Good morning.
It's a pleasure to be with you all here this morning.
! It's a pleasure to be with you all here this morning.
Before we left, I had several members of our church ask where we were going to be this
weekend, and I said, we're going down to Parker, Colorado to preach to a congregation down
there.
And they said, well, why are you going down there?
Do you know the pastor?
I said, no, never met him before.
Oh, do you know somebody in church?
No, never met any of them before.
They go, well, why are you going down there?
I said, they need somebody to come preach.
I'm going to go down and help the brothers out.
And they go, yeah, but how do you even know about these people?
I said, oh, I said, they're getting ready to join the association we've just become a
part of.
And this is one of the blessings of being part of an association of churches, that we can
come alongside one another, we can support one another, and bless one another's ministries
through helping the brothers out like this.
So it is a pleasure to be here.
Tanya and I arrived last night, spent the evening with the Gladdings.
I kind of got somewhat familiar with the church through that.
And then this morning found out I had met some of you before at last year's GA, but I met
so many new people there I didn't remember it.
So it is a blessing for us to be here.
I had a unique experience already this morning in the discussion about today's passage.
As I was just listening to everyone discuss it, I found myself being encouraged by the passage.
I'm about ready to preach to people, hoping to encourage them with it.
And I haven't even preached it yet.
So it made me look, it made me all the more eager to bring this message to you today.
So I also have to bring greetings from the people at Trinity Bible Church.
And we are looking forward to a closer association with you through this association of churches
and getting to know all of you.
So if you would open your Bibles to John chapter 15.
And we're going to be reading verses 1 through 8 here.
This is a very familiar illustration that Jesus uses, one that's very well known.
Sometimes when we come to a familiar ground like that, familiarity sometimes can impede our
ability to understand it.
So let us come to this looking at it afresh this morning.
John chapter 15 verses 1 through 8.
This is Jesus speaking.
I am the true vine and my father is the vine dresser.
Every branch in me that does not bear fruit, he takes away.
And every branch that bears fruit, he prunes it that it may bear more fruit.
You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
Abide in me and I in you.
As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine,
so neither can you unless you abide in me.
I am the vine, you are the branches.
He who abides in me and I in him, he bears much fruit.
For apart from me you can do nothing.
If anyone does not abide in me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up and they gather
them and cast them into the fire and they are burned.
If you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it shall be done for you.
By this is my father glorified that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
Let me ask you, if you knew your death was imminent,
what would you want to say to those closest to you?
I mean, typically we don't know when our time is going to come.
But occasionally, in God's providence, we do.
You get that diagnosis of the deadly disease that there's nothing they can do to treat it
and there's weeks to live or months to live.
And if you were in that position, what would you want to say to those closest to you?
You know, would you want to express your love for them?
Would you want to give them words of encouragement?
Would you want to provide them words of guidance?
Would you want to exhort them in any way?
Is there any important things or truths you'd want to remind them of?
And what we have to realize is that in the section in which our passage lies,
that's exactly what is happening.
John 13 through John 17 is Jesus' last discourse with his disciples,
those closest to him.
This very evening he will be betrayed.
Within 24 hours he will be in the grave.
And so these are the things that he wants to speak to them to equip them for their apostolic ministry.
This is the capstone to three years of discipleship.
In this discourse, in these five chapters from John 13 to John 17.
And what we see here is he begins with laying a foundation of humility by washing their feet.
Then he provides them with sustaining grace in the establishment of the Lord's Supper.
And then he shows them the means by which they will accomplish their apostolic is love.
But love in a way that they never understood it before.
You see, under the law, love was, love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength,
and your neighbor as yourself.
And they are still to love in that way.
But he's now giving them command of a new love, a new kind of love,
oriented towards the brethren.
That they are to love the brethren like he has loved them.
He then goes on to exhort them to believe in him, that he and the Father are one.
And to exhort them to do the works that he has done.
He gives them the encouragement that he's sending them a helper, the Holy Spirit.
He's giving them encouragement in that he goes to prepare a place for them and will come for them.
And then we come to this passage in John 15.
And right in the absolute center of this discourse is our passage today.
And in this, he's calling them to abide in him as he abides in them and to bear fruit to the glory of the Father.
And then he's going to go on and promise them the coming of the Holy Spirit.
He's going to forewarn them that he will die and be resurrected so this isn't some surprise to them.
And then in John 17, he wraps it up by praying for them.
And we also have to see he's praying for us as well.
Because he prays for all those who will believe in him through their word.
And what we see here are these intertwining themes of humility and faith and love and grace and abiding in Christ
and depending upon the Spirit and prayer and bearing fruit to the glory of God.
And all of these are essential to the Christian life.
All of these are essential for us to live a fruitful life to the glory of God.
But because today we're going to be taking a very narrow look at one little piece of this,
it's possible we could miss out on all of these rich themes that are interwoven in this larger discourse.
For instance, we're not going to delve into making the connection between abiding in Christ, love, and our obedience.
And yet it's all here.
So I just wanted to lay that broader foundation of this context because it forms a very rich tapestry for us.
And we're going to be diving into that and looking at one very narrow piece.
And part of the thing that encouraged me this morning in listening to your discussion
was hearing some of you pick up on these broader themes and pull them into the discussion.
So we are going to be looking at this narrow focus of bearing fruit in the Christian life.
And let me start right out by saying our context here is not bearing fruit as the instrumental cause
of our salvation, our sanctification, our perseverance, or our glorification.
The instrumental cause for all of that is the person and work of Jesus Christ alone.
I will say that repeatedly before I'm done today.
But what we have to do understand is the fruit we bear in life is the manifested evidence of a soul united to Christ
enjoying the benefits of redemption that Christ has purchased for us.
See, it's only by His empowering grace that we can live a life of faithful fruit bearing
that glorifies God, honors our Lord Jesus Christ, edifies our brethren, is a testimony to the lost,
and constitutes a life of blessing for redeemed sinners.
And so we're going to look at it today under three headings.
Those three headings are in your handout.
We're going to see in verses one through three God's design.
In verses four and five we're going to see our dependence upon Christ.
And in verses six through eight I just labeled it our discipleship to keep with my dealliteration.
It's not really a good title but you'll see when we get there.
So first, this divine design in verses one through three.
Now, let me start by saying this illustration of a vineyard Jesus is using to make His point
absolutely highlights God's creative and redemptive design that His image bearers are to bear fruit
to the glory of His name.
This is from Genesis to Revelation.
In Genesis 1.28, God's creation command was for Adam as mankind's federal head
to be fruitful and multiply and exercise dominion over the earth.
Adam was to bear fruit by extending the Garden of Eden to cover the whole earth
and to fill creation with God's worshipers.
Adam fell into sin.
Adam failed to fulfill God's design for him.
And Adam was cast out of God's presence.
But you see, this was also God's design for Israel as the corporate Adam.
We read that in Psalm 80 this morning.
The people of God who are there described as a vine taken from Egypt
and planted in the promised land.
And yet God speaking through the prophet Jeremiah in chapter 2 verse 21 says,
Yet I planted you a choice vine, a completely faithful seed.
How then have you turned yourself before me into the degenerate shoots of a foreign vine?
See, Israel too failed as well.
They failed to bear fruit to the glory of God.
And they were taken away into exile.
And yet in Isaiah 27 verses 2 through 6,
God does proclaim that a day will come when Israel will take root and blossom
and fill the whole earth with fruit.
And we have the fulfillment of that now in John 15 verse 1.
Because now comes Messiah saying,
I am the true vine.
First, he is asserting his deity as the divine son by invoking the divine I am.
And he is proclaiming that as the divine son,
he is this choice vine sent forth by his father,
planted in his humanity.
And the father is the vine dresser who cares for him,
who is nurturing him in his human growth
so that he grew in stature before God and man.
Nurturing him by pouring out his spirit upon his humanity,
equipping him for his redemptive work as our mediator and our redeemer,
and that he would do all the father's will.
And now the time has come.
The time is at hand for him to glorify the father
in his sacrificial atoning death and his glorious resurrection.
You see, Jesus has bore the fruit
that Adam and Israel failed to bear.
Jesus has fulfilled the covenant of works,
bearing the fruit of righteousness
in his own personal, perfect,
and perpetual obedience to the law of God.
And he will now fulfill God's creative and redemptive purposes
in his death and resurrection
that all those who are united to him by faith in the new birth
may bear the fruit of righteousness in him.
And within this fruit-bearing design,
we also see a divine discrimination in verse 2.
He says,
Every branch in me that does not bear fruit, he takes away.
And every branch that bear fruits, he prunes it,
that it may bear more fruit.
So you see, there's two kinds of branches.
And each of these branches is treated very differently.
And so we have to ask,
Who are these branches that do and don't bear fruit?
It gets a little tricky because Jesus describes both of them
as being in him.
So in what way are they in him?
Who are they?
Now some would say the branch that is in him,
not bearing fruit,
is the so-called carnal Christian.
I don't even know if that term gets used anymore.
That's like a 1990s term, I think.
I don't hear it anymore.
But what it is,
is that person who professes to be a Christian,
will be present in church,
has no fruit in their life,
lives like the world.
And many times this text was used
as an argument to support
that they were indeed truly saved.
And the argument is,
well they're saved because Jesus describes them
as being in him,
but they just don't have any fruit in their life.
However, if we're going to be good theologians,
we have to have a good hermeneutic.
And that means we need to let the scriptures
interpret scripture.
And in verse 5, Jesus says,
he who abides in him bears much fruit.
See, there's a presupposition here
of what Jesus is saying.
If you abide in Jesus,
you will bear fruit.
The idea of someone being in union with Christ,
not bearing fruit,
is absolutely foreign to scripture.
And this branch that does not bear fruit in verse 2
is described in verse 6
as anyone who does not abide in Jesus.
You see, this branch that does not bear fruit
is one who has never been united to Christ
in a new birth,
and they are merely an outward professor of religion
in the visible church.
You see, they appear to be in Christ.
That's what's meant by they are in him,
in Jesus.
They appear to be.
They have an outward profession.
They are in the assembly of God's people,
the visible church,
but they are merely an outward professor.
They appear to be in Christ,
but they are not.
And this branch,
the vine dresser,
takes away.
Now, in context,
this term translated takes away,
it means to be carried away
in judgment.
Now, in contrast to that
is the branch that does bear fruit.
You see, that branch,
the vine dresser prunes it
so that it bears more fruit.
And this fruit-bearing branch of verse 2
is further described for us in verse 7
as those who abide in Christ.
This branch is one united to Christ
through the new birth
and, importantly,
is under the vine dresser's care.
We do have to ask, though,
what is this fruit
that those united to Christ
are to bear?
What is it?
Well, I would propose to you
it's the same fruit
that Jesus brought forth
in his humanity.
It is the fruit of righteousness.
Now, it's a fruit of righteousness
that he possessed
in his perfect humanity,
a righteousness that is native to him,
but it is foreign to us
as redeemed sinners.
It comes from outside us.
It is imputed to us
that those of us
who are united to Christ,
we receive this
through the inner cleansing,
transformation,
and indwelling of the Holy Spirit,
and that then manifests itself
in the bearing of fruit in our life.
Now, you might ask the question,
what is this spiritual fruit, though?
Is it some grand spiritual sacrifice?
Is it going off and being a missionary
in the jungles of Africa somewhere?
Is it being a martyr for the faith?
Is it, you know,
is it being an evangelist
or preaching the gospel?
Well, you know,
it most certainly could be those things.
Could be.
But here's what we have to understand.
Fruit pleasing to God
is anything,
and this opens it up,
anything
that we do
out of faith in Christ,
according to his word,
for the glory of the Father.
And as you consider what that is,
here's what I want you to think about.
The mundane
of every day.
Because everything you do in this life,
from the moment you get out of your bed
in the morning
to the moment you go to bed at night,
is to be done
out of faith in Christ,
according to his word,
for the glory of the Father.
That is fruit
that is pleasing to God
and glorifies the Father.
Think about how that applies.
Kids, doing your schoolwork.
Are you doing it trusting in Christ
for the grace to strive,
to learn,
and study,
and whatnot?
Are you doing it according
to the word of God,
or are you cheating on the tests?
And are you doing it
to see God glorified?
When you go to work
at your job.
I mean,
I was convicted
of this recently.
You know,
struggling with getting up
to go to work,
and then come to realize
the one thing
I wasn't doing
in the morning
was saying,
Lord,
give me the grace
to work today.
Help me to serve
my employer well.
And it's just amazing
how that fundamentally
changes your perspective.
I mean,
it didn't make the job
any different.
It didn't make the challenges
of the job
any different.
Okay?
Moms,
with your children
at home,
you know,
this never-ending
role you have
of raising your children
and nurturing them,
and Tanya and Katie
were talking about
homeschooling last night.
We homeschooled
our children.
And just
what can seem
to be a grind
day in and day out,
year in and year out
over the life
of the child,
sometimes when
they're not cooperating,
and you go,
I don't see the point.
Understand,
persevering in faith
that glorifies the Father.
So,
I want you to think
of fruit,
bearing fruit
in our life
and walk
that glorifies God.
It comes mainly
in the mundane
of everyday life.
And the last thing
we see about this
design of God's
is as we are striving
in the flesh
and against the flesh
to bear fruit
to God
by faith
according to His word
and for His glory
the whole time
the vine dresser
is taking care
of us.
See,
there's a divine care
for the true branches.
We see it here
in verse 3.
He says,
you are already
clean because of
the word which
I have spoken to you.
Now,
this may seem
like an awkward
shift in verse 3
when Jesus says
to His disciples,
you are already
clean.
We've been talking
about grapevines
and branches
and vine dressers
and pruning
and now there's
this shift to
you are already
clean.
And you might be going,
did I miss something
here?
Not really.
Once we understand
the word translated
clean in verse 3
is the same word
translated prune
in verse 2,
the connection
becomes apparent.
See,
when you prune
a vine,
you are cleaning
up the dead
and fruitless
branches that
will enable
the vine
to bear more
fruit.
Now,
my wife is the
farmer in the
family and we
actually have
four grapevines
at our home
along our
one boundary
fence.
And not too
long after we
had them,
she says to me
in the fall,
I'm going to
go out and
I'm going to
prune the
grapes.
I'm going,
well,
what for?
Why would you
cut perfectly
healthy branches
off of that?
And she said,
well,
if you do
that,
they'll produce
more grapes.
And I'm like,
okay,
if you say so,
I'm not the
farmer here.
So she goes
out and does
it.
I come out
an hour or
two later
and I swear
there were
more branches
on the ground
than there were
still on the
vine.
And my
thought was,
well,
they're not
going to make
it through
the winter.
Next year,
we had the
largest harvest
we'd ever had
to that point.
And we have to
understand it is
this way with
believers.
You see,
God,
by his word
and his spirit,
is pruning
or cleaning
us of
remaining sin
and distractions
in our life.
He is
cutting out
those things
that inhibit
our fruitfulness
through the
ministry of the
word.
You see,
it's the word
that comes
and renews
our minds
through which
the spirit
then works
conviction of
sin,
conviction of
purpose,
and conviction
of calling
in our life.
And here's
what we have
to understand.
He doesn't
just do this
individually.
He does do
it individually.
He does do
that as part
of his care
for each
of us
of individual
branches.
But he's
also doing
this in a
corporate sense.
Okay?
And I think
he's speaking
of that
corporate sense
here as well
because this
is a clear
allusion to
Jesus'
teaching in
John 13,
8 through
10 when
he washed
the disciples'
feet.
How did
Peter respond
when Jesus
wanted to
wash his
feet?
He said,
no,
Lord,
will you
wash my
feet?
And what
did Jesus
say to
him?
Unless I
wash your
feet,
you have
no part
in me.
His
response,
well,
head to
toe then.
Give me
the entire
bath.
And again,
Jesus'
response to
him was
that he
had already
been
cleansed
and all
he needed
was to
have his
feet washed
indicating our
need for an
ongoing cleansing
of remaining
sin in the
Christian life.
And he
told his
disciples
corporately
as a group
then,
after washing
all their
feet,
he says to
them,
you are
clean,
but not
all of
you.
He's
referring to
Judas.
Okay,
let's
remember,
Jesus
washed
Judas'
feet in
John 13.
By the
time we
get to
John 15,
Judas
has already
gone out
to betray
Jesus.
God
had removed
Judas from
their midst
and he
has been
taken away
to eternal
judgment.
Now,
I want you
to contrast,
though,
Judas
to Peter.
Within a
matter of
hours,
Peter
would
deny
Jesus
three
times.
Yet,
Peter
was not
taken away
into
judgment.
Peter
was pruned
by God
who brought
him to
repentance
and Jesus
restored him
in John
21 to
fruitful
apostolic
ministry.
You see,
Judas
was taken
away.
Peter
was pruned.
And this
is the
vine dresser
at work
caring for
the vine
and the
branches.
So,
when Jesus
here tells
the disciples,
you are
already
clean,
this is
true of
them
individually,
but it's
now also
true of
them
collectively
because
he's
removed
the dead
branch
from their
midst.
And,
brothers and
sisters,
we have to
see two
things at
work here.
One is
the providence
of God.
Sometimes
there are
those people
in our
midst
that God
just
providentially
removes.
And it's
for the
welfare
and benefit
of the
church.
But we
also have
to see
church
discipline
at play
here.
We have
to see
in those
two things
the vine
dresser
at work
caring for
the vine
and the
branches
the body
of Christ.
This
brings us
now to
our
dependence
in verses
4 and
5.
Abide
in me
and I
in you
as a
branch
cannot
bear
fruit
of itself
unless
it abides
in a
vine,
so
neither
can
you
unless
you
abide
in
me.
I
am
the
vine,
you
are
the
branches,
he
who
abides
in
me
and I
in
him,
he
bears
much
fruit,
for
apart
from
me
you
can
do
nothing.
Well the
first thing
we have
to ask
is what
is meant
by
abiding?
That was
part of
the discussion
this morning
and that
is the
question
that needs
to be
asked.
What
does
that
mean
to
abide?
Well the
word
simply means
to dwell
in
or
remain
in
or
live
in
but
what
does
that
mean
that
I
dwell
in
Jesus
remain
in
Jesus
or
live
in
Jesus
and
what
is
in
view
here
is
a
steadfast
continuing
and
total
dependence
upon
Christ.
One
commentator
described
it this
way and
I
think
it's
a
great
working
definition
of
abiding
he
said
to
abide
in
Jesus
is
an
ongoing
exercise
of
faith
and
love.
To
abide
in
Jesus
is
an
ongoing
exercise
of
faith
and
love
in
the
Christian
life.
You
see
to
abide
in
Jesus
in
an
ongoing
exercise
of
faith
and
love
in
which
we
are
clinging
to
Christ
with
our
whole
heart
as
our
Lord
and
head
and
as
we
do
that
we
derive
life
from
him
and
grace
from
him
and
strength
from
him
and
nourishment
from
him
and
then
he
on
his
promises
to
abide
in
us
as
an
encouragement
for
us
to
persevere
in
this
abiding
to
persevere
in
this
ongoing
exercise
of
faith
and
love
and
when
Christ
is
so
held
in
our
hearts
he
is
that
living
principle
of
grace
to
us
and
he
sustains
us
in
our
fruit
bearing
you
see
it
is
a
dependent
relationship
we
are
totally
and
completely
dependent
upon
Christ
but
this
relationship
was
initiated
by
Christ
we
didn't
even
initiate
it
was
initiated
by
Christ
in
the
new
birth
that
unites
us
to
him
in
which
he
gives
us
life
and
we're
maintained
by
the
presence
of
his
spirit
dwelling
in
us
so
his
abiding
in
us
is
a
sure
deal
it's
a
sure
thing
he
says
I'm
going
to
abide
in
you
we
can
take
him
at
!
his
word
he's
going
to
do
it
so
we
are
commanded
then
to
live
in
dependence
upon
him
maintaining
the
vitality
of our
union
through
this
constant
abiding
and
from
that
drawing
grace
to
bear
much
fruit
William
Hendrickson
in his
commentary
said
abide
in me
does
not
constitute
a
condition
which
man
must
fulfill
in
his
own
power
before
Christ
will
do
his
part
far
from
it
is
sovereign
grace
from
start
to
finish
but
the
responsibility
of
abiding
in
Christ
is
placed
squarely
upon
man's
shoulders
exactly
where
it
belongs
and
this
is
an
important
distinction
we
have
to
make
sure
we
have
clarity
on
Christ
is
not
saying
hey
you
abide
in
me
and
then
I'm
going
to
watch
for
a
while
and
when
I've
decided
you've
abided
well
enough
then
I'll
come
abide
in
you
that's
not
what
he's
saying
what
he's
saying
is
because
I
abide
in
you
and
because
I
will
never
leave
you
nor
forsake
you
work
from
my
good
pleasure
you
now
be
steadfast
in
abiding
in
me
so
as
we
abide
in
Christ
in
this
ongoing
exercise
of
faith
and
love
there's
two
aspects
of
this
abiding
we
need
to
see
first
in
verse
four
abide
in
me
and
I
in
you
as
the
branch
cannot
bear
fruit
of
itself
unless
it
abides
in
the
vines
so
neither
can
you
unless
you
abide
!
we
need
to
observe
we
cannot
bear
fruit
of
ourselves
apart
from
Christ
as
he
says
at
the
end
of
verse
five
apart
from
Christ
we
can
do
exactly
nothing
we
can't
bear
even
a
tiniest
little
bit
of
fruit
apart
from
Christ
we
are
helpless
apart
from
Christ
the
only
power
to
bear
fruit
comes
from
what
Christ
imparts
to
us
none
of
this
ability
to
bear
fruit
is
contributed
by
us
it
is
all
of
Christ
now
again
as
Hendrickson
pointed
out
we
are
responsible
to
bear
fruit
we
are
commanded
to
bear
fruit
but
we
can
only
do
so
out
of
Christ
empowering
grace
you
know
you
will
hear
this
trite
little
saying
in
Christian
circles
these
days
well
you
know
God
won't
give
you
anything
you
can't
handle
God
won't
make
you
responsible
for
something
you're
not
able
to
do
well
I
got
news
for
you
you're
not
able
to
do
anything
of
all
the
things
God
has
called
you
to
do
all
right
I
mean
that
the
philosophy
imbibed
in that
little
saying
is
secular
humanistic
rationalism
and it's
rotten to
the core
okay
we can't
do
anything
I
can't
I
can't
take
one
little
step
towards
doing
anything
God
has
called
me
to
do
I
don't
have
the
ability
apart
from
Christ
the
ability
to
do
it
comes
from
him
everything
God
calls
me
to
do
I
am
unable
to
do
on
my
own
but
in
Christ
I
am
able
to
bear
much
fruit
Matthew
Henry
says
abstracted
from
the
merit
of
Christ
we
can
do
nothing
towards
our
justification
and
from
the
spirit
of
Christ
nothing
towards
our
sanctification
without
Christ
we
can
do
nothing
aright
nothing
that
will
be
fruit
pleasing
to
God
or
profitable
to
others
and
then
we
come
to
verse
five
and
what
we
see
is
abiding
in
Christ
we
bear
much
fruit
okay
and
I
want
you
to
notice
how
verse
five
puts
it
I
am
the
vine
you
are
the
branches
he
who
abides
in
me
and
I
in
him
he
bears
much
fruit
you
see
there's
this
mutual
reciprocal
abiding
taking
place
here
Jesus
is
the
source
of
life
and
as
the
mediator
he
brings
life
to
us
and
through
the
Holy
Spirit
he
sustains
life
in
the
redeemed
and
we
bear
fruit
only
to
the
degree
of
our
dependence
upon
Christ
and
when
we
abide
in
Christ
he
pours
out
an
abundance
of
grace
upon
us
to
bear
fruit
and
what
I
want
you
to
notice
throughout
this
passage
is
there's
a
progression
in
the
text
in
verse
2
Jesus
says
every
branch
in
me
that
bears
fruit
notice
the
implication
Jesus
is
presupposing
that
if
you
are
truly
in
him
you
will
bear
fruit
he
goes
on
to
say
that
the
vine
dresser
prunes
that
branch
that
it
may
bear
more
fruit
and
then
he
goes
on
verse
5
and
says
he
who
abides
in
me
and
I
in
him
he
bears
much
fruit
so
union
with
Christ
will
produce
fruit
God's
pruning
by his
word
will
produce
more
fruit
I
should
say
by his
word
and his
discipline
and his
providence
will
produce
more
fruit
and
an
ongoing
exercise
of
faith
and
love
abiding
in
Christ
produces
much
fruit
and
then
that
brings
us
to
our
last
point
of
this
divine
discipleship
in
verses
6
through
8
if
anyone
does
not
abide
in
me
he
is
thrown
away
as
a
branch
and
dries
up
and
they
gather
them
and
cast
them
into
the
fire
and
they
are
burned
if
you
abide
in
me
and
my
words
abide
in
you
ask
whatever
you
wish
and
it
shall
be
done
for
you
by
this
is
my
father
glorified
that
you
bear
much
fruit
and
so
prove
to
be
my
disciples
well
first
we see
this
negatively
described
in
verse
6
regarding
those
branches
who
do
not
produce
fruit
as
we've
already
observed
these
are
the
branches
in
verse
2
that
are
taken
away
but
looking
branches
they're
not
all
withered
up
these
are
green
luxuriant
branches
with
nice
large
healthy
leaves
on
them
and
they
look
to be
so
alive
but
they
are
fruitless
see
we
not
only
have
some
grape
vines
at our
house
we
also
have
some
strawberries
and
it's
been
a
source
of
aggravation
with
me
but
I'm
not
the
farmer
okay
that
this
strawberry
patch
thick
luscious
green
healthy
plants
they
put
runners
out
everywhere
and
no
strawberries
and
that's
the way
it is
with
plants
sometimes
but
that's
also
the way
it is
with
false
professors
who
appear
to be
in
Jesus
see
they
appear
to have
life
in
them
but
they're
dead
and see
this is
a warning
to all
who would
outwardly
profess to
be
Christ
but are
inwardly
in even
the slightest
way
still
somehow
depending on
or trusting
in
your own
works
or your
own
righteousness
true fruit
bearing
comes
only
from
union
with
Christ
and
without
the
vitality
that his
grace
brings
you
cannot
bear
fruit
pleasing
to
God
you
see
like
the
rocky
soil
here
for
this
false
professor
trials
will
come
that
will
cause
their
profession
to
wither
at
some
point
they're
going
to be
offended
at the
preaching
of
God's
word
the
love
of
the
world
is
going
to
draw
them
away
or
perhaps
some
scandalous
sin
will
overtake
them
but
what
you'll
see
is
over
time
the
zeal
for
God
dies
out
the
professed
love
they once
had
of God
is
gone
the
means
of
grace
are
neglected
the
assembly
of the
saints
is
forsaken
and
the
soul
withers
and like
a
green
leafy
fruitless
branch
that
is
taken
away
the
false
professor
soon
withers
and dies
and is
cast
into the
fire
of
eternal
judgment
now
any
of you
here
who have
been in
the
church
for
any
length
of
time
I
bet
you
have
already
put
a
face
of
someone
you
know
to
that
description
see
that
one
who
seemed
to
be
in
Christ
they
so
seem
to
be
in
Christ
but
they're
no
longer
with
us
well
we
then
have
a
positive
description
of this
discipleship
in
verse
seven
and
what
I
want
you
to
see
here
what
verse
seven
is
those
who
abide
in
Christ
through
the
means
of
grace
look
what
he
says
here
if
you
abide
in
me
and
my
words
abide
in
you
ask
the
word
and
prayer
see
when we
abide
in
Christ
when
we
rest
in
total
dependence
upon
the
finished
work
of
Christ
for
life
and
salvation
when
we
are
united
to
Christ
by
grace
through
faith
alone
then
his
word
abides
in
us
see
what
he's
telling
them
here
is
that
word
that
cleansed
us
in
the
gospel
in
verse
three
now
abides
in
us
through
the
ministry
of
the
word
to
do
its
work
of
inner
cleansing
and
transformation
so
that
we
can
be
renewed
in
the
inner
man
Romans
12
1
and
2
our
minds
being
renewed
and
that
leads
to
a
transformation
of
our
whole
person
from
the
inside
out
when
we
embrace
the
promises
of
the
gospel
by
faith
and
those
become
the
abiding
principles
that
we
hold
with
conviction
so
that
we
believe
them
and
what
does
the
text
say
we
put
on
our
nikes
and
go
do
it
is
that
what
the
text
says
we
believe
and
we
go
do
it
no
the
text
says
we
believe
and
what
do
we
do
we
ask
we
ask
okay
because
we
believe
this
we
come
to
the
throne
of
grace
and
we
ask
and
what
does
it
say
he
will
do
whatever
you
wish
one
of the
observations
in the
discussions
this
morning
was
this
from
over
in
John
14
you
see
there's
a
priority
of
prayer
in
our
abiding
in
Christ
see
just
as
we
need
to
ask
God
to
bring
his
spirit
for
the
new
birth
!
save
us
in
this
ongoing
exercise
of
faith
and
love
that
we
call
abiding
in
Christ
we
need
to
ask
God
for
the
grace
of
the
indwelling
spirit
so we
can
bear
fruit
we
have
to
ask
that's
why
I
come
back
to
just
you
know
sometimes
I
just
feel
so
stupid
you
know
it's
like
oh
yeah
maybe
I
need
to
be
asking
God
for
the
grace
to
do
my
work
well
and
then
you
know
a
month
later
things
are
going
so
well
at
work
you
go
wow
that's
really
great
I
wonder
how
that
happened
oh
that's
right
I
asked
for
that
okay
but
we
there
needs
to be
this
priority
and it
needs
to be
in
the
front
of
our
minds
so we
need
to
ask
him
for
the
grace
of
his
spirit
so we
can
bear
fruit
because
see
here's
the
problem
for
us
I
know
I
do
anyways
but
we
have
a
tendency
to
presume
upon
God
and we
can
do
that
a
couple
ways
you
know
we
can
presume
to do
God
honoring
works
in the
power
of our
own
strength
but
I
think
we
all
know
that
doesn't
work
we
know
that
which
is
flesh
is
flesh
and
the
profits
nothing
okay
but
I
think
where
we
have
this
tendency
is
we
presume
!
God
by
taking
this
grace
for
granted
see
we
go
yeah
I
know
I
can
do
nothing
apart
from
Christ
I
know
that
I've
known
that
for
a
long
time
I
know
that
it's
just
taken
for
granted
I
need
his
grace
and
yet
I
don't
ask
for
it
see
I'm
presuming
upon
him
I'm
just
taking
for
granted
it'll
be
there
whether
I
ask
for
it
or
not
but
we're
commanded
to ask
for
it
you
know
brothers
and
sisters
God
doesn't
need
us
to
remind
him
of
his
promises
that's
there
for
our
benefit
it's
to
remind
us
of
our
total
and
utter
dependence
upon
him
and
really
I
think
this
is
a
part
of
the
blessings
of
redemption
because
by
this
act
of
being
constant
and
acting
it draws
us
closer
to
Christ
and
it
keeps
us
more
conscious
of
our
need
of
him
and
our
closeness
to
him
and
by
so
doing
we
better
more
clearly
see
the
glory
of
God
in
the
face
of
Christ
see
if
you
wish
to
bear
fruit
for
the
kingdom
ask
and
it
shall
be
done
for
you
and
what
is
it
he'll
do
God
doesn't
do
the
works
for
you
still
have
to
be
the
one
going
and
doing
them
but
what
he
does
is
he
gives
you
the
supply
of
grace
that
you
need
so
you
can
bear
fruit
that
your
father
will
be
glorified
and
this
brings
us
to
what
I
just
call
the
disposition
what's
the
end
result
end
result
verse
eight
God
is
glorified
God
is
glorified
when
fruit
gives
testimony
to
God's
grace
at
work
in
us
fruit
bearing
reflects
God's
attributes
not
ours
okay
it
reflects
who
God
is
and
what
God
is
doing
it's
a
reflection
of
God's
power
at
work
in
us
not
our
own
so
when
we
produce
fruit
it
glorifies
God
not
us
you
see
our
fruit
bearing
proves
we
are
disciples
of
Jesus
and
again
let's
be
clear
on
this
bearing
fruit
doesn't
make
us
disciples
of
Jesus
it
manifests
that we
are
disciples
of
Jesus
and
that
we
have
been
united
to
him
by
grace
through
faith
alone
so
brothers
and
sisters
this
Christian
life
that
we've
been
given
to
live
out
in
this
fallen
and
sin
cursed
world
is
an
ongoing
exercise
of
faith
and
love
in
union
with
Christ
with
the
purpose
to
bear
fruit
to
the
glory
of
God
you
see
a
grape
vine
a
grape
vine
is only
good
for
one
thing
producing
grapes
that's
all
it
does
it
has
no
other
purpose
likewise
mankind
was
created
to
bear
fruit
to
the
glory
of
God
God's
plan
from
the
beginning
from
Genesis
to
Revelation
has
been
to
fill
the
earth
with
his
image
bearers
who
bear
much
fruit
and
on
the
last
day
when
Christ
returns
those
image
bearers
who
are
not
bearing
fruit
will
be
taken
away
and
cast
into
the
fire
of
eternal
judgment
and
only
those
abiding
in
Christ
will
remain
so I
want to
close
with
one
last
question
for
you
what
should
I
do
if
I
see
no
fruit
in
my
life
what
should
I
do
if
I
see
little
fruit
in
my
life
or
what
should
I
do
if
I
see
malformed
fruit
in
my
life
you
know
the
grapes
growing
on
your
branch
look
like
they're
already
raisins
that
kind
of
fruit
now
you
might
think
you
should
get
to
work
because
the
branch
that
doesn't
bear
fruit
is
thrown
in
the
fire
of
eternal
judgment
I
got to
get
to
work
I
got
to
try
harder
I
need
my
ten
steps
to
this
I
got
to
go
do
these
three
things
or
whatever
I'm
simply
going
to
tell
you
that's
not
the
way
that
is
not
the
way
if
there
is
no
fruit
in
your
life
what
that
means
is
you
have
no
life
in
Jesus
you
are
not
yet
united
to
him
and
therefore
you
don't
have
the
means
to
bear
fruit
the
remedy
is
not
work
actually
that's
the
problem
working
is
the
problem
the
remedy
is
to
turn
away
from
the
sin
of
self
righteousness
and
self
sufficiency
and
turn
to
Christ
the
remedy
is
to
call
out
to
God
and
ask
him
to
bring
the
new
birth
that
will
unite
you
to
Christ
in
this
organic
vital
fruit
bearing
!
union!
Well
what if
I'm only
seeing a
little bit
of fruit
or
that
raisin
fruit?
Well
I think
based from
this text
we could
say
what that
indicates
then
you're
in need
of some
pruning
you have
some
distractions
in your
life
that need
to be
removed
so you
can bear
more
fruit
but again
here's what
you have
to understand
you can't
prune
yourself
furthermore
you can't
prune
anyone else
who does
the pruning?
the vine
dresser
he does
the pruning
so again
what do
we do?
same answer
turn to
Christ
turn to
Christ
in repentance
turn away
from trying
to bear
fruit in
your own
ability
or turn
away
from this
complacency
towards
God
that
inhibits
his
fruit
bearing
because
we're
not
seeking
the
grace
for it
ask
the
Lord
to
search
you
ask
the
Lord
to
know
you
ask
the
Lord
to
prune
you
this
morning
one of
the
comments
made
was
yeah
pruning
that
sounds
painful
what
is
I mean
have you
ever seen
those razor
sharp
bypass
shears
you
to
prune
something
just
picture
that
that's
God
at work
in you
cutting
out
that
remaining
sin
cutting
out
that
distraction
cutting
out
that
misplaced
priority
getting
that
stuff
out
of
the
way
it
can
be a
hard
prayer
to say
Lord
do
that
because
you
know
what's
going
to
follow
isn't
going
to
feel
good
but
that's
what
we
need
and
we
need
that
so
he'll
convict
us
of that
remaining
sin
that
inhibits
that
fruit
bearing
and
take
it
out
of
the
way
so
brothers
and
sisters
my
prayer
for
all
of
us
should
be
that
the
Lord
would
so
work
in
us
and
in
our
midst
that
we
and when
I say
we
I mean
we
individually
as a
group
of
individuals
but also
we
collectively
as a
local
church
your
church
here
in
Parker
Colorado
the
church
we
are
part
of
up
in
Powell
Wyoming
would
bear
much
fruit
to
the
move
to
a
watching
sinful
world
that
we
are
in
fact
disciples
of
Jesus
Christ
amen
let's
pray
our
father
in
heaven
Lord
we
do
thank
you
for
all
that
you
have
done
for
us
and
all
that
you
have
given
for
us
in
the
person
and
work
of
the
Lord
Jesus
Christ
who
right
now
stands
at
your
right
hand
interceding
on
our
behalf
as
his
people
that
you
have
given
father
we
thank
you
for
that
father
we
thank
you
for
these
reminders
father
we
I
pray
that
just
the
promises
of
gospel
contained
in
here
in
and
all
that
we
see
here
of
who
you
are
and
what
you've
done
and
are
doing
for
us
in
Christ
would
be
an
encouragement
to
our
hearts
Lord
but
father
I
pray
also
that
you'd
give
us
give
us
the
courage
to
pray
that
prayer
that
you
would
indeed
be
pruning
us
and
Lord
we
pray
that
you
would
be
sovereignly
at work
in that
doing
that
through
the
means
of
grace
doing
that
through
your
word
doing
that
through
your
good
providence
Lord
and
we
pray
father
that
by
this
you
would
be
strengthening
and
building
up
your
church
Lord
we
pray
for
this
church
here
that
you
would
build
this
church
and
the
gates
of
hell
would
not
prevail
against
it
we
pray
Lord
that
you
would
strengthen
this
church
in the
faith
ground
them
in the
truth
Lord
cause
them
to be
steadfast
and
persevering
in the
faith
and
we
pray
Lord
that
as
they
live
out
the
Christian
life
bearing
fruit
to
the
glory
of
your
name
that
it
would
be
a
witness
and
a
testimony
to
others
that
would
draw
your
elect
to
hear
the
that
!