1. 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

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. 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...”

14. 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.

15. 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.

16. 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...

17. 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.

18. 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.

19. 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 5:22- 23  " IN ROMANS 15:28 HE CALLS THE OFFERINGS SENT TO JERUSALEM A FRUIT OF THE MACEDONIANS' FAITH.ROMANS 15:28

20. 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.

21. 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.

22. 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.

23. 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 !

24. 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.