Pew2You
September 16th, 2018
Message Title: Jesus Is the True Vine
Speaker: Pastor Phil
Highlights:
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He is the True Vine
That means there are also false vines -
The Father is the vinedresser
God is hands on—he gets his hands dirty; he is active in our lives -
We are the branches
Not everyone is a branch
Branches are people who know the vine (Christians) -
The Principle of Radical Amputation:
Rather than play with sin, entertain sin, negotiate with sin, try to manage sin, leave space for sin, we should act like this is war and sin is the enemy. Because this is war and sin is the enemy. -
Starve sin, Run from sin, Amputate sin
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Pruning is helpful, not harmful, but it could be hurtful
Don’t hold onto what God is cutting OFF -
Branches that take themselves out of the vine – DIE!
You are not the vine, but the branches attached to the vine
God loves fruit. He is glorified by the fruit that you bear in your life!
Discussion Questions:
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Has there been a time when God cut something out of your life that you now look back on with gratefulness?
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Is God asking you to let go of some dead wood that is hindering your growth? If so, what is that dead wood, and what does surrendering to God’s pruning look like for you?
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What good fruit might result as you surrender to God’s work in your life?
Key Scriptures, Quotes and Definitions:
John 15:1-5 – 1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much ?fruit; for without Me you can do ?nothing.”
He cuts away DEAD WOOD!!! Jesus is trying to CUT out of your life DEAD, WORTHLESS, DESTRUCTIVE THINGS!!!
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EVERY non-fruit bearing branch He CUTS OFF and takes away.
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EVERY fruit bearing branch He prunes
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There is not a 3rd option of DO NOTHING
Becoming a Christian initializes and starts fruit potential. Pruning enhances the fruit production, and ABIDING MAXIMIZES IT.