ARE YOU WELL CONNECTED? MARANATHA (Series) John 15:1-11

SUNDAY:TRIUMPHAL ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM MONDAY:CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE (2 ND TIME) TUESDAY:JESUS ANNOUNCES HIS DEATH TO COME, JUDAS CONTRACTS TO BETRAY JESUS WEDNESDAY:MOUNT OF OLIVES (MATTHEW 24,25) THURSDAY:LAST SUPPER (JOHN 13,14) ON THE WAY TO THE GARDEN (JOHN 15-17) ARRESTED/TRIALS BEGIN FRIDAY:TRIALS CONTINUES; CRUCIFIED AND BURIED SUNDAY:RESURRECTED!

THINGS JESUS HAS ALREADY SAID 1. I AM COMING BACK! MARANATHA! 2. LOOK FOR THESE SIGNS THAT PRECEDE MY COMING! 3. HUMBLE YOURSELVES TO SERVE OTHERS 4. YOU HAVE A HELPER – THE HOLY SPIRIT!

John 15:1-5 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vineyard keeper or gardener. 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. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 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. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

John 15:6-11 “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. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 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. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”

THE POSITION! - “IN CHRIST”

John 15:1-11 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 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…. 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. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers;... If you remain in me and my words, remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you…. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 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. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”

WELL CONNECTED! STEP ONE: GET CONNECTED STEP TWO: BE CONNECTED STEP THREE: STAY CONNECTED (REMAINING CLOSE) (STAYING CLOSE) (CONTINUOUSLY CLOSE)

QUESTION: HOW DO YOU DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH ANOTHER PERSON?

GOD’PART: WHAT HAS GOD DONE TO MAKE AN ON-GOING RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM POSSIBLE? 1.GOD HAS PROVIDED THE LIFE THAT IS IN THE VINE! 2.GOD PRUNES AWAY THE UNHEALTHY, THE UNNECESSARY AND THE UNHELPFUL! 3.GOD CONTINUES TO PURIFY THE BRANCHES TO KEEP THEM HEALTHY! 4.GOD PRODUCES THE FRUIT THAT COMES FROM OUR LIVES! Isaiah’s question: “What more could I do that I have not already done?” (5:7)

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS LOVE JOY PEACE PATIENCE KINDNESS GOODNESS FAITHFULNESS GENTLENESS SELF CONTROL GALATIANS 5:22-23

OUR PART: HOW DO WE STAY CONNECTED TO JESUS

1. HAVE A PRIDEFUL SPIRIT 6. JEALOUSY 2. DISPLAY A TOUCHY TEMPER7. DISHONEST DISPOSITION 3. SEEK RECOGNITION 8. LUSTFUL DESIRES 4. HAVE A STUBBORN WILLFUL ATTITUDE 9. SPIRITUAL DEADNESS 5. A FEARFUL HEART 10. SELF CENTEREDNESS THE FRUIT NOBODY WANTS TO SEE “Search me O God and know my heart; see if there by any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23,24

THE BOTTOM LINE OUR POSITION (IN CHRIST) DEPENDS ON OUR PRACTICE AND OUR DAILY PURSUIT OF CLOSENESS WITH CHRIST! OUR PRODUCT (THE FRUIT) DEPENDS ON OUR POSITION AND IS SOMETHING GOD DOES AS A RESULT OF OUR CLOSENESS WITH HIM!

THE PRODUCT OF OUR LIVES: FRUITFULNESS

EVIDENCES OF BEING ‘WELL CONNECTED’ 1. THE EVIDENCE OF FRUITFULNESS THAT COMES FROM GOD! “I AM THE VINE; YOU ARE THE BRANCHES. IF A MAN REMAINS IN ME AND I IN HIM, HE WILL BEAR MUCH FRUIT; APART FROM ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING.” John 15:5

EVIDENCES OF BEING ‘WELL CONNECTED’ 2. THE EVIDENCE OF EFFECTIVE PRAYER “IF YOU REMAIN IN ME AND MY WORDS REMAIN IN YOU, ASK WHATEVER YOU WISH AND IT WILL BE GIVEN YOU.” John 15:7

EVIDENCES OF BEING ‘WELL CONNECTED’ 3. THE EVIDENCE OF ENJOYING GOD’S LOVE “AS THE FATHER HAS LOVED ME, SO HAVE I LOVED YOU. NOW REMAIN IN MY LOVE. 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.” John 15:9,10

EVIDENCES OF BEING ‘WELL CONNECTED’ 4. THE EVIDENCE OF GOD’S JOY IN ONE’S LIFE! “I HAVE TOLD YOU THIS SO THAT MY JOY MAY BE IN YOU AND THAT YOUR JOY MAY BE COMPLETE.” John 15:11