How to stay connected
John 15:1-11
So how are you feeling about gas prices? I think I’m beginning to buy into the conspiracy theories. One thing I did learn that is kind of relevant to where we are today is how important it is to stay connected to the source. A pipe breaks between here and Tucson, we’re no longer hooked up to the supply, and we pay the consequences in terms of price and inconvenience.
In some ways I wish we had the same emotional response to not being hooked up to Jesus in an ongoing relationship as we do to something comparatively insignificant as a gas crisis. Had the same sense of urgency to get hooked up relationally with Him as we did about getting that pipeline fixed.
1) Branches will bear fruit
a) If not cause separation
b) When we do- He prunes us
c) God removes all things in the believers life that would hinder Him from bearing fruit.
Cut away sin and hindrances that would drain Spiritual life
Fruits of Spirit – love , Joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control
Some of those dead branches- sin
Like ice storm- branches weighed down- kills them. Dead branches weigh us down stop production- Heb 12:13
Have to go so there will be growth.
Separates us from the spirit flowing through the vine.
2. Cannot bear fruit by yourself. Apart from me you can do nothing. Actually there are many things we can do without Christ. Wee can earn a living, raise a family, and practice generosity. It is even possible to Pastor a church without abiding. It is possible to counsel people without abiding. So what does Christ mean? He means that we cannot bear spiritual fruit without Him. Real fruit comes from the vine flowing through us.
There’s a phrase that has become popular in pop culture today, Being in “the zone.”
The zone refers to that state of mind when everything is clicking for you and you’re doing everything right.
You can’t miss a shot, you’re able to anticipate what the opposition is doing, and you have a quick answer for every question.
Anyone who has ever played sports or performed in public knows what it’s like to be in the zone.
Also, anyone who has ever played sports or performed in public knows what it’s like to be out of the zone—there are days when you don’t think straight, don’t perform well, and nothing seems to go your way.
When it comes to living the Christian life, there’s a zone that we can be in—a zone that makes it easier to walk in faith, live in obedience, see our prayers answered, experience joy, and handle adversity.
It is a zone that Jesus challenges us all to live in.
What is this zone?
a) We separate ourselves from Christ when we try to do things on our own. Paul tells us in Gal. 5, some of the deeds of the flesh that separate us. Not an exhaustive list.
Deeds of the flesh are. Sexual immorality, Impurity- that which makes a man unfit to come before God, the soiling of life with the things which separate us from Him.
Wantonness-the idea that of a man who is so far gone in desire that he has ceased to care what people say or think.
Idolatry- material things taken the place of God
Witchcraft- the use of drugs- poisoning.
Enmity- hostility to his fellow men- opposite of love for the brethren and for all men.
Strife- which had found its outcome in Quarreling and backbiting and bickering
Jealousy- means to desire to have what someone else has, wrong desire for what is not for us.
Uncontrolled temper- quick temper-
Self-seeking- any motives of service, but for what he can get out of it.
Dissension- standing apart- describes a society where members fly apart instead of coming together
It should be possible to differ with a man and yet remain friends.
Envy- It grudges the fact that other person has these things at all. It does not so much want things for itself; it merely wants to take them from others.
Drunkenness- condemned drunkenness as a thing which turned a man into a beast.
Carousing- It means unrestrained partying
These are dead work these are things that separate us from, Christ.
b) Abide in Christ
Means to remain- to stay around- evidence of salvation already took place.
c) If you continue in God’s word you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.
d) Why we fail to have that strong spiritual connection to Christ – not bearing fruit. But living in the deed of the flesh.
3) Christ’s love never fails
Romans 8:35-38 nothing can separates us from His love- never fails us- always there- we separate ourselves from Him. God’s love never fails; never not there nothing can separate us from His love. Only our failure-separate us spiritually. He never fails us- always there – we separate ourselves from Him.
God’s love never fails. Sin separates the world from God, but sin separates us spiritual from God not from God.
Our failures separates us from being spiritually in tune with His desire for the best for our lives.
4) Joy- Joy being completely in Him
Enjoying the fruit..
a. empowered prayer life
b. Father glorifies
c. Love will fill our lives
d. More of Christ in us
e. Blessing to others
Computer losing connection
How do we connect, remain, abide?
• Take it seriously—when talk about relationship with Christ, it is a selling out of our heart completely for Christ. This is where you draw life from.
• Make a commitment: choose to remain, no matter what the circumstances, no matter what the storm. Make a commitment to trust. Develop a daily practice of hooking in. Why a moment in the morning is vital—to connect.
• Maintain communication: V. 7 again ties prayer into a relationship with God. Develop a moment by moment realization of God’s presence. Listen.
• Connect in his word. V. 7.
• Rely on your brothers and sisters in Christ. Hebrews 10:25.
• When you fail, just get reconnected. Sign back on.
