[0:01] Let's now turn to God's Word, the Gospel of John in chapter 15. And Gospel of John in chapter 15. John 15, we can read the whole chapter together.
[0:16] Let's hear the Word of God. I am the true vine, and my father is a husband's man.
[0:28] Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh away. And every branch that beareth fruit, he purge of it, but it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the Word which I have spoken to you.
[0:43] Abide in me, and I in you. As a branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can ye except ye abide in me.
[0:54] I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, at the same bringeth forth much fruit. For without me ye can do nothing.
[1:06] If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered. And men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, you shall ask what ye will, and shall be done unto you.
[1:25] Herein is my Father glorified. Had ye bear much fruit, so shall ye be my disciples. As a Father hath loved me, so have I loved you.
[1:37] Continue ye in my love. If ye abide, if ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love. Even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things I have spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, that your joy might be full.
[1:55] This is my commandment, that ye love one another as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, but a man lay down his life for his friends.
[2:06] Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants, for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth.
[2:17] But I have called you friends. For all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, that your fruit should remain.
[2:32] That whatsoever you ask of my Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that you love one another. If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you.
[2:48] If you're of the world, the world would love his own. But because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you.
[3:01] The servant is not greater than his Lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
[3:13] But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not sinned.
[3:24] But now they have no cloak for their sin. He that hateth me, hateth my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin.
[3:36] But now they both seen and hated both me and my Father. But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled, that is written in their law.
[3:47] They hated me without a cause. But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me.
[4:02] And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. Amen. We give praise to God for his holy and his perfect word. Let's again sing from God's praise, this time singing from Psalm 93.
[4:17] Psalm 93. We can sing verses, the whole psalm, verses 1 down to verse 5. Psalm 93.
[4:28] The Lord doth reign and clothed is he, with majesty most bright. His works to show him clothed to be, and girt about with might. The world is also established, but it cannot depart.
[4:40] Thy throne is fixed of old, and thou from everlasting art. Psalm 93. The whole psalm to God's praise. The Lord doth reign and clothed is he, with majesty most bright.
[5:07] His works to show him clothed to be, and her power with might.
[5:25] The world is also established, but it cannot depart. The world is also established, but it cannot depart. Thank you.
[6:01] Thank you.
[6:31] Thank you. Thank you.
[7:31] Thank you. Thank you.
[8:03] Well, it's our time to turn back to the chapter we had, John 15. John 15. Thank you. Thank you.
[8:14] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
[8:25] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
[8:36] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
[8:47] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. We know, of course, Christ is near to the end of his time on earth.
[9:02] There's some discussion as to where this conversation in chapter 15, where it's taking place. But we can gather it's taking place as they make their way out of the upper room to the garden.
[9:17] Some say this conversation is taking place still in the upper room. But if we look to the end of verse 14, we see the instruction from Christ. It's the end of verse 14, verse 31, the final verse.
[9:30] But the world may know that I love the Father as a father gave me commandment. Even so I do arise, let us go hence or let us go from here. We finished the upper room discourse and they've come down and we're now walking in the valley.
[9:47] Now we said before that all the I am sayings that Christ says of himself, they always, as aware, matched as to where he is at the time. So the feeding of the 5,000 took place.
[9:58] And the day after, to the same crowd, Jesus tells them that he is the bread of life. At Lazarus' graveside, at the tomb of Lazarus, he tells them that he is resurrection and the life.
[10:13] Here we have our Savior making his way to the garden. As he makes his way to the garden, he had and they had to walk through the valley.
[10:25] This valley which is on both sides surrounded and covered in vineyards. It is today. It was back then. It always has been. It's got good ground for growing the vineyards and for growing the right type of vineyard.
[10:40] The right type of vine. So here they are walking in chapter 15. They're walking through or past these miles of vineyards. Walking slowly up to the garden.
[10:53] Of course then on to Christ's final hours and final days on earth. So what does Jesus talk about? What is his final encouragement to the disciples in their last few hours together?
[11:06] That's what we look at as we come to our verses today, to our text today. A solemn text but a glorious text of course at the same time. As Jesus begins to describe himself and to talk about himself as the true vine, we imagine them walking past these vineyards as he gives them this final word of encouragement.
[11:27] Now as we come to our verses and come to our text, verses 1 down to verse 17, we have to be aware that Christ here is using parables.
[11:39] He's speaking in a parable. He's speaking in metaphor. And of course every time our saviour speaks in parable, we must remind ourselves that parables always have one, one central theme, one central message that he's conveying.
[11:54] It's not about the details of a story. It's about the same central theme. And we're all guilty I'm sure of getting lost at times in the details and getting lost in the, but that's not why our saviour uses parables.
[12:07] Our saviour always uses parables to give a single central truth. And in a way that the crowd, that the disciples, that those who are listening can understand. It's no different for ourselves and our text here today.
[12:20] J.C. Ryle, when he deals with this section of scripture, he summarises for us quite simply. He says, We must not forget the great rule that applies to all the parables of Christ.
[12:36] The parables about the main thing and not about the details. The minor details must not be strained and tortured. And so J.C. Ryle goes on for quite some time about this.
[12:48] As we come to our text, we come to a parable to Christ giving a simple truth, spoken simply to his people. That truth that takes us so hard, so long to understand.
[13:00] That truth that's so hard for us because of our sinful minds. As we come to our text, we come to a glorious truth. So let's spend some time today, as we're unpacking what this truth is and why it's important for us.
[13:13] He is a true vine. Our saviour is the true vine. And listen, Christians, brothers and sisters, listen as your saviour gives these final words of comfort.
[13:26] Listen to what comfort you receive today from these words. And for those, I'm getting to know some faces, there are still some faces who I'm not sure where you stand with the Lord.
[13:40] And I'm sure perhaps maybe those listening in and recording in the future. As we read these verses and go through this section, listen to the encouragement Christ gives his disciples.
[13:51] But also listen to the warning we have in these verses. The warning to those who are as of yet outside the vine. This is not being said to try and frighten you into heaven, no.
[14:05] It's been said to show you the reality of where you are and what must be done. So let's look at our verses here, just under three very broad headings. First of all, looking at the failed and the true vine.
[14:17] The failed and the true vine. Then looking at the pruned branches and thirdly the removed branches. So the failed and the true vine.
[14:28] The pruned branches and the removed branches. First of all, looking at the failed and the true vine. As we said, we see from the first few verses that the image here Christ uses is that he is the vine.
[14:44] That we are the branches that come out of that vine. That he is there in the centre as it were. And we find ourselves rooted and attached and part of who he is.
[14:56] We're based and rooted and connected in him. A very clear image, a very beautiful image for us as Christians. At the very core of who we are, we have Christ the vine. It's to him we are attached.
[15:08] As we said, like all the other I am sayings, there's so much more going on. Yes, Jesus is making use of the vines that are walking past.
[15:19] He's showing an example of these vines. But this is our eternal Lord speaking. Planned from all eternity that this would take place. As we walk past these vines, as our Saviour declares himself as the true vine, what else is being said?
[15:35] What else is the I am saying in these verses? I am the true vine. That statement takes us far away from the garden.
[15:45] Far away from the upper room. It takes us right back to the start, as it were. As all the I am sayings do. Right back to God making his covenant promises to his people.
[15:58] Right back to the start of the Old Testament. Right back to God's ongoing plan of redemption. It's important for us that we see that Jesus doesn't just use this imagery because it's convenient.
[16:14] No, he uses it carefully. Of course he does. Every word, every phrase is perfectly chosen to convey what's being said clearly. Our Saviour is saying something here about himself.
[16:27] He's taking the disciples back to the vine of Israel. To the Old Testament. To the Old Covenant. Of course, again and again throughout Scripture, Israel is described as the vine.
[16:42] As the one God has planted to do his work. To grow and to spread and to share the goodness of God where they are. We sang from Psalm 80.
[16:54] We sang the final section. But before our section in Psalm 80, we see the idea of Israel as a vine so clearly described to us in detail.
[17:05] I'll read a few verses from Psalm 80. Psalm 80 verse 8. You brought a vine out of Egypt. You drove out the nations and planted it.
[17:16] You cleared ground for it. It took deep root and filled the land. The mountains were covered of its shade. The mighty cedars of its branches. It sent out its branches to the sea.
[17:27] It shoots to the river. This glorious picture of God planting his people. Israel planted as a vine to do his work. But then verse 12 happens.
[17:38] Why then have you broken down its walls? So that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit. The boar from the forest ravages it.
[17:50] And all that move in the field feed on it. Glorious vine planted by God to do his work. And all of a sudden it's gone. It's in tatters. It's destroyed.
[18:01] It's withered away. And here we see both the glory and the beauty of God's plan. But also the reality of the sinfulness of man.
[18:12] God took this vine for himself out of Egypt. Planted it. This vine then is decimated. As the people fall into sin again and again and again.
[18:24] As they disobey the commands of our God again and again and again. This vine which was there to proclaim. To testify. To show the goodness of who God is.
[18:37] His holiness. His perfection. That vine we see in the Old Testament scriptures. Again and again becoming weaker and weaker. There's not much left.
[18:51] Suitable only for the fire by the end. And we see the solemn, terribly solemn words in Isaiah. Isaiah 5 and verse 7. Where the prophet cries out about the vine of God.
[19:03] For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts. Is the house of Israel and the men of Judah. They are his pleasant planting. And he looked for justice.
[19:16] But behold bloodshed. For righteousness. But behold an outcry. Israel had failed. Israel had failed spectacularly to be the vine.
[19:27] They had been planted to be. They had failed to be the vine of God. They had fallen into captivity. Fallen into generations of idolatry and of sin. And it's to that painful reality we see Christ proclaiming.
[19:42] He is the true vine. The vine. The disciples were of course at this point under Roman rule. Israel was now nothing more than a tiny state.
[19:53] It had been ruled for centuries by different rulers. Israel was now nothing more than just a name. The country was decimated. The presence of God had long since left the temple. But Jesus declares now to the disciples.
[20:08] Where Israel failed. Where Israel has now been destroyed as a vine. He is the true vine. Where Israel failed to proclaim the glory of God.
[20:18] He will not fail to do that. Where Israel failed to show the nations the beauty of who God is. He will not fail to do that. Where Israel had failed.
[20:29] And Jesus was going to triumph. We read and we sang from Psalm 80. Let's read again just the final few verses. Psalm 80 which we read.
[20:41] These verses which told us as to the destruction of the vine. As we sang it. It ends with the hope of the psalmist. What was the psalmist's hope all those thousands of years ago?
[20:54] What was the psalmist's hope all those hundreds of years where Christ came to earth? The Holy Spirit inspiring the psalmist tells us. And says to us the final few verses.
[21:06] Let your hand be on the man of your right hand. The son of man whom you made strong for yourself. Then we shall not turn back from you.
[21:19] Give us life and we will call upon your name. Whereas Israel was a shadow. A type of what was to come. In Jesus we see of course the full reality.
[21:33] He is the perfect vine. He is the true vine. So what does the true vine? What does Jesus tell his disciples about himself?
[21:44] We see that verses 2 down to verse 7. Taking in verse 16. First of all looking at the pruned branches.
[21:54] Pruned branches. Verses 2. Roughly down to verse 7. The first thing of course he reminds them is. That he is the true vine. He tells them that to give them hope.
[22:06] He tells them that as we said. To remind them that he is the saviour. Come to save his people. To perfect where Israel had gone wrong. To do all things right where Israel had failed.
[22:18] He is the true vine. The reminder that the disciples strength. And indeed friends and brothers and sisters. Our strength is to be found in him. See we can look so harshly.
[22:31] And talk so harshly about the failures of Israel. But without Christ my friends. We are just as bad if not worse than they ever were. Yes they built their pagan idols. Yes they worshipped the physical things.
[22:43] And we think we are better because we don't have the idols in our homes. But we have idols in our hearts. And we know we do. We are so prone to backsliding. So prone to sin. We are so prone to weakness.
[22:54] And we are weak. For we have a reminder here brothers and sisters. That in Christ we are part of the true vine. And that we have the great reminder.
[23:05] That through all the days of our life. That all the days of our journey. Until he takes us home. He keeps hold on us. And keeps hold of us. That we are fully dependent.
[23:17] Fully dependent on his strength. Fully dependent on his nutrients. And his nurturing. On his growth in us. We are not just some small sapling as it were.
[23:31] Stuck in the ground. Attempting to support ourselves. No Christian. We are part of the true vine. We are not just waiting to be tread upon.
[23:42] And because that's true. Because we are part of the true vine. We can know for certain this morning. And know truly for certain. And to hold in our hearts as a truth.
[23:53] Because we find ourselves rooted. And found in the true vine. And because he will never die. It means we will never die. We will live forever with him.
[24:05] Rooted and part of our true vine. As weak as we feel. At times I'm sure we all do feel very weak. As far away.
[24:16] As small and as withered as we might feel. We are still part of the true vine. We will not die. We will not die. Because we are part of the vine. The one who is perfectly strong.
[24:28] And perfectly capable. And able. And willing. To keep us. Not to lose a single one of his own. Here we see Christ talking about two branches.
[24:40] The branch which bears fruit. And the branch which does not bear fruit. We can look first at the branch which does bear fruit. This branch which is pruned by the father.
[24:54] And which is spared destruction. So as we look to this verse. And these verses. Is the message of Jesus to his people.
[25:05] Is the message of our saviour here to the disciples. For the last few hours together. Is the message try really hard. Try really hard.
[25:16] To live a good life. Disciples work really hard. And maybe you'll still be part of the vine. Maybe you won't be cast into destruction. If you try really hard.
[25:28] To fulfil all the duties given to you as a Christian. There's a message we have here. From these verses. Of course it's not. Of course it's not.
[25:39] Now of course as Christians. We must bear fruit. We must. We go against the clear words of our Lord. To say otherwise. So the question has to be asked.
[25:53] What is the fruit in particular. That we find in this passage. What's the fruit that must be. In the life of a Christian. What is the fruit we must keep bearing.
[26:04] What is the fruit we find here. What's the fruit in particular. Is to be present in the life. Of believers. Every branch in me.
[26:17] That beareth not fruit to take away. And every branch that beareth fruit. He purge of it. Then may bring forth. More. Fruit. Turn to verse four. Abide in me and I.
[26:28] In you. As a branch cannot bear fruit of itself. Except it abide in the vine. No more can ye. Except ye abide in me. What is the fruit of a Christian.
[26:39] What's the fruit we must all bear. It's the fruit. Of desiring. Of needing. Of wanting desperately to abide. In our saviour.
[26:51] It's the fruit of love for our saviour. The desire to abide in him. To be part of the vine. Those who are part of the vine. Are those who love.
[27:02] Of their saviour. That seek to grow in that love. That wish of him more. To abide in him. I'm sure it's something all the believers here.
[27:13] We all desperately want to have more of. We all want to be closer to him. To know him more. To love him more. To serve him better. And so on and so on. To be nearer.
[27:24] To Christ. Christ. The wonder. We have in verse 16. It reassures us. And reminds us. Of the reality. Of all those who are in Christ.
[27:35] Of those of us who know. And who love Christ. Because he has chosen us. To be his. He will. Cause this fruit. To be in our lives. See. If we take.
[27:46] These verses. Verses one to verse three. And verse four. On our own. And we think. Well how can I do that? How can I do that? This week. I've borne no fruit.
[27:56] Whatsoever. This week. I've done the opposite. I've just. All my fruits rotten. I feel so far from Christ. How can I begin. To say. If I'm a Christian. If I've seen none of his fruit.
[28:07] In my life. Yes. I want to know him more. Yes. I want to serve him better. Yes. I am. But at the same time. I just. Don't feel it. I just don't see it.
[28:18] And so on. And so on. I'm sure we all. Can agree with that reality. But to God's glory. He gives us also. Verse 16. Scripture is always in context. Verse 16. Tells us.
[28:29] Ye have not chosen me. But I have chosen you. I ordained you. You should go out. And bring forth fruit. And your fruit should remain.
[28:44] Dear friends. If we're in the vine. If we know. And love our saviour. He keeps hold of us. And he works in us. And he bears that fruit.
[28:55] In us. The gospel is never. Try harder. Do better. That's a false. Worldly gospel. The gospel is. Be with Christ. Rest on Christ.
[29:07] Remain in Christ. And he works. In and through. His. People. Christian. Christian. This is. Our hope.
[29:17] This is your hope. Brother and sister. This morning. This is our hope. As we gather. Together. Even the smallest. As it were. And the thinnest of branches here. The most weak feeling.
[29:27] Sapling. In terms of faith. Gowered here. This day. We. Are planted. As part. And grafted in. As part. Of the true vine.
[29:38] Who will not. Lose a single leaf. Of his vine. Not lose a single leaf. Of his branches. This is quite the opposite. Isn't it. Of what we.
[29:49] Tend to think. And how we tend. To. To. Understand. The way. We. We are in the world. We might. Well. Think. It's the weak branches.
[30:00] It's the weak branches. And not the strong branches. Who worry. If they're part of the vine. At all. It's those of us. Who are weak. Who worry. If we're part of the vine. And we all know that feeling.
[30:11] Brothers and sisters. You know that. Worry. Am I truly one of his. Am I truly part. Of the vine. Am I truly known. To the vine dresser. I remember sharing.
[30:23] My worries of assurance. To an older believer. Who's now gone to glory. And I was talking to them. And sharing. How. I don't know.
[30:34] If I'm saved. How do I know. I love Jesus. Yes. I want to know him more. Yes. But I just don't feel it. I don't feel like a Christian. And she answered.
[30:48] Very carefully. This poor woman has spent years. With my questions. And a very faithful servant. And a very loving servant. And she said. Do the fact you're asking the questions.
[31:06] Themselves. Do not show you. That you have a love. I care for your saviour. Dear friends. It's not the non-believer. Who worries. If they're truly part of the vine. It's not the non-believer.
[31:16] Who truly worries. If their service is good enough. Only the Christian worries. These things. Only the one who's part of the vine. Worries. If their connection to the vine.
[31:26] Is strong enough. And in God's glory. It's all our worries. And all our. Again. Lack of assurance. That should point us. Back to the fact. That we have these worries.
[31:38] In the first place. Our worry about serving. Our saviour well. Shows us. It shows us. We care about serving him. And where we see the foot of the spirit. In these verses.
[31:49] This parable is not at odds. With the other teachings. Of Christ. Those who he calls his own. He will never let go. Never. Those who have the life of Christ in them.
[32:03] That life will never be taken away from them. It's not those with a weak faith. That are removed. It's those. With no real faith.
[32:15] Not a weak faith. But those with no faith. The Father prunes us. Yes. And that's painful. He removes from us. The dead leaves.
[32:26] And all the useless bits of sprouts. And all the useless bits and pieces. Which we cling on to so dearly. All the rubbish we love to hold on to. That's pruned away from us. That's painful.
[32:36] And it's chastisement. At times. And we feel it. And we know it. But it's done by a skilled hand. By a gardener. Who cares for his vine.
[32:47] Who loves his people. As God prunes away all the rubbish. And all the nonsense. In the lives of his beloved people. It's painful yes. But it's done so carefully.
[32:58] We must never confuse the loving discipline of God. With some sort of punishment. From him. At the barbers. At the hour of the week. And he's keen.
[33:11] And partial to using his razor. So I'm there of course. And you're leaning back. And it's. That razor is flying. Back and forward. As he's talking away. Quite happily.
[33:21] Doing his own thing. And that razor is flying. Around your throat. Around your ears. Thinking. One wrong move. And this could be an interesting day for me ahead. But you trust the work to be done carefully. You trust the barber to do the careful.
[33:33] Perfect work he must do. We trust our God. We trust the one who cares for his people. To prune us carefully. And there's parts of our life. And things in our lives.
[33:44] We say. I don't want to give it up. But that's the point we know. Well yes. That's an idol to us. That's a problem to us. And there's things. If we're honest. We all know.
[33:55] That are keeping us back. From growing. Well. Parts of our lives. If we're being very honest. Pet sins. Special sins. Sins that we're so.
[34:06] So. So. So pained to give up. Perhaps. We must take these things to the throne. And trust that the perfect gardener. Will prune us well. To the prune branches.
[34:18] Those of us who know Jesus. Who love Jesus. And yes. Weak. And yes. Fragile. But never removed. Because we bear the fruit. Of wanting to abide more.
[34:30] To be there more. To love more. But then the truth is. There is of course. The removed. Branches. We see that. In verse 2. Every branch in me. That beareth not fruit.
[34:40] He taketh away. The branches which don't bear the fruit. Of abiding. The fruit of wanting to be with Christ. And know Christ. These branches are gone. Again. J.C. Ryle. Thankfully.
[34:52] Comments here. On the branch. Which does not bear fruit. He says. Perhaps. No sentence in this parable. Is more twisted. It's more misapplied. Than this one. This sentence.
[35:03] Is the favourite weapon. Of the Arminian. Of all those who deny. The perseverance. Of the saints. This is. As we said. A parable. It's a parable.
[35:13] Christ is giving us. One central fact. Fact is. That he is the true vine. That those who love him. Are part of the vine. Those who do not. Are cast aside. And cast out. There are those.
[35:27] Who are not. Part. Of. The vine. John Calvin. Quoting. This section. He. He. Helpfully. Illustrates. And tells us. There are those.
[35:37] Who are. Supposed. Who look like. They're in. The vine. According to man's. Opinion. Who actually. Have no root. In. The vine.
[35:47] This is a. Solemn reality. A solemn reality. We must. Pause. And consider. Briefly. With Jesus. As the true vine.
[35:58] There are. Those. Who will. Claim. To be part. Of the true vine. Who have no knowledge. Of him. There are. Those. Who. On the face of it. As it were.
[36:09] Wear the clothes. Of belief. Again. As we said. To the children. Who look the part. Who sound the part. But who. In reality. Whose hearts. Have no love. For Jesus.
[36:21] Those. Who. As it were. Even profess Christ. But. The profession. Is only ever. Cold. Only ever. Formal. Only ever. Outward.
[36:32] And their hearts. They have no care. For Christ. As the true vine. They enjoy the community. They enjoy the name. Of Christian. They enjoy the. The benefits. You could say. Of the worldly benefits. Of being part of the church.
[36:44] But they have no love. For Christ. No knowledge. Of who he is. There are many. Who. As it were. Seem to be joined. To the vine. Joined to the vine.
[36:56] By means. Of attendance. By baptism. Sometimes. Sadly. By regular communion. But they lack.
[37:07] The reality. Of a Christian life. Again. Ryle says. They have no grace. In their hearts. No faith. No inward work.
[37:17] Of the Holy Spirit. For not one. With Christ. For a union. With him. Is only ever. Nominal. Only ever. Outward. It's not. Real. Dear friends.
[37:29] Truth be told. Being very honest. I. I. Tremble. As I have to lift my head. To even ask. The question. We must. Ask. In the context.
[37:39] Of these verses. Is. But it must be asked. As we. Look at the ones. Who are not part of the vine. Who have no care. For Jesus. No. No knowledge. Of who he is. No desire.
[37:50] To grow. In knowledge. Or love. Of our saviour. The question. Has to be asked. Is. This. Describing. You. Just now. Do you.
[38:00] Perhaps. Like. All the benefits. Of being aligned. With Christ. Christ. But you do not know him. Do you. Perhaps. Enjoy the procedure. And the process. Of it all.
[38:11] But you have no enjoyment. Of him. Perhaps. You know your scripture. Off by heart. Perhaps. The pew. Shaped.
[38:22] By you sitting. For all these years. Your parents. Before you. But in your heart. You have no. Love. At all. For Jesus.
[38:33] We ask this question. In a hundred different ways. By the root of it all. The question is. Is your root. In the true vine. The question is not. Are you doing well.
[38:44] As a Christian. The question is not. Have you served him. Well this week. That's a different question. The question is. Do you. Know him. If you do. Then take the rest.
[38:56] To the throne of grace. Take the rest. To be pruned. And to be. To be shaped. Yes. But you know him. The question is. Do you know the true vine. Are you part.
[39:07] Of the true vine. Are you clinging to him. For all that you have. And all that you are. And if you're not. As of yet this morning. This afternoon. Take your.
[39:18] Take your pride. Get rid of it. Put it aside. And come to the one. Who knows you. Who has made provision. For you. If only you would come.
[39:30] And cry out. To be part. Of the true. Vine. Come and be part. One of the branches. That have life. That have fruit. Christians. Be encouraged. This morning. Be encouraged.
[39:41] As you're reminded. It's not. It's not. Strong vines. Strong branches. That our saviour's after. It's living branches. Branches. Which find themselves.
[39:52] Trusting. And clinging on to him. And those. As of yet. Don't know Jesus. You're here just now. But it's still time. For you to come.
[40:02] And to find yourself. Part. Of the true vine. Do not waste your time. Don't waste this chance. Come and be part. Of the vine. Come and know what it is. To have life. Flowing through you. Life. From him.
[40:14] Let's bow our heads. In a short word of prayer.