ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL DIOBU PHC  COVENANT SERVICE  SUNDAY 3 RD FEB 2013   TOPIC: “STAY CONNECTED”  JOHN 15: 1-8  BY  VEN. JOHN C. ADUBASIM

ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL DIOBU PHC  I WANT YOU TO SAY WITH ME,  IN 2013 I WILL DWELL IN GOSHEN!  I WILL GET CONNECTED  I WILL BE CONNECTED  I WILL STAY CONNECTED  I WILL LIVE CONNECTED TO GOD  AND NOTHING WILL TAKE ME AWAY FROM GOD.

STAY CONNECTED  BETWEEN GOD AND I, THERE WILL BE NO NETWORK FAILURE.  I WILL NOT BE DISCONNECTED OR ALIENATED FROM GOD.  IN MY FLOW WITH GOD THIS YEAR I WILL NOT HAVE ANY CONGESTION. IN JESUS NAME, AMEN.

STAY CONNECTED BIBLICAL TEXT: JOHN 15: 1-8 (CEV)  1. Jesus said to his disciples: I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.  2. He cuts away every branch of mine that doesn't produce fruit. But he trims clean every branch that does produce fruit, so that it will produce even more fruit.  3. You are already clean because of what I have said to you.

STAY CONNECTED  4. STAY JOINED TO ME, AND I WILL STAY JOINED TO YOU. Just as a branch cannot produce fruit unless it stays joined to the vine, YOU CANNOT PRODUCE FRUIT UNLESS YOU STAY JOINED TO ME.  5. I am the vine, and you are the branches. If you stay joined to me, and I stay joined to you, THEN YOU WILL PRODUCE LOTS OF FRUIT. BUT YOU CANNOT DO ANYTHING WITHOUT ME.

STAY CONNECTED  6. If you don't stay joined to me, you will be thrown away. You will be like dry branches that are gathered up and burned in a fire.  7. STAY JOINED TO ME AND LET MY TEACHINGS BECOME PART OF YOU. THEN YOU CAN PRAY FOR WHATEVER YOU WANT, AND YOUR PRAYER WILL BE ANSWERED.  8. When you become fruitful disciples of mine, my Father will be honored.

STAY CONNECTED  YOU CAN STAY CONNECTED  THERE ARE MANY TIMES WHEN IT SEEMS YOU HAVE LOST TOUCH WITH GOD.  WHEN THERE IS WORRIES AND STRESS GOING ON IN YOUR LIFE.  THIS OFTEN LEEDS TO FEELING DISCONNECTED FROM GOD.  GOD DOESN’T WANT YOU TO LIVE IN GUILT, FEELING INADEQUATE FOR WHAT YOU ARR NOT ABLE TO MANAGE. GUILTINADEQUATE

STAY CONNECTED  HE KNOWS OUR HUMAN NATURE, OUR WEAKNESSES AND THE PRESSURES WE FACE IN OUR LIVES. PRESSURES  YOU NEED TO BE SELF-DISCIPLINED, AND KEEP CONNECTED WITH HIM.  NO, GOD DOESN’T CONDEMN YOU, BUT THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES WHEN WE END UP BECOMING DISCONNECTED FROM GOD.

STAY CONNECTED  AS WE CAN SEE FROM JOHN 15,  IF WE LIVE APART FROM GOD WE CANNOT BEAR FRUIT.  WE WITHER, RATHER THAN THRIVE AND GROW.  WE STRUGGLE ON OUR OWN, RATHER THAN SEEKING GOD IN PRAYER AND MISS OUT ON HIS WORKING IN OUR LIVES.  IT'S NOT REALLY DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND JESUS' PICTURE HERE.  WHEN A BRANCH IS CONNECTED TO A TREE, IT GETS THE NUTRIENTS THAT IT NEEDS AND LIVES.

STAY CONNECTED  IF THE BRANCH IS CUT OFF, IT CAN'T GET WHAT IT NEEDS AND QUICKLY DIES.  THE POINT OF COMPARISON IS REALLY PRETTY SIMPLE:  CONNECTED TO JESUS, ONE HAS WHAT IT TAKES TO LIVE SPIRITUALLY AND ETERNALLY.  BUT SEPARATED FROM HIM AND WE'RE LIFELESS AND WORTHLESS, FIT ONLY FOR THE FIRE AND ETERNAL DEATH IN HELL.  SO, JESUS WARNED HIS DISCIPLES TO STAY CONNECTED TO HIM TO SURVIVE.

STAY CONNECTED  YOU MAY HAVE HEARD THE MAXIM, "It's not what you know, but who you know that counts."  IT'S A SAYING THAT REMINDS US OF THE IMPORTANCE OF STAYING CONNECTED TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE.  AND THERE'S A LOT OF TRUTH IN THAT SAYING.  WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR SALVATION, IT'S NOT WHAT YOU KNOW, BUT WHO YOU KNOW―JESUS―THAT REALLY COUNTS.

STAY CONNECTED  THIS MORNING THEN WE HEAR JESUS' WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT TO STAY CONNECTED TO HIM.  BECAUSE THE DIFFERENCE OF BEING CONNECTED TO HIM IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ETERNAL LIFE AND DEATH.

WHY STAY CONNECTED?  I. STAY CONNECTED TO SURVIVE  WHAT COMFORTING WORDS THESE MUST HAVE BEEN FOR THE DISCIPLES TO REMEMBER AS THEY WERE CUT OFF FROM JESUS BY HIS PHYSICAL DEATH AND ASCENSION:  TO KNOW THAT THEY WERE STILL CONNECTED TO HIM. AND HOW COMFORTING THESE WORDS REMAIN FOR US:  "Remain in me, and I will remain in you...”

WHY STAY CONNECTED?  JESUS WARNS US, FRIENDS,  "IF 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."  AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE DESERVE―HELL.

WHY STAY CONNECTED?  BROTHERS AND SISTERS, YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN ETERNAL LIFE IN JESUS, PLANTED BY HIM.  NOW, REMAIN IN HIM. AND CULTIVATE YOUR FAITH.  RECOGNIZE YOUR WEAKNESS, THAT YOU CAN NEVER SURVIVE THIS LIFE ON YOUR OWN, LET ALONE THE JUDGMENT TO COME, AND CLING TO THE VINE THAT IS, JESUS.

WHY STAY CONNECTED?  DRAW LIFE FROM THAT VINE BY STAYING CONNECTED TO HIM IN HIS WORD.  AND AS YOU STAY CONNECTED TO HIM YOU WON'T ONLY SURVIVE, BUT YOU'LL THRIVE, PRODUCING GOOD FRUIT OF FAITH...

WHY STAY CONNECTED?  II. STAY CONNECTED TO THRIVE  JESUS TOLD HIS DISCIPLES,  "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit."  REMAIN IN JESUS AND HIS WORD, AND YOU WILL BEAR FRUIT.  IT'S NOT OPTIONAL.  FRUIT IS A NATURAL RESULT OF A GOOD, HEALTHY BRANCH.

WHY STAY CONNECTED?  IF THERE'S NO LIFE IN THE BRANCH, IT WON'T GIVE FRUIT.  BUT IF THERE'S LIFE, THERE IS FRUIT.  IT MIGHT NOT ALWAYS BE A BUMPER CROP, BUT THERE WILL ALWAYS BE FRUIT.  AND WHAT ARE THE SPIRITUAL FRUITS OF A BELIEVER CONNECTED TO JESUS?  THEY'RE GOOD WORKS. THOSE THINGS DONE ACCORDING TO GOD'S WILL AND MOTIVATED BY FAITH.

WHY STAY CONNECTED?  PAUL TELLS US IN GALATIANS 5:22- 23, "THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS AND SELF-CONTROL.GALATIANS 5:  " IN ROMANS 15:28 HE CALLS THE OFFERINGS SENT TO JERUSALEM A FRUIT OF THE MACEDONIANS' FAITH.ROMANS 15:28

STAY CONNECTED.  BUT GOD USES THE PAIN AND THE SUFFERING IN YOUR LIFE TO HELP YOU GROW AND PRODUCE BIGGER AND BETTER FRUIT.  HE CUTS OFF THE DEAD BRANCHES OF YOUR LIFE―A RELATIONSHIP, A JOB, SOME HOBBY OR BLESSING, SO THE VALUABLE NUTRIENTS OF YOUR LIFE―YOUR TIME, YOUR GIFTS AND YOUR ENERGY―AREN'T WASTED IN MEANINGLESS PURSUITS.

STAY CONNECTED.  AND HE MIGHT LET SOME MANURE PILE UP IN YOUR LIFE TO FERTILIZE YOUR FAITH AND TAKE YOUR FOCUS OFF THOSE SELFISH PURSUITS THAT YOU MIGHT PRODUCE MORE FRUIT.  SO WHEN THE PROBLEMS OF LIFE HIT AND GOD PRUNES YOU OR FERTILIZES YOU, REJOICE!  WHAT LOVING CARE THE GARDENER GIVES EACH VINE, EVEN IF IT SOMETIMES SEEMS LIKE TORTURE TO THE PLANT.

STAY CONNECTED.  AND FINALLY, PRAY THAT HE WILL CONTINUE TO PRUNE YOU, AND CUT OUT THOSE THINGS THAT SEPARATE YOU FROM YOUR SAVIOUR.  PRAY THAT YOU'LL ALWAYS REMAIN CONNECTED TO HIM.  PRAY THAT YOU'LL RECOGNIZE AND MAKE USE OF EVERY OPPORTUNITY HE GIVE YOU TO PRODUCE MORE FRUIT.

STAY CONNECTED.  "IF YOU REMAIN IN ME AND MY WORDS REMAIN IN YOU, ASK WHATEVER YOU WISH, AND IT WILL BE GIVEN YOU."  DEAR FRIENDS, REMAIN IN HIM. LET HIS WORDS REMAIN IN YOU.  REJOICE THAT YOU'VE BEEN GRAFTED IN TO THE BRANCH, THAT YOU'RE SECURELY CONNECTED TO HIM, AND THAT YOU LIVE !

STAY CONNECTED.  "IT'S NOT WHAT YOU KNOW, BUT WHO YOU KNOW THAT COUNTS."  YOU KNOW JESUS.  YOU'RE CONNECTED TO HIM.  STAY CONNECTED. AMEN.