Proven (John 15:1-8 Jeff Kliewer)

Cornerstone Church

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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

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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 gonna share some things with us

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I'm going to open the

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Bible today we're going to 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

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John chapter 14 verse starting verse 25 these things I have spoken to you while abiding with you but the helper the

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Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name he will teach you all things and bring all things to remembrance the things

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I've said to you peace I leave with you my peace I give to you not as the world gives do

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I give to you let your heart not be troubled nor let it be fearful you have heard that I said

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I will go away and I'll come to you if you love me you would have rejoiced because I go to the

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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

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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

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Father and as the Father gave me commandment even so I do arise let us go from here and that's what

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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

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Jeff back today aren't we it's been a long time it's great

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Pastor John was here this morning too so we're great to see John and Jeff back and just grateful to see what the

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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 the care groups are gonna start ramping up again we're gonna have a few more new classes

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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

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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

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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 can 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 back 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

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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

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Lord so if you're interested in that that the Biddles 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

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Jeff or see the Biddles and you can sign up online too when the pastor

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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

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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 of 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

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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 the 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

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Jesus and we pray in your name amen good morning let's stand together as we sing in Psalm 89 it says

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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

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Lord our God and King his love and doors 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 sing praise forever

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God is faithful forever God is strong forever

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God is forever forever from the rising to the setting

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Sun his love endures forever and by the grace of God we will carry on his love endures forever sing praise sing praise sing praise sing praise forever

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God is faithful forever God is strong forever

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God is with us forever forever forever

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God is faithful forever God is strong forever

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God is with us forever forever forever forever and in Psalm 87 verse 10 for you

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O Lord are the most high over all the earth for you are exalted far above all gods let those who love the

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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 praised from the hearts of the weak from the shouts of the strong from the lips of all people this song we read

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Lord throughout the endless ages you will be crowned with praises

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Lord most high exalted in every nation sovereign of all creation

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Lord most high be magnified from the ends of the earth from the depths of the sea from the heights of the heavens your name be praised from the hearts of the weak from the shouts of the strong from the lips of all people this song we raise

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Lord throughout the endless ages you will be crowned with praises

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Lord most high exalted in every nation sovereign of all creation

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Lord most high be magnified

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Oh be magnified O Lord Lord we stand before you humbled before your throne

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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

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Lord Jesus we know that you've risen from the dead we know that you reign victorious the

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Lord will be king over all the earth and on that day there will be one Lord and his name only will be praised

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I believe in Christ risen from the dead he now reigns victorious his kingdom knows no end through his resurrection death has lost its hold

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I know on that final day our eyes as Jesus rose on that day we will see you shine brighter than the

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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 we will keep on singing on that glorious day what a blessed hope though not tired and worn we will spend eternity around our

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Savior's throne though we grieve our losses we grieve not in vain for we know our crown of glory waits beyond the grave on that day we will see you shining brighter than the

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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 we will keep on singing on that glorious day hallelujah what a day it will be for at home with you my joy is complete as I run into your arms open wide

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I will see my father who is waiting for me hallelujah what a day it will be for at home with you my joy is complete as I run into your arms open wide

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I will see my father who is waiting for me my father who is waiting for me on that day

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I will see you shining 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 on that day we will see you shining brighter than the

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Sun on that day we will praise you lift our voices one till that day we will praise you for your ever -ending grace and we will keep on singing on that glorious day

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I will keep on singing on that glorious day amen you may be seated well good morning so back from sabbatical

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I know that while I was gone pastor John Laskin let you know what

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I was going to be doing on sabbatical and that was to climb Mount Washington however

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I got to thinking why go climb a mountain when

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I could just lay by the beach you could see the glory of God in the ocean just like in a mountain so instead

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I didn't do that I can do that in 2030 at my next sabbatical how's that sound so I was an utter fail my desire

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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

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Tim and Jacob coming in here and preaching the word praise

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God and to all of you that serve behind the scenes and kept everything together it's just you know

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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

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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

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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

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God and you have done great things for us and we are filled with joy thank you

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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

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I pray Lord that this ministry would bear much fruit

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Lord in salvation that many would come to saving faith that we would be baptizing dozens each year or more

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Lord if it be your will 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

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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

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Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me has turned out for my deliverance so Paul spoke to the

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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

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EFCA controversy and all that went down there you know

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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

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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

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Evangelical Free Church until after my eight -week sabbatical and looking back on it eight weeks later

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I am seeing things very differently than when I went away on sabbatical

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I want to highlight for you a few things the person who

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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

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Evangelical Church and I called that out and a number of other woke teachings this person stepped down from the

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Board of Ministerial Standing the person who brought charges against me for spurious charges

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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 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

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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 focus of that conference was to repudiate the very things that were introduced in 2018

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I look at the conference in 2018 is 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

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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

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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

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Spirit of Jesus Christ God sent us to rebuke the woke movement and did you know

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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

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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

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I wasn't supposed to speak and so rather than defend myself

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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

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I think we stay in fight we continue on because the direction of the denomination now is against the very things that they once introduced so according to Acts 16 37

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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 but for the time being we will pray and we will seek the

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Jesus says that you are clean referring to the 11 but not all of you referring to the one

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Judas Iscariot and so now we will read

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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

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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

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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 amen may

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God bless the hearing of his word and now as we exposit what is contained here we pray that the

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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

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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

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Jesus is the source of life so we must start by looking at him and this incredible claim in John 15 verse 1

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I am the true vine just those words

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I am carry the force of God he is claiming to be

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God in the Greek the word is a go a me two words I am the

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Septuagint was a Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible and when you read how

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God speaks in the Septuagint at the burning bush Moses says who shall

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I say sent me and God answers I am or in the

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Greek a go a me again this is picked up in the Isaiah 40s again and again

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God claims I am this is how you know he is the true God so when

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Jesus says I am the true vine he is making a claim to be

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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

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I have written these things that you may have life he says before that that you may believe that Jesus is the

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Christ the Son of God and believing have life Jesus is the source of life consider the claims he's already made in the book

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John 3 16 everybody here can quote this one right for God so loved the world that he gave his one and only

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Son that whoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life

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Jesus is the source of life in John 4 verse 10 the woman at the well if you knew 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

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John 6 35 I am the bread of life that's the first of the

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I am statements in the 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

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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

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Greek it simply translates unless you believe that ego a me that I am unless you accept this claim that I am

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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

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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 asked him if he knew who the

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Son of Man was the now seeing man says tell me

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Lord that I may know and he says I who am speaking to you am he the claim to be

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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

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I am in John chapter 10 he says I am the door and then he turns around and says

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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

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I am the resurrection and the life John 14 6

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I am the way the truth and the life no one comes to the father but by me so when

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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

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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 ego a me and at the power of his confession to be the

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I am the soldiers fall down like dead men his claim through the book of John is to be the

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I am I am the true vine 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

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I want you to notice in the text is the word true or stand out to you he didn't just say

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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

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Israel notice at the end of chapter 14 verse 31

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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

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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

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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

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Israel Israel was the vine of God read

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Isaiah chapter 5 on your own time in Isaiah chapter 5 the vineyard of God is

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Israel and they were meant to bear fruit for God the creation of Israel was to mediate blessing to the world

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Genesis 12 1 2 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

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Isaiah chapter 5 and so sprinkled throughout the Old Testament didn't

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Tim Robinson do a great job last week showing the Old Testament prophecies fulfilled in Christ there are six

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Old Testament prophecies about a coming branch from the vine this branch that they're looking for is none other than Christ himself what

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Israel could not do as a nation the whole lot of them couldn't represent God to the world there is one coming the

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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

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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

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Holy Spirit this is none other than Christ himself the branch is promised in Jeremiah and in Zechariah six places

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I was just quoting for you Isaiah 11 but see

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Jesus identifies himself as the true vine because Israel has not been able to give life to bless the world

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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 1 you have

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Christ is 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 2 & 3 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 but she 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

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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

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Jesus is saying and you veer off into a ditch one way or the 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

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I was listening to Joseph Smith don't that's the Mormon guy

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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

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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

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Sola Scriptura we go by the word here's what he says takes away is the word array from the root arrow in the

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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

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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 fruit 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

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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

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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 every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away 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 223 john 666 john 830 and 31 john 13 verses 1011 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 assent that's not fully believing there's a kind of disciple that only looks like a disciple but he's really a

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Judas John's point is there are kinds of gatherers that are associated with Christ in him they're here

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Judas was right there he looked apart but he ended up being taken away that is

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John's point I think what ends up happening by the person who goes this wrong way into the ditch is they're taking

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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 gonna prove it in a couple more ways very quickly if you look at verses 2 & 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 that it may bear more fruit 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

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Word it's not by bearing fruit it's because you have heard and believed faith comes by hearing hearing by the

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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

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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

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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

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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 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

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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

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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 & 5 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

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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 the second test that you've truly been born again that you're not a

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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

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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

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I put into it I'm probably the least effective gardener in the church for sure maybe in the world

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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

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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

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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

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I've been climbing up on a ladder and just pulling this thing down get this vine out of my yard until this year

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I realized something 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

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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 burn this is what

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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 a 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

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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 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 by this my father is glorified that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples in this context bearing fruit is to ask of the father and he answers prayer in ways that you cannot manufacture you can make up some fake fruit like for a

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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

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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 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

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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

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Holy Spirit eventually and effectively cleanses the Christian listen to this affliction is the handle of the knife affliction is the grindstone that sharpens the knife but the knife is the word see the difference

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God is real God is the gardener that 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

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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 and 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 you go through some injury or something it's the 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

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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

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Russ and talked to him experiences that fruit that joy of the

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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

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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

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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 an application

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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

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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 not all will be saved they must believe that Jesus is the true vine the

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I am and believing find life in his name will all be saved no there will be a separation of sheep from goats light from darkness wheat from tears the true branch from the false branch not all will be saved number two can a

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Christian lose salvation can you have it and lose it you know the expression once saved always saved

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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 father drawn by the father and you cannot lose your salvation even more clearly

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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 cannot lose your salvation 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 2nd

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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

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God disciplining you by the word teaching you as you grow and secondly do you see

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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

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I listen church for a long time I have regarded John 15 as my life chapter

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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

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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 world be in prayer make this the ambition of your life for to me to live is

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Christ what does that mean if I am to go on living this will mean fruitful labor for me yet what shall

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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

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I know that I will remain and will continue with you listen for your progress and joy in the faith when

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Paul said to me to live as Christ he said being alive here it's all about fruitful labor

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I'm here to serve Christ to make him known to preach the gospel to teach children that's what

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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

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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

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Christ it'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

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Lord I pray in Jesus name she would bring them to saving faith to repentance and faith

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I pray that they would get alone with you and fall down before you and call upon the name of the

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Lord and so be saved confess with the mouth and believe in the heart

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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 is 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

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Lord I pray lastly that all of us would abide in Christ in the word and in prayer in Jesus name

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Oh my soul I worship your holy name the

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Sun comes up it's a new day it's time to sing your song again whatever may pass and whatever lies before me let me be singing when the evening comes bless the

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Lord oh my soul oh my soul worship his holy name sing like never before oh my soul worship your holy name rich your your name is great and your heart is kind for all your goodness

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I will keep on singing 10 ,000 reasons for my heart to find bless the

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Lord oh my soul worship his holy name sing like never before oh my soul

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I'll worship your holy name on that day when my strength is failing the end draws me and my time has come still my soul will sing your praise on and in 10 ,000 years bless the

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Lord oh my soul oh my soul his holy name sing like never before oh my soul

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I'll worship your holy name bless the Lord bless the

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Lord oh my soul oh my soul worship his holy name sing like never before oh my soul

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I'll worship your holy name

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I'll worship your holy name

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Lord I'll worship your holy name 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