to clean the church.
Or you serve in the worship team or you serve in the sound booth.
So many other ministries at this church the fruit that comes from you
Has to do with your abiding not your accomplishing.
I've never seen a vine struggling to push fruit out of itself.
It just comes Supernaturally by god's power.
And that is the sign in this passage that you're a genuine believer if you're
not seeing any fruit.
Take the warning as god's love and abide in the vine.
Because this is the natural course.
So in application i'm going to answer three quick crucial questions because I want you to walk out of here theologically equipped.
But then the application more personal to that the three questions.
Number one will all be saved.
There could be nothing more clear and obvious from what jesus said here.
To answer that question.
Not all will be saved.
There will be branches thrown into the fire and burn.
This is what we're talking about eternal life or eternal death.
This is why we evangelize with urgency.
They must believe that jesus is the true vine the I am.
And believing find life in his name.
We'll all be saved.
No.
There will be a separation of sheep from goats light from darkness wheat from tares.
The true branch from the false branch.
Number two.
Can a christian lose salvation?
Can you have it and lose it, you know the expression once saved always saved.
I prefer to say if saved always saved.
The genuine believer who has come to abide in christ believed genuinely in christ cannot be
lost.
You cannot lose your salvation.
In john 6 37 39 44 Nothing can separate you you are brought
by the the father drawn by the father.
And you cannot lose your salvation.
Even more clearly john 10 27 to 31 the good shepherd.
He says I give them eternal life and no one can snatch them out of my hand.
Life is given at the moment that a person believes in christ.
The question is Are you genuinely saved in the first place?
Do you pass the test what is bearing fruit.
In this context It's ministry done in the power of god.
Abiding in christ praying and seeing the power of god at work in your life.
Fruit can't be manufactured.
It comes from abiding through the word and through prayer.
So those are the theological answers.
Let's get personal test yourself.
To see if you are in the faith.
Second corinthians 13 5 Does god discipline you?
Or are you able to go on sinning?
Without discipline.
Are you the kind of branch that gets pruned?
Or are you disconnected which means you'll ultimately be thrown away?
Discipline in your life and we all go through affliction.
But is god disciplining you by the word teaching you as you grow?
And secondly Do you see god's power?
At work in your ministry.
Do you have a ministry?
Do you pray?
And when you pray does anything come of it or does nothing ever come of your prayer?
Much of that depends on what you pray.
Assuming you pass the test focus on abiding in christ.
So what do you do?
How do you abide in christ?
What's the most important thing in your life.
I listen church.
For a long time.
I have regarded john 15 as my life chapter.
I've thought abiding in christ Needs to be the number one thing number one.
So what does it mean to abide in christ?
What do you do in this passage?
There's only two things his word abiding in you and prayer
word and prayer.
Which is more important out of those two.
The word or prayer someone asked charles spurgeon.
What's more important to be in the word or to prayer or to pray?
And he said what's more important breathing in or breathing out?
Remember that If you're not in the word If you're not receiving from the vine,
you're not breathing.
You need his word coming in.
That's life to you.
And if you're not praying if you're not talking to him throughout the day.
Set aside some time in the morning as you're falling asleep at night.
That's breathing out.
Breathe in breathe out.
That's what it is to abide.
It's as simple as that.
You don't have to worry about how much fruit.
In time, the more you abide the more fruit will be obvious.
Be in the word be in prayer make this the ambition of your life.
For to me to live Is christ?
What does that mean?
If I am to go on living This will mean fruitful labor for me.
Yet, what shall I choose?
I'm torn between the two.
I desire to depart and be with christ, which is better by far.
But it's more necessary for you that I remain Convinced of this.
I know that I will remain and will continue with you.
Listen for your progress and joy in the faith.
When paul said to me to live as christ He said being alive here.
It's all about fruitful labor.
I'm here to serve christ to make him known to preach the gospel to teach children.
That's what I live for.
And how do you know what's happening their progress and joy in the faith?
For your progress and joy in the faith says paul so to live as christ to be alive.
To be connected to the vine is to be doing fruitful labor fruitful ministry.
So everybody here should be serving.
It'll look different when you're young, you know serving where you can.
As we grow and mature and learn to be teachers.
You're teaching your children your grandchildren.
But you're living for this and those are the kind of prayers that god will answer.
You will start to see power in that ministry when you're abiding in christ.
And this is the ambition of your life when you can say.
For to me to live is christ.
That's what it means to abide.
Let's pray Father we have no other ambition but to know you.
This morning, we pray that you would help us to abide In the vine first of all, we say thank you for
providing a true vine a true source of life the way the truth
the life.
There is no other and lord, I pray for everyone here.
There could be someone Who like judas is only outwardly connected?
Goes through the motions maybe comes to church.
Sings.
Has no life lord, I pray in jesus name she would bring them
to saving faith.
To repentance and faith.
I pray that they would get alone with you and fall down before you.
And call upon the name of the lord and so be saved
confess with the mount and believe in the heart.
I pray that there would be no false converts walking out today.
Even if there were some that came in.
We pray that you would give life through faith in jesus christ.
And lord for all of us who do believe and have believed.
We pray that we would be pruned and trained By the afflictions.
It's painful when the gardener Cuts away the dead parts of our life.
We pray that we would not rail against this.
But that we would know your love that you are lovingly Cutting
away the things that hold us back.
Lord, I pray lastly that all of us would abide in christ in the word
and in prayer.
In jesus name.
Sun comes up.
It's time to sing your song again.
And whatever lies before
me be seen
bless the lord.
Oh my soul
His whole
worship
your whole
is
kindness.
I will
cast
calm
in
your
prayer.
Bless
the
lord.
Oh my soul his whole ship your whole
Oh my soul your whole
worship your
whole worship
your whole.
Now to him Who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before
the presence of his glory with great joy.
To the only god our savior through jesus christ our lord be glory Majesty
dominion and authority before all time and now and forever.