Believers Chapel

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John 15:1-11

  • Sean Obergfell
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Church Notes: January 31, 2010 Believers Chapel Sean Obergfell, Lead Pastor This Month: LIVING CONNECTED Last week: Psalm 16:8 “I have set the Lord continually before me…..” David was going through a time of abandonment. “Therefore my heart is glad and my glory will rejoice. My flesh will also dwell securely; I know you will not abandon me…” Corrie Ten Boom and illustration of God"s Sovereignty. “JOY” John 15 (NASB) Sean"s uncle was a Bible translator for Wycliffe and the NASB is very clear and accurate to the original, that is why Sean preaches from it. Because of what YOU have done for us; in that there is joy. The enemy comes in with things that are here today and gone tomorrow and tries to take away our joy. John 15:11 (Jesus speaking) “These things have I spoken to you so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be made full.” Can you imagine that the same joy that Jesus had He wants us to experience? The Bible says in Eph. 5:18: “Be not drunk with wine, but be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Whatever you are filled with controls you. Galatians 5:22 Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Be filled with these things. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we will have the fruit. John 15:5 and following “I am the vine and you are the branches…” “My Father is glorified in this; that you bear much fruit….” The connection carrying over from last week: If we would get our focus off the circumstances and onto our living hope, which is Christ, that is where our joy is found. God is the vinedresser, the caretaker, the owner of the field; the One who will prune us, clean us, make sure our soil (the things in our lives). Every branch that does not bear fruit, He takes away. The pruning isn"t fun at times. He cleanses us from things that will not produce fruit. As a believer, as one who knows that God says He is our caretaker and who prunes us, so that we would bear fruit. What are we expected to see in the Christian life? There should be FRUIT. An evidence of fruit because we are saying “God, you have the right to come in and prune me. So I may bear more fruit.” John 15 Vs. 6 “if anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away…. Those who are not true believers. They will be cut away and thrown into the fire. Every branch that bears fruit, He cleans so that it may bear more fruit. Colossians 1 We need to say, “God, I want to bear fruit in all good things.” Because it is His desire to do so. The caretakers of the vineyard do EVERYTHING necessary to get as MUCH fruit from the vines as possible. As does God with us. If we would allow God to come in and strip things away that are hindering the fruit we could have, He will make us more fruitful. “Remain in Me, and I in you.” To begin and continue. We have to be steadfast and not give up. Hebrews 3:6: “But Christ was faithful as a Son over is house; whose house we are if we hold fast our confidence…..” Vs. 12: “Take care brethren that there no be any of you an evil, unbelieving heart….” Vs. 13: “But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called to day.” “So that none of you will be hardened from the deceitfulness of sin….” A part of that joy that we so desire and want in our lives regardless of circumstances, we find when we walk ABIDING IN THE VINE. We are connected together. All branches in the same VINE. Hebrews 3:13: “Take care, brethren, that there be none of you an evil, unbelieving heart..” If we are encouraging one another speaking truth to one another, and we see someone falling away, and see them as a branch that is dried up (like one that will be thrown away), COME ALONGSIDE THAT PERSON…and ask them what they are doing??? We do not want any pretenders here. Those who don"t abide in Christ. Be so careful…if you want complete joy….don"t let the enmy come in and steal your joy. Don"t get caught up with anything but the TRUTH. John 17:17 “Your word is truth..” John 15 When Jesus said, “these things I have spoken to you….” We need to know what “these things” are without leaving any of it out. Taking things out will make it incomplete. Vs. 5: “I am the vine and you are the branches.” See how many times He repeats this in this chapter. “He who abides in Me bears much fruit…..for apart from ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING…” Continue in Christ, making Him your focus, and you will bear fruit. Don"t let our circumstances over-run us or overtake us. It is then that the fruit begins to dry up and wither away. It"s important that your day completely revolves around HIM and HIS program. “God, today is the day you have given me and I will be glad in it.” “It"s your day, and because of that I"m going to rejoice.” “For apart from Me you can do nothing.” God can do without man, but man cannot do without God. God is the One who spoke the sun, stars into existence….and He knows them all by name. He then created us so we could have a relationship with Him so we could understand a relationship with God. Understand the necessity that you and I have to be with God and to be a part and not fall away. Vs. 7: “if you abide in Me, and My words abide in you…ask whatever you wish and it will be done unto you…” If we are truly a part of the Vine, we will be understanding His heart and not asking selfishly. There are great results when we understand and get hold of God"s heart. Bear fruit among the people around you. Is there something different about us? A Christian should have fruit. Philippians 1 Righteousness - doing things right according to what God says. Vs. 11 “Having been filled (controlled by) the fruit of righteousness….” Hebrews 13:15 “Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise, that is the fruit of lips that give praise to His Name.” How can we not come to that point to be so thankful for our salvation that we are not continually in the mode of praise. The fruit of our lips John 15 Vs. 7: “If you abide in Me…and my words abide in you…” Vs. 8: “For My father is glorified by this; that you bear much fruit and so prove to be My disciples.” The owner of the vineyard gets excited when He sees much fruit! The obvious fruit in our lives is what gives glory to our Father. Are we that light to the world so that every single person would see that we are different; that we are bearing fruit? In our relationships, kids, marriage, workplace. Prove that we are his disciples by our fruit. They will know we are Christians by our love. “And so prove to be My disciples….abide in My love.” Begin and continue with Christ, His Word, and His Love. In Christ In His Word In His Love HIS joy, gladness….walk in the fullness of joy. Get our eyes off of our circumstances and abide in Him. Then our joy will be complete.

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