WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.120 We hope that you enjoy this teaching from Christ Church. 00:00:05.280 --> 00:00:10.120 This material is copyrighted and no unauthorized duplication, redistribution, 00:00:10.960 --> 00:00:15.300 or any other use of any part is permitted without prior consent from Christ Church. 00:00:15.640 --> 00:00:22.120 Please consider donating to this work in the San Francisco Bay Area online at ChristChurchEastBay.org. 00:00:22.120 --> 00:00:31.179 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit. 00:00:31.460 --> 00:00:37.960 Well, every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes so that it will bear even more fruit or be even more fruitful. 00:00:38.799 --> 00:00:42.219 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 00:00:43.159 --> 00:00:45.359 Remain in me as I also remain in you. 00:00:46.260 --> 00:00:48.240 No branch can bear fruit by itself. 00:00:48.439 --> 00:00:50.219 It must remain in the vine. 00:00:50.219 --> 00:00:53.859 Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 00:00:54.339 --> 00:00:56.280 I am the vine, you are the branches. 00:00:56.719 --> 00:01:00.420 If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit. 00:01:00.859 --> 00:01:02.500 Apart from me, you can do nothing. 00:01:03.239 --> 00:01:07.659 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers. 00:01:08.460 --> 00:01:12.039 Such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire, and burned. 00:01:12.759 --> 00:01:18.879 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. 00:01:18.879 --> 00:01:24.679 This is to my Father's glory that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. 00:01:25.859 --> 00:01:28.879 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. 00:01:29.500 --> 00:01:30.780 Now remain in my love. 00:01:31.560 --> 00:01:38.379 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in his love. 00:01:38.379 --> 00:01:43.879 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 00:01:44.619 --> 00:01:48.459 My command is this, love each other as I have loved you. 00:01:49.359 --> 00:01:53.979 Greater love has no one than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. 00:01:53.980 --> 00:01:57.320 You are my friends if you do what I command. 00:01:57.980 --> 00:02:02.400 I no longer call you servants because a servant does not know his master's business. 00:02:03.180 --> 00:02:08.659 Instead, I have called you friends for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 00:02:09.420 --> 00:02:15.060 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit, 00:02:15.640 --> 00:02:20.460 fruit that will last, and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 00:02:20.460 --> 00:02:23.659 This is my command, love each other. 00:02:24.080 --> 00:02:27.900 If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 00:02:28.520 --> 00:02:31.700 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. 00:02:32.360 --> 00:02:36.840 As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. 00:02:37.780 --> 00:02:39.620 That is why the world hates you. 00:02:40.540 --> 00:02:44.360 Remember what I told you, a servant is not greater than his master. 00:02:45.080 --> 00:02:48.159 If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. 00:02:48.159 --> 00:02:52.020 If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 00:02:52.560 --> 00:02:58.439 They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know, for they do not know the one who sent me. 00:02:58.960 --> 00:03:00.699 This is the gospel of the Lord. 00:03:01.539 --> 00:03:03.120 Praise to you, O Christ. 00:03:04.780 --> 00:03:06.079 In Christ's church. 00:03:06.419 --> 00:03:07.159 There we go. 00:03:07.240 --> 00:03:07.680 That's it. 00:03:07.780 --> 00:03:08.219 We're on. 00:03:08.479 --> 00:03:14.359 You may be wondering why I'm so happy today, and I appreciate you wondering that. 00:03:14.360 --> 00:03:18.600 It's 28 days to my sabbatical. 00:03:18.700 --> 00:03:19.180 That's why. 00:03:19.700 --> 00:03:27.060 And I don't know if you understand how demanding and exhausting it can be to work one day a week. 00:03:27.060 --> 00:03:35.920 But, you know, the old definition of a pastor is six days invisible, one day incomprehensible. 00:03:35.919 --> 00:03:48.839 But, no, I'm super excited to have this four-month period starting April 25th to August 25th, where none of you text me, email me, or call me. 00:03:49.899 --> 00:03:56.939 But actually where I just take a long nap, and I'm praying God's going to fill up my reservoir, give me time with my wife and my kids, 00:03:57.139 --> 00:04:02.399 and bring me back with some fresh energy and fresh vision for a new season ahead. 00:04:02.400 --> 00:04:05.740 So, you want to know the other reason why I'm so happy this morning? 00:04:06.420 --> 00:04:07.719 Again, I appreciate it. 00:04:09.020 --> 00:04:10.219 It's March Madness. 00:04:10.540 --> 00:04:12.300 And I woke up Thursday morning. 00:04:12.379 --> 00:04:13.599 My brother sent me a text. 00:04:13.680 --> 00:04:16.120 He said, hey, check your email and have fun tonight. 00:04:16.759 --> 00:04:22.180 And he sent me two tickets to the Chase Center for a little pre-sabbatical joy on Thursday. 00:04:22.420 --> 00:04:25.660 My son Scott and I got to go, checked him out of school. 00:04:25.780 --> 00:04:27.399 We saw Gonzaga, Arkansas. 00:04:28.220 --> 00:04:31.879 And then we saw Duke beat Texas Tech, which was the main event. 00:04:31.879 --> 00:04:37.800 And, of course, as you all were following last night, Duke beat Arkansas, which means that Duke is now in the final four. 00:04:38.000 --> 00:04:39.500 And this is Coach K's last season. 00:04:39.600 --> 00:04:41.920 And it's very, very exciting to me. 00:04:43.000 --> 00:04:45.579 And I know some of you are like, I didn't come to church for this. 00:04:45.939 --> 00:04:47.920 And I don't apologize. 00:04:48.180 --> 00:04:48.839 I don't apologize. 00:04:49.339 --> 00:04:53.920 But if you do want to talk college basketball, I'm your guy at the coffee hour. 00:04:54.000 --> 00:04:56.180 Would love to share more about that with you. 00:04:59.420 --> 00:04:59.819 Okay. 00:05:00.040 --> 00:05:01.420 I will preach a sermon, actually. 00:05:01.420 --> 00:05:03.420 We are in the Gospel of John. 00:05:03.819 --> 00:05:09.340 And we're looking at the farewell discourse, chapters 14 through 16 in John's Gospel. 00:05:10.220 --> 00:05:13.280 And this is a real treasure of the church. 00:05:13.280 --> 00:05:20.740 Because these are Jesus' last equipping words, his last commissioning charge to his disciples, 00:05:20.960 --> 00:05:24.259 who we imagine in this moment are tearful and frightened. 00:05:24.259 --> 00:05:28.599 Because he's told them, I'm going away on Good Friday on my cross. 00:05:29.159 --> 00:05:32.680 I'm going to come back to you on Easter Sunday in my resurrection. 00:05:32.680 --> 00:05:36.840 Then I'm going to go away again in my ascension into heaven. 00:05:36.840 --> 00:05:41.240 And then I'm going to come back to you again through the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. 00:05:41.400 --> 00:05:45.939 And you, my disciples, are to remain in the world to do my work. 00:05:45.939 --> 00:05:51.379 And that's going to be hard for you because this world is going to be hostile to you. 00:05:51.500 --> 00:05:53.240 And it's going to give you a rough time. 00:05:54.259 --> 00:06:00.540 Jesus says, the world that hates me, persecutes me, and crucifies me is going to do the same to my disciples. 00:06:00.540 --> 00:06:05.819 And so he explains to them, to this group of less than a dozen Christians, 00:06:05.819 --> 00:06:10.740 that you are going to go take my word to this hostile world throughout the Roman Empire 00:06:10.740 --> 00:06:14.840 without me physically present, and you're going to conquer it in my name. 00:06:16.480 --> 00:06:20.160 Now, how many of you, if you're sitting in this circle of 11 people, 00:06:20.240 --> 00:06:23.000 would feel just a little bit intimidated in this moment? 00:06:23.860 --> 00:06:28.660 And that's why Jesus spells out the equipment that he's giving his disciples 00:06:28.660 --> 00:06:30.900 for this mission that he's giving them. 00:06:31.260 --> 00:06:34.340 He's teaching them in this systematic, circular way 00:06:34.340 --> 00:06:38.900 the deepest truths about the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 00:06:38.980 --> 00:06:43.420 In fact, he talks about the Father in chapter 14, the Son in chapter 15, 00:06:43.540 --> 00:06:47.120 the Holy Spirit in chapter 16, and then he prays in chapter 17 00:06:47.120 --> 00:06:52.420 his main concerns for this apostolic, Christ-centered church and her mission. 00:06:53.260 --> 00:06:56.420 And what he's doing in this fear of the world discourse is teaching them 00:06:56.420 --> 00:07:01.879 how to carry out, and teaching us how to carry out our divine world mission. 00:07:03.000 --> 00:07:06.180 After Jesus initially wrenching departure from this world, 00:07:06.280 --> 00:07:12.020 Jesus is saying, how are you going to be related to this resurrected and ascended Lord? 00:07:12.140 --> 00:07:16.139 How are you going to carry out your mission for him and through him, 00:07:16.240 --> 00:07:17.860 whom you cannot see anymore? 00:07:18.819 --> 00:07:21.060 And Jesus says, the way you're going to do that is because 00:07:21.060 --> 00:07:25.620 I'm going to give you a closer relationship with the Father, chapter 14. 00:07:26.280 --> 00:07:29.100 A closer relationship with me, the Son, chapter 15. 00:07:29.160 --> 00:07:32.420 A closer relationship with the Holy Spirit, chapter 16. 00:07:32.540 --> 00:07:36.220 And a closer relationship with one another as the church 00:07:36.220 --> 00:07:39.300 in your mission to the world, chapter 17. 00:07:39.519 --> 00:07:42.740 That's where we're at in John's Gospel, this farewell discourse. 00:07:42.740 --> 00:07:50.800 And I want to dive into chapter 15 today and suggest that if Jesus is the vine, 00:07:51.420 --> 00:07:56.460 then his branches will flow with his sap and grow with his fruit. 00:07:57.840 --> 00:08:00.900 That's the word for us today, that if Jesus is the vine, 00:08:01.680 --> 00:08:05.740 then his branches will flow with his sap and grow with his fruit. 00:08:06.439 --> 00:08:09.780 Let me start with this idea of Jesus being the vine. 00:08:09.779 --> 00:08:14.559 In verse 1, he says, I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 00:08:14.659 --> 00:08:17.599 And then in verse 5, he says, I am the vine, you are the branches. 00:08:17.819 --> 00:08:21.039 And you may think, well, that's a pretty cool self-description. 00:08:21.500 --> 00:08:24.039 You know, it's earthy, it's organic, it's viticultural. 00:08:24.519 --> 00:08:29.259 We like this guy, he'd fit really well in Northern California, Napa, Sonoma culture. 00:08:29.419 --> 00:08:32.779 But, you know, there's more to these words than perhaps we know. 00:08:33.679 --> 00:08:38.639 Jesus, in this Gospel, gives seven I am claims. 00:08:38.639 --> 00:08:40.919 He says, I am the bread of life. 00:08:41.019 --> 00:08:42.179 I am the light of the world. 00:08:42.299 --> 00:08:43.519 I am the gate for the sheep. 00:08:43.600 --> 00:08:44.460 I am the good shepherd. 00:08:44.699 --> 00:08:46.240 I am the resurrection, the life. 00:08:46.319 --> 00:08:48.159 And I am the way, the truth, and the life. 00:08:49.000 --> 00:08:54.639 And now we come to his seventh final climactic claim that I am the true vine. 00:08:55.299 --> 00:08:57.379 And I think he saves the best for last, really. 00:08:58.279 --> 00:09:02.059 It may be his most profound, shocking, and provocative claim. 00:09:02.960 --> 00:09:03.840 Why is that? 00:09:03.840 --> 00:09:10.720 Well, any time Jesus is saying, I am, he's taking God's name that he revealed at the burning bush to Moses. 00:09:10.860 --> 00:09:11.940 I am who I am. 00:09:12.680 --> 00:09:14.340 I am the world's true Lord. 00:09:14.420 --> 00:09:15.800 I am the God of Israel. 00:09:16.300 --> 00:09:18.200 And we've explored that in previous sermons. 00:09:18.300 --> 00:09:19.540 We won't cover that ground again. 00:09:20.360 --> 00:09:30.040 But when Jesus says, I am the true vine, we should know that there was a brief period in Israel where they minted their coins stamped with the image of a vine. 00:09:30.039 --> 00:09:33.120 And why did they do that? 00:09:33.719 --> 00:09:37.959 Because this is the most pervasive symbol for Israel. 00:09:38.659 --> 00:09:42.399 The prophet Hosea calls Israel a luxuriant vine. 00:09:43.099 --> 00:09:46.219 The prophet Jeremiah calls Israel a choice vine. 00:09:47.019 --> 00:09:52.159 The prophet Ezekiel calls Israel a fruitful vine full of branches. 00:09:52.659 --> 00:09:56.399 And Isaiah, the prophet says that Israel is the vineyard of the Lord. 00:09:56.399 --> 00:10:05.659 The Psalms talk about, Psalm 80 talks about how the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt and planted her like a vine in the promised land. 00:10:06.059 --> 00:10:11.079 Where he cared for and cherished this vine, where this vine grew and where it spread. 00:10:11.379 --> 00:10:14.779 But over time, somehow this vine became a rotten vine. 00:10:15.039 --> 00:10:17.079 And it produced wild grapes. 00:10:17.080 --> 00:10:27.639 And that was a tragedy because this was to be a verdant vine planted at the crossroads of the world to bear the fruit of love. 00:10:28.340 --> 00:10:34.620 Where all the nations of the world could come and drink the wine of God's justice and God's compassion. 00:10:34.740 --> 00:10:39.759 Where they could come and be intoxicated with God's righteousness and his peace. 00:10:39.860 --> 00:10:44.759 And they could just be filled up with the goodness and the glory of God. 00:10:44.759 --> 00:10:52.539 But when you read the prophets, God is like this gardener who takes very little joy in this vine. 00:10:53.240 --> 00:10:55.740 Because the vine has grown inward on itself. 00:10:55.879 --> 00:10:59.600 This vine has produced wild and sour grapes. 00:11:00.379 --> 00:11:06.259 It's become a degenerate and barren vine that's fit for the acts and fit for the fire. 00:11:06.379 --> 00:11:09.559 And if you read the Old Testament and you follow the history of God's people, 00:11:09.559 --> 00:11:17.539 you know that that vineyard of the Lord was ravaged by Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome. 00:11:18.819 --> 00:11:22.639 And that's kind of the background you need to know for what Jesus means when he says, 00:11:22.919 --> 00:11:23.879 I am the true vine. 00:11:23.939 --> 00:11:28.939 Because when he says, I am the true vine, he's saying, I am the authentic Israel in person. 00:11:29.059 --> 00:11:31.500 I am what God's people were always meant to be. 00:11:31.579 --> 00:11:35.899 In fact, I came to live the life that every human being was meant to live. 00:11:35.899 --> 00:11:38.799 I've come to establish love. 00:11:39.860 --> 00:11:45.860 I've come to show you what God's compassion and justice, what his righteousness and peace is all about. 00:11:45.959 --> 00:11:50.939 I've come to bring about what the creator has always intended for us. 00:11:52.019 --> 00:11:56.939 That the nations would come now and they would drink the wine that flows from me. 00:11:56.940 --> 00:12:03.500 And that in me they would become intoxicated with the goodness and the glory of God. 00:12:04.100 --> 00:12:08.020 That's the ancient biblical context for Jesus' claim. 00:12:08.980 --> 00:12:10.940 But think about our modern contemporary context. 00:12:12.020 --> 00:12:18.240 What does the vine and the vineyard and fine wine represent today? 00:12:19.700 --> 00:12:21.020 Anybody here like wine? 00:12:22.140 --> 00:12:26.080 Grand Cru, Champagne, Cote d'Aron, Bordeaux, Burgundy. 00:12:26.080 --> 00:12:30.600 What are the Cabernets and Chardonnays? 00:12:31.259 --> 00:12:34.480 The Rieslings and Syrahs, the Ports and the Madeiras. 00:12:34.660 --> 00:12:39.379 What do these, what does the wine and the vine symbolize? 00:12:40.300 --> 00:12:42.480 It symbolizes the good life. 00:12:43.740 --> 00:12:50.340 It symbolizes, the vine shows us the joining together of agriculture and high culture. 00:12:50.340 --> 00:13:02.759 And is itself a symbol of civilization, of life, of fertility and abundance, of prosperity and elegance, of joy and feasting. 00:13:03.639 --> 00:13:03.800 Right? 00:13:03.860 --> 00:13:09.040 A really good wine is the ultimate distillation of time and place. 00:13:09.160 --> 00:13:17.280 Its color, its aroma, its taste is a poetic expression of nature and history coming together. 00:13:17.279 --> 00:13:22.620 And Jesus says, I am the true vine. 00:13:23.240 --> 00:13:25.059 I am the good life. 00:13:25.959 --> 00:13:29.699 I am the abundant life of God himself. 00:13:29.700 --> 00:13:36.900 And if that's true, then Jesus is the object of all of our longing and desire. 00:13:37.940 --> 00:13:41.460 Jesus is what we've been looking for all our life long. 00:13:42.280 --> 00:13:48.420 That wherever we've tasted beauty, wherever we've tasted joy, wherever we've tasted goodness and transcendence, 00:13:48.419 --> 00:13:59.360 these have been gifts flowing from Jesus himself, the true vine, the source of life, the core of reality, the heart of the matter. 00:13:59.479 --> 00:14:01.019 Who can claim that? 00:14:02.459 --> 00:14:07.860 Jesus in this claim, he's either a megalomaniac or he's the real deal. 00:14:09.039 --> 00:14:14.879 Jesus is either a lunatic or he's the most sane person who's ever lived. 00:14:14.879 --> 00:14:17.500 Jesus, we have to decide. 00:14:17.600 --> 00:14:20.759 He's either a madman or he's a genius. 00:14:20.980 --> 00:14:24.799 And our response to him is either to crown him or to kill him. 00:14:25.620 --> 00:14:28.240 It's to worship him or to crucify him. 00:14:28.799 --> 00:14:31.019 And he's left us really no middle ground. 00:14:31.200 --> 00:14:36.460 Jesus is either of ultimate importance or he's of no importance whatsoever. 00:14:37.519 --> 00:14:37.720 Right? 00:14:37.720 --> 00:14:42.019 The one thing he cannot be to us is marginally important. 00:14:43.259 --> 00:14:49.800 He hasn't let that option open to us when he says, I am the true vine. 00:14:50.220 --> 00:14:52.660 I am the good life. 00:14:52.899 --> 00:14:56.160 All goodness in life flows from me. 00:14:57.519 --> 00:15:02.279 I don't know where you stand with that, but that's the claim before us. 00:15:02.279 --> 00:15:11.019 And if that's true, if Jesus is the vine, the vine, then his branches will flow with his sap. 00:15:11.679 --> 00:15:15.919 If Jesus is the vine, then his branches will flow with his sap. 00:15:16.000 --> 00:15:17.079 You guys with me? 00:15:17.759 --> 00:15:18.199 All right. 00:15:19.039 --> 00:15:21.740 He says, I am the vine and you are the branches. 00:15:21.879 --> 00:15:30.860 And the vine is this structure that draws up the water, the sugars, the salts that come from the rain and the sun and the soil. 00:15:30.860 --> 00:15:41.779 And Jesus says, I'm drawing all these things up and I want to pump into you my sap, my energy, my power and vitality and life and love. 00:15:41.840 --> 00:15:44.220 I want to pump these things into you. 00:15:45.279 --> 00:15:49.820 Now, my personal horticultural experience, as you can imagine, is quite limited. 00:15:50.700 --> 00:15:57.300 I have read Golden Gate Gardening and I have an old pair of pruners from Hida Tool down on San Pablo Avenue, 00:15:57.539 --> 00:15:59.800 which means I know enough to be quite dangerous. 00:16:00.860 --> 00:16:05.460 But what I do know is that some stuff is dead and some stuff is living. 00:16:06.440 --> 00:16:10.460 And that the dead stuff you're supposed to cut off and the living stuff you're supposed to cut back. 00:16:11.399 --> 00:16:12.500 And that's what Jesus says. 00:16:12.639 --> 00:16:15.139 I'm the true vine and my father is the gardener. 00:16:15.220 --> 00:16:23.460 He cuts off every branch in me that does not bear fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 00:16:23.460 --> 00:16:25.340 Jesus says there's two kind of disciples. 00:16:26.080 --> 00:16:31.120 There's dead and fruitless disciples and there's living and fruitful disciples. 00:16:31.320 --> 00:16:38.440 And the fruitless disciples are connected to me externally, formally, structurally. 00:16:39.259 --> 00:16:47.240 But the problem is they don't have any of my sap, my energy, my life and power and vitality and love flowing in them. 00:16:47.240 --> 00:16:48.299 They're just dead wood. 00:16:49.460 --> 00:16:52.440 And Jesus isn't, he's not talking about the pagan world out there. 00:16:52.480 --> 00:16:55.580 He's talking about nominal Christian disciples. 00:16:55.759 --> 00:17:00.500 People who are connected to the community of disciples. 00:17:01.279 --> 00:17:04.259 But they're not connected to Christ himself. 00:17:04.259 --> 00:17:07.859 Jesus says there's fruitless disciples. 00:17:08.079 --> 00:17:10.559 But then there's those who are fruitful disciples. 00:17:10.740 --> 00:17:14.579 And they're not merely connected to me externally, formally, structurally. 00:17:14.839 --> 00:17:17.140 But they're related to me organically. 00:17:18.099 --> 00:17:19.960 They're related to me internally. 00:17:20.799 --> 00:17:21.680 And dynamically. 00:17:22.140 --> 00:17:22.920 And personally. 00:17:23.460 --> 00:17:24.160 And intimately. 00:17:24.339 --> 00:17:29.160 There's a union between the vine and the branch where I am locked into you. 00:17:29.319 --> 00:17:31.440 And you are locked into me. 00:17:31.440 --> 00:17:37.700 And there's this mutual indwelling where you can't really tell where the vine stops and where the branch begins. 00:17:37.779 --> 00:17:40.820 There's no closer relationship than this. 00:17:41.940 --> 00:17:48.340 And Jesus says the secret of having my sap flowing into you is twofold. 00:17:48.680 --> 00:17:50.740 It's all about pruning and remaining. 00:17:51.799 --> 00:17:53.880 It's all about pruning and remaining. 00:17:54.000 --> 00:17:58.279 If you want to have my sap in you, well, what in the world Jesus is pruning? 00:17:58.279 --> 00:18:01.720 Jesus says, well, God the Father, he's the gardener. 00:18:02.440 --> 00:18:03.440 He's the vine dresser. 00:18:03.519 --> 00:18:05.319 And he cuts off and he cuts back. 00:18:05.639 --> 00:18:06.160 Verse 6. 00:18:06.259 --> 00:18:06.700 He says, 00:18:08.700 --> 00:18:12.539 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers. 00:18:12.660 --> 00:18:15.960 Such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire, and burned. 00:18:16.099 --> 00:18:20.160 And that's basically Jesus quoting the prophet Ezekiel chapter 15. 00:18:20.839 --> 00:18:25.220 Warning nominal fruitless disciples not to be that. 00:18:25.220 --> 00:18:28.519 He says these kind of hard things so that we won't go there. 00:18:29.519 --> 00:18:35.920 But he says, even the fruitful, even fruitful disciples will experience the sharp knife of the gardener. 00:18:36.799 --> 00:18:41.019 And if you've ever watched pruning or done any pruning, you know it's drastic, right? 00:18:41.079 --> 00:18:49.059 The branch has to be cut back without reserve so that all that's non-essential gets removed from that branch. 00:18:49.059 --> 00:18:58.200 And after it's done, it looks just basically like this mutilated, naked thing that's there just to survive the cold, harsh winter. 00:18:58.419 --> 00:19:03.119 And at first glance, you look at it, you're like, well, gardener, this is really hurtful. 00:19:04.099 --> 00:19:06.879 This is really actually kind of wasteful. 00:19:07.039 --> 00:19:07.700 What are you doing? 00:19:09.000 --> 00:19:10.339 But a good gardener knows. 00:19:10.659 --> 00:19:12.259 Come harvest time, you're going to be glad. 00:19:12.259 --> 00:19:16.759 Because there's going to be good fruit, and therefore there's going to be good wine. 00:19:17.940 --> 00:19:30.980 And Jesus is telling us that through pain, through frustration, through the sharp knife of this gardener cutting back my ambitions, 00:19:32.299 --> 00:19:36.980 cutting back my pride, cutting back my self-reliance, 00:19:36.980 --> 00:19:45.000 that even the sharp knife of this gardener coming into my life and removing things that are good things but not the best things 00:19:45.000 --> 00:19:48.839 because they're diverting the sap away from where it really needs to go. 00:19:50.099 --> 00:19:51.980 That's the Father pruning us. 00:19:52.819 --> 00:20:00.079 And ironically, this diminishment, this severance, this reduction, 00:20:00.079 --> 00:20:07.139 brings about a more substantive, qualitative, lasting fruit in us. 00:20:08.000 --> 00:20:16.099 Now, I'm not sure about you, but for me, this metaphor of pruning goes a long way to explain the last two years of my life. 00:20:16.619 --> 00:20:16.899 Amen? 00:20:17.539 --> 00:20:22.199 And I think it actually goes a long way to explain the last two years of our church's life, to be frank. 00:20:22.200 --> 00:20:32.160 We've experienced a great deal of pruning, which I hope will be for more fruitfulness, better fruit, more lasting fruit, real fruit. 00:20:33.480 --> 00:20:38.080 I've been reading Psalm 119 during Lent. 00:20:38.180 --> 00:20:39.660 It's the longest of the psalms. 00:20:40.600 --> 00:20:42.960 And I came across these words. 00:20:43.120 --> 00:20:44.440 It says, the psalmist says, 00:20:44.440 --> 00:20:49.640 Before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now I obey your word. 00:20:49.640 --> 00:20:54.920 It was good for me to be afflicted, so that I might learn your decrees. 00:20:55.980 --> 00:21:01.280 I know, Lord, that your laws are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me. 00:21:02.340 --> 00:21:05.120 In faithfulness you have pruned me. 00:21:06.180 --> 00:21:09.980 Jesus says that the way to have my sap flowing in you is twofold. 00:21:10.120 --> 00:21:12.759 It's through pruning, and it's through remaining. 00:21:13.660 --> 00:21:14.960 Well, what in the world is remaining? 00:21:15.100 --> 00:21:17.520 Jesus uses that word 11 times here. 00:21:17.520 --> 00:21:18.200 What does it mean? 00:21:19.640 --> 00:21:20.900 He says in verse 4, 00:21:21.080 --> 00:21:23.060 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. 00:21:23.140 --> 00:21:24.820 No branch can bear fruit by itself. 00:21:24.940 --> 00:21:26.300 It must remain in the vine. 00:21:26.400 --> 00:21:29.120 Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 00:21:29.240 --> 00:21:30.020 I am the vine. 00:21:30.180 --> 00:21:30.980 You are the branches. 00:21:31.259 --> 00:21:34.620 If anyone remains in me, he will bear much fruit. 00:21:34.700 --> 00:21:36.740 Apart from me, you can do nothing. 00:21:38.020 --> 00:21:39.540 When Jesus says that, he's saying, 00:21:39.700 --> 00:21:42.240 Be a branch that makes your home with me. 00:21:42.240 --> 00:21:45.400 Be a branch that's united to me. 00:21:45.500 --> 00:21:55.900 Be a branch that lives in and receives all of my sap and energy and power and vitality and life and love that I have to give you. 00:21:55.900 --> 00:21:58.720 And what's the first step of remaining? 00:21:58.900 --> 00:21:59.660 It's verse 9. 00:21:59.780 --> 00:22:02.660 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. 00:22:02.940 --> 00:22:05.060 Now remain in my love. 00:22:06.820 --> 00:22:09.000 Realize that you're already loved. 00:22:10.759 --> 00:22:13.680 Realize that I've already made the first move toward you. 00:22:13.680 --> 00:22:24.480 I've already taken initiative with you so that whatever movement you are making toward me by faith, I've already made that movement toward you by grace. 00:22:24.580 --> 00:22:25.340 I love you. 00:22:26.700 --> 00:22:28.920 Now remain in my love. 00:22:29.840 --> 00:22:30.940 And what is his love? 00:22:31.000 --> 00:22:32.060 He says in verse 12, 00:22:32.460 --> 00:22:34.820 My command is this, love each other as I have loved you. 00:22:34.960 --> 00:22:40.480 Greater love has no one than this to lay down one's life for one's friends. 00:22:40.480 --> 00:22:46.880 The highest form of love is sacrificial self-giving. 00:22:48.160 --> 00:22:51.480 And Jesus, when he says this, he's pointing to what he's going to do tomorrow. 00:22:52.400 --> 00:22:53.140 It's Thursday night. 00:22:53.519 --> 00:22:54.500 Tomorrow is Good Friday. 00:22:54.599 --> 00:22:54.920 And he says, 00:22:55.079 --> 00:22:59.799 I'm about to accomplish in my death on the cross the supreme act of love. 00:23:00.779 --> 00:23:04.960 I'm going to show the world the greatest thing that love can do. 00:23:04.960 --> 00:23:13.259 I'm going to express to all people the unceasing, outpouring love shared eternally by the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 00:23:14.039 --> 00:23:17.720 And you're going to know it because I'm going to die for all the sons of Adam. 00:23:18.480 --> 00:23:21.059 I'm going to die for all the daughters of Eve. 00:23:21.900 --> 00:23:26.519 I'm going to lay down my life for all of those lifeless branches that bear no fruit. 00:23:27.079 --> 00:23:30.579 For all those tangled branches that bear sour grapes. 00:23:30.579 --> 00:23:38.799 I, the living and fruitful vine, the only vine that's truly pleasing to the gardener. 00:23:39.500 --> 00:23:43.919 I'm going to be willingly cut in the deepest way imaginable. 00:23:44.859 --> 00:23:48.679 I'm going to have the axe laid at my roots on the cross. 00:23:49.559 --> 00:23:54.539 And after I'm cut down, I'm going to lay lifeless and barren, cut off in that tomb. 00:23:54.679 --> 00:23:58.039 And then you'll know what love really is. 00:23:58.039 --> 00:24:04.139 Jesus is telling us that you've never had a friend like me. 00:24:05.119 --> 00:24:07.960 You've never known love like this. 00:24:08.879 --> 00:24:14.599 And Jesus is saying, please, I'm begging you, remain in my love. 00:24:15.700 --> 00:24:22.500 Draw your vitality from this never-ending source of my sacrificial, self-giving love. 00:24:22.500 --> 00:24:28.220 And then Jesus, he gets super practical and he tells us how to do it, how to remain. 00:24:28.920 --> 00:24:37.400 He says in verse 7, if you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. 00:24:38.519 --> 00:24:42.740 The essentials of remaining in me, says Jesus, are scripture and prayer. 00:24:43.700 --> 00:24:45.579 My words to you, that's scripture. 00:24:46.339 --> 00:24:49.099 And your askings of me, that's prayer. 00:24:49.099 --> 00:24:51.399 And it's as basic as breathing. 00:24:51.519 --> 00:24:53.419 Jesus is saying, I want you to inhale. 00:24:55.079 --> 00:24:58.399 In the scriptures, I talk to you and you listen to me. 00:24:59.299 --> 00:25:00.599 And then you exhale. 00:25:01.759 --> 00:25:05.119 In prayer, you talk to me and I listen to you. 00:25:06.439 --> 00:25:06.919 Inhale. 00:25:08.240 --> 00:25:11.419 Let my words dwell in you and among you richly. 00:25:12.500 --> 00:25:12.959 Exhale. 00:25:12.960 --> 00:25:20.220 Then let whatever I've stirred up in your heart through my word come out to me in prayer. 00:25:21.819 --> 00:25:22.840 It's that basic. 00:25:23.680 --> 00:25:25.380 It's as basic as breathing. 00:25:26.120 --> 00:25:29.860 This daily discipline that none of us are ever even thinking about. 00:25:30.640 --> 00:25:32.259 It should be like that for us. 00:25:32.279 --> 00:25:33.660 A predictable pattern. 00:25:33.799 --> 00:25:35.579 Something we're doing all the time. 00:25:35.779 --> 00:25:36.779 Remaining in me. 00:25:36.779 --> 00:25:39.139 My words in you. 00:25:40.819 --> 00:25:42.960 Your askings of me. 00:25:44.000 --> 00:25:45.700 And we do that not just by ourselves. 00:25:45.859 --> 00:25:47.960 We do that when we gather together here on Sundays. 00:25:48.220 --> 00:25:50.619 We do that in our midweek community groups. 00:25:51.779 --> 00:25:55.680 But these are the essential means that Jesus has given us to remain in him. 00:25:55.740 --> 00:25:58.279 To have his sap flowing in us. 00:25:59.339 --> 00:26:03.420 And if you neglect to breathe, you're going to die. 00:26:03.420 --> 00:26:11.600 But Jesus says, if you breathe, if you're diligent to inhale and exhale, you're going to live. 00:26:12.060 --> 00:26:16.180 You're going to abide in me regularly and consistently. 00:26:19.840 --> 00:26:28.320 If Jesus is the vine, then his branches will flow with his sap and they'll also grow with his fruit. 00:26:28.880 --> 00:26:33.200 Will not only flow with his sap, but will also grow with his fruit. 00:26:33.200 --> 00:26:34.519 And this is where I want to end. 00:26:34.799 --> 00:26:43.019 Where he says in verse 8, this is to my father's glory that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. 00:26:44.340 --> 00:26:49.819 And when Jesus talks about bearing fruit, he's not so much talking about quantity as he is quality. 00:26:51.220 --> 00:26:51.440 Right? 00:26:51.559 --> 00:26:53.580 Good wine comes from quality grapes. 00:26:54.400 --> 00:26:58.200 And the fruit he's talking about here is the fruit of Christlikeness. 00:26:58.380 --> 00:27:01.299 The fruit of being conformed to the image of Christ. 00:27:01.299 --> 00:27:06.460 The fruit of having the character and competency of Christ in me. 00:27:06.619 --> 00:27:08.779 The righteousness of Christ. 00:27:08.879 --> 00:27:10.579 And that's what discipleship is all about. 00:27:10.839 --> 00:27:12.859 It's about becoming like Christ. 00:27:14.000 --> 00:27:18.599 Discipleship is becoming who Jesus would be if he were me. 00:27:18.599 --> 00:27:27.179 The apostle Paul, when he says in Galatians 5, he talks about the fruit of the Holy Spirit. 00:27:27.279 --> 00:27:30.299 He's talking about the fruit of Jesus' life growing in me. 00:27:30.879 --> 00:27:31.859 And what is that fruit? 00:27:32.199 --> 00:27:40.699 It's love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. 00:27:40.700 --> 00:27:43.779 And I don't have time to go through all those. 00:27:43.860 --> 00:27:45.100 And you're like, okay, good. 00:27:45.940 --> 00:27:49.319 But I do want to talk about joy and love, the first two he mentions. 00:27:50.680 --> 00:27:55.080 Jesus uses the word joy seven times in this farewell discourse. 00:27:55.279 --> 00:27:58.100 It's the night before his violent crucifixion. 00:27:58.160 --> 00:28:01.080 And he wants to teach his disciples about joy. 00:28:02.180 --> 00:28:04.220 What does that tell us about Jesus? 00:28:05.259 --> 00:28:06.500 He's full of joy. 00:28:06.500 --> 00:28:10.759 He's the most joyful person that's ever walked planet Earth. 00:28:10.839 --> 00:28:19.240 He says, I'm telling you these things so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 00:28:20.500 --> 00:28:24.000 He tells us in chapter 16, verse 22, he says, 00:28:24.440 --> 00:28:27.160 Now is your time of grief in my cross. 00:28:27.259 --> 00:28:34.019 But when you see me again on the day of resurrection, you will rejoice and no one will take away your joy. 00:28:34.019 --> 00:28:35.480 Your resurrection joy. 00:28:36.500 --> 00:28:39.279 Jesus is full of divine joy. 00:28:40.079 --> 00:28:44.140 It's what enables him to rejoice even in the suffering of his cross. 00:28:44.200 --> 00:28:49.480 And it's what enables us to rejoice in our own sufferings, in our own crosses. 00:28:51.980 --> 00:28:59.259 When the Apostle Paul writes to the Roman Christians in chapter 14 of his great letter, the epistle to the Romans, 00:28:59.380 --> 00:28:59.680 he says, 00:28:59.839 --> 00:29:04.740 The kingdom of God means righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 00:29:04.819 --> 00:29:05.680 That's what it's all about. 00:29:05.680 --> 00:29:07.259 It's about the joy of the Holy Spirit. 00:29:08.340 --> 00:29:15.220 And then he prays in Romans 15 that God would fill the Roman church, the Roman Christians, that he would fill them with all joy. 00:29:16.380 --> 00:29:23.519 And the question for us today is, do people see and do people taste the fruit of Jesus' joy in us? 00:29:23.519 --> 00:29:29.339 Because that's what the Holy Spirit wants to grow, the fruit of Jesus' joy in us. 00:29:30.099 --> 00:29:35.079 But he not only wants to grow the fruit of Jesus' joy, he wants to grow the fruit of Jesus' love. 00:29:36.220 --> 00:29:38.160 My command is this in verse 12. 00:29:38.160 --> 00:29:42.279 Love one another as I have loved you. 00:29:43.240 --> 00:29:47.640 Now just as we close, look around at the people he's talking about. 00:29:50.100 --> 00:29:52.040 Love one another as I have loved you. 00:29:52.640 --> 00:29:54.279 And some of you are like, love that guy? 00:29:54.279 --> 00:29:56.559 Geez, love her? 00:29:57.940 --> 00:30:02.879 Jesus is saying to us, I love them so much that I died for them. 00:30:03.779 --> 00:30:09.559 I gave myself completely body and soul for those people on my cross. 00:30:09.619 --> 00:30:12.440 And I laid myself down in sacrificial, self-giving love. 00:30:12.579 --> 00:30:13.359 Yes, for her. 00:30:14.319 --> 00:30:16.319 And yes, for him. 00:30:16.319 --> 00:30:21.519 And so what I want you to do is to love them the way that I've loved them. 00:30:21.720 --> 00:30:24.319 I want you to love them the way that I've loved you. 00:30:25.759 --> 00:30:29.980 Now I'm giving you this little bookmark that says love one another. 00:30:30.339 --> 00:30:34.039 And if you lost the bookmark I gave you on John 3.16, well here's your replacement. 00:30:35.299 --> 00:30:44.099 These are the mutuality commands in the New Testament that give us clear, concise guidelines for Christian behavior in Christ's church. 00:30:44.099 --> 00:30:52.679 And what I appreciate about these is that they show us how to translate love from this vague sentiment into concrete action. 00:30:53.559 --> 00:30:53.980 Right? 00:30:54.000 --> 00:30:57.480 If we were to do these things, they would mitigate our tensions. 00:30:57.819 --> 00:31:05.639 They would mollify our differences so that we, instead of being marked by suspicion and conflict and division, 00:31:05.640 --> 00:31:14.740 the church would model to the world what trust and harmony and unity are supposed to look like. 00:31:15.759 --> 00:31:20.340 I've gotten those four categories from this great book by Gerald Sitzer called Love One Another, 00:31:20.620 --> 00:31:22.580 Becoming the Church Jesus Longs For. 00:31:22.680 --> 00:31:24.500 And I commend this to your reading. 00:31:24.640 --> 00:31:29.320 If you don't have time to read it, I'm happy to share my abbreviated notes with you. 00:31:29.319 --> 00:31:36.079 And then there's a little translation below that of 1 Corinthians 13, 00:31:36.819 --> 00:31:43.220 which I understand as a picture of the loving character of Jesus himself. 00:31:44.220 --> 00:31:45.960 But that's our question today. 00:31:46.079 --> 00:31:53.220 Do people see and taste the fruit of Jesus' love, particularly his love for his disciples, 00:31:53.519 --> 00:31:56.639 his love for his church in you? 00:31:56.640 --> 00:32:01.340 Is that fruit readily manifest in you? 00:32:02.300 --> 00:32:04.080 And here's my final challenge. 00:32:05.100 --> 00:32:11.540 I want you to think about one person at Christchurch who needs the fruit of Jesus' love through you. 00:32:12.720 --> 00:32:15.960 And I'm not talking about your bestie because that person's easy to love. 00:32:16.300 --> 00:32:21.120 I'm talking about one person at Christchurch who needs the fruit of Jesus' love through you. 00:32:21.119 --> 00:32:26.779 And maybe that's the person that you do not yet know, but you're going to introduce yourself to today at our coffee hour. 00:32:27.859 --> 00:32:33.979 Maybe it's the person you do not know very well, but you're going to invite them to Sunday lunch today or this week. 00:32:34.779 --> 00:32:39.579 Or maybe it's the person you know all too well and you just find them terribly difficult to love, 00:32:39.619 --> 00:32:40.699 and you're going to pray this week, 00:32:40.700 --> 00:32:44.759 Lord, how do you want me to love them the way that you loved me? 00:32:45.960 --> 00:32:46.759 And who knows? 00:32:46.840 --> 00:32:48.580 Maybe you might give them a ride to the airport. 00:32:49.720 --> 00:32:55.759 Maybe you might help them move or feed them meals or watch their kids or give them money or visit them when they're sick 00:32:55.759 --> 00:32:57.940 or give them some words of encouragement. 00:32:59.799 --> 00:33:00.720 But Jesus says, 00:33:00.720 --> 00:33:04.100 I am the vine and you are the branches. 00:33:05.420 --> 00:33:13.519 And when he says that, he's calling us to embody and to imitate his dynamic presence in the world 00:33:13.519 --> 00:33:19.559 and to bear the fruit of his love so that people can drink the wine of his joy. 00:33:20.779 --> 00:33:29.420 And friends, we can't even think about loving the world unless we first love Christ's church. 00:33:30.720 --> 00:33:32.799 And that's why he says in John 13, 00:33:33.360 --> 00:33:42.220 By this, everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another. 00:33:43.220 --> 00:33:47.980 Not generically, but the particular people sitting around you 00:33:47.980 --> 00:33:54.539 and the specific ways that they need to be loved by Christ through you. 00:33:55.740 --> 00:33:57.579 May God enable us to do this. 00:33:57.900 --> 00:34:00.120 In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 00:34:00.720 --> 00:34:01.120 Amen. 00:34:01.120 --> 00:34:01.259 Amen.