WEBVTT

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 We have a seat and let's pray together, shall we?

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 Heavenly Father, we thank you for who you are today.

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 And we still ourselves now as we come to your word.

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 And we pray that you would teach us as we listen to your voice.

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 Father, thank you that you are good all the time.

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 Father, thank you that you are the God who has so outrageously loved us.

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 And we know that you hear our prayer because we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

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 Well, it's great to see you this morning.

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 And I'm glad to see that you survived Storm Alley.

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 Storm Alley wasn't quite the beast from the east, was it?

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 But she still packed, or he, I don't know, it could be either with Alley, couldn't it?

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 Still packed a fair punch.

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 And I was walking to drop the girls off at nursery on Thursday.

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 And I dropped them off and I was walking home.

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 And on the walk home, via a park, I noticed that Storm Alley had actually caused a lot of chaos in this park.

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 So all I could see everywhere in this park was dirt, was leaves, and was a little bit of branches everywhere in this park.

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 And so you'll forgive me for this, okay?

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 I had John 15 in my head all week and it was Thursday.

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 So what I did is I walked over and I picked up one of the branches, okay?

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 So here's my branch that I found that had come off the tree.

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 And if you look at it, you can see it.

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 It's got some little grapes there that are kind of dying out.

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 We've got some leaves here.

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 We've got some little buds as well that are part of this branch.

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 It's a good-looking branch, isn't it?

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 But the thing is, this branch, its best days are probably behind it.

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 And so my question to you this morning is, we'll put it on the screen,

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 is what would it take to get that branch bearing fruit again?

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 I guess we've got a few options, haven't we?

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 We could kind of pick up some grapes and kind of tape the grapes to it.

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 Or we could find some of these leaves, couldn't we?

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 And we could kind of staple the leaves to it.

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 Or, my favorite, we could kind of stick it in the ground

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 and we could cheer it on from the side.

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 Go on, branchy, you can do it.

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 Friend, what would it take to get this branch bearing fruit again?

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 You see, as Jesus, as he speaks to his disciples in John 15,

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 he wants them to think like that.

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 As they consider their lives with him,

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 he wants them to know that they need him.

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 That's why we chose that last song,

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 Lord, we need you.

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 We need you.

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 Every hour, we need you.

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 Remember where we are in John's Gospel.

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 Here we are, John 15.

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 Jesus has just said to his disciples that he's leaving.

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 Remember, this is the evening before Good Friday.

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 And Jesus has just told his disciples that his hour to go has come.

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 And he is willingly going to go to the cross

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 with the place where he will go to offer his life as a sacrifice for the sins of his people.

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 The place where he goes to bear the punishment that they deserve before a holy God

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 because of their rebellion against him.

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 And the place where he goes to reconcile them to God.

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 And the place where he goes to prepare a place for them in his father's house.

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 All the while telling them that one day he's going to return and he's going to take them to be with himself.

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 Now this is what I did this week when I was reading this.

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 Just pause to consider all of that bit of information.

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 I wonder if anyone has ever asked you that question.

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 If you found out that you had 24 hours to live,

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 what are the things that you would fill those 24 hours with?

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 Has anyone ever asked you that question?

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 Remember there was a Simpsons episode about that years ago.

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 What would you do if you only had 24 hours to live?

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 If you knew that.

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 You get the usual answers, don't you?

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 You get kind of skydiving or swimming with dolphins

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 or spending time with loved ones and family

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 or an all-expenses-paid trip to Disneyland or something like that.

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 What would you do if you found out you had 24 hours to live?

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 Here is Jesus with less than that to live.

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 And what is he doing?

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 Is he thinking of himself?

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 No, he is serving his people.

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 Isn't that incredible?

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 He is serving his people.

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 He is lovingly assuring them.

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 He is graciously preparing them for what life is going to be like

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 when he is not physically there anymore.

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 And right at the heart of this, you see in verse 5,

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 is his message to them, really simply.

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 You are the branches.

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 And I am the true vine.

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 You have a great need of me.

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 You have a great need of Christ.

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 But you have a great Christ for your need.

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 That's what he's saying.

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 Remain in me.

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 Abide in me.

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 And the thing for us to understand at this point

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 is that Jesus hasn't just delved into his imagination

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 and thought, I need a really good metaphor

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 to enable me to connect my disciples

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 and for them to understand what I'm saying.

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 I know what will work.

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 Horticulture.

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 He's deliberately picked this image.

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 You see, the vine is an image

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 which is loaded with Old Testament significance.

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 All the way through the Old Testament story,

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 we're told that Israel are God's chosen vine.

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 Now, perhaps you picked it up

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 as Neil read to us those words from Isaiah chapter 5.

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 Israel were God's people.

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 They were the people that he had chosen for himself.

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 They were the people that he had rescued,

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 that he had taken,

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 and who he had planted in their own land.

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 With the idea that as they lived

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 in loving relationship with him,

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 as they radically obeyed him,

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 as they were different from the watching world,

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 that the watching world would look in

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 and see everything that's going on

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 and think to themselves,

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 isn't Israel's God wonderful?

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 And through Israel,

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 God would do what he said he would do through Abraham.

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 He would bless the nations.

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 This is what he was going to do.

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 But Isaiah, more often than not,

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 we find when he speaks about Israel

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 and the other Old Testament prophets

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 that they do as well,

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 they speak about Israel being the vine,

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 and it's a negative thing.

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 Okay?

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 It's a negative thing.

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 God looks for good fruit.

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 What does he find?

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 He finds bad fruit.

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 Israel, instead of being marked by fruitfulness,

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 are marked by fruitlessness.

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 And because of that,

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 they deserve God's judgment

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 for the rebellion against him.

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 Israel meant to be God's true vine,

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 but he looks for good fruit,

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 he finds bad fruit.

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 And that's the backdrop that Jesus comes with

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 into John 15,

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 and he declares to his disciples,

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 I am the true vine.

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 Do you see it?

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 In other words,

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 he is being everything that Israel failed to be.

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 Unlike Israel,

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 the fruit of his life,

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 the one of his God-glorifying obedience,

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 the fruit is going to be love,

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 righteousness,

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 and faithfulness.

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 And if his disciples are going to bear any fruit in their lives,

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 they need to be found in him.

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 He is the true vine.

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 And so as Jesus prepares his disciples for life in his absence,

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 he wants them to know that he is this true vine,

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 and they are the branches.

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 And what Jesus wants them to do,

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 I don't think we can miss.

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 It's already been a lot.

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 I love it when people give your sermons away

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 before you even stood up.

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 It's great.

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 Don't need to do any work.

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 You can't miss what he's saying,

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 can you,

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 in these verses?

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 You can't miss it.

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 He says it 10 times in these 11 verses.

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 Remain.

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 Or, Maggie,

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 I assume you're reading from the ESV.

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 It says,

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 Abide.

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 Abide in me.

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 10 times in these 11 verses.

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 Now,

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 from this point on,

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 okay,

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 because I realize we're living in a Brexit-filled world,

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 we'll talk about abiding rather than remaining.

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 Okay?

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 So just so you're not sitting there thinking,

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 I told you Jesus was all about remaining.

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 Okay?

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 He wants them to abide in him.

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 So everybody hold up 10,

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 10 fingers,

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 two hands,

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 okay?

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 This is what he's doing here.

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 You can't miss it.

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 Count with me.

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 Okay?

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 Abide.

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 Say it.

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 Okay?

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 Abide.

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 Abide.

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 Abide.

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 Abide.

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 Abide.

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 Abide.

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 Abide.

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 Abide.

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 Abide.

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 Abide.

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 You can't miss what he's saying.

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 Sounds like some kind of French verb test,

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 doesn't it?

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 You can't miss what he's saying.

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 He wants his disciples to abide in him.

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 That's what he wants them to do.

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 Now think about it logically.

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 Jesus, what has he done?

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 He's drawn his people to himself.

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 Right?

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 They didn't choose him.

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 He chose them.

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 He's drawn them to himself.

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 He's paid for their sin on the cross.

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 He's made them clean.

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 He's taken away the barrier to God that existed because of the rebellion against him.

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 And he's made a way for them to be adopted as sons and daughters of the living God.

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 And he's given them his spirit.

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 And every believer is united to Jesus.

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 That's our identity.

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 It's the one that the New Testament says all the time.

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 In Christ.

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 That is the believer's identity.

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 In Christ.

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 He has made us his own.

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 He is ours and we are his.

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 This is what he's done.

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 He's made us his own.

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 And so Jesus says, stemming from that union with him,

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 every day live in a fruitful and joyous communion with me.

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 And I've been walking with Jesus for something like 16 years.

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 And I know that many of you have been walking with him way longer than that.

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 Probably way longer than I've even been alive.

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 And I've read these verses of John 15 countless times before.

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 And every time I read them,

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 I'm struck by both the beautiful simplicity of what Jesus says here.

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 And also how these words are wonderfully profound.

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 This is the Christian life, is it not?

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 What Jesus says here.

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 And invite you afresh to let these words from John 15,

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 as God would speak through his word as we hear his voice,

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 let these words impact you afresh.

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 Because some of us here, I know, may have grown cold spiritually.

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 Okay, we've just stopped thinking.

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 We've just stopped in our affections for the Lord Jesus.

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 Some of us will be here and we've drifted spiritually.

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 Jesus used to be a massive deal,

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 but as life has gone on, he's just going to move to the periphery.

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 Some of us may have settled spiritually.

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 Some of us may be nowhere spiritually.

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 And everything probably in between those four.

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 But friends, I hope that as we look at this passage together now,

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 as we look at the claims that Jesus makes about himself,

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 and as we think about the claims that Jesus would make about all those who would follow after him,

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 that we would be struck once again by how beautiful he is,

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 but also how much we need him.

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 So let these words impact you afresh from John 15 this morning.

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 It was Puritan Andrew Murray who famously said,

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 A soul that is filled with large thoughts of the vine will be a very strong branch.

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 And all I want us to do this morning and the time we have remaining

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 is just to walk through these 11 verses together.

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 There's so much in here, so can I encourage you to go home after this and read these for yourself?

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 Go to your small group this week, having read them, and bring fresh thoughts.

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 We don't have time to cover everything this morning,

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 but we're going to make a few pit stops as we walk through these 11 verses this morning.

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 But here's the question that I want us to really get to grips with today.

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 What does it mean to abide with Jesus?

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 What does it mean, rather, to abide in Jesus?

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 Because I think as we walk through these three verses this morning,

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 I think we kind of can categorize them under three headings.

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 Okay, here's the first one.

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 Abiding means knowing.

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 Look at verse 1.

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 I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.

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 So you see that Jesus doesn't want his disciples simply to know his identity.

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 He wants his disciples to know the identity of his Father as well,

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 because his Father is intimately involved and committed to the lives of his people.

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 And who is the Father?

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 What does he say?

00:13:01.539 --> 00:13:03.319
 He is the gardener.

00:13:03.399 --> 00:13:06.360
 If you have an ESV, he is the vine dresser.

00:13:06.439 --> 00:13:07.639
 And he does two things.

00:13:07.779 --> 00:13:08.360
 Verse 2.

00:13:09.360 --> 00:13:12.759
 Firstly, he takes away fruitless branches.

00:13:12.759 --> 00:13:20.600
 As a loving gardener, he will see to it that the branches who are not living will be cut away

00:13:20.600 --> 00:13:23.379
 and thrown into the fire and burned.

00:13:24.340 --> 00:13:26.519
 See, it's a great warning in these verses as well, isn't it,

00:13:26.519 --> 00:13:29.319
 when we think about what it means to remain in Jesus, abide in Jesus.

00:13:30.519 --> 00:13:34.840
 Because John's gospel is full of followers of Jesus who would start off keen,

00:13:35.000 --> 00:13:38.100
 who would appear to be following him, but as time goes on,

00:13:38.100 --> 00:13:42.519
 and as they come to terms with the cost of what it means to follow Jesus, they turn away.

00:13:44.300 --> 00:13:47.600
 Of course, in the immediate context of John 15, who's just left the building?

00:13:47.779 --> 00:13:47.980
 Judas.

00:13:50.019 --> 00:13:55.240
 And I assume that as the days go on, as the disciples live their lives when Jesus isn't here,

00:13:55.779 --> 00:13:58.540
 and they watch many people claim to follow him,

00:13:59.440 --> 00:14:02.180
 but decide after a while that it's not worth it anymore,

00:14:02.179 --> 00:14:04.859
 I assume these words are meant to give them great confidence,

00:14:05.859 --> 00:14:11.299
 because they shouldn't panic, because what is going on there is the Father being the vine dresser,

00:14:11.359 --> 00:14:13.379
 that they can leave it with him.

00:14:15.479 --> 00:14:16.339
 He's the Father.

00:14:16.459 --> 00:14:18.579
 He's the good vine dresser who cuts away,

00:14:18.759 --> 00:14:23.519
 and secondly, he is the vine dresser who prunes branches that are producing fruit,

00:14:23.959 --> 00:14:26.339
 so that they will produce more fruit.

00:14:26.340 --> 00:14:29.240
 So good is God this vine dresser,

00:14:29.320 --> 00:14:31.019
 so committed is he to his people,

00:14:31.120 --> 00:14:33.800
 and so sovereign is he over all things,

00:14:34.920 --> 00:14:38.600
 that he will use every means possible

00:14:38.600 --> 00:14:43.280
 to achieve the goal for those who are abiding in Christ

00:14:43.280 --> 00:14:44.820
 of pruning them,

00:14:45.180 --> 00:14:49.240
 so that they will produce more fruit for the glory of God.

00:14:50.160 --> 00:14:53.120
 Now, I don't know how you react when you hear that word pruning,

00:14:53.120 --> 00:14:56.519
 but as I study John 15 this week,

00:14:56.560 --> 00:15:00.440
 again, it reminded me of how painful a word that is.

00:15:02.320 --> 00:15:03.860
 And it's often painful, isn't it,

00:15:03.860 --> 00:15:05.460
 when it happens in our Christian lives,

00:15:05.500 --> 00:15:07.919
 when God exposes my faults,

00:15:08.159 --> 00:15:11.120
 when God questions my desires,

00:15:11.240 --> 00:15:13.940
 as God puts his finger on things in my heart,

00:15:14.019 --> 00:15:16.480
 the thorns that need to go.

00:15:17.480 --> 00:15:18.320
 It's painful.

00:15:19.919 --> 00:15:21.680
 But it makes all the difference in the world

00:15:21.679 --> 00:15:23.959
 that as I seek to follow him,

00:15:24.519 --> 00:15:26.500
 as I seek to abide in Jesus,

00:15:27.159 --> 00:15:30.000
 that I know that the vine dresser

00:15:30.000 --> 00:15:32.039
 is my loving Heavenly Father,

00:15:32.919 --> 00:15:36.019
 and he wants me to be pruned

00:15:36.019 --> 00:15:38.919
 so that I can bear fruit in my life

00:15:38.919 --> 00:15:41.479
 for his glory as I'm transformed more

00:15:41.479 --> 00:15:44.219
 into the image of Jesus Christ.

00:15:46.319 --> 00:15:49.699
 There's a godly American woman called Joni Erikson-Tada.

00:15:49.799 --> 00:15:50.839
 Some of you may have heard of her.

00:15:50.840 --> 00:15:52.860
 At 17 years old,

00:15:52.940 --> 00:15:55.940
 she was involved in a tragic diving accident

00:15:55.940 --> 00:15:57.440
 that left her a quadriplegic.

00:15:58.399 --> 00:16:00.460
 She was consigned to life in a wheelchair,

00:16:00.800 --> 00:16:03.620
 and she's consigned to not being able to use her hands

00:16:03.620 --> 00:16:04.600
 for the rest of her life.

00:16:04.680 --> 00:16:05.920
 And someone once asked her

00:16:05.920 --> 00:16:08.100
 what she says to God

00:16:08.100 --> 00:16:10.139
 each time she wakes up every morning.

00:16:11.639 --> 00:16:13.660
 I imagine you might be thinking two things.

00:16:14.060 --> 00:16:14.800
 Is she going to say,

00:16:14.900 --> 00:16:15.700
 I hate you, God?

00:16:16.960 --> 00:16:18.300
 Or is she going to say something else?

00:16:18.340 --> 00:16:19.139
 Here's what she said.

00:16:19.139 --> 00:16:20.539
 She responded to that question.

00:16:20.620 --> 00:16:22.539
 My weakness, that is my quadriplegia,

00:16:22.740 --> 00:16:24.539
 is my greatest asset

00:16:24.539 --> 00:16:27.720
 because it forces me to run into the arms of Christ

00:16:27.720 --> 00:16:29.720
 every single time I get up in the morning.

00:16:31.240 --> 00:16:32.159
 I hate you, God.

00:16:32.259 --> 00:16:32.720
 No, no, no.

00:16:33.399 --> 00:16:34.240
 I need you, God.

00:16:36.919 --> 00:16:37.860
 You know, in John 15,

00:16:37.919 --> 00:16:39.019
 I wonder if in the hours to come

00:16:39.019 --> 00:16:40.799
 whether that will be Peter's experience.

00:16:41.519 --> 00:16:43.559
 Is he painfully comes to terms

00:16:43.559 --> 00:16:44.659
 with his own failings

00:16:44.659 --> 00:16:46.579
 as he denies Jesus three times.

00:16:46.679 --> 00:16:46.959
 And remember,

00:16:47.039 --> 00:16:47.979
 at the end of John's Gospel,

00:16:48.099 --> 00:16:49.159
 we get this wonderful scene

00:16:49.159 --> 00:16:51.079
 as Jesus reinstates him,

00:16:51.199 --> 00:16:51.939
 restores him,

00:16:53.619 --> 00:16:54.219
 teaching him,

00:16:54.439 --> 00:16:56.919
 Peter, don't rely on your own strength.

00:16:57.039 --> 00:16:58.919
 Don't look to your own understanding

00:16:58.919 --> 00:17:00.000
 to figure life out.

00:17:00.079 --> 00:17:00.659
 Look to me.

00:17:01.459 --> 00:17:02.219
 Look to me.

00:17:02.699 --> 00:17:03.500
 Come to me.

00:17:05.099 --> 00:17:05.960
 Because that's the sting

00:17:05.960 --> 00:17:07.279
 at the end of verse 5, isn't it?

00:17:07.279 --> 00:17:08.019
 It's the warning.

00:17:08.240 --> 00:17:08.940
 Without him,

00:17:08.940 --> 00:17:09.820
 we can do nothing.

00:17:11.980 --> 00:17:12.840
 It's a love and warning

00:17:12.840 --> 00:17:13.980
 about the complacency

00:17:13.980 --> 00:17:15.640
 that can so easily creep

00:17:15.640 --> 00:17:16.880
 into our Christian lives.

00:17:16.960 --> 00:17:17.160
 That is,

00:17:17.200 --> 00:17:18.820
 we run around prayerlessly

00:17:18.820 --> 00:17:20.279
 trying to accomplish things,

00:17:20.720 --> 00:17:21.980
 even religious things,

00:17:22.660 --> 00:17:22.820
 you know,

00:17:22.860 --> 00:17:24.160
 doing job after job,

00:17:24.259 --> 00:17:25.640
 running from person to person,

00:17:25.779 --> 00:17:27.059
 running from meeting to meeting,

00:17:27.220 --> 00:17:28.380
 trusting in our own skills

00:17:28.380 --> 00:17:29.019
 and abilities,

00:17:29.700 --> 00:17:31.059
 all the while failing

00:17:31.059 --> 00:17:33.720
 to abide in Jesus' words.

00:17:34.840 --> 00:17:35.100
 Friends,

00:17:35.140 --> 00:17:35.980
 we need the comfort

00:17:35.980 --> 00:17:37.200
 that we are Jesus's

00:17:37.200 --> 00:17:38.900
 and he will never let us go.

00:17:39.440 --> 00:17:40.740
 And we need the warning here

00:17:40.740 --> 00:17:41.500
 that without him,

00:17:41.559 --> 00:17:42.519
 we can do nothing.

00:17:42.640 --> 00:17:43.180
 We need both.

00:17:45.080 --> 00:17:46.220
 There's someone that once asked

00:17:46.220 --> 00:17:46.920
 Charles Spurgeon,

00:17:47.019 --> 00:17:47.980
 famous Baptist preacher,

00:17:48.180 --> 00:17:49.360
 how he dealt with the trials

00:17:49.360 --> 00:17:50.860
 and hardships that came his way

00:17:50.860 --> 00:17:51.840
 in the Christian life.

00:17:51.880 --> 00:17:53.059
 And he famously replied,

00:17:53.620 --> 00:17:55.240
 I have learned to kiss the wave

00:17:55.240 --> 00:17:56.299
 that throws me back

00:17:56.299 --> 00:17:57.600
 against the rock of ages.

00:17:58.860 --> 00:17:59.160
 Friends,

00:17:59.259 --> 00:18:00.680
 abiding for us will mean knowing.

00:18:01.700 --> 00:18:02.440
 And secondly,

00:18:02.580 --> 00:18:03.559
 abiding will mean doing.

00:18:05.080 --> 00:18:06.019
 Look at what he says

00:18:06.019 --> 00:18:07.460
 to his disciples at verse 7.

00:18:07.559 --> 00:18:08.279
 If you wish,

00:18:08.279 --> 00:18:10.619
 and it will be done for you.

00:18:10.660 --> 00:18:10.899
 Again,

00:18:10.960 --> 00:18:12.160
 he asks them to do two things.

00:18:12.279 --> 00:18:12.559
 Firstly,

00:18:12.720 --> 00:18:14.180
 to abide in his words.

00:18:17.259 --> 00:18:18.559
 As they abide in him

00:18:18.559 --> 00:18:20.819
 and as Jesus's words

00:18:20.819 --> 00:18:22.279
 abide in them,

00:18:23.000 --> 00:18:24.680
 this is how they will abide in him.

00:18:25.039 --> 00:18:25.839
 This is what he's saying.

00:18:26.700 --> 00:18:27.879
 So Jesus wants them

00:18:27.879 --> 00:18:28.740
 to build their lives

00:18:28.740 --> 00:18:30.619
 upon his words

00:18:30.619 --> 00:18:32.859
 and to allow his words

00:18:32.859 --> 00:18:34.019
 by his spirit

00:18:34.019 --> 00:18:35.759
 to shape how they live,

00:18:35.759 --> 00:18:37.940
 to inform how they think

00:18:37.940 --> 00:18:39.839
 and to guide how they act.

00:18:40.920 --> 00:18:41.960
 So in his absence,

00:18:42.099 --> 00:18:43.420
 it's by living in

00:18:43.420 --> 00:18:45.359
 and by living by his words

00:18:45.359 --> 00:18:47.200
 that his disciples

00:18:47.200 --> 00:18:48.559
 will abide in him.

00:18:50.460 --> 00:18:50.879
 See,

00:18:50.940 --> 00:18:51.859
 later on at verse 10,

00:18:51.980 --> 00:18:52.579
 Jesus says,

00:18:52.579 --> 00:18:53.879
 if you keep my commands,

00:18:53.960 --> 00:18:55.039
 you will remain in my love

00:18:55.039 --> 00:18:56.220
 just as I have kept

00:18:56.220 --> 00:18:57.220
 my father's commands

00:18:57.220 --> 00:18:58.939
 and remain in his love.

00:18:59.899 --> 00:19:00.579
 So do you see

00:19:00.579 --> 00:19:02.460
 what Jesus is calling for here

00:19:02.460 --> 00:19:04.399
 from his disciples

00:19:04.399 --> 00:19:06.059
 is nothing other than

00:19:06.059 --> 00:19:08.139
 an all-out radical obedience

00:19:08.139 --> 00:19:10.099
 and a joyous commitment

00:19:10.099 --> 00:19:11.299
 to his word.

00:19:13.159 --> 00:19:13.599
 And of course,

00:19:13.659 --> 00:19:14.019
 that's going to be

00:19:14.019 --> 00:19:14.899
 the primary means

00:19:14.899 --> 00:19:16.099
 by which the father

00:19:16.099 --> 00:19:17.759
 shapes and prunes

00:19:17.759 --> 00:19:19.619
 his children.

00:19:19.619 --> 00:19:20.719
 As his word does

00:19:20.719 --> 00:19:22.119
 its shaping and moulding

00:19:22.119 --> 00:19:23.319
 and convicting work

00:19:23.319 --> 00:19:24.659
 in our hearts.

00:19:26.139 --> 00:19:26.599
 Jesus says,

00:19:26.699 --> 00:19:29.639
 abide in my words.

00:19:29.799 --> 00:19:29.959
 Friends,

00:19:30.000 --> 00:19:31.099
 I think we need to ask ourselves

00:19:31.099 --> 00:19:31.679
 this morning,

00:19:32.459 --> 00:19:33.699
 as followers of this man,

00:19:34.059 --> 00:19:34.919
 what are we doing

00:19:34.919 --> 00:19:35.699
 and are we

00:19:35.699 --> 00:19:37.419
 abiding in his words?

00:19:39.699 --> 00:19:39.939
 You know,

00:19:39.959 --> 00:19:40.519
 Sunday night

00:19:40.519 --> 00:19:41.719
 in the Shanks household

00:19:41.719 --> 00:19:43.219
 is omelette night.

00:19:44.059 --> 00:19:44.219
 Okay?

00:19:44.399 --> 00:19:45.179
 I take a turn

00:19:45.179 --> 00:19:45.599
 at the cooking,

00:19:46.039 --> 00:19:46.919
 light cooking omelettes.

00:19:47.000 --> 00:19:47.399
 If I'm honest,

00:19:47.459 --> 00:19:48.399
 it's because it's easy

00:19:48.399 --> 00:19:49.019
 and it's quick.

00:19:49.579 --> 00:19:49.700
 Okay?

00:19:49.720 --> 00:19:50.859
 It doesn't taste great

00:19:50.859 --> 00:19:52.299
 but we just do omelettes

00:19:52.299 --> 00:19:53.259
 in the Shanks household.

00:19:53.559 --> 00:19:54.819
 I remember the first time

00:19:54.819 --> 00:19:55.440
 I ever tried it.

00:19:55.480 --> 00:19:56.619
 I remember Alex sitting there

00:19:56.619 --> 00:19:58.400
 and she's screwing up her face

00:19:58.400 --> 00:20:00.039
 and it's a lovely bit of shell.

00:20:00.819 --> 00:20:01.019
 Okay?

00:20:01.440 --> 00:20:02.200
 A lovely bit of shell.

00:20:03.599 --> 00:20:04.519
 Contrast my cooking

00:20:04.519 --> 00:20:05.759
 to Alex's cooking.

00:20:06.079 --> 00:20:06.740
 The best meals

00:20:06.740 --> 00:20:07.339
 that she makes

00:20:07.339 --> 00:20:07.759
 are the ones

00:20:07.759 --> 00:20:08.160
 that she makes

00:20:08.160 --> 00:20:09.619
 in the slow cooker.

00:20:10.819 --> 00:20:12.180
 She makes a big batch of it

00:20:12.180 --> 00:20:12.940
 and we normally have it,

00:20:13.099 --> 00:20:13.379
 puts it,

00:20:13.440 --> 00:20:14.299
 it cuts up the meat,

00:20:14.420 --> 00:20:15.059
 marinates it,

00:20:15.139 --> 00:20:16.119
 puts it in the slow cooker.

00:20:16.200 --> 00:20:16.500
 In the morning,

00:20:16.579 --> 00:20:17.379
 we have it in the evening.

00:20:17.900 --> 00:20:18.859
 She normally makes enough of it

00:20:18.859 --> 00:20:20.219
 that it can last two or three days.

00:20:21.179 --> 00:20:22.399
 First night when we have it,

00:20:22.519 --> 00:20:23.479
 it's brilliant.

00:20:24.919 --> 00:20:26.039
 Second night that we have it,

00:20:26.079 --> 00:20:26.679
 the day after,

00:20:26.919 --> 00:20:27.740
 it is incredible.

00:20:28.659 --> 00:20:29.379
 See the third night

00:20:29.379 --> 00:20:29.959
 that we have it,

00:20:30.019 --> 00:20:31.399
 it blows your mind.

00:20:31.400 --> 00:20:32.860
 Do you know why?

00:20:34.640 --> 00:20:35.000
 Marination.

00:20:36.620 --> 00:20:37.019
 Marination.

00:20:37.100 --> 00:20:37.800
 This is what happened.

00:20:37.880 --> 00:20:38.460
 The flavor

00:20:38.460 --> 00:20:39.920
 has gone from just being

00:20:39.920 --> 00:20:40.640
 on the meat

00:20:40.640 --> 00:20:42.840
 to being in the meat.

00:20:43.680 --> 00:20:44.560
 The flavor

00:20:44.560 --> 00:20:45.720
 has permeated

00:20:45.720 --> 00:20:46.900
 and has transformed

00:20:46.900 --> 00:20:48.680
 everything about the meat.

00:20:49.640 --> 00:20:50.040
 Now,

00:20:50.060 --> 00:20:50.480
 I don't know

00:20:50.480 --> 00:20:51.720
 what you think of

00:20:51.720 --> 00:20:53.019
 as you think about Jesus

00:20:53.019 --> 00:20:53.540
 as he says,

00:20:53.620 --> 00:20:54.500
 abide in my words,

00:20:54.720 --> 00:20:56.080
 but it seems to me

00:20:56.080 --> 00:20:57.480
 that what he's saying here

00:20:57.480 --> 00:20:59.700
 is a lot more slow cooker

00:20:59.700 --> 00:21:01.180
 than it is Omelette.

00:21:02.480 --> 00:21:02.779
 Right?

00:21:03.799 --> 00:21:04.900
 Abiding in his words.

00:21:05.279 --> 00:21:06.539
 And it challenges me

00:21:06.539 --> 00:21:07.420
 and it's convicted me

00:21:07.420 --> 00:21:07.880
 this week

00:21:07.880 --> 00:21:08.700
 that how often

00:21:08.700 --> 00:21:09.480
 that I just settle

00:21:09.480 --> 00:21:10.120
 for Omelette.

00:21:12.519 --> 00:21:12.799
 Friends,

00:21:12.840 --> 00:21:13.420
 are you abiding

00:21:13.420 --> 00:21:14.680
 in his words?

00:21:15.519 --> 00:21:16.440
 You're abiding

00:21:16.440 --> 00:21:17.860
 in his words.

00:21:18.519 --> 00:21:19.299
 It was John Bunyan,

00:21:19.440 --> 00:21:20.440
 the man who wrote

00:21:20.440 --> 00:21:21.319
 Pilgrim's Progress,

00:21:21.539 --> 00:21:23.160
 whose peers used to tease him

00:21:23.160 --> 00:21:24.500
 that every time

00:21:24.500 --> 00:21:25.580
 you would cut him open,

00:21:25.740 --> 00:21:26.660
 every time you would cut him,

00:21:26.700 --> 00:21:27.840
 he would bleed Bible.

00:21:27.839 --> 00:21:29.819
 Incredible thing to say.

00:21:29.919 --> 00:21:30.379
 Imagine if somebody,

00:21:30.439 --> 00:21:31.119
 wouldn't it be lovely

00:21:31.119 --> 00:21:31.959
 if somebody joked

00:21:31.959 --> 00:21:33.079
 and teased you about that?

00:21:33.919 --> 00:21:34.639
 That there was a man

00:21:34.639 --> 00:21:36.339
 who bled Bible.

00:21:37.599 --> 00:21:37.959
 Friends,

00:21:37.980 --> 00:21:38.419
 are you abiding

00:21:38.419 --> 00:21:39.179
 in his words?

00:21:40.059 --> 00:21:40.740
 The second thing

00:21:40.740 --> 00:21:41.379
 at verse 7

00:21:41.379 --> 00:21:42.379
 he asks them to do

00:21:42.379 --> 00:21:43.959
 is ask.

00:21:45.439 --> 00:21:46.279
 Can I go back one?

00:21:46.319 --> 00:21:46.639
 Is that right?

00:21:46.899 --> 00:21:47.579
 Is to ask.

00:21:48.019 --> 00:21:48.679
 Is to pray.

00:21:50.439 --> 00:21:51.359
 That as Jesus' words

00:21:51.359 --> 00:21:52.339
 abides in us

00:21:52.339 --> 00:21:53.899
 and as it shapes us

00:21:53.899 --> 00:21:55.439
 and it hones our desires,

00:21:55.440 --> 00:21:56.519
 our hearts should be

00:21:56.519 --> 00:21:58.120
 more and more conformed

00:21:58.120 --> 00:21:59.100
 and in harmony

00:21:59.100 --> 00:22:00.740
 with his desires.

00:22:01.779 --> 00:22:03.160
 And it's with that attitude

00:22:03.160 --> 00:22:04.500
 and possessing that heart

00:22:04.500 --> 00:22:05.860
 that Jesus invites

00:22:05.860 --> 00:22:06.539
 his disciples

00:22:06.539 --> 00:22:08.299
 to ask their Heavenly Father

00:22:08.299 --> 00:22:09.220
 to pray to him.

00:22:09.480 --> 00:22:10.920
 This is a wonderful invitation.

00:22:14.240 --> 00:22:15.320
 And to come before

00:22:15.320 --> 00:22:16.460
 this loving Heavenly Father

00:22:16.460 --> 00:22:17.240
 with confidence

00:22:17.240 --> 00:22:17.880
 that he hears

00:22:17.880 --> 00:22:19.019
 because you make your prayers

00:22:19.019 --> 00:22:19.740
 through the name

00:22:19.740 --> 00:22:20.559
 of Jesus Christ.

00:22:21.880 --> 00:22:22.559
 I don't know about you,

00:22:22.559 --> 00:22:24.500
 but I want God's desires.

00:22:25.379 --> 00:22:26.339
 I want God's word

00:22:26.339 --> 00:22:27.639
 to shape my prayers.

00:22:29.379 --> 00:22:30.379
 Now what I've found

00:22:30.379 --> 00:22:32.119
 has really helped me recently

00:22:32.119 --> 00:22:33.319
 and I give it to you

00:22:33.319 --> 00:22:33.799
 this morning

00:22:33.799 --> 00:22:35.480
 is to use scripture

00:22:35.480 --> 00:22:37.119
 to base your prayer life on.

00:22:38.500 --> 00:22:39.200
 Now Paul's letters

00:22:39.200 --> 00:22:39.700
 for example

00:22:39.700 --> 00:22:40.779
 are full of prayers.

00:22:41.319 --> 00:22:42.019
 Great exercise

00:22:42.019 --> 00:22:42.819
 to do this week.

00:22:42.899 --> 00:22:43.740
 Maybe take one of them

00:22:43.740 --> 00:22:44.399
 that you find

00:22:44.399 --> 00:22:45.019
 in Ephesians

00:22:45.019 --> 00:22:45.799
 or Colossians

00:22:45.799 --> 00:22:46.460
 or Philippians

00:22:46.460 --> 00:22:47.319
 or something like that.

00:22:47.700 --> 00:22:48.240
 Take it

00:22:48.240 --> 00:22:49.399
 and use it

00:22:49.399 --> 00:22:50.659
 to order

00:22:50.659 --> 00:22:51.200
 and structure

00:22:51.200 --> 00:22:51.980
 your prayers.

00:22:53.980 --> 00:22:54.740
 Tim Keller

00:22:54.740 --> 00:22:55.360
 in his great book

00:22:55.360 --> 00:22:56.120
 in prayer says

00:22:56.120 --> 00:22:57.400
 our prayers should arise

00:22:57.400 --> 00:22:58.259
 out of an immersion

00:22:58.259 --> 00:22:59.019
 in scripture.

00:22:59.519 --> 00:23:00.019
 The wedding

00:23:00.019 --> 00:23:00.779
 of the Bible

00:23:00.779 --> 00:23:01.480
 and prayer

00:23:01.480 --> 00:23:02.700
 it anchors your life

00:23:02.700 --> 00:23:04.120
 down in the real God.

00:23:05.240 --> 00:23:06.160
 Jesus invites

00:23:06.160 --> 00:23:06.880
 his disciples

00:23:06.880 --> 00:23:08.240
 to dedicate themselves

00:23:08.240 --> 00:23:08.940
 to abiding

00:23:08.940 --> 00:23:09.519
 in his word

00:23:09.519 --> 00:23:10.539
 and he asks them

00:23:10.539 --> 00:23:11.340
 to commit themselves

00:23:11.340 --> 00:23:12.519
 to seeking the Father

00:23:12.519 --> 00:23:13.180
 in prayer.

00:23:14.840 --> 00:23:15.880
 Read your Bible

00:23:15.880 --> 00:23:17.160
 and pray every day.

00:23:17.340 --> 00:23:17.980
 Someone should write

00:23:17.980 --> 00:23:18.480
 a kid's song

00:23:18.480 --> 00:23:18.980
 about that.

00:23:19.160 --> 00:23:20.299
 That's what he's saying here.

00:23:21.200 --> 00:23:21.900
 And thirdly

00:23:21.900 --> 00:23:22.980
 abiding means bearing.

00:23:24.299 --> 00:23:24.680
 See it?

00:23:24.740 --> 00:23:25.180
 Verse 8

00:23:25.180 --> 00:23:27.259
 This is to my Father's glory

00:23:27.259 --> 00:23:28.779
 that you bear much fruit

00:23:28.779 --> 00:23:30.160
 showing yourselves

00:23:30.160 --> 00:23:31.140
 to be my disciples.

00:23:32.620 --> 00:23:33.240
 See the goal

00:23:33.240 --> 00:23:34.120
 of the Christian life

00:23:34.120 --> 00:23:34.960
 God's ambition

00:23:34.960 --> 00:23:35.920
 for our lives

00:23:35.920 --> 00:23:36.620
 and our hearts

00:23:36.620 --> 00:23:37.819
 is that we would know him

00:23:37.819 --> 00:23:39.180
 and that from

00:23:39.180 --> 00:23:40.600
 that glorious relationship

00:23:40.600 --> 00:23:41.920
 we would bear more fruit

00:23:41.920 --> 00:23:43.140
 so that through us

00:23:43.140 --> 00:23:44.799
 God's name

00:23:44.799 --> 00:23:45.680
 would be glorified

00:23:45.680 --> 00:23:46.120
 in the sight

00:23:46.120 --> 00:23:46.900
 of the world.

00:23:46.900 --> 00:23:48.580
 Friends,

00:23:48.600 --> 00:23:48.940
 Andrew said

00:23:48.940 --> 00:23:49.720
 that is what

00:23:49.720 --> 00:23:51.080
 always encourages me

00:23:51.080 --> 00:23:52.080
 most as your pastor

00:23:52.080 --> 00:23:53.259
 to see some of you

00:23:53.259 --> 00:23:53.540
 grow.

00:23:54.980 --> 00:23:55.740
 Now it never looks

00:23:55.740 --> 00:23:56.860
 spectacular does it?

00:23:56.980 --> 00:23:58.140
 Never looks spectacular

00:23:58.140 --> 00:23:58.820
 in your life

00:23:58.820 --> 00:24:00.200
 but I hear some of you

00:24:00.200 --> 00:24:00.920
 talk about how

00:24:00.920 --> 00:24:02.080
 you're telling your friends

00:24:02.080 --> 00:24:02.680
 about Jesus

00:24:02.680 --> 00:24:04.100
 and two years ago

00:24:04.100 --> 00:24:04.600
 that's something

00:24:04.600 --> 00:24:05.340
 you could never have

00:24:05.340 --> 00:24:06.080
 thought about doing.

00:24:06.780 --> 00:24:07.800
 That I see some of you

00:24:07.800 --> 00:24:08.860
 loving somebody

00:24:08.860 --> 00:24:11.160
 in a quite selfless way

00:24:11.160 --> 00:24:11.940
 and I know that

00:24:11.940 --> 00:24:12.600
 wouldn't have happened

00:24:12.600 --> 00:24:13.580
 two, three years ago.

00:24:13.640 --> 00:24:14.440
 I see some of you

00:24:14.440 --> 00:24:14.880
 growing.

00:24:14.880 --> 00:24:18.460
 And this is what

00:24:18.460 --> 00:24:19.400
 he's talking about here.

00:24:20.300 --> 00:24:21.200
 When your whole life

00:24:21.200 --> 00:24:21.940
 becomes worship

00:24:21.940 --> 00:24:23.840
 your whole life

00:24:23.840 --> 00:24:25.240
 becomes bearing fruit

00:24:25.240 --> 00:24:26.320
 for the glory of God

00:24:26.320 --> 00:24:27.360
 and as the world

00:24:27.360 --> 00:24:27.900
 looks in

00:24:27.900 --> 00:24:28.600
 and as it sees

00:24:28.600 --> 00:24:29.640
 the fruit in our lives

00:24:29.640 --> 00:24:30.340
 fruit that's only

00:24:30.340 --> 00:24:31.380
 explainable because

00:24:31.380 --> 00:24:33.360
 of the life-giving sap

00:24:33.360 --> 00:24:34.000
 that is running

00:24:34.000 --> 00:24:34.860
 through the vine

00:24:34.860 --> 00:24:35.760
 to the branches

00:24:35.760 --> 00:24:37.020
 that the world

00:24:37.020 --> 00:24:38.140
 looks in and exclaims

00:24:38.140 --> 00:24:39.120
 I don't get that.

00:24:40.200 --> 00:24:41.340
 Isn't there God

00:24:41.340 --> 00:24:42.060
 great?

00:24:43.340 --> 00:24:44.160
 Because I think

00:24:44.160 --> 00:24:45.120
 that is the thrust

00:24:45.120 --> 00:24:45.900
 of the fruit here

00:24:45.900 --> 00:24:47.120
 that Jesus is talking about

00:24:47.120 --> 00:24:47.800
 I think that's what

00:24:47.800 --> 00:24:49.019
 it's supposed to lead to.

00:24:49.700 --> 00:24:50.820
 That as his disciples

00:24:50.820 --> 00:24:51.779
 abide in him

00:24:51.779 --> 00:24:53.140
 as his disciples

00:24:53.140 --> 00:24:53.960
 just in the verses

00:24:53.960 --> 00:24:54.580
 after this

00:24:54.580 --> 00:24:56.019
 as they radically

00:24:56.019 --> 00:24:57.040
 love one another

00:24:57.040 --> 00:24:58.759
 and as they bear fruit

00:24:58.759 --> 00:25:00.759
 the world will see

00:25:00.759 --> 00:25:01.500
 this radically

00:25:01.500 --> 00:25:02.400
 counter-cultural

00:25:02.400 --> 00:25:03.420
 community in action

00:25:03.420 --> 00:25:04.220
 and they will sit up

00:25:04.220 --> 00:25:04.880
 and take notice

00:25:04.880 --> 00:25:05.700
 about how glorious

00:25:05.700 --> 00:25:06.460
 this God is.

00:25:08.140 --> 00:25:08.759
 You know I've got

00:25:08.759 --> 00:25:09.580
 a friend called Nick

00:25:09.580 --> 00:25:11.380
 I studied with him

00:25:11.380 --> 00:25:11.820
 last year

00:25:11.819 --> 00:25:12.399
 and Nick goes to

00:25:12.399 --> 00:25:13.299
 Govan Free Church

00:25:13.299 --> 00:25:14.200
 over in Glasgow

00:25:14.200 --> 00:25:15.419
 if you've never

00:25:15.419 --> 00:25:16.079
 been to Govan

00:25:16.079 --> 00:25:17.159
 let's just say

00:25:17.159 --> 00:25:17.679
 it's a little bit

00:25:17.679 --> 00:25:18.559
 different from Brunsfield

00:25:18.559 --> 00:25:18.879
 okay?

00:25:19.599 --> 00:25:20.399
 A little bit different

00:25:20.399 --> 00:25:22.039
 and Nick was telling me

00:25:22.039 --> 00:25:22.659
 recently when I was

00:25:22.659 --> 00:25:23.159
 speaking to him

00:25:23.159 --> 00:25:23.799
 about a guy

00:25:23.799 --> 00:25:24.439
 who's been coming

00:25:24.439 --> 00:25:25.319
 along to his church

00:25:25.319 --> 00:25:26.079
 who's called Robert

00:25:26.079 --> 00:25:28.319
 and Nick described

00:25:28.319 --> 00:25:29.599
 to me how Robert

00:25:29.599 --> 00:25:30.879
 in his former life

00:25:30.879 --> 00:25:33.179
 was a very dangerous guy

00:25:33.179 --> 00:25:34.859
 and Nick is bald head

00:25:34.859 --> 00:25:35.339
 35

00:25:35.339 --> 00:25:36.359
 he looks mental

00:25:36.359 --> 00:25:36.700
 okay?

00:25:36.819 --> 00:25:37.399
 If he's saying

00:25:37.399 --> 00:25:38.500
 Robert is a dangerous guy

00:25:38.500 --> 00:25:39.179
 I'm going with

00:25:39.179 --> 00:25:40.079
 he's a dangerous guy

00:25:40.079 --> 00:25:41.579
 but he told me

00:25:41.579 --> 00:25:42.099
 how Robert

00:25:42.099 --> 00:25:43.299
 from a life of drugs

00:25:43.299 --> 00:25:44.019
 and gangs

00:25:44.019 --> 00:25:45.000
 had become a Christian

00:25:45.000 --> 00:25:46.740
 and Nick said

00:25:46.740 --> 00:25:47.460
 that as he looked

00:25:47.460 --> 00:25:48.559
 into that man's life

00:25:48.559 --> 00:25:49.460
 the transformation

00:25:49.460 --> 00:25:50.659
 was absolutely

00:25:50.659 --> 00:25:51.460
 and I quote

00:25:51.460 --> 00:25:52.460
 breathtaking

00:25:52.460 --> 00:25:54.220
 and if you want to

00:25:54.220 --> 00:25:55.039
 check it out after this

00:25:55.039 --> 00:25:55.839
 Robert's testimony

00:25:55.839 --> 00:25:56.740
 is on the Free Church

00:25:56.740 --> 00:25:57.720
 website at the minute

00:25:57.720 --> 00:25:58.439
 let me just read you

00:25:58.439 --> 00:25:59.500
 just a snippet of it

00:25:59.500 --> 00:26:00.199
 as we work towards

00:26:00.199 --> 00:26:01.099
 a close this morning

00:26:01.099 --> 00:26:02.899
 and particularly listen

00:26:02.899 --> 00:26:04.639
 for how he describes

00:26:04.639 --> 00:26:05.720
 the Christian community

00:26:05.720 --> 00:26:06.759
 that he came in touch

00:26:06.759 --> 00:26:07.279
 with okay?

00:26:08.279 --> 00:26:08.939
 He says this

00:26:08.940 --> 00:26:10.080
 as I attended

00:26:10.080 --> 00:26:11.360
 lots of recovery groups

00:26:11.360 --> 00:26:11.940
 in Glasgow

00:26:11.940 --> 00:26:12.539
 I heard about

00:26:12.539 --> 00:26:13.120
 the Free Church

00:26:13.120 --> 00:26:13.900
 work in Govan

00:26:13.900 --> 00:26:16.240
 there's a lot of respect

00:26:16.240 --> 00:26:17.220
 for what is happening

00:26:17.220 --> 00:26:18.220
 through this fellowship

00:26:18.220 --> 00:26:19.980
 and right away

00:26:19.980 --> 00:26:20.980
 I felt as if

00:26:20.980 --> 00:26:21.840
 I had come home

00:26:21.840 --> 00:26:23.820
 up until six months ago

00:26:23.820 --> 00:26:24.740
 I had been addicted

00:26:24.740 --> 00:26:26.360
 to street and prescription drugs

00:26:26.360 --> 00:26:27.240
 as well as alcohol

00:26:27.240 --> 00:26:28.980
 for a period of 30 years

00:26:28.980 --> 00:26:30.860
 30 years

00:26:30.860 --> 00:26:32.820
 but now I'm free

00:26:32.820 --> 00:26:34.820
 and I'm working hard

00:26:34.820 --> 00:26:36.400
 at building new godly habits

00:26:36.400 --> 00:26:37.620
 into my daily life

00:26:37.619 --> 00:26:39.319
 given the epidemic

00:26:39.319 --> 00:26:40.019
 of drug abuse

00:26:40.019 --> 00:26:40.699
 in our scheme

00:26:40.699 --> 00:26:42.259
 I see that my own background

00:26:42.259 --> 00:26:44.039
 actually helps a wee bit

00:26:44.039 --> 00:26:46.439
 in getting alongside others

00:26:46.439 --> 00:26:47.419
 who are enslaved

00:26:47.419 --> 00:26:48.779
 to using like I was

00:26:48.779 --> 00:26:50.039
 Govan Free Church

00:26:50.039 --> 00:26:51.319
 is like a family to me

00:26:51.319 --> 00:26:53.359
 and it is a community

00:26:53.359 --> 00:26:54.639
 I have come to love

00:26:54.639 --> 00:26:56.379
 and one that I see

00:26:56.379 --> 00:26:57.879
 God is working through

00:26:57.879 --> 00:26:59.759
 and a wonderful story

00:26:59.759 --> 00:27:01.779
 a testimony

00:27:01.779 --> 00:27:04.359
 and a wonderful example

00:27:04.359 --> 00:27:06.139
 of the attractive fruit

00:27:06.139 --> 00:27:07.919
 that Christ produces

00:27:07.919 --> 00:27:09.619
 through his people

00:27:09.619 --> 00:27:10.679
 as they abide

00:27:10.679 --> 00:27:11.959
 in his word

00:27:11.959 --> 00:27:15.359
 this is to my father's glory

00:27:15.359 --> 00:27:16.179
 that you bear

00:27:16.179 --> 00:27:17.279
 much fruit

00:27:17.279 --> 00:27:18.879
 showing yourselves

00:27:18.879 --> 00:27:20.599
 to be my disciples

00:27:20.599 --> 00:27:22.899
 abiding means bearing

00:27:22.899 --> 00:27:24.240
 now as we close friends

00:27:24.240 --> 00:27:25.099
 I know our time is gone

00:27:25.099 --> 00:27:25.819
 let me take you back

00:27:25.819 --> 00:27:26.419
 to my branch

00:27:26.419 --> 00:27:28.399
 okay

00:27:28.399 --> 00:27:30.299
 here's the branch

00:27:30.299 --> 00:27:32.359
 not going to take some grapes

00:27:32.359 --> 00:27:33.440
 not going to staple some leaves

00:27:33.440 --> 00:27:34.480
 not going to jab them

00:27:34.480 --> 00:27:34.879
 in the dirt

00:27:34.879 --> 00:27:35.200
 okay

00:27:35.200 --> 00:27:36.079
 how is he going to grow

00:27:36.079 --> 00:27:38.319
 how is it going to bear fruit again

00:27:38.319 --> 00:27:40.599
 the only hope for this branch

00:27:40.599 --> 00:27:42.799
 is it gets connected

00:27:42.799 --> 00:27:45.960
 and receives the life giving sap

00:27:45.960 --> 00:27:47.139
 from the vine

00:27:47.139 --> 00:27:50.180
 and Jesus says to his followers

00:27:50.180 --> 00:27:51.279
 this morning

00:27:51.279 --> 00:27:53.059
 abide in me

00:27:53.059 --> 00:27:55.839
 if you are going to produce fruit

00:27:55.839 --> 00:27:58.079
 God glorifying eternal fruit

00:27:58.079 --> 00:27:58.899
 in your lives

00:27:58.900 --> 00:28:00.759
 then it's only going to be

00:28:00.759 --> 00:28:02.240
 by abiding in me

00:28:02.240 --> 00:28:03.240
 that that's going to happen

00:28:03.240 --> 00:28:05.600
 friends I wonder what that's going to look like

00:28:05.600 --> 00:28:06.580
 for us in our own lives

00:28:06.580 --> 00:28:07.040
 this morning

00:28:07.040 --> 00:28:10.380
 so before we finish

00:28:10.380 --> 00:28:11.740
 and before the busyness

00:28:11.740 --> 00:28:12.900
 of the rest of the day

00:28:12.900 --> 00:28:13.759
 and the rest of the week

00:28:13.759 --> 00:28:14.320
 kicks in

00:28:14.320 --> 00:28:15.780
 let's just be still

00:28:15.780 --> 00:28:16.360
 for a moment

00:28:16.360 --> 00:28:18.759
 and let's pause to reflect

00:28:18.759 --> 00:28:19.519
 and absorb

00:28:19.519 --> 00:28:20.740
 everything that God

00:28:20.740 --> 00:28:21.600
 has been saying to us

00:28:21.600 --> 00:28:22.660
 in his word this morning

00:28:22.660 --> 00:28:24.680
 let me just put the verses

00:28:24.680 --> 00:28:25.540
 up in the screens

00:28:25.539 --> 00:28:31.039
 Jesus says

00:28:31.039 --> 00:28:31.700
 I am the vine

00:28:31.700 --> 00:28:32.500
 you are the branches

00:28:32.500 --> 00:28:33.700
 if you remain in me

00:28:33.700 --> 00:28:35.159
 and I in you

00:28:35.159 --> 00:28:35.899
 you will bear

00:28:35.899 --> 00:28:36.899
 much fruit

00:28:36.899 --> 00:28:38.500
 apart from me

00:28:38.500 --> 00:28:39.700
 you can do

00:28:39.700 --> 00:28:40.460
 nothing

00:28:40.460 --> 00:28:41.839
 let's be still

00:28:41.839 --> 00:28:42.500
 for just a minute

00:28:42.500 --> 00:28:52.220
 our heavenly father

00:28:52.220 --> 00:28:53.579
 so often we find

00:28:53.579 --> 00:28:57.140
 abiding to be so difficult

00:28:57.140 --> 00:29:01.119
 and so it's my prayer

00:29:01.119 --> 00:29:02.359
 for us this morning

00:29:02.359 --> 00:29:03.160
 as you are people

00:29:03.160 --> 00:29:05.000
 that you would

00:29:05.000 --> 00:29:06.359
 help us to abide

00:29:06.359 --> 00:29:07.400
 in the words

00:29:07.400 --> 00:29:07.940
 of Jesus

00:29:07.940 --> 00:29:10.299
 and I pray

00:29:10.299 --> 00:29:10.960
 that this week

00:29:10.960 --> 00:29:11.940
 in every situation

00:29:11.940 --> 00:29:12.440
 that you would

00:29:12.440 --> 00:29:13.160
 help us

00:29:13.160 --> 00:29:14.620
 know you

00:29:14.620 --> 00:29:16.920
 and that through us

00:29:16.920 --> 00:29:17.700
 you would do

00:29:17.700 --> 00:29:18.259
 your work

00:29:18.259 --> 00:29:19.160
 in our hearts

00:29:19.160 --> 00:29:21.360
 and bear fruits

00:29:21.360 --> 00:29:22.600
 for the glory

00:29:22.600 --> 00:29:23.160
 of your name

00:29:23.160 --> 00:29:23.820
 in this nation

00:29:23.820 --> 00:29:25.680
 father thank you

00:29:25.680 --> 00:29:26.320
 that this is only

00:29:26.320 --> 00:29:26.920
 a possibility

00:29:26.920 --> 00:29:28.100
 because you first

00:29:28.100 --> 00:29:29.320
 loved us

00:29:29.320 --> 00:29:31.080
 so we pray

00:29:31.080 --> 00:29:31.660
 and ask today

00:29:31.660 --> 00:29:32.259
 that Jesus

00:29:32.259 --> 00:29:32.779
 would become

00:29:32.779 --> 00:29:33.580
 even greater

00:29:33.580 --> 00:29:34.519
 as the days go on

00:29:34.519 --> 00:29:35.220
 in our sight

00:29:35.220 --> 00:29:36.900
 in his name we pray

00:29:36.900 --> 00:29:37.779
 amen