Thoughts from Pastor Stan

INTRO

We’ve been talking about Grace and Truth. Grace is unconditional love. This is accepting the other no mater what they have done. Truth is the “advice” that friends give. Grace and Truth in friends is the kind of relationship that one has with someone, who will tell you the truth, but accepts you. They know all about you and still call you friend. You can tell them anything and they won’t think you are a nut.

QUESTION: How many friends do you have?

SUMMARY OF THE PREVIOUS WEEKS:

Some focus on Grace. Others focus on Truth. Perhaps a weaving of Grace and Truth is the way we we can live our lives in response to God. All of this requires Time.

SCRIPTURE TO PONDER: JOHN 15:9

As the Father has loved me, so i have loved you; abide in my love.

INTRO

This week we are talking about: BONDING (there is probably a better word for this, think it from your own perspective).

SITUATION

The purpose of life is RELATIONSHIP.

RELATIONSHIPS require growth, the more we grow with the other, the more we bond. Some folks "bond" better to others; than other folks who seem to refrain from "bonding." Bonding requires GRACE, TRUTH and TIME.

PROBLEM

When we fail to BOND (next week) it makes it difficult to grow and to have a healthy relationship with others.

LAST WEEK: LUKE 13: 6 - 9 (the non bearing Fig Tree)

Jesus told a parable:

“A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, “See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none.

RESPONSE to FRUITFULNESS (from owner)

Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil? (purpose of tree: bear fruit)

RESPONSE to OWNER (from gardener)

Leave it alone for one more year, until i dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.”

QUESTIONS

1. What is the purpose of a tree?

1. To grow
2. To bear fruit (the goal of the tree? from the owner’s perspective)

US (QUESTIONS)

1. If we are the tree,

• What then is the fruit (goal/purpose)?
1. Super Man/Woman? Do it all? (leap tall buildings; lots of friends, meaningful relationships, success financial and etc.) (goal? purpose?)
• What then is fruitlessness (or bad fruit)?
1. depression, anxiety, frustration

1. What is our response to fruitlessness (or bad fruit)

1. cut it down!

Have you ever “cut yourself down” (I should be able to do it all)

Do others “cut you down” (You should be able to do it all, what’s wrong with you?)

• What then is Fertilizer? (Krispy Kreme Doughnuts)
1. That’s what we are going to talk about today?

INTRO TO SCRIPTURE

This week another vineyard story. In this story, Jesus is looking at his followers who will remain after his departure (death, resurrection and ascension). He is speaking to his closet followers. These words are guidelines for discipleship.

1. What is DISCIPLESHIP?

QUESTION: Is discipleship a commitment to beliefs (doctrine)

Is it a way of life? (ethics)

Is it relationship (that transforms)

ANSWER: Yes

1. In this passage the emphasis is RELATIONSHIP

SCRIPTURE: John 15 (Jesus The True Vine)

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

NOTE

There is a relationship between Jesus and The Father (God).

GARDENER/VINE DRESSER

Trim branches so that they will produce more fruit as well as cut away

the dead branches that bear no fruit.

2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.

REMEMBER LAST WEEK: No fruit, cut it down! (truth)

3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.

QUESTION: Why clean? Word

How to remain clean?

4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you.

No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

QUESTION: What must we do? Remain in Jesus (Jazz Service)

5"I am the vine; you are the branches.

NOTE: The vineyard typically represents Israel. Typically the vines are rooted in the soil (land - Abrahamic Covenant); but not in this metaphor, they are “branches” “rooted” in Jesus.

NOTE: Discipleship is not merely believing Jesus, it is having a relationship with Jesus (bonding).

5b If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.

IMPLICATION: The only evidence of a relationship with God is fruit.

7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.

NOTE: The relationship: Bonding

8 This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

NOTE: Disciples “bear much fruit”

9 "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.

10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love.

11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.

16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.

17 This is my command: Love each other.

QUESTION: Is there a similar relationship between us and Jesus (the vine)?

POINT

God calls us into a relationship with God. As we bond with God, and grow in that relationship we will bear fruit.

IMPLICATION

Being a Christian is not merely believing the right things (though that is important); nor is it merely living a Christ-like life (though that is important too); But, it is also a RELATIONSHIP with God through Jesus. As this relationship grows, it will bear fruit. That fruit is LOVE (15:12).