Garwood Presbyterian Church

How to Have a Productive Life

John 15:1-8

Introduction

1. Communion and John 15
2. Symbols of John 15
   1. Jesus is the vine = trunk.
   2. Christians are the branches.
   3. God the Father is the gardener or vinedresser.
   4. Fruit is inward of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23), and outward of a Godly life (Psalm 1:3, Eph. 2:10).
   5. Christians are to bear fruit, "I chose you to go and bear fruit", John 15:16.
3. Christians: Statistically, 1/2 bear no fruit, 1/3 bear some fruit, 1/20 bear a lot of fruit. How about you?

1. Christian Branches That Bear No Fruit
   1. Illustration
   2. "He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit"
      1. NIV Bible "cuts off" in the Greek New Testament is "lifts up, takes up, picks up".
      2. A vinedresser will lift up and clean off branches that have fallen onto the dirty ground and reattach them to the trellis.
   3. Christians bear no fruit because of their sin.
   4. God lifts up such Christians by cleaning them off through discipline.
      1. See Hebrews 12:5-11 and the three levels of discipline.
         1. Rebuke, v.5 - a verbal warning.
            How does God actually do this?
         2. Discipline, v.6 - to chasten or correct. Our soul or emotions are anxious, stressful, or frustrated.
         3. Punishment, v.6 - to scourge with a whip. Example in I Cor. 11:30, "That is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died,".
   5. Get out from under God's discipline by repenting, and become fruitful.
2. Christian Branches That Bear Some Fruit
   1. Illustration
   2. "every branch that does bear fruit he trims clean"
   3. God cuts out our lesser priorities, immature commit-ments, unfruitful activities, and wrong values.
      1. John 15:3
      2. Examples
   4. Illustration - David before he became king.
   5. Paul's example in Phil. 3:5-9.
   6. We bear more fruit by trusting and yielding to God.
3. Christian Branches That Bear a Lot of Fruit
   1. The hidden danger to a productive Christian.
   2. "Remain in me" Jesus said.
      1. A command, not a request.
      2. Something we must take the initiative to do.
   3. Beware of the severe warning for not doing this!
   4. How to Abide in Jesus:
      1. Fully realize that Jesus truly does love you and wants to be with you. Let it sink in deeply.
      2. Put the emphasis on your actual relationship with Jesus, not on doing activities to be with Him.
      3. By faith - Hebrews 11:6 and II Cor. 5:7.
      4. By living by the Holy Spirit within us - Romans 8:5-6, 14-16.
      5. By obeying His commands, John 15:10, to love one another, John 15:10-12 and I John 3:24, 4:12.
      6. By praying, devotionally and throughout the day, especially in listening to Him.
      7. By dwelling on the Bible - Col. 3:16, & I John 2:24.
      8. By worshiping that releases your love to Him.
      9. By keeping a spiritual journal of your daily relationship with Him.
   5. This will make you even more fruitful for Jesus.

"Whom have I in heaven but You? And being with You, I desire nothing on earth.", Psalm 73:25.