WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:08.359 Heavenly Father, I ask that you would pour out the Holy Spirit upon me and upon all who listen to this sermon. 00:00:09.359 --> 00:00:18.219 Father, you know how easy it is, how addicted we are to wanting to sink back into religion or spirituality. 00:00:18.660 --> 00:00:25.740 We thank you, Father, that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. 00:00:25.739 --> 00:00:34.640 And so, Father, we ask that the Holy Spirit would bring this passage of Scripture home very deeply to our hearts, 00:00:35.460 --> 00:00:44.179 that we might, Father, believe the gospel and that we might grow and be shaped in and by the gospel. 00:00:44.659 --> 00:00:50.939 And I ask all of these things, Father, in the name of Jesus, your Son and our Savior. Amen. 00:00:52.079 --> 00:00:53.899 Folks, thank you for listening in. 00:00:53.899 --> 00:01:00.019 If you're listening to this online, it's going to sound a little bit different if you've listened to some of my other sermons. 00:01:00.839 --> 00:01:03.219 And it's going to be a bit of a different sermon as well. 00:01:03.299 --> 00:01:07.340 And the reason is that I preached this sermon on Sunday. 00:01:07.719 --> 00:01:09.340 I can't remember the date right now. 00:01:10.620 --> 00:01:13.120 And it got lost. 00:01:13.379 --> 00:01:14.319 It was recorded. 00:01:14.500 --> 00:01:20.960 But when we went to listen to the recording, it was all just hisses and odd little electronic noises. 00:01:20.959 --> 00:01:27.399 So I am standing in an empty room speaking over my iPhone. 00:01:28.339 --> 00:01:32.459 And it's Saturday, like a week after I preached this sermon. 00:01:32.459 --> 00:01:35.199 And I'm redoing the sermon, so to speak. 00:01:35.719 --> 00:01:41.000 But I'm doing it on an iPhone, which is why it sounds a little bit different, to an empty room. 00:01:41.239 --> 00:01:44.099 And so it's going to feel a little bit different for me and for you. 00:01:44.099 --> 00:01:51.719 But for a variety of reasons, we felt it was good to still record as much of the sermon as I could sort of recreate. 00:01:52.319 --> 00:02:07.619 It will obviously be very different standing in an empty room by myself than it would be being in a room where we've sung together and prayed together and done all those other things. 00:02:07.620 --> 00:02:22.580 So anyway, and listen, one of the very first things I should just let you know, this sermon will, you'll understand the first bit of this sermon a lot better if you go online and you get my first point. 00:02:22.719 --> 00:02:26.120 And you just have that on the screen while I talk to you. 00:02:26.300 --> 00:02:27.180 Anyway, here we go. 00:02:28.200 --> 00:02:28.939 Here we go. 00:02:29.300 --> 00:02:32.599 So listen, one of the, you know, I've been a minister for a long time. 00:02:32.599 --> 00:02:53.699 I was ordained in 1985, and one of the things which has been a very, very, very common phenomenon throughout my years of ordained ministry is that there'll be a couple or an individual who's been very, very active in the church, have all sorts of reasons to believe they're a Christian, they've received the gospel, they believe the gospel. 00:02:54.240 --> 00:03:01.240 And then all of a sudden you start seeing them a little bit less, and then you realize one day that you haven't actually seen them for a while. 00:03:01.240 --> 00:03:04.860 And you call them up and have a bit of a conversation with them. 00:03:05.680 --> 00:03:27.000 And it turns out often, not always, but often that they've had a great setback, maybe in their finances, a great setback in their marriage, a great setback in their, with their children, maybe a great moral failing, or just some other great setback that's happened. 00:03:27.000 --> 00:03:41.039 And because of this setback, whether it be finances or in terms of, you know, maybe their marriage is in deep, deep trouble, or they're having deep problems with their kids or some other moral failing, it's as if they feel they can't go to church. 00:03:41.039 --> 00:03:47.979 And it's been a very, very, very common phenomenon with it. 00:03:48.039 --> 00:03:59.659 And, you know, in some ways, what this illustrates is something that non-Christians say to me when I'm actually able to get to a point of being able to describe the gospel to them. 00:03:59.659 --> 00:04:01.620 And here's what happens. 00:04:01.740 --> 00:04:14.960 When I, you know, time and time again, when I actually get to a point where we've had several talks about the gospel, and one of the things I'll start to tell them about the gospel is I'll try to make a contrast between the gospel and religion or the gospel and spirituality. 00:04:14.960 --> 00:04:25.199 And I'll say, you know, in Christianity, it's, the gospel means good news, not good advice, not good rules, not good rituals, not good institutions, but good news. 00:04:25.280 --> 00:04:26.639 Good news that comes from God. 00:04:27.340 --> 00:04:30.939 That Jesus, God has done something that human beings cannot do for themselves. 00:04:31.120 --> 00:04:32.220 No human being can. 00:04:32.220 --> 00:04:47.760 And that God, in the person of God, the Son of God, the Father, in the person of God, the Son of God, that Jesus came and he lived the life that we could not live because he lived a perfect life of unbroken communion with the Father. 00:04:48.500 --> 00:04:51.420 And he died the death that we deserved. 00:04:51.660 --> 00:04:53.960 He died a death on the cross. 00:04:53.959 --> 00:05:23.240 And when you see or hear or think about Jesus dying on the cross, you are to understand that every wrong thing that we have ever done and ever will do, and any source of shame or accusation, everything that would count us, that there could be some type of valid accusation against us, some moral wrongdoing upon which restitution or justice is demanded, 00:05:23.240 --> 00:05:35.920 every wrong thing that we have done when Jesus dies on the cross, the penalty or the justice that we could not endure, he endures for us. 00:05:36.259 --> 00:05:44.660 And it's not just that in Jesus, every single wrong thing we ever have done and ever will do has all been dealt with on the cross. 00:05:44.759 --> 00:05:45.560 It's not just that. 00:05:45.639 --> 00:05:46.980 It's not just a taking away. 00:05:46.980 --> 00:05:57.280 But then as well as that, there's this other aspect that when we, in a sense, put our hands out or we reach by our mind out to Jesus and ask him to become our Savior and Lord, 00:05:57.819 --> 00:06:02.540 it's Jesus who crosses that infinite distance and comes to us and takes us. 00:06:03.020 --> 00:06:07.460 And it's when we touch Jesus, so to speak, because we've desired him to be our Savior and Lord. 00:06:07.459 --> 00:06:17.180 And in that touching of him or his touching of us, it's as if all of our, as I said, all of our wrongdoings and the justice which is demanded and the, 00:06:17.379 --> 00:06:22.299 is all laid on him and he pays that price we cannot pay. 00:06:22.639 --> 00:06:30.979 But as well as that, all of the good works, the perfect life that we were never able to live and can never possibly live, that stands for us. 00:06:30.980 --> 00:06:38.160 It's called the imputation of Christ's righteousness, if you want to know a bit of a more, like a theological term. 00:06:38.280 --> 00:06:50.040 And it's a, there's a double action of, of the pain of all the debt or the satisfying of justice and this bestowing in a sense of Jesus's perfect life and standing for us. 00:06:50.500 --> 00:06:56.580 And every time I've gotten to a point without fail that I've been able to say this to a non-Christian, 00:06:56.579 --> 00:07:07.419 every single time without fail, they say, if that is true, George, then what, what on earth is the motivation for you to ever do a good thing again for the rest of your life? 00:07:08.659 --> 00:07:13.439 Like, what is the motivation for you to do a good thing ever again for the rest of your life? 00:07:13.459 --> 00:07:16.439 It removes all motivation, is what they would say. 00:07:17.399 --> 00:07:19.319 Now, I, you know, it's interesting. 00:07:19.399 --> 00:07:21.360 What does this have to do with the story of the Christian? 00:07:21.360 --> 00:07:23.979 Well, the story of the Christian is very, very simple. 00:07:23.980 --> 00:07:27.220 That it's actually, there's a very clear tie-in to it, you see. 00:07:27.920 --> 00:07:35.319 Because actually what happens to the Christian who stops going to church because there's some moral failing which has been discovered, 00:07:35.620 --> 00:07:40.420 or because their finances have suffered and they're not successful financially, 00:07:40.900 --> 00:07:45.840 or that there's deep trouble with their children so they're not successful as parents, 00:07:46.300 --> 00:07:50.080 or there's some deep trouble in their marriage so they're not successful in their marriage, 00:07:50.079 --> 00:07:58.019 is, and they no longer feel they can go to church, is what that reveals is they actually think that, 00:07:58.719 --> 00:08:06.199 well, actually what they think is that the thing that allowed them to be a Christian was their ability to keep those rules. 00:08:07.560 --> 00:08:13.439 You see, what they haven't sort of grasped is that their standing with God, 00:08:13.439 --> 00:08:20.000 their righteousness with God had nothing to do with whether or not they had a failure in their marriage. 00:08:20.219 --> 00:08:27.060 That when Jesus died on the cross for them, he knew about their future sins, and those also were covered. 00:08:27.899 --> 00:08:31.839 But they start to come to believe that it's their righteous accomplishments 00:08:31.839 --> 00:08:38.320 that actually allow them to stand in God's presence rather than the finished work of Christ. 00:08:38.320 --> 00:08:40.080 It's a sort of a linked idea. 00:08:41.100 --> 00:08:45.020 And what John 15 is a sense, that's what we're going to be looking at. 00:08:45.100 --> 00:08:46.120 Get your Bibles out. 00:08:46.180 --> 00:08:47.420 We're going to be looking at it in a moment. 00:08:47.520 --> 00:08:52.040 Although what's going to be a bit unusual about this sermon is we need to do a lot of work up front 00:08:52.040 --> 00:08:55.680 to try to understand John 15. 00:08:55.900 --> 00:09:00.220 In other words, the overall message of John 15, I have to try to bring that home to you 00:09:00.220 --> 00:09:02.660 before you start to look at the bits and pieces. 00:09:02.659 --> 00:09:08.539 Otherwise, what's going to happen is we're going to be reading this text and we keep getting confused by it 00:09:08.539 --> 00:09:15.459 and we get confused by it because what happens is we sink into a religious or spiritual way of understanding the text, 00:09:15.559 --> 00:09:17.439 not a gospel way of understanding the text. 00:09:18.259 --> 00:09:24.279 So if you look at the first slide, the first slide, it has on the top of the slide, 00:09:24.399 --> 00:09:28.620 it says the way of religion and spirituality. 00:09:28.620 --> 00:09:32.659 And underneath that, the way of religion and spirituality underlined, 00:09:33.279 --> 00:09:38.159 there is the word fruit and then an arrow that points to the word communion 00:09:38.159 --> 00:09:40.820 and then an arrow that points to the word union. 00:09:41.740 --> 00:09:44.279 And there's other words that I can use for this, 00:09:44.379 --> 00:09:49.340 but I'm using the basic words or concepts which are found in John 15 00:09:49.340 --> 00:09:52.980 because John 15 is going to really help us to understand 00:09:52.980 --> 00:09:58.080 how it is that the gospel still is the basis and shapes us living a life 00:09:58.080 --> 00:10:05.060 that is in fact becoming moral or seeks to be moral or virtuous and courageous and all of that. 00:10:05.060 --> 00:10:08.840 And underneath that is another sentence that says, 00:10:09.000 --> 00:10:11.379 the way according to the good news, underlined, 00:10:11.519 --> 00:10:13.740 the way according to the good news, that's underlined. 00:10:14.399 --> 00:10:16.680 And underneath that has the word union 00:10:16.680 --> 00:10:20.500 with an arrow pointing towards the word communion 00:10:20.500 --> 00:10:23.500 and then an arrow that points to the words fruit. 00:10:23.799 --> 00:10:25.059 So I don't know if you can picture it. 00:10:25.259 --> 00:10:28.360 On the top line is the way of religion and spirituality 00:10:28.360 --> 00:10:32.320 and it's the word fruit pointing to communion, pointing to union. 00:10:32.980 --> 00:10:35.240 And underneath that, directly underneath that, 00:10:35.320 --> 00:10:37.740 you'll see this thing, the way according to the good news, 00:10:37.799 --> 00:10:40.820 and you'll notice that it's completely and utterly reversed. 00:10:40.820 --> 00:10:43.940 The first word is union that leads to communion, 00:10:44.259 --> 00:10:46.539 which then leads to fruit. 00:10:46.539 --> 00:10:51.299 Now, a way to understand the way of religion and spirituality, 00:10:51.539 --> 00:10:55.919 and by the way, I think this covers all religions and all spiritualities. 00:10:56.019 --> 00:10:59.879 In Canada, often people will talk as if spirituality is different than religion. 00:11:00.879 --> 00:11:06.919 Like, you know, they're putting together their own spiritual path or spiritual way. 00:11:07.899 --> 00:11:13.419 But fundamentally, the idea, this captures what is at work, 00:11:13.419 --> 00:11:17.839 whether you're a Buddhist or whether you're a Muslim or whether you're a Hindu 00:11:17.839 --> 00:11:25.039 or whether you are crafting your own combination of different elements 00:11:25.039 --> 00:11:28.419 to have your own spiritual life or spiritual path, 00:11:28.719 --> 00:11:31.639 is that the word fruit really stands for accomplishments. 00:11:32.819 --> 00:11:36.959 It usually means moral or religious or spiritual accomplishments 00:11:36.959 --> 00:11:39.599 that are worthy within that type of system. 00:11:39.600 --> 00:11:45.100 And you can think of the word communion as meaning access to God 00:11:45.100 --> 00:11:49.240 and or conversation to God, and union is the goal. 00:11:49.700 --> 00:11:52.740 So what happens in the way of religion and the way of spirituality 00:11:52.740 --> 00:11:58.279 is that you embark on this and you start to try to achieve or accomplish good things. 00:11:59.460 --> 00:12:00.980 Not necessarily by yourself. 00:12:01.080 --> 00:12:03.940 It might be that you're part of a coven or that you're part of a mosque 00:12:03.940 --> 00:12:06.480 or that you're part of a synagogue or that you're part of a temple 00:12:06.480 --> 00:12:12.100 or part of a club, but you seek to accomplish good things. 00:12:12.360 --> 00:12:16.440 You learn how to maybe do some yoga or some meditation 00:12:16.440 --> 00:12:23.519 or you begin to be a bit more charitable in terms of giving with some generosity. 00:12:24.039 --> 00:12:30.320 Or you, you know, like if you're a Muslim, you fast during Ramadan 00:12:30.320 --> 00:12:34.680 and you make the trip to Mecca and you, you give to the poor. 00:12:34.960 --> 00:12:38.020 And if you're a Buddhist, you know, there's the, the, the, the path 00:12:38.020 --> 00:12:40.700 or the way that you have to do and there's meditation you have to learn. 00:12:40.900 --> 00:12:45.760 But what happens is you begin by these types of accomplishments or achievements, 00:12:45.760 --> 00:12:49.340 which you do either by, but you still do it, whether you're doing it all by yourself 00:12:49.340 --> 00:12:50.680 or in company with other people. 00:12:50.680 --> 00:12:54.700 But there's these accomplishments, this fruit that happens to be in your life. 00:12:54.700 --> 00:13:01.460 And the hope is that as you are able to, to be having more kind acts or more generous acts 00:13:01.460 --> 00:13:06.879 or more forgiving acts or whatever it is, that if you are good at that 00:13:06.879 --> 00:13:11.259 and you reach a certain level, then what happens is you have access to God. 00:13:12.600 --> 00:13:16.020 However you define God, whether it's the Buddhist way or the Hindu way 00:13:16.020 --> 00:13:22.560 or the Muslim way or your own spiritual way, you now, because you have the right habits, 00:13:22.559 --> 00:13:25.939 the right, you're, you're starting to do, you're becoming a bit of a better person. 00:13:26.359 --> 00:13:30.139 Now you have access to God, communication with God. 00:13:30.279 --> 00:13:34.000 And so now you not only keep on doing the good fruit, the good works, 00:13:34.079 --> 00:13:36.239 because you don't leave that behind. 00:13:36.239 --> 00:13:38.219 It's, it's like the step on a ladder. 00:13:38.559 --> 00:13:42.519 And, you know, just because if you, if you, if the, if the bottom rungs of the ladder 00:13:42.519 --> 00:13:45.459 aren't there holding the ladder together, it doesn't matter if you're up higher, 00:13:45.519 --> 00:13:46.279 the whole thing will fall. 00:13:46.379 --> 00:13:50.099 So you continue to do the good things, but now you qualify, so to speak, 00:13:50.100 --> 00:13:55.420 for having better access or better and better access to God or to the spiritual 00:13:55.420 --> 00:13:57.560 or to whatever that is. 00:13:58.000 --> 00:14:02.540 And, and the hope is that maybe if you're able to not only do the good works well 00:14:02.540 --> 00:14:05.860 or the fruit, have the fruit well and have the right type of access 00:14:05.860 --> 00:14:09.500 and the right type of conversations or the right type of mystical experiences 00:14:09.500 --> 00:14:15.879 or whatever it is, then the end game is you might, and in Buddhism and Hinduism, 00:14:15.879 --> 00:14:19.799 it might take you many, many lifetimes and many reincarnations, but that you might 00:14:19.799 --> 00:14:22.899 eventually have actual union with God. 00:14:22.960 --> 00:14:24.639 And then it all comes to an end. 00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:26.259 You've, you've reached the end. 00:14:27.059 --> 00:14:29.360 And that's the way of religion and spirituality. 00:14:30.139 --> 00:14:33.080 And, and in a sense, if you think about it, the Christian couple, 00:14:33.620 --> 00:14:35.759 couples that I'm talking about are individuals. 00:14:35.759 --> 00:14:40.080 They, in fact, are, are falling into this type of thing is that they believe that 00:14:40.080 --> 00:14:43.279 what they need to be able to have access to the God, to God, 00:14:43.279 --> 00:14:47.759 and to, to maybe one day to have union with God is their good, their, the fruit of their, 00:14:47.819 --> 00:14:52.980 their lives, like a good marriage or good finances or good kids or being married period, 00:14:52.980 --> 00:14:55.019 or just not having moral failings. 00:14:55.019 --> 00:14:59.579 And if that fruit is not there, then they can't go to church because they don't deserve 00:14:59.579 --> 00:15:01.679 or cannot have access to God. 00:15:01.759 --> 00:15:04.559 It's, it's the way of religion and spirituality. 00:15:04.620 --> 00:15:09.279 But what we're going to see in John 15, and this is at the very heart of the gospel, 00:15:09.419 --> 00:15:13.059 it's a very, very heart of the gospel, is that Jesus is going to tell us 00:15:13.059 --> 00:15:15.479 something completely and utterly shocking. 00:15:16.259 --> 00:15:20.500 It's as I've described earlier, that God looks at us. 00:15:20.839 --> 00:15:22.359 Well, actually, I should back up. 00:15:22.699 --> 00:15:27.139 It's very, very interesting that in Canada, it used to be maybe 10 or 15 years ago 00:15:27.139 --> 00:15:30.139 that I would talk to many people who would tell me that they were religious, 00:15:30.459 --> 00:15:31.939 but not spiritual. 00:15:32.279 --> 00:15:33.379 I mean, sorry, back that up. 00:15:34.439 --> 00:15:35.759 Spiritual, but not religious. 00:15:35.759 --> 00:15:40.860 I find very few people who are younger who say that to me now, that they're spiritual 00:15:40.860 --> 00:15:41.600 or not religious. 00:15:41.679 --> 00:15:43.879 What they'll say is that they're, they have no religion. 00:15:44.220 --> 00:15:46.340 They're, they're a nun, N-O-N-E. 00:15:47.559 --> 00:15:49.100 Doesn't, and then they might qualify. 00:15:49.220 --> 00:15:52.080 So it doesn't mean I don't have some depths or, you know, that I don't think about things 00:15:52.080 --> 00:15:52.720 seriously. 00:15:52.899 --> 00:15:54.179 I'm not shallow. 00:15:54.179 --> 00:15:56.279 I mean, that they'll often say something like that. 00:15:56.339 --> 00:16:01.319 But, you know, fundamentally, you know, what they say increasingly in our culture, I think 00:16:01.319 --> 00:16:05.599 what happens is that people would say, and that's why those who would say they have no 00:16:05.599 --> 00:16:09.639 religion and no spirituality is growing and growing and growing as a percentage of the 00:16:09.639 --> 00:16:10.079 population. 00:16:10.079 --> 00:16:13.519 They would say, listen, religion and spirituality doesn't work. 00:16:13.599 --> 00:16:16.859 You might say there's a difference between being spiritual and being religious, but the 00:16:16.859 --> 00:16:18.519 fact of the matter is, is it doesn't work. 00:16:18.519 --> 00:16:23.960 Uh, what happens is, uh, religion or spirituality, it just makes you insecure. 00:16:24.439 --> 00:16:26.360 It makes you self-righteous. 00:16:26.399 --> 00:16:28.199 It makes you self-justifying. 00:16:28.539 --> 00:16:30.240 It makes you hypocritical. 00:16:30.399 --> 00:16:31.460 It makes you foolish. 00:16:31.699 --> 00:16:35.980 It usually ends up wasting your time and it usually ends up making you poor. 00:16:36.679 --> 00:16:38.399 And you should just forget about it all. 00:16:39.059 --> 00:16:41.460 You know, I mean, it, it does make these things in you. 00:16:41.500 --> 00:16:46.100 You start to go around and act as if somehow or another your poop smells better than other 00:16:46.100 --> 00:16:46.879 people's poop. 00:16:46.879 --> 00:16:49.059 But the fact of the matter is it smells just as bad. 00:16:49.159 --> 00:16:50.480 Everybody's poop smells bad. 00:16:51.460 --> 00:16:57.360 And, and, and so the, there's this very increasingly cultural, uh, critique of both religion and 00:16:57.360 --> 00:17:03.580 spirituality along these lines, that it makes you insecure, uh, self-righteous, self-justifying, 00:17:03.840 --> 00:17:09.700 hypocritical, foolish, waste your time, and often makes you poorer and, and maybe even dumber. 00:17:10.400 --> 00:17:16.339 And the interesting thing is, is that in a sense, Jesus would clap his hands and say, way to go. 00:17:16.339 --> 00:17:20.639 So everything you say is something that I agree with you on. 00:17:21.059 --> 00:17:25.159 And the shocking thing is people say, well, how on earth could you believe this, say that Jesus? 00:17:25.319 --> 00:17:30.299 And then Jesus says, because I have come to tell you a completely and utterly different way. 00:17:30.379 --> 00:17:33.939 I mean, the fact of the matter is, is that the gospel is good news. 00:17:34.059 --> 00:17:35.859 It's a completely and utterly different way. 00:17:35.859 --> 00:17:46.119 It is God looking down at human beings whom he loves and knowing that human beings have chosen to walk away from God and have become addicted to walking away from God. 00:17:46.119 --> 00:17:55.439 And even when they want to walk towards God, it's as if we human beings are addicted to thinking that it has to be that we accomplish certain things. 00:17:55.439 --> 00:18:00.299 And then we can have, and then we can achieve accomplishment to God, uh, to, to access to God. 00:18:00.299 --> 00:18:02.379 And then we can achieve union with God. 00:18:02.380 --> 00:18:05.480 And it's all about our actions and me doing and me doing. 00:18:05.560 --> 00:18:08.220 And God looks down and knows that we can't do it. 00:18:08.220 --> 00:18:09.920 That will always be a failure. 00:18:10.120 --> 00:18:12.540 That it will always just be a type of illusion. 00:18:12.860 --> 00:18:16.440 That it will always lead to hypocrisy. 00:18:16.720 --> 00:18:26.720 And it will always lead to, um, to, uh, self-justification and making yourself look righteous, even though you aren't, or pretending you're righteous. 00:18:26.720 --> 00:18:29.019 It will lead to make-believe and foolishness. 00:18:29.519 --> 00:18:36.600 And, and the good news is that God knows that you cannot reach him by your own efforts. 00:18:36.799 --> 00:18:48.680 And the spectacular news is that God in the person of his son, God the father in the person of his son, uh, has done everything that has to be done to make a human being right with him. 00:18:48.680 --> 00:18:57.160 Every single thing with nothing left over that had to be done for a human being to be made right with, with, uh, God has been done by Jesus. 00:18:57.160 --> 00:18:59.019 It's his sinless life. 00:18:59.340 --> 00:19:10.279 It's God, the son of God, taking on our human nature, becoming fully human, living a fully human life only without sin, suffering the temptations to sin just like we do only without sin. 00:19:10.279 --> 00:19:25.980 And he dies on the cross, taking upon himself in a sense, the doom that we deserved and offering and in exchange, because he is our substitute and offering in exchange, the destiny that he deserved. 00:19:26.519 --> 00:19:36.599 And when we put our hands in the hands of Jesus, when our mind and our heart reaches out to trust Jesus as our savior and Lord, God does this wonderful work. 00:19:36.599 --> 00:19:42.839 He really does come and he takes us and he makes us right with himself. 00:19:43.059 --> 00:19:47.079 He makes us one with himself by his grace alone. 00:19:47.719 --> 00:19:52.779 And we access by faith alone in Jesus alone. 00:19:53.399 --> 00:19:56.859 And in the gospel, it begins with union. 00:19:58.339 --> 00:20:06.579 And what we're going to see in John's gospel is that Jesus explains then how it is that moral and personal, 00:20:06.599 --> 00:20:20.519 personal transformation works is that it begins by union and out of union on the basis of that union, out of the security that we have been made right with God by what Jesus has done for us on the cross. 00:20:20.519 --> 00:20:24.619 Out of that union flows communion or conversation. 00:20:24.619 --> 00:20:39.000 And out of that conversation, the Bible is going to use the word, Jesus is going to use the word abiding, like dwelling, living, that out of this, but it's not just like an abiding as if you don't have any neighbors. 00:20:39.000 --> 00:20:49.859 It's abiding in the presence of Christ in, we're going to look at that in conversation and in listening and in obedience and all of what that means. 00:20:49.859 --> 00:20:54.419 And out of that flows fruit, but it all comes out of union. 00:20:54.559 --> 00:21:05.879 It's the natural outflow of union that out of this union with God that comes by faith in Jesus Christ, that out of that comes communion or abiding or dwelling. 00:21:06.039 --> 00:21:07.539 And out of that comes fruit. 00:21:07.539 --> 00:21:20.379 The entire problem is that we human beings in our minds and our hearts are addicted to the other model of fruit leading to communion, leading to union. 00:21:20.380 --> 00:21:32.380 And so it is so powerful that even when we read the words of Jesus, we keep getting tripped up because we want to fit the words of Jesus into the model of fruit leading to communion, leading to union. 00:21:32.780 --> 00:21:40.000 And we need to hear and understand that Jesus is pointing a far better way, a far, far, far better way. 00:21:40.000 --> 00:21:42.279 So now maybe we're ready to look at the Bible. 00:21:42.480 --> 00:21:44.359 So we're halfway through the sermon. 00:21:44.920 --> 00:21:49.680 Now we're going to go through the Bible text fairly quickly because you've got the big idea. 00:21:50.140 --> 00:21:58.339 Now you'll hear John 15 in the way it is intended to be heard, not in the way George wants you to hear it, but in the way that it's intended to be heard by Jesus. 00:21:59.039 --> 00:22:02.920 And so if you turn your Bibles to John chapter 15, that's what we're looking at. 00:22:02.920 --> 00:22:11.720 And just to get the context, John's gospel is a biography of Jesus, a true biography of Jesus written by an eyewitness. 00:22:12.300 --> 00:22:14.820 In fact, one of his very closest disciples. 00:22:15.660 --> 00:22:17.620 And it's telling the true story of Jesus. 00:22:18.180 --> 00:22:20.720 John provides a very intimate portrait of Jesus. 00:22:21.080 --> 00:22:27.240 And what John is doing is, you know, he showed some miracles and other things earlier on in his biography. 00:22:27.240 --> 00:22:35.579 And then in John chapter 13, 14, John chapter 13 is a very important chapter in terms of Jesus washing his disciples' feet. 00:22:36.299 --> 00:22:45.220 And at a time of great intimacy, Judas, one of Jesus' disciples, that's the moment he decides that he really is going to go ahead and he really is going to betray Jesus. 00:22:45.839 --> 00:22:46.759 And Judas leaves. 00:22:46.839 --> 00:22:47.920 He goes off into darkness. 00:22:48.160 --> 00:22:50.859 And now Jesus is all in the room, alone in the room. 00:22:51.400 --> 00:22:53.440 The Passover supper has been eaten. 00:22:53.440 --> 00:23:07.299 And Jesus knows as he's speaking that he is this later on this evening, that he is going to be captured by soldiers because Judas is on his way to find the soldiers. 00:23:07.920 --> 00:23:10.620 Go to where he knows that he can capture Jesus quietly. 00:23:10.860 --> 00:23:14.940 And Jesus knows that that evening he is going to be captured. 00:23:15.240 --> 00:23:19.980 He knows that the next day he is going to die a painful death upon the cross. 00:23:19.980 --> 00:23:23.160 And he's also, of course, been predicting his resurrection. 00:23:23.519 --> 00:23:25.440 And the disciples don't understand any of this. 00:23:25.920 --> 00:23:31.759 In John chapter 13, he shocked them by saying that one of them, one of the 12, is going to betray him. 00:23:32.079 --> 00:23:33.200 They don't know who that is. 00:23:33.559 --> 00:23:37.500 He shocked them by saying that he's going to be going somewhere that they can't come. 00:23:37.940 --> 00:23:39.099 And that shocked them. 00:23:39.200 --> 00:23:44.759 And he shocked them by saying that even Peter, like one of the leaders, maybe the leader of the disciples, 00:23:44.759 --> 00:23:51.759 that Peter himself will deny Jesus three times before the rooster crows the next day. 00:23:52.480 --> 00:23:53.640 And so they're all in shock. 00:23:53.779 --> 00:23:58.579 And in John chapter 14, Jesus, Jesus, in John 13, Jesus is explaining this. 00:23:58.700 --> 00:24:01.879 John 14, Jesus is comforting his disciples. 00:24:02.079 --> 00:24:06.759 And now in John 15, he goes to this next part of this conversation with his disciples. 00:24:06.759 --> 00:24:07.920 And it begins like this. 00:24:08.619 --> 00:24:10.140 And this verse is key. 00:24:10.140 --> 00:24:15.000 These first few verses are key, but especially this first verse is very key. 00:24:15.160 --> 00:24:20.180 It's picking up in a different image something that Jesus has said in John chapter 14. 00:24:20.180 --> 00:24:24.540 And it's very, very key to understand throughout the rest of the chapter. 00:24:24.900 --> 00:24:26.080 And it goes like this. 00:24:26.180 --> 00:24:27.280 I am the true vine. 00:24:27.480 --> 00:24:29.100 Jesus says, I am the true vine. 00:24:29.100 --> 00:24:31.280 And my father is the vine dresser. 00:24:31.600 --> 00:24:32.220 I'll say it again. 00:24:32.220 --> 00:24:33.380 I am the true vine. 00:24:33.500 --> 00:24:36.000 And my father is the vine dresser. 00:24:36.000 --> 00:24:40.220 Now, just sort of pause on this. 00:24:40.940 --> 00:24:43.579 It's a key analogy, which is now going to unfold. 00:24:44.039 --> 00:24:51.960 Just notice as well is that it's another one of the, I think it's the final of the I am statements in the gospel. 00:24:52.099 --> 00:24:55.519 And it's also an implicit claim to divinity. 00:24:56.039 --> 00:24:56.980 The I am. 00:24:56.980 --> 00:25:02.259 In Exodus 3, when God reveals himself to Moses, he says, I am. 00:25:02.779 --> 00:25:03.920 It's how he reveals himself. 00:25:04.099 --> 00:25:08.599 And Jesus has solemnly used this I am statement with his disciples seven times. 00:25:08.680 --> 00:25:09.519 And this is another one. 00:25:09.980 --> 00:25:10.539 I am. 00:25:10.920 --> 00:25:14.620 He's making the claim, this human being, that he is also God, the son of God. 00:25:14.960 --> 00:25:16.259 I am the true vine. 00:25:16.360 --> 00:25:18.539 And my father is the vine dresser. 00:25:18.539 --> 00:25:30.200 And then it continues, every branch in me that does not, verse two, every branch in me that does not bear fruit, he, that's the father, takes away. 00:25:30.379 --> 00:25:36.779 And every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes, that's the father prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 00:25:36.940 --> 00:25:42.259 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 00:25:42.879 --> 00:25:45.019 Now, just sort of pause here for a second. 00:25:45.019 --> 00:25:59.400 And this is actually very important because it begins to be right here that we start to slip in, that the way our minds are addicted to this model of fruit leading to communion leading to union. 00:26:00.079 --> 00:26:02.819 And it's so addicted to that, it's hard for us to grasp. 00:26:02.960 --> 00:26:05.139 But Jesus is teaching that the way goes the other way. 00:26:05.200 --> 00:26:06.619 But notice what Jesus is saying. 00:26:07.119 --> 00:26:13.220 He says he's picturing that there's he is a vine and he's describing you and me as branches in the vine. 00:26:13.220 --> 00:26:15.839 In other words, it begins with union. 00:26:16.460 --> 00:26:20.500 It begins with union, the branch in union with the vine. 00:26:20.819 --> 00:26:29.220 He's going to unpack that a little bit more by these other ideas of abiding and what that fully means and fruit. 00:26:29.420 --> 00:26:34.539 But right now there's a vine with branches and the branches are, in a sense, in union with the vine. 00:26:34.660 --> 00:26:36.720 And that is where we begin. 00:26:36.720 --> 00:26:44.180 And then our minds want to try to turn it into religion because we get troubled with this idea of the father pruning some of the branches. 00:26:44.460 --> 00:26:49.720 And as if, okay, we only stay in, in union with God as if we're able to produce fruit. 00:26:49.819 --> 00:26:51.019 But that's what we have to understand. 00:26:51.100 --> 00:26:57.180 There's a bit of a clue here about how to interpret that correctly and what Jesus is referring to. 00:26:57.180 --> 00:27:01.500 And it's obvious in the original language, not as obvious in the English. 00:27:02.019 --> 00:27:07.700 And that is in the original language, the word prune can also be translated as clean. 00:27:08.259 --> 00:27:11.180 It has two different, depending on the context, it has two meanings. 00:27:12.019 --> 00:27:22.700 And in John chapter 13, the main image in John chapter 13 is around the image of clean because Jesus has washed his disciples' feet and they are clean. 00:27:22.759 --> 00:27:24.740 And he talks about being clean quite a few times. 00:27:24.740 --> 00:27:35.519 And in John chapter, so when Jesus now here is using this word clean, he's reminding the disciples of what he's just said a few minutes earlier in a different context. 00:27:35.960 --> 00:27:38.779 And in that context, remember, he's talking about the betrayer. 00:27:39.059 --> 00:27:41.660 And he's, in a sense, talking about Judas who has left. 00:27:42.359 --> 00:27:47.099 So what the pruning here is, is a warning against false profession. 00:27:48.359 --> 00:27:53.240 In a sense, it's a warning about false profession. 00:27:53.240 --> 00:28:00.319 You know, throughout the history of the church, one of the people who attends my church is a PhD in church history. 00:28:00.500 --> 00:28:03.180 But, you know, I said something about this and he didn't correct me. 00:28:03.720 --> 00:28:09.299 The fact of the matter is, is that all of the great heretics in the church usually are priests or bishops. 00:28:11.120 --> 00:28:21.779 All of the great heretics, all of the great heresies that have troubled the church are usually taught by bishops or priests, presbyters, pastors or leaders. 00:28:21.779 --> 00:28:31.180 And if you go through the book of Acts, you'll see that there's this constant problem of people who appear to be Christians, claim to be Christians, but they have false profession. 00:28:31.720 --> 00:28:33.660 And Judas appeared to be a disciple. 00:28:33.779 --> 00:28:34.680 He was a disciple. 00:28:35.139 --> 00:28:39.759 He claimed, in a sense, often to believe in Jesus, but it actually was a false profession. 00:28:39.899 --> 00:28:41.379 He never gave his life to Jesus. 00:28:41.839 --> 00:28:43.740 And he's now off to betray him. 00:28:43.740 --> 00:28:51.279 And so the Jesus here is going to be warning us here in another, the next little bit about this, this danger of false profession. 00:28:52.680 --> 00:28:54.160 That you can be in the church. 00:28:54.240 --> 00:28:56.839 You can appear to, you know how to sing the praise songs. 00:28:56.960 --> 00:28:58.180 You know how to say the creed. 00:28:58.240 --> 00:28:59.339 You know how to say the prayers. 00:28:59.339 --> 00:29:08.039 But the fact of the matter is, is you can be there doing all those religious acts, appearing righteous, but fundamentally you've never actually given your life to Christ. 00:29:08.159 --> 00:29:10.579 And it's a problem of false profession. 00:29:10.720 --> 00:29:12.119 That's what's being talked about here. 00:29:12.959 --> 00:29:14.019 Now it continues. 00:29:14.159 --> 00:29:24.339 Now remember verse, remember how I described everything, how the way of the gospel, it goes from union to communion, or the word abiding, or being present to fruit. 00:29:24.339 --> 00:29:26.679 Listen now to verses four and five. 00:29:27.339 --> 00:29:31.699 Abide in me, abide in me, and I in you. 00:29:32.659 --> 00:29:37.740 As the branch, listen again to Jesus, abide in me, verse four, and I in you. 00:29:38.159 --> 00:29:46.079 As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. 00:29:46.579 --> 00:29:49.039 I am the vine, you are the branches. 00:29:49.039 --> 00:29:54.700 Whoever abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit. 00:29:55.200 --> 00:29:58.599 For apart from me, you can do nothing. 00:29:59.599 --> 00:30:11.359 Now notice here, we're going to describe in a moment, Jesus is going to help us unpack in a moment what it means to abide, or to dwell, or to reside, or to commune. 00:30:11.420 --> 00:30:13.680 He's going to unpack that himself in a couple of minutes. 00:30:13.759 --> 00:30:17.740 But you see, it begins with union, the branch in union with the vine. 00:30:17.740 --> 00:30:22.500 And now he's saying, on top of this union with the vine, he's going to ask that you abide. 00:30:23.220 --> 00:30:31.180 And as we are in union with the vine, or in union with Jesus, and we abide with him, that we will bear fruit. 00:30:31.920 --> 00:30:33.039 That's the order. 00:30:33.880 --> 00:30:40.579 That's what I mean by, when I was going, spending a lot of time at the beginning, it was really just trying to help us to get this idea that Jesus teaches. 00:30:40.579 --> 00:30:50.460 And if you go back later, or if you remember last week's sermon, in John chapter 14, Jesus talked about this very same idea, but he used a set of different analogies. 00:30:50.460 --> 00:31:04.299 And in particular, he used the analogy in John chapter 14, several times, about how if you give your life to Jesus, when you give your life to him, that Jesus comes and dwells in you, makes his home in you. 00:31:04.420 --> 00:31:08.660 He comes in and makes with the Father his home in you. 00:31:08.940 --> 00:31:12.200 The Holy Spirit comes and dwells in you. 00:31:12.200 --> 00:31:19.360 And so in chapter 14, he uses this image of the Father and the Son making their home in you. 00:31:20.480 --> 00:31:26.480 And now he's taking, he wants to communicate this same idea of union, and he's using the image of the vine and the branches. 00:31:26.880 --> 00:31:30.039 But it's the same fundamental idea. 00:31:31.180 --> 00:31:36.920 And now we get into another one of these spots where it's going to look as if Jesus is now contradicting himself. 00:31:36.920 --> 00:31:45.560 But once you just remember, keep straight how the gospel works, and then you realize this little aside, which isn't an aside, it's a very important warning. 00:31:46.320 --> 00:31:47.880 Jesus warns to connect. 00:31:48.160 --> 00:31:49.660 He confronts to connect. 00:31:49.920 --> 00:31:54.759 He speaks hard words to wake us up so that we say, Lord, is it me? 00:31:55.519 --> 00:31:56.840 You know, purify my heart. 00:31:57.000 --> 00:31:58.000 Grant me a clean heart. 00:31:58.100 --> 00:31:58.960 Help me to turn to you. 00:31:59.019 --> 00:31:59.700 May it not be me. 00:31:59.700 --> 00:32:03.220 He says these hard things to get our attention. 00:32:03.220 --> 00:32:09.579 And so that, because remember, God takes no delight in the death of a sinner, but that he would turn from his wickedness and live. 00:32:09.940 --> 00:32:10.920 But listen to verse 6. 00:32:11.700 --> 00:32:15.640 If anyone does not abide in me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers. 00:32:15.940 --> 00:32:19.640 And the branches are gathered and thrown into the fire and burned. 00:32:20.660 --> 00:32:22.620 It's a very, very powerful image. 00:32:22.720 --> 00:32:25.200 It's an image of hell and to judgment. 00:32:25.740 --> 00:32:28.200 Now, once again, the image, remember, it's the image. 00:32:28.200 --> 00:32:37.960 Keep in mind, everything is in the context of Judas having been a disciple, and he's off getting the soldiers to kill Jesus. 00:32:39.000 --> 00:32:42.460 And it's, once again, an image of false profession. 00:32:43.039 --> 00:32:54.080 It's not Jesus talking about all those terrible people who just hang out at bars and never have a thought about doing anything good. 00:32:54.079 --> 00:32:57.500 And, you know, he's not talking, he's talking about people who go to cathedrals. 00:32:58.839 --> 00:33:00.000 That's who he's talking about. 00:33:00.079 --> 00:33:01.799 He's talking about people who go to cathedrals. 00:33:01.939 --> 00:33:03.379 He's talking about people who go to church. 00:33:03.439 --> 00:33:05.460 He's talking about false profession. 00:33:07.099 --> 00:33:09.319 He's saying this to confront us. 00:33:09.379 --> 00:33:10.379 He's saying this to me. 00:33:10.480 --> 00:33:11.639 So I say, Lord, is it me? 00:33:11.919 --> 00:33:12.759 Is it me, Lord? 00:33:12.859 --> 00:33:14.259 I don't want that to be me. 00:33:14.339 --> 00:33:15.679 Lord, I do not want that to be me. 00:33:15.720 --> 00:33:18.299 I want not to have false profession, but true profession. 00:33:19.259 --> 00:33:21.179 You know, Jesus be my savior. 00:33:21.379 --> 00:33:22.519 Jesus be my Lord. 00:33:22.519 --> 00:33:25.799 Lord, teach me and help me to abide in you. 00:33:27.220 --> 00:33:32.379 And now Jesus starts to unpack what it means to abide in him, that we have union. 00:33:32.519 --> 00:33:34.940 But if we already have union, what does abiding mean? 00:33:35.079 --> 00:33:40.519 Well, Jesus talks about this in verse 7 to 11. 00:33:40.639 --> 00:33:41.759 Listen to what he says. 00:33:42.420 --> 00:33:50.279 If you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. 00:33:50.279 --> 00:33:56.740 By this my father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 00:33:57.599 --> 00:34:00.200 As the father has loved me, so have I loved you. 00:34:00.359 --> 00:34:01.639 Abide in my love. 00:34:02.180 --> 00:34:09.639 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my father's commandments and abide in his love. 00:34:09.639 --> 00:34:16.500 These things I have spoken to you that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be full. 00:34:16.500 --> 00:34:20.780 Now, what's going on here? 00:34:20.900 --> 00:34:24.019 Well, here's a way to understand what is going on. 00:34:24.079 --> 00:34:25.420 Is it true intimacy? 00:34:25.699 --> 00:34:26.820 This is my second point. 00:34:27.460 --> 00:34:31.199 My second point is that true intimacy always involves obedience. 00:34:31.639 --> 00:34:34.760 True intimacy always involves obedience. 00:34:34.760 --> 00:34:43.700 I think if you were to ask the average Canadian about God, I think they might not think of it in these ways. 00:34:43.780 --> 00:34:48.500 But if you were to suggest to them, don't you think that if God exists, he would never command you to obey? 00:34:48.680 --> 00:34:51.640 Like he wouldn't be the type of God who gives you things that you have to obey? 00:34:51.980 --> 00:34:55.880 And I think most Canadians would say, yes, that's exactly right. 00:34:55.880 --> 00:35:19.220 Like for the average Canadian, the type of God that exists or should exist or, you know, that if they only worship a God who's like this or want to spend time with a God like this or only allow a God like this to continue to exist or live or have any type of social standing and polite society is a God that never has to say anything to you. 00:35:19.440 --> 00:35:21.180 That means that you have to obey it. 00:35:21.179 --> 00:35:22.739 But here's the thing. 00:35:22.819 --> 00:35:28.419 If you go back and you read verses 7 to 11 later on, what Jesus is describing is intimacy. 00:35:29.339 --> 00:35:31.399 What he's describing is intimacy. 00:35:32.259 --> 00:35:40.440 And at the heart of intimacy is listening and speaking and obeying. 00:35:44.219 --> 00:35:51.159 A couple of birthdays ago, for a variety of reasons, we have just two children who are still at home with us. 00:35:51.179 --> 00:35:56.460 And for a variety of reasons, we decided we would go out for my wife's birthday, Louise's birthday. 00:35:57.039 --> 00:35:59.679 And so I said, Louise, why don't we're going to go out for your birthday? 00:35:59.779 --> 00:36:01.239 She said, yeah, let's go out for my birthday. 00:36:01.239 --> 00:36:02.559 And I said, where do you like to go? 00:36:02.599 --> 00:36:03.279 And she said, I don't know. 00:36:03.319 --> 00:36:04.219 Do you have any suggestions? 00:36:04.359 --> 00:36:06.199 And I gave like three or four suggestions. 00:36:06.759 --> 00:36:08.819 And she listened to the three or four suggestions. 00:36:08.820 --> 00:36:15.780 And Louise being Louise, because this is my wife in a nutshell, you know, she doesn't want to spend money on herself. 00:36:16.200 --> 00:36:18.220 She says she picks the restaurant. 00:36:18.360 --> 00:36:23.039 And the restaurant she picks is the cheapest, the most inexpensive of the three or four that I had suggested. 00:36:23.039 --> 00:36:33.619 And George, me being like a goofball, I hear what she says, but I say to myself, oh, come on, we can't go to the most inexpensive. 00:36:33.860 --> 00:36:34.659 I mean, it's your birthday. 00:36:34.840 --> 00:36:36.320 Like you're special. 00:36:36.579 --> 00:36:37.340 You're worth it. 00:36:37.719 --> 00:36:40.980 And so I, in my thick-headedness, go. 00:36:41.159 --> 00:36:43.039 And we don't go to the one that she suggested. 00:36:43.099 --> 00:36:45.380 We go to a different one, one that's a bit more expensive. 00:36:45.380 --> 00:36:47.519 Not the most expensive, but a bit more expensive. 00:36:47.519 --> 00:36:49.000 And my wife's unhappy. 00:36:49.280 --> 00:36:52.199 And I am a slow learner, but eventually I learned. 00:36:52.420 --> 00:36:57.039 And I realized in the middle of the meal that I had made a huge mistake. 00:36:57.739 --> 00:36:58.719 See, here's the thing. 00:36:59.460 --> 00:37:03.340 When I said this at my church, I got all these women nodding at me. 00:37:03.780 --> 00:37:06.980 I said, listen, you know what Louise would rather I do? 00:37:07.380 --> 00:37:13.639 Louise, you know what Louise, because she does, what a wife desires when she wants intimacy with her husband. 00:37:13.639 --> 00:37:18.480 She doesn't necessarily desire that he speak more and more and more and more and more. 00:37:18.920 --> 00:37:21.679 What she really would like is that he listens more. 00:37:23.460 --> 00:37:28.059 And if I listen to Louise more, if I listen not only more but better, 00:37:29.759 --> 00:37:33.000 and listening is always going to involve obedience, right? 00:37:33.019 --> 00:37:40.139 If I listened to my wife and went to the restaurant that she chose, that's obeying her, right? 00:37:40.139 --> 00:37:45.219 And at the heart of obedience, a heart of intimacy is listening. 00:37:46.599 --> 00:37:52.719 If you want to be more intimate with your husband or your wife, listen more and listen better. 00:37:53.359 --> 00:37:59.199 And so what Jesus is describing here, when he's describing abiding, is describing intimacy. 00:37:59.679 --> 00:38:01.519 I mean, in a sense, this is what's so terrible. 00:38:01.519 --> 00:38:08.079 If you also, so what in a sense the average Canadian is describing is something that they actually, 00:38:08.360 --> 00:38:11.960 like in terms of the ideal God, is actually something they don't like. 00:38:12.340 --> 00:38:16.300 Because if you asked the same Canadian, what would you rather do? 00:38:16.380 --> 00:38:23.519 Would you rather go to an event where it's nobody, it's very, very impersonal. 00:38:23.519 --> 00:38:26.840 You're treated in a very, very impersonal way. 00:38:27.559 --> 00:38:29.739 And nobody talks to you. 00:38:30.039 --> 00:38:36.119 Or would you rather go to an event where you're treated in a very, very personal way and people talk to you? 00:38:36.179 --> 00:38:40.679 Well, everybody would pick the one that you treated in a personal way and people would talk to you. 00:38:40.940 --> 00:38:44.199 Yet when they describe God, they describe an impersonal God. 00:38:44.559 --> 00:38:47.079 They describe something which is the opposite of intimacy. 00:38:47.079 --> 00:38:49.300 Because the impersonal will never lead to intimacy. 00:38:49.300 --> 00:38:53.760 We would at least hope that if we go somewhere where we're treated personally and there's conversation, 00:38:53.920 --> 00:38:57.060 it's some type of intimacy, even if it's just very, very low-level intimacy, 00:38:57.660 --> 00:39:00.620 or friendship or companionship would develop out of that. 00:39:01.560 --> 00:39:05.780 And so what actually is happening here, that at first it sort of troubles us, 00:39:05.840 --> 00:39:08.500 this thing about obeying and all that and listening, you know. 00:39:08.700 --> 00:39:10.240 But you just think about it. 00:39:10.240 --> 00:39:13.140 Jesus has just described intimacy. 00:39:14.300 --> 00:39:16.580 And you see, that's what abiding is all about. 00:39:16.579 --> 00:39:23.519 You see, we have this union with Christ that comes by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. 00:39:24.319 --> 00:39:27.219 All my sin is dealt with. 00:39:27.559 --> 00:39:32.819 All the righteousness that is needed is offered to me as a gift as well in the person of Jesus. 00:39:33.759 --> 00:39:36.239 And that union is where it begins. 00:39:36.420 --> 00:39:40.159 And out of this reality of union, and by the way, this reality of union, 00:39:40.279 --> 00:39:41.659 this is why it actually works. 00:39:41.719 --> 00:39:43.079 This is why the gospel works. 00:39:43.079 --> 00:39:47.019 Because what Jesus is talking here, on one level he's giving a metaphor, 00:39:47.159 --> 00:39:49.519 but he's giving a metaphor to describe what really happens. 00:39:49.599 --> 00:39:52.799 The fact of the matter is, is that when we put our faith and trust in Jesus, 00:39:53.219 --> 00:39:57.079 as our Savior and Lord, he really does come and live within us. 00:39:57.360 --> 00:39:59.920 The Father really does come and live within us. 00:39:59.960 --> 00:40:02.159 The Holy Spirit really does come and live within us. 00:40:02.400 --> 00:40:04.679 He really does make his home within us. 00:40:04.940 --> 00:40:07.819 The Father makes his home within us. 00:40:07.820 --> 00:40:11.860 That, in a sense, as I stand before you now, 00:40:12.000 --> 00:40:14.840 I mean, so to speak, I am standing while I speak. 00:40:15.320 --> 00:40:17.460 The Father indwells me. 00:40:17.700 --> 00:40:19.380 Jesus indwells me. 00:40:19.460 --> 00:40:21.400 The Holy Spirit indwells me. 00:40:21.500 --> 00:40:23.760 My sins really are forgiven. 00:40:24.400 --> 00:40:30.000 The righteousness of Christ really does clothe me and clothe me. 00:40:30.160 --> 00:40:31.880 And that is, in fact, real. 00:40:32.700 --> 00:40:35.940 It's not just a metaphor to make me feel better. 00:40:35.940 --> 00:40:39.420 It's describing what is real. 00:40:41.780 --> 00:40:44.280 And so it is that we have this union. 00:40:44.440 --> 00:40:46.820 And now Jesus says, okay, it's union. 00:40:47.119 --> 00:40:48.679 And that's, it's all by grace alone. 00:40:48.760 --> 00:40:50.440 But you know what follows out of union, George? 00:40:51.099 --> 00:40:52.139 It's this intimacy. 00:40:52.320 --> 00:40:53.519 And I'm going to use the word abide. 00:40:53.720 --> 00:40:56.500 And out of that abiding means that you're to spend time with me. 00:40:56.539 --> 00:40:57.679 You're to listen to me. 00:40:58.179 --> 00:41:02.000 And then you not only listen to me, but you pour out your heart to me, George. 00:41:02.019 --> 00:41:04.079 And then you listen to me and you pour out your heart to me. 00:41:04.079 --> 00:41:09.539 And as I, and as I speak to you, you know, you, you, you, you, you go and do what I say. 00:41:10.340 --> 00:41:11.940 You know, you pour out your heart to me. 00:41:12.099 --> 00:41:13.000 Do what I say. 00:41:13.279 --> 00:41:18.259 And, and, and as I do what I say, it means I end up doing acts of courage that I would not normally have done. 00:41:18.319 --> 00:41:21.059 It means I do acts of generosity, which I would not have done. 00:41:21.139 --> 00:41:23.559 I do acts of forgiveness that I would not have done otherwise. 00:41:23.559 --> 00:41:29.279 You know, I, I have, I have acts of selflessness that I would not have done. 00:41:29.480 --> 00:41:35.139 I have acts of, you know, of faithfulness and, and, and all that I would not have done. 00:41:35.139 --> 00:41:38.139 And it comes out of this profound intimacy with Jesus. 00:41:39.739 --> 00:41:41.559 See that, that's what Jesus is saying. 00:41:41.559 --> 00:41:45.360 Now we need to wrap this up a little bit. 00:41:45.400 --> 00:41:50.860 It's already been a long sermon and, uh, I'm being a little bit more long winded with you than I was in the church. 00:41:50.900 --> 00:41:55.139 Although I think it was a 43 or 44 minute sermon, but let's finish the rest of the text. 00:41:55.500 --> 00:41:58.860 Uh, continue on with, uh, with, uh, with verse 12. 00:41:58.920 --> 00:42:00.440 Let's just read through the rest of the text. 00:42:00.519 --> 00:42:01.619 Two more short points. 00:42:02.000 --> 00:42:02.779 Verse 12. 00:42:02.780 --> 00:42:05.960 And this continues to describe, uh, abiding. 00:42:06.180 --> 00:42:07.380 This is my commandment. 00:42:07.440 --> 00:42:07.840 Verse 12. 00:42:07.920 --> 00:42:09.860 That you love one another as I have loved you. 00:42:10.040 --> 00:42:14.740 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 00:42:15.180 --> 00:42:17.820 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 00:42:19.040 --> 00:42:22.140 Uh, no longer do I call you servants or slaves. 00:42:22.320 --> 00:42:27.800 Some translations say for the servant or slave does not know what his master is doing, but I have called you friends. 00:42:28.140 --> 00:42:31.220 For all that I have heard from my father, I have made known to you. 00:42:31.219 --> 00:42:39.959 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide. 00:42:40.199 --> 00:42:43.759 So that whatever you ask the father in my name, he may give it to you. 00:42:43.799 --> 00:42:47.199 These things I command you so that you will love one another. 00:42:47.279 --> 00:42:51.719 You see this whole, once again, this whole language of union, it shapes us. 00:42:52.259 --> 00:42:54.480 Um, we, we, we're friends. 00:42:54.679 --> 00:42:57.079 There's no room for pride in this discussion. 00:42:57.079 --> 00:43:03.000 Um, you know, the, the, the whole thing about this model of, you know, fruit then to communion, then to union. 00:43:03.000 --> 00:43:06.000 It's as if I achieve and I choose God. 00:43:06.000 --> 00:43:11.000 And, and it's this whole other reversal of union and everything, everything is grace. 00:43:11.460 --> 00:43:12.739 Everything is grace. 00:43:13.280 --> 00:43:25.519 And the union, when we're in union with him, it, it automatically flows in a way that is completely and utterly surprising that as it flows out of union with Christ and we're shaped by the gospel, we're drawn by the gospel. 00:43:25.519 --> 00:43:26.900 We're grounded by the gospel. 00:43:26.900 --> 00:43:28.039 We breathe the gospel. 00:43:28.159 --> 00:43:29.259 We're covered by the gospel. 00:43:29.380 --> 00:43:34.940 There begins to be life change in keeping with the gospel and very, very nature of God. 00:43:35.960 --> 00:43:37.980 And this is in the real world. 00:43:39.259 --> 00:43:41.820 Now he gives a great warning about all of this. 00:43:42.059 --> 00:43:47.880 And just to, to wrapping all things up, verse 18, if the world hates you, okay, this is a bit of a wake up call. 00:43:47.880 --> 00:43:55.119 Um, if the world hates you, um, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 00:43:55.640 --> 00:43:56.519 Verse 19. 00:43:56.640 --> 00:44:03.000 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own, but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world. 00:44:03.119 --> 00:44:04.380 Therefore, the world hates you. 00:44:04.960 --> 00:44:08.720 Remember the word that I said to you, a servant is not greater than his master. 00:44:09.119 --> 00:44:12.160 If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. 00:44:12.240 --> 00:44:14.760 If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 00:44:14.760 --> 00:44:21.100 But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. 00:44:21.780 --> 00:44:25.280 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin. 00:44:25.360 --> 00:44:27.360 But now they have no excuse for their sin. 00:44:28.140 --> 00:44:30.420 Whoever hates me hates my father also. 00:44:30.600 --> 00:44:35.340 If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. 00:44:35.880 --> 00:44:38.960 But now they have seen and hated both me and my father. 00:44:39.580 --> 00:44:42.540 But the word that is written in their law must be fulfilled. 00:44:42.539 --> 00:44:45.860 And he quotes, they hated me without a cause. 00:44:46.920 --> 00:44:49.039 Now, just very, very briefly here. 00:44:50.039 --> 00:44:51.480 Here's my third point. 00:44:52.119 --> 00:44:54.719 The world will not hate you for the sin in your life. 00:44:54.880 --> 00:44:57.579 It will hate you for abiding in Christ. 00:44:58.239 --> 00:45:01.639 The world will not hate you for the sin in your life. 00:45:01.719 --> 00:45:04.519 It will hate you for abiding in Christ. 00:45:04.519 --> 00:45:11.159 You know, this is a really, really important thing for many of us to go back and meditate upon. 00:45:11.400 --> 00:45:16.559 I hear this very, very, very many times in all sorts of different types of podcasts. 00:45:16.559 --> 00:45:30.880 You know, the thing to do to be more well-received by your city, by your region, by your, you know, wherever, is, you know, to be known for what you're for, not for what you're against. 00:45:30.880 --> 00:45:47.420 It is that we're to be, you know, to be known for what you're against, you know, and that if we do these good acts in the city and we do this and we make ourselves socially useful, then, you know, doors will open for us and there won't be these negative stereotypes about Christians. 00:45:47.420 --> 00:46:00.099 And, you know, you know, listen, the fact of the matter is, is that, you know, we should love the city, we should care for the city, and we should be seeking the blessing of this city, and we should be doing generous acts and all of those things. 00:46:00.180 --> 00:46:07.780 I'm not arguing against it, but what this text is saying is it's, in a sense, a refutation of the way Christians sometimes fall into talking. 00:46:08.200 --> 00:46:13.519 Because what Jesus is saying here, it's precisely because of the grace in your life that you're not liked. 00:46:14.019 --> 00:46:16.860 It's because of Jesus in your life that you're not liked. 00:46:18.079 --> 00:46:23.559 It's not because, you know, you're too anal retentive and too much about what you're against. 00:46:23.760 --> 00:46:24.320 No, no, no. 00:46:24.360 --> 00:46:28.700 It's the actual presence of Christ that is what is not. 00:46:28.780 --> 00:46:31.700 It's about the presence of grace that you're not liked. 00:46:32.840 --> 00:46:41.599 Just in closing, verse 26, but when the helper comes, that's the Holy Spirit, sometimes translated as the advocate or the comforter or the counselor. 00:46:41.599 --> 00:46:53.319 When the helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me, and you also will bear witness because you have been with me from the beginning. 00:46:53.320 --> 00:47:05.800 And here, just in closing, and this is really important in terms of, you know, the subtle ways that we slip into thinking about my accomplishments and then my access, and then maybe I achieve union. 00:47:05.800 --> 00:47:17.460 And undermining this whole God-flowing thing of God grants me this union through grace, and then I abide out of that, and then out of that comes the fruit. 00:47:18.019 --> 00:47:20.000 Here's the final point, point number four. 00:47:20.139 --> 00:47:23.119 The Holy Spirit does not help you bear witness to Christ. 00:47:23.940 --> 00:47:28.860 The Holy Spirit bears witness to Christ, and he includes you in his work. 00:47:29.240 --> 00:47:32.579 Say it again, the Holy Spirit does not help you bear witness to Christ. 00:47:33.340 --> 00:47:37.019 The Holy Spirit bears witness to Christ, and he includes you in his work. 00:47:37.019 --> 00:47:41.420 It's so easy for me to slip in, and Christians to sleep in as if, you know, I'm going to do this. 00:47:41.820 --> 00:47:47.099 I'm going to go in there, and I'm going to call down the Holy Spirit, and I'm doing this. 00:47:47.099 --> 00:47:50.420 and the Holy Spirit is going to come and move in and through me. 00:47:50.880 --> 00:47:54.759 And that's just a way for me to make it look like it's all about me. 00:47:56.000 --> 00:48:00.779 And somehow or another, the Holy Spirit is like my superpower that I can call on 00:48:00.779 --> 00:48:03.000 to help me do what I'm going to do. 00:48:03.099 --> 00:48:06.500 But that Jesus, go back and read the verse 26, 27 and 28. 00:48:06.839 --> 00:48:09.119 What Jesus says is, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. 00:48:09.179 --> 00:48:11.099 The Holy Spirit bears witness to me. 00:48:11.179 --> 00:48:12.839 And oh, by the way, he includes you. 00:48:13.739 --> 00:48:16.059 By the way, friends, that takes so much pressure. 00:48:17.099 --> 00:48:19.360 So much pressure off of everything. 00:48:20.539 --> 00:48:21.519 He does the work. 00:48:21.639 --> 00:48:22.480 He includes me. 00:48:23.480 --> 00:48:27.400 If you were here, I'd ask you to stand, which is how I always finish my sermons. 00:48:27.739 --> 00:48:32.219 And just say, you know, many of us here, it's a good time to do some work with the Lord 00:48:32.219 --> 00:48:37.819 and just say, Lord, I've been falling into this mistaken way and habit of thinking 00:48:37.819 --> 00:48:41.719 that it's my fruit that leads to access, that leads to union with you. 00:48:42.019 --> 00:48:44.819 I'm forgetting the gospel. 00:48:44.820 --> 00:48:49.180 I thank you that, you know, I don't have to remember the gospel perfectly to be accepted 00:48:49.180 --> 00:48:49.580 by you. 00:48:49.660 --> 00:48:51.240 That's the whole point of it being gospel. 00:48:51.380 --> 00:48:56.440 But it's a good time to call out to the Lord and say, Lord, help me to abide in Jesus 00:48:56.440 --> 00:48:58.519 today and tomorrow and the day after. 00:48:58.640 --> 00:49:00.120 Help me to abide in him. 00:49:00.620 --> 00:49:05.580 And help me to know the gospel is true at deeper and deeper levels of my heart. 00:49:05.579 --> 00:49:11.599 And to trust that you will include me in the work of the Holy Spirit and that your life, 00:49:12.259 --> 00:49:15.139 your eternal life will flow in and through me. 00:49:15.259 --> 00:49:20.500 And as I dwell and abide in you and the union that comes from grace, that fruit will emerge 00:49:20.500 --> 00:49:21.159 in my life. 00:49:22.019 --> 00:49:23.139 Let's just close in prayer. 00:49:23.279 --> 00:49:27.259 Father, I thank you for every person who is listening to this or has listened to this. 00:49:27.319 --> 00:49:30.860 I ask that the Holy Spirit would move and work in them in a mighty and powerful way. 00:49:30.860 --> 00:49:38.880 Help them and me, Father, to know the gospel, to trust the gospel, and to be shaped and stand 00:49:38.880 --> 00:49:39.740 on the gospel. 00:49:39.900 --> 00:49:46.360 And Father, help each one of us to abide in Jesus daily, to listen to him well, to speak 00:49:46.360 --> 00:49:49.140 to him with the depths of our hearts about everything. 00:49:49.800 --> 00:49:55.200 And out of that, listening and speaking and loving and being loved to obey and to bear much 00:49:55.199 --> 00:50:00.719 fruit for your great glory in the city that we live and to the very ends of the earth. 00:50:00.799 --> 00:50:02.759 And I ask all these things in the name of Jesus. 00:50:03.439 --> 00:50:03.779 Amen.