You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.
Our passion is to experience and express grace.
Join us.
Jesus, draw us close and teach us to abide.
Help us, Holy Spirit.
We're not very good at this.
Thank you, our good Father.
Even now for your word, we give you thanks in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Remember, we are with Jesus in the upper room as he gives his final marching orders to his disciples that he's sending out into the world.
And on that final night before the cross, Jesus gives his followers one final I am statement.
A revelation of his unique identity.
For the first time in all of these series of statements, it's followed by an explanation of someone else's identity.
The Father has a role in this image, and we do too.
It's an image that they were just singing about.
It's at the absolute heart of what it means to be a follower of Jesus.
It's so crucial.
We're going to spend a couple weeks here seeking to understand and apply what Jesus tells us.
But for now, we'll pick up Jesus' commissioning words.
At verse 1 of John 15, we're going to read the first eight verses.
I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.
Every branch of mine that does not bear fruit, he takes away.
And every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes that it may bear more fruit.
Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.
Abide in me, and I in you.
As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine,
neither can you unless you abide in me.
I am the vine.
You are the branches.
Whoever abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit.
For apart from me, you can do nothing.
If anyone does not abide in me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers,
and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned.
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish,
and it will be done for you.
By this, my Father is glorified that you bear much fruit,
and so prove to be my disciples.
Thus far, God's holy word.
Perhaps, like me, you're not super familiar with vines,
and vine dressers, and branches, and so forth.
But Jesus and his friends would have been very familiar around them all the time.
In fact, at the entrance of the temple in Jerusalem was a golden vine
with clusters of grapes the size of a man right there at the front of the temple.
A vine was an image that God had often used with his people Israel.
The Old Testament repeatedly tells us Yahweh planted Israel to be his vine,
except that over and over again, Israel does not bear the fruit as it should.
So the image of Israel as the vine of God is one where judgment and exile
for their unfruitfulness are in view.
Just one of many examples from the prophet Isaiah.
The vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel.
The men of Judah, his pleasant planting.
And so God, the Lord, the vine dresser,
he looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed.
For righteousness, but behold, an outcry.
God's the vine dresser, and he doesn't like what he sees in his vineyard, does he?
Its own character, its relationship with him, its impact on others,
it's not what it should be.
The first thing Jesus is saying here then is that he is the true vine,
the true Israel, the one planted again by the Father,
the vine dresser still.
So the vine will be tended and produce the fruit that the Father desires.
Jesus will be faithful, obedient, just, and merciful,
the righteous king, a light to the nations in a way Israel never was.
That's what he's saying.
These are astounding claims, actually,
as there was when Jesus explained that he himself was the true temple
where God truly dwelled with his people.
So that now as Jesus starts talking about branches,
we realize that to be a part of the beloved people tended by the divine vine dresser,
we have to be connected to whom?
To Jesus.
Grafted in, as it were, to the covenant people of God by being united to
and led by the true vine.
Do you hear what he's saying about himself?
Think of what life must be pulsing through the vine
to be the source of life for all of God's children.
Think of the goodness that he must have
to please the perfectly righteous vine dresser.
Think of the power that he must have
to hold together all the many and diverse branches of God's family
from every tribe and tongue and nation,
all held together by him.
Well, the second time he identifies himself as the vine here,
Jesus adds something,
that we are the branches,
that as such we must stay connected to him.
We're going to come back to the heart of that with the word abide
and what that means.
But notice briefly before we do that,
the promise and the warning to the branches,
because that's us.
The promise for branches connected to Jesus divine
is fruitfulness and life.
Notice Jesus talks all through here about bearing fruit.
Six times in eight verses,
he is sending his disciples in the world to bear fruit.
There's no question.
We're going to talk more next week,
but fruit at least for now in terms of personal growth.
How hopeful this is for all of us that we can change,
that others will grow.
You don't have to give up.
There will be much patience,
lots of peace,
bunches of gentleness,
even when we don't feel strong.
There's fruit here of powerful prayer
and the joy of seeing God answer and work.
Fruit of certainly hear others coming to know
and trust Jesus to be grafted into him.
This fruit is such a priority
that the father himself tends the vineyard
and even is willing to prune the fruitful branches,
through suffering,
through cutbacks.
For what purpose?
So that even more fruit will come
and so that verse eight,
all of this fruit produced
actually brings glory to the father.
That's how important it is.
It shows him to be such a wise and gracious gardener.
Maybe you're feeling some of that pruning right now.
It hurts.
But regardless,
even in the painful seasons,
there is life and vitality from the vine,
the one who is the life himself.
It's coursing into the branches connected to him.
So no matter how you feel right now,
fruit will come.
He promises that.
On the other hand, there's a warning.
What's the warning?
The warning is that disconnected from Jesus,
apart from me,
we can do what?
Nothing.
Not a few small good things every once in a while.
Not just some tiny grapes here and there.
Nothing.
In the Greek, it says nothing.
Nothing.
Of lasting value at all.
In fact, verse six says,
if anyone does not abide in me,
he is thrown away like a branch and withers,
and the branches are gathered,
thrown into the fire,
and burned.
The warning is that unfruitfulness also leads to death.
Branches are a perfect picture of this, aren't they?
I brought one of the prettiest ones I could find.
Have you ever piled up some branches after a storm?
You know, you had to collect them from the yard.
They may, when you first find them on the ground,
have some green leaves on them.
This one did.
It's just been in my yard a few days.
Picked it up and,
huh,
there's not a lot green left here.
They get dry really fast, don't they?
Not good for a whole lot.
Unless you need some dry wood for a fire.
Right?
Might work for that.
When you break them off from the vine,
from the trunk,
and the fruit dries up,
the branches die.
It's not hypothetical here.
Judas has just left the room, hasn't he?
Cut off from the vine,
headed to his own death,
we'll see.
The only one there not clean,
pruned,
and ready to bear fruit
for Jesus.
It's a stark distinction
between fruitfulness in life,
the promise,
and unfruitfulness in death,
the warning.
We better understand
what distinguishes such branches.
Because see,
as important as fruit bearing is here,
Jesus actually never commands us
to go bear fruit.
I mean,
try telling a random branch
to start bearing fruit.
How's it gonna do?
Come on,
maybe this afternoon,
if we all just look at it long enough,
there will be some green leaves
that will sprout up.
Is that what you expect
to happen with this branch?
You think if we wait here long enough,
we'll see some fruit?
It lacks the resources,
doesn't it?
It can't provide the nutrients.
What's the one thing
that Jesus does command us
so that we will know this life,
bear this fruit,
glorify God the way
that He made us to?
It's in verse four.
The command is,
abide in me.
It's the only command here
in the whole passage.
I checked.
Abide.
Your Bible may translate it,
remain.
It means the idea of the word
is not just come and visit,
but come and stay,
even to be at home in,
to make your home with Christ.
I want us to linger here
and think about abiding
from several angles.
It's not a word we use a lot,
is it?
Abide in me.
What would that mean?
Being at home with Jesus.
See, home,
I think this helps us.
It's our default setting,
isn't it?
It orients us.
Home is where we know
we're accepted,
we're welcomed,
perhaps by people,
maybe by a pet,
by a favorite seat
where I'm gonna feel just right.
so that when we are there
with that person
or in that place,
we can really find rest.
Right?
That's home.
Home is where we draw strength.
Think of the actual nutrients
flowing from vine to branch.
See, home is what we actually
depend on for growth
that actually shapes
the shape that our lives take.
Think of that vine.
Whether we want to admit it or not,
that's what's shaping us.
That's home.
That is where you're abiding.
Who or what is home
for you?
Where do you rest?
Like, when your brain
is not on a specific task,
where does it go?
Where do you draw strength
when you know you got a hard day
and you don't have enough strength
on your own?
Where do you draw it from?
What do you find your life
shaped by when you're not
even aware of it?
If you look back
at the end of the day,
you'd say,
what shaped the way
I spent my time
and invested my energy?
Is it really Jesus?
Jesus?
Let's play a game
to help you think about that
a little bit more.
I like games,
you know that.
This is a great game
to play with your grace group,
by the way.
I'm telling you,
you will all have a blast.
When you play Pastor Will's games,
he's always got the best games
and everybody wants
to be a part of the party.
Stop laughing at me.
Here's the game.
Think of one word.
A verb.
Not English class,
but it needs to be a verb
for how you relate to Jesus.
What best describes
how you relate with him?
I want you to write it down.
If you're writing down
abide in,
you're cheating,
you wouldn't have written
that yesterday,
don't write that word.
I want you to come up
with another word.
I played this game this week.
That's how much fun I have.
And I wrote,
serve.
I serve Jesus.
That's biblical.
It's a good one.
There are a lot of good words
in the Bible.
I'm not trying to play
a gotcha game right here.
Follow.
Learn from.
Worship.
Know about.
Find hope in Jesus.
Maybe extra points
if you write love
or rest in.
I want to share
some of my story with you
because God has really
been teaching me
about abiding in Christ.
And even though I know
your story will be
different from mine,
perhaps we can learn
together how to abide
or maybe how we sometimes
miss out
on what's so important
about it.
I picked serve
for my relating
to Jesus word
because it really fits
for me all the way
back to childhood.
I grew up in the church
like many of you.
I loved being in church.
As long as I can remember,
I wanted to learn
about Jesus.
I wanted to know
things about him.
And I wanted to live
for Jesus.
To serve him.
Right?
That's the way
our relationship worked.
But when I was a child,
I was at home
when I was performing
and achieving.
Sometimes that was
on the baseball field.
Sometimes it was
in the classroom.
Sometimes it was
at youth group.
But I found rest
in being an all-star
that others could count on.
I loved it.
I drew strength
from the praise
of people
who thought
I was smart
or nice
or whatever.
That is what
shaped my life.
I wanted that
so much.
So I visited
Jesus
pretty often.
Right?
I needed to know
from him
how to answer
my friends' questions
so they would think
I was smart
and spiritual.
I needed to know
from him
how he wanted me
to perform.
I needed to find out
from Jesus
how to impress
the other Jesus people
so they'd think
I was great.
And then I would
go out
from Jesus
to do all of my
performing.
I'd visit him
but then I needed
to leave
because I had
stuff to do
and people to impress.
And what happened
was sometimes
over here
where I was performing
I got really
worn out
performing
for Jesus.
Maybe you've
felt that before.
Other times
I actually
didn't achieve
the standard
that others
expected of me
and I was
deeply insecure
about that.
In fact
sometimes
I bore really
bad fruit
that smelled
of rotten
pride
self-importance
of self-indulgence
I could make
an excuse
to do anything
I wanted
as long as it
got me
the approval
of others.
Because sometimes
home
was somewhere
other than Jesus.
Another season
of life
I went to seminary
for three years
reading
and talking
and writing
about Jesus
every day.
I visited
Jesus
very often
for those
three years
okay.
So I likely
know more
things about
Jesus
than many
of you
in this room.
I visited
him all the
time
and I remember
hearing people
while I was
around him
saying how
important it
was for me
actually
to rest
in Jesus
as my
home
home.
But sometimes
I thought
I had a
little better
idea
wouldn't it
be even
more godly
if I actually
just went to
class and to
church and
visited him
to learn
about him
not because
I needed it
but because
other people
would need it
for their
benefit
wouldn't that
be unselfish
and loving
of me?
Wouldn't I
be so wonderful
if that's how
I related to
Jesus?
When you're
used to
performing
being home
that makes
sense.
I've experienced
that same
struggle
in a more
recent season
as a husband
and a father
wanting to
love my
family and
wanting them
to love me
and wanting
to point them
to Jesus
so it's easy
to feel that
what Jesus
primarily wants
in my relationship
with him
what really
matters to him
is the example
I set for
my kids
right?
It's the wise
counsel that I'm
able to give
to my wife
when she asks
for it.
It's the consistency
of family worship
together
and hear me
those are such
good things
I'm not
criticizing them
but do you see
how easy it is
to lose sight
of home?
Home's over here
but I've visited
often enough
I can leave him
I think I'll bear
such good fruit
on my own
I've got so
many good ideas
now Jesus
I'm going to
exhaust myself
with all these
good activities
and think that
that's loving
my family
because they
seem to like
being busy too
and Jesus
tells me to
focus on
one thing
to find rest
in one place
to draw strength
from one relationship
and then I actually
will love them
well
it's what he says
it is easy
to be busy
with many
good things
and be busy
missing
the best thing
we are prone
to wander
aren't we
even when we know
where home is
we're prone
to leave
the God we love
to think we've seen
him enough lately
that we're probably
okay in our own strength
that we can probably
do a lot of good things
and it will
see relationship
with Jesus
is not first
about serving
him
following his example
even teaching
about him
those are all
good verbs
if you wrote them down
I'm not mad at you
they're just not first
first it's about
abiding in him
being with Jesus
resting at home
in Jesus
myself
or he says
none of the rest
of our verbs
all of the good ones
that we think
none of them
will bear fruit
if we are not
constantly
connected
to the vine
yes listen
remember
Jesus is sending
all of us out
to bear fruit
oh we
we don't want
to be dead
branches
but he doesn't
say
because what you need
is to bear fruit
go be busy
go work hard
what does he say
stay in me
rest
abide
never
leave
me
it's really for me
just been the past
couple years
that God's been
showing me
that pattern
that I have
of visiting Jesus
and then going to life
of coming and going
with him
that's often
kept me
from abiding
from finding my
home
with him
he's shown me
how much I need
to be at home
with Jesus
how in fact
most of the real
fruit
that I've seen
in my life
like moments
of patience
with others
that offers them
actually rest
in Jesus
that they so need
rather than
offering them
a busy performance
treadmill
to join me
on
that kind of
fruit has grown
from
from actually
resting in
and drawing
strength
from Jesus
myself
maybe you too
have had seasons
of your life
where you realize
Jesus is at best
someone you've
visited
while home
was really
the opinion
of others
the security
of your money
the success
that you're
making
of yourself
maybe you feel
like you're living
that way today
maybe you feel
like that's exactly
what you're doing
this morning
is you're
you're visiting
Jesus
and you've
established
a quite normal
pattern in your
life the same
way I did
you visit Jesus
nearly every week
that's the pattern
a weekly
visit
and then
leaving him
to busy
yourself
with all
sorts
of good
things
you're
very busy
all week
you even
hope along
the way
that you'll
follow some
of his
commands
that you'll
serve his
kingdom
here and
there
hopefully do
some really
good stuff
right
you probably
do
but if we
trust the
words of
Jesus here
that kind
of coming
and going
pattern
of life
it is as
silly
as ridiculous
as a branch
leaving the
vine
breaking off
to go do
some good
fruit bearing
over here
and then
coming back
to present
the fruit
to the vine
no way
y'all have you
have you ever
done that
have you stood
there by the
side of the
road while the
branches are all
piled up and
thought I bet
the leaves will
be greener next
week
I bet that's
what I wonder
if I took this
one back and
taped it to a
tree if there
would be green
fruit next time
I come
no that will
never work
no matter how
much we think
it makes sense
to us
Jesus says
it won't
work
have you ever
wondered why
there's not
more revival
in 21st
century America
why are there
not more
deeply content
Christians
why are there
not more
sacrificial
marriages
why is there
not more
passionate
prayer
from a human
perspective
I tell you
that's because
in general
we only
visit Jesus
but we live
with the world
we're at
home
with ourselves
with whatever
makes us
feel good
and as the
branch
cannot bear
fruit by
itself
unless it
abides in
the vine
neither
can you
unless you
abide
in me
unless your
home
is Jesus
but remember
if you long
for those
things
there's great
reason here
for hope
where is it
the vine
is still
strong
and full
of life
even
if you're
not
look
whoever
abides
in me
and I
in him
bears
much
fruit
in fact
sees
miraculous
answers
to prayer
in fact
even glorifies
God himself
with all
this fruit
lifelong
insecure
people
connected
to Jesus
become
joyful
and hopeful
the fearful
become
courageous
and many
are drawn
into the
mutual
love
of the
vines
community
that is
finally
offering
the life
that it
was called
to offer
the nations
all the way
back since
the Garden
of Eden
that'll
happen
what's the
most amazing
home
you've ever
been in
can you
think of
one
maybe
you've
toured
a palace
or an
old
mansion
can you
imagine
you're there
with a bunch
of tourists
and you're
just checking
out this
amazing
place
can you
imagine
if you
were
invited
to
live
there
to
dine
at that
grand
table
behind
the
ropes
to
sleep
in the
luxurious
bedroom
to
spend
all
day
talking
with
the
wonderful
home
owner
that's
what
Jesus
is
doing
for
us
here
he's
saying
abide
in me
be at
home
with me
don't
just
visit
come
and
stay
pastor
Andrew
Murray
who
would
after
seeking
the
king's
palace
be
content
to
stand
in
the
door
just
to
visit
when
he
is
invited
to
dwell
in
the
king's
presence
and
share
with
him
in
all
the
glory
of
his
royal
life
oh
let
us
enter
in
and
abide
and
enjoy
to
the
full
all
the
rich
supply
his
wondrous
love
hath
prepared
for
us
imagine
if you
were
living
there
24
7
if
all
you
did
was
feast
at
the
royal
table
and
constantly
think
about
how
well
fed
you
were
and
discuss
with
the
others
sitting
there
the
wonders
of
the
last
dish
don't
you
think
a
deep
contentment
a
real
satisfaction
in
Christ
a
delight
in
Jesus
would
start
growing
in
your
heart
if
that
was
all
you
did
all
day
every
day
beautiful
fruit
that
would
be
wouldn't
it
what
if
instead
of
that
your
default
your
resting
place
your
life
shaping
time
what
you
were
most
focused
on
was
scrolling
through
the
tour
of
homes
on
social
media
and
contemplating
all
that
you're
missing
out
on
envy
would
grow
discontent
jealousy
rotten
fruit
yes
I mean
imagine the
difference in
your reaction
when you hear
about an
election not
going your
way
or a
school
shooting
or rumored
layoffs at
your company
if you
have been
at home
recently
constantly
in your
own fears
in media
messages
in investment
strategies
thinking that's
what's going to
get you
through
or
if when you
hit that
moment you
have been
actually at
home
every day
in the
promise of
Jesus to
hold you
and never
let you
go
and promises
that God
will meet
all your
needs
according to
his
glorious
riches
in Christ
Jesus
which
version
of you
bears the
fruit of
anxiety
which
version
of you
the fruit
of more
peace
I suspect
today some
of you are
here
investigating
Jesus
and
it's
possible
that all
this talk
of abiding
feels like
it's setting
a really
high
bar
like I
will never
reach that
I mean I'm
just interested
I'll never
be that
spiritual
never be
that
committed
I'm barely
managing
life already
Will
listen it's
true that
Jesus changes
everything
it can feel
like it's
life changing
but it's not
because it's a
really high
bar of
performance
for you
Jesus is
actually inviting
you to
abide
not
demanding
that you
bear enough
fruit
I want to
make sure
you hear
that
see his
father
grafts
you into
him
and then
the way
he works
is that
he tends
the weakest
branches
especially
tenderly
if you think
that you
listen again
to South
African
pastor of
the last
century
Andrew
Murray
in his
little book
abide in
Christ
if you can
remember that
difficult title
you should read
it and I have
extras in my
office I'll give
you one
abiding in
Christ is
just meant for
the weak and
so beautifully
suited to their
feebleness
it is not the
doing of some
great thing
and does not
demand that we
first lead a
very holy and
devoted life
no it is
simply weakness
entrusting itself
to a mighty
one to be kept
the unfaithful
one that can be
you casting
self on one
who is
altogether
trustworthy
and true
see you
you can
abide
you can
abide today
because he
is still
mighty
and trustworthy
and true
the clear
command for
us in this
passage
is to
abide
but the
focus of
the whole
passage is
clearly
the vine
right
that's where he
starts
I am the
vine
Jesus says
nothing helps
weak branches
like us
abide
like delighting
in the
glorious strength
of the vine
y'all the one
calling you
to make your
home with him
is the one
who just last
week promised
us if anyone
loves me
he will keep
my word
and my father
will love him
and we will
come to him
and make
our home
with him
he abides
with us
by his
holy spirit
that's your
home
friends the
vine
this god
is the
keeper
of his
people
he never
slumbers
nor sleeps
he is the
bread of
life
who fully
satisfies
eyes
if you're
afraid
things are
out of
control
he is in
omnipotent
control
of everything
in the whole
world
his love
for you
is an
everlasting
love
that started
before you
were born
and will not
stop
till after you
die
it goes on
and on
he will never
stop loving
you
in fact
he came to
give his
life
in your
place
so that
you can
have a
home with
him
now
and forever
he is in
Andrew Murray's
words
the infinite
Emmanuel
I love
that
take that
with you
this week
okay
the infinite
Emmanuel
God
with us
without
end
no limits
beyond
comprehension
God
with us
is he
one
worthy
of
finding
rest
for your
soul
then
is he
capable
of
providing
the
strength
that you
need
or are you
going to
need to
go looking
somewhere
else
is he
trustworthy
to hold
you
no matter
the storm
no matter
the pain
of the
pruning
no matter
the distance
that you
have broken
off and
blown away
before being
grafted
back in
dear ones
he is
so worthy
he is
so powerful
he is
so good
he is
so
trustworthy
abide
in
Christ
you can
start that
fresh
now
if you
need to
just by
coming
to find
rest
at the
family
dinner
table
being
at home
right here
with him
don't start
thinking of
all the
reasons
you deserve
to be here
all the
things you've
done
that will
impress
him
just
right where
you are
without any
record to
bring
you can
be
home
here
he invites
you to
rest
he invites
you to
draw your
strength
not from
yourself
but from
him
he invites
you
in these
next few
minutes
to have
your
week
shaped
by
this
and not
any other
priority
that's what
he's inviting
you into
right now
he did that
for his
disciples
on that
night
that he
spoke
these
words
to them
that he
would
eventually
be
betrayed
he took
bread
and he
broke
it
and he
gave
it to
them
as I
ministering
in his
name
give this
bread
to you
and he
said
take
eat
this is
my
body
given
for you
do this
in remembrance
of me
and then
after supper
he took
the cup
and he
said
this cup
is the
new
covenant
in my
blood
shed
for many
for the
forgiveness
of sins
drink
from it
all of
you
for as
often
as you
eat
this
bread
and drink
this
cup
you
proclaim
the
Lord's
death
until
he
comes
you
say
I'm
home
in
Jesus
and
nowhere
else
there's
no place
I can
go
where I'm
always
welcome
always
accepted
always
safe
but there's
a person
that I can
live with
today
and I
will
always
be at
home
with him
if that's
your joy
this is not
Southwood's
table
the Presbyterian
church's
table
this is
Jesus's
table
he sets
it for
you so
that if
you find
your home
in him
if you
are actively
abiding
in Jesus
and drawing
your life
from him
you should
come
and eat
and be
strengthened
for living
with him
again this
week
if you're
not there
with Jesus
today
maybe because
you have
never been
there with
Jesus
or maybe
just because
you have
been but
lately
you've
honestly
you're
finding
home
somewhere
else
then
don't
come take
these elements
this morning
but please
hear the
invitation
of Jesus
to you
to come
and abide
and find
life
forever
with him
we would
love to
talk
or pray
with you
about that
this morning
we're so
glad you're
here
to celebrate
with us
where we
find life
let's pray
and we'll do
that together
Jesus
the one
who is
the way
the truth
and the
life
the one
who brings
us to
the father
the one
who has
sent his
spirit
to abide
in us
help us
even through
very normal
bread
wine
to have
something
really
unusual
happen
in our
hearts
that we
might
actually
value
someone
else
more
than
ourselves
that we
might find
you to be
sweeter
than
anything
else
that we
might
find
life
with you
to be
where
true
life
is
found
do that
in our
hearts
by your
spirit
we ask
in Jesus
name
amen
for more
information
visit us
online
at
southwood.org
you