1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:03,569 Hello and welcome to the Middletown Baptist Church Podcast, 2 00:00:03,697 --> 00:00:06,593 where we are proclaiming the truth to the world. 3 00:00:06,689 --> 00:00:09,657 My name is Pastor Josh and I want to thank you for listening to 4 00:00:09,681 --> 00:00:10,685 this podcast. 5 00:00:10,985 --> 00:00:14,625 I hope that this podcast can be a blessing to you and strengthen 6 00:00:14,665 --> 00:00:16,245 you in the word of God. 7 00:00:16,745 --> 00:00:20,145 Now come along, let's look into the Bible and see what God has 8 00:00:20,185 --> 00:00:21,765 for us here today. 9 00:00:23,385 --> 00:00:26,353 I was reminded this last weekend just thinking about all of 10 00:00:26,369 --> 00:00:29,747 the immense riches we have in Christ, all the things that I've 11 00:00:29,771 --> 00:00:35,371 been thankful for, family, friends, relatives, the extension 12 00:00:35,403 --> 00:00:37,995 of church, family, you know, all everyone who's dear to us. 13 00:00:38,035 --> 00:00:40,755 And you know, I really miss being here last week with you guys, 14 00:00:40,795 --> 00:00:43,867 but feeling better this week coming from Pastor Josh as they're 15 00:00:43,891 --> 00:00:45,855 heading back from their vacation. 16 00:00:46,315 --> 00:00:48,575 We'll be in John chapter 15 this morning. 17 00:00:48,995 --> 00:00:49,995 John, chapter 15. 18 00:00:50,075 --> 00:00:50,931 Who, who is the A.P. 19 00:00:51,003 --> 00:00:52,827 who is the author of the Book of John? 20 00:00:52,971 --> 00:00:55,603 Well, of course it's John the Apostle of Jesus Christ. 21 00:00:55,659 --> 00:00:58,865 The beginning church Father Arranius wrote that the early date 22 00:00:58,905 --> 00:01:02,417 and apostolic evidence, externally looking at it and internally 23 00:01:02,481 --> 00:01:05,161 conclude that John the Apostle was the author. 24 00:01:05,193 --> 00:01:06,593 Now, when was this book written? 25 00:01:06,729 --> 00:01:09,897 It was written roughly between 85 and 95 AD. 26 00:01:10,041 --> 00:01:12,889 It was believed to have been written from the city of Ephesus 27 00:01:13,017 --> 00:01:15,365 towards the end of John's life. 28 00:01:15,785 --> 00:01:19,801 Now, a key verse in the Book of John is John 20, verses 30 through 29 00:01:19,833 --> 00:01:24,497 31, where it states and many other signs truly to Jesus in the 30 00:01:24,521 --> 00:01:27,645 presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book, 31 00:01:27,685 --> 00:01:31,397 but these are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, 32 00:01:31,541 --> 00:01:35,205 the Son of God, and that believing ye might have life through 33 00:01:35,285 --> 00:01:36,145 his name. 34 00:01:36,805 --> 00:01:37,909 So what is the Book of John? 35 00:01:37,957 --> 00:01:39,625 What was the purpose of the Book of John? 36 00:01:40,005 --> 00:01:44,173 Well, John selects four key descriptions to prove that Jesus 37 00:01:44,229 --> 00:01:46,061 Christ is the Son of God. 38 00:01:46,253 --> 00:01:49,541 In chapter one, verses one through 14, it talks about Jesus 39 00:01:49,573 --> 00:01:53,267 Christ's identity and purpose for why he came to this earth. 40 00:01:53,451 --> 00:01:57,547 The second part of the book of John, John 1:15 through 12:50, talks 41 00:01:57,571 --> 00:01:59,895 about Jesus Christ's public ministry. 42 00:02:00,595 --> 00:02:05,635 And then John 13:1 through John 17:26, it talks about Jesus 43 00:02:05,675 --> 00:02:06,627 Christ's private ministry. 44 00:02:06,651 --> 00:02:08,187 And that's what we'll get into here. 45 00:02:08,371 --> 00:02:12,419 And the last part of the Book of John talks about Jesus Christ 46 00:02:12,547 --> 00:02:17,055 passion ministry in chapters 181 through 21 25. 47 00:02:17,645 --> 00:02:19,365 So we're here in John chapter 15. 48 00:02:19,405 --> 00:02:21,101 And what's happening here in the context? 49 00:02:21,213 --> 00:02:24,813 Well, this is right before the death, burial and resurrection of 50 00:02:24,829 --> 00:02:25,785 Jesus Christ. 51 00:02:26,125 --> 00:02:30,293 And so during this very sensitive timeframe for Jesus, if 52 00:02:30,309 --> 00:02:34,421 there was anything important to be told to his disciples, it's 53 00:02:34,453 --> 00:02:36,505 being said here in John chapter 15. 54 00:02:37,245 --> 00:02:41,745 And today we're going to see that God wants you to be steadfast. 55 00:02:42,365 --> 00:02:44,585 How can you be steadfast to the Lord? 56 00:02:45,055 --> 00:02:49,455 You can be steadfast by following two steps to ensure steadfastness 57 00:02:49,495 --> 00:02:51,755 in the Lord here in John chapter 15. 58 00:02:52,495 --> 00:02:55,383 The first point is this, you must remain in Christ. 59 00:02:55,559 --> 00:02:57,915 And the second is, you must obey Christ. 60 00:02:58,775 --> 00:03:02,543 Now, vine branches, they serve multiple functions in the life of 61 00:03:02,559 --> 00:03:03,311 a vine. 62 00:03:03,463 --> 00:03:06,279 They produce the leaves that carry out photosynthesis. 63 00:03:06,447 --> 00:03:09,781 They provide energy needed for the vine's growth and grape production. 64 00:03:09,943 --> 00:03:13,201 And the branches also produce tendrils that help the vine to climb 65 00:03:13,233 --> 00:03:16,645 and spread, maximizing the exposure to sunlight. 66 00:03:16,945 --> 00:03:21,041 But additionally, the branches support the growth of grape clusters. 67 00:03:21,233 --> 00:03:23,857 The flower clusters that appear on the branches in the spring 68 00:03:23,961 --> 00:03:26,281 will eventually develop into grapes. 69 00:03:26,473 --> 00:03:29,449 And the health and vigor of the branches can directly influence 70 00:03:29,497 --> 00:03:33,605 the quality and the quantity of the grapes produced. 71 00:03:34,145 --> 00:03:37,009 So here In John chapter 15, we're going to see that God wants 72 00:03:37,057 --> 00:03:38,845 you to be steadfast. 73 00:03:39,495 --> 00:03:41,935 And even before we, even before we start getting into this, 74 00:03:41,975 --> 00:03:44,191 a couple of questions to be thinking about as we're moving through 75 00:03:44,223 --> 00:03:47,555 here is how, how have you been doing? 76 00:03:47,935 --> 00:03:49,335 How have you been doing personally? 77 00:03:49,375 --> 00:03:51,431 Whether you're here at the church, whether you're online at 78 00:03:51,463 --> 00:03:54,727 home right now, or across the, across the sea, across the oceans, 79 00:03:54,791 --> 00:03:57,487 around the world, watching this, watching this service this 80 00:03:57,511 --> 00:03:58,103 morning. 81 00:03:58,279 --> 00:03:59,435 How are you doing? 82 00:04:00,175 --> 00:04:01,735 Just celebrated a holiday season. 83 00:04:01,775 --> 00:04:04,109 We're going into another holiday season for Christmas. 84 00:04:04,287 --> 00:04:06,993 It can be a challenging time for people, but it can also be a 85 00:04:07,009 --> 00:04:07,513 great time. 86 00:04:07,569 --> 00:04:07,761 Right? 87 00:04:07,793 --> 00:04:09,805 It's kind of double edged a sword sometimes. 88 00:04:10,705 --> 00:04:14,409 But I want to encourage you this morning that you can be steadfast 89 00:04:14,457 --> 00:04:16,765 to the Lord by remaining in Christ. 90 00:04:17,345 --> 00:04:22,553 So right here In John chapter 15, in verse 1, Jesus says, I am 91 00:04:22,649 --> 00:04:25,925 the true vine and my father is the husbandman. 92 00:04:26,665 --> 00:04:30,005 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh away. 93 00:04:30,445 --> 00:04:34,005 And every branch that beareth fruit, he purchased it, that it may 94 00:04:34,045 --> 00:04:35,625 bring forth more fruit. 95 00:04:36,045 --> 00:04:39,225 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 96 00:04:39,805 --> 00:04:41,653 Abide in me, and I in you. 97 00:04:41,789 --> 00:04:45,181 As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide 98 00:04:45,213 --> 00:04:49,225 in the vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 99 00:04:49,925 --> 00:04:52,413 I am the vine, ye are the branches. 100 00:04:52,589 --> 00:04:55,725 He that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much 101 00:04:55,765 --> 00:04:56,483 fruit. 102 00:04:56,669 --> 00:04:59,115 For without me ye can do nothing. 103 00:04:59,895 --> 00:05:03,007 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch and is 104 00:05:03,031 --> 00:05:03,623 withered. 105 00:05:03,759 --> 00:05:07,191 And men gather them and cast them into the fire, and they are 106 00:05:07,223 --> 00:05:07,875 burned. 107 00:05:08,335 --> 00:05:11,375 If ye abide in me and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye 108 00:05:11,415 --> 00:05:13,623 will, and it shall be done unto you. 109 00:05:13,799 --> 00:05:17,791 Hearing is my Father, glorify that ye bear much fruit, so shall 110 00:05:17,823 --> 00:05:19,915 ye be my disciples. 111 00:05:21,815 --> 00:05:26,233 The first important part for this passage here is that we must 112 00:05:26,369 --> 00:05:28,045 remain in Christ. 113 00:05:30,065 --> 00:05:34,337 Now what are the evidences of somebody who is truly remaining in 114 00:05:34,361 --> 00:05:34,569 Christ? 115 00:05:34,617 --> 00:05:37,769 We have that fruit Christ is talking about here producing much 116 00:05:37,817 --> 00:05:38,065 fruit. 117 00:05:38,105 --> 00:05:42,521 Now a couple of examples of counterfeit products to kind of help 118 00:05:42,553 --> 00:05:44,085 illustrate as we're moving into this. 119 00:05:44,465 --> 00:05:46,045 First is electronics. 120 00:05:46,585 --> 00:05:49,785 I know a lot of us maybe this last Black Friday guest on Friday 121 00:05:49,825 --> 00:05:51,161 or Saturday, Monday coming up tomorrow. 122 00:05:51,193 --> 00:05:52,905 You're thinking about different technologies and stuff, 123 00:05:52,945 --> 00:05:53,427 right? 124 00:05:53,561 --> 00:05:57,475 Will Counterfeit electronics are now an ever present problem. 125 00:05:58,015 --> 00:06:01,687 Infiltrating once trusted e commerce sites, consumer electrics 126 00:06:01,711 --> 00:06:04,439 are the second most pirated item in the United States, trailing 127 00:06:04,487 --> 00:06:05,995 only behind clothes. 128 00:06:06,375 --> 00:06:10,463 If these electronics had been sold, it would have comprised 10% 129 00:06:10,599 --> 00:06:13,155 of the estimated value of all fake goods. 130 00:06:13,535 --> 00:06:16,775 Smaller counterfeit products like hair dryers can also be deadly 131 00:06:16,855 --> 00:06:19,915 with totally configured circuitry that can shock people. 132 00:06:20,285 --> 00:06:21,237 So you better watch out. 133 00:06:21,261 --> 00:06:22,745 Or is your electronics coming in? 134 00:06:23,725 --> 00:06:25,389 Is it actually real or is it counterfeit? 135 00:06:25,437 --> 00:06:26,005 Right. 136 00:06:26,165 --> 00:06:29,405 Well ladies, as an example of hygiene and cosmetics. 137 00:06:29,565 --> 00:06:30,465 Oh no. 138 00:06:31,405 --> 00:06:33,941 These are chemically based goods that when imitated may use 139 00:06:33,973 --> 00:06:34,813 dangerous ingredients. 140 00:06:34,869 --> 00:06:37,421 For example, counterfeit Colgate toothpaste was discovered 141 00:06:37,453 --> 00:06:38,665 in 2007. 142 00:06:38,965 --> 00:06:42,181 Included in the knockoff ingredients was diethylene glycol, 143 00:06:42,333 --> 00:06:46,215 also known as antifreeze, a toxic replacement for fluoride. 144 00:06:46,365 --> 00:06:49,579 Unfortunately, there's also an abundance of counterfeit cosmetics 145 00:06:49,627 --> 00:06:51,163 featuring similar dangers. 146 00:06:51,299 --> 00:06:55,415 Makeup is applied to the skin which can absorb dangerous toxicants. 147 00:06:55,835 --> 00:06:58,235 When news breaks that a knocked off product has dangerous 148 00:06:58,275 --> 00:07:01,451 and deadly characteristics, the brand associated with the product 149 00:07:01,523 --> 00:07:04,295 can be unfairly associated with a public threat. 150 00:07:05,555 --> 00:07:08,411 And so it's really important for us as we're talking about this 151 00:07:08,443 --> 00:07:11,051 study this morning about abiding in Jesus Christ, that we 152 00:07:11,083 --> 00:07:16,673 truly are remaining in him this week, and that's last week. 153 00:07:16,689 --> 00:07:18,285 There can be temptations, right? 154 00:07:18,825 --> 00:07:20,689 Spending all these different things. 155 00:07:20,737 --> 00:07:24,793 But Christ encourages us here to be focusing on Jesus Christ as 156 00:07:24,809 --> 00:07:25,233 the vine. 157 00:07:25,289 --> 00:07:25,785 Verse 1. 158 00:07:25,825 --> 00:07:28,485 Jesus says, I am the vine. 159 00:07:29,305 --> 00:07:31,073 And this phrase here, I am. 160 00:07:31,169 --> 00:07:35,593 Jesus is referring to himself as the self existent and self sustaining 161 00:07:35,649 --> 00:07:35,913 one. 162 00:07:35,969 --> 00:07:39,729 The God who was there at the time of creation, before creation, 163 00:07:39,777 --> 00:07:42,287 the one who spoke all these into existence. 164 00:07:42,481 --> 00:07:45,427 It was by him, Colossians 1, 16 and 17. 165 00:07:45,611 --> 00:07:46,931 All things exist. 166 00:07:47,083 --> 00:07:49,659 All things exist and they consist by him by his, by the. 167 00:07:49,667 --> 00:07:51,455 By him, by the word of his power. 168 00:07:52,195 --> 00:07:56,495 But he says here he says, I am the true vine. 169 00:07:57,235 --> 00:07:59,455 This is in contrast to what is false. 170 00:07:59,995 --> 00:08:03,139 When you abide in Christ, he is the only true source of life, 171 00:08:03,187 --> 00:08:06,491 with whom you must depend on what else in those sources. 172 00:08:06,523 --> 00:08:10,971 Have you tried to get help from self help books, podcast videos? 173 00:08:11,003 --> 00:08:13,091 Am I saying some of those things aren't bad? 174 00:08:13,163 --> 00:08:16,131 Not necessarily, but we need to make sure that we find our true 175 00:08:16,163 --> 00:08:18,415 source of help in Jesus Christ. 176 00:08:18,835 --> 00:08:22,935 Asking him, saying, lord, I'm struggling with this area in my life. 177 00:08:23,275 --> 00:08:26,851 Please help me, help me to know, give me the wisdom to understand 178 00:08:26,923 --> 00:08:28,627 how to, how to make a decision about this. 179 00:08:28,651 --> 00:08:30,579 Maybe it's a financial decision, whatever it is, fill in 180 00:08:30,587 --> 00:08:30,811 the blank. 181 00:08:30,843 --> 00:08:32,683 Maybe it's a relationship and you're struggling with it and you're 182 00:08:32,699 --> 00:08:34,636 like, lord, how can I work through this? 183 00:08:34,700 --> 00:08:38,172 Ask God to give you wisdom, to give you that understanding, to know 184 00:08:38,228 --> 00:08:39,304 how to respond. 185 00:08:40,764 --> 00:08:41,412 Verse 1. 186 00:08:41,468 --> 00:08:45,836 Christ says, I am the true vine and my Father is the husbandman. 187 00:08:46,020 --> 00:08:49,020 Now, my Father here, this is the same person of the Trinity whom 188 00:08:49,052 --> 00:08:52,060 Jesus went about fulfilling the business for, right? 189 00:08:52,092 --> 00:08:54,004 What did Jesus say throughout the Gospels? 190 00:08:54,164 --> 00:08:57,476 He says, I go about following my Father's business. 191 00:08:57,540 --> 00:08:57,844 He was. 192 00:08:57,884 --> 00:09:00,558 He was fulfilling the purpose that God and the Father had for him, 193 00:09:00,716 --> 00:09:04,691 which was to go out and to live a perfect life that he had his 194 00:09:04,723 --> 00:09:05,131 death. 195 00:09:05,243 --> 00:09:08,379 He would experience death, burial and resurrection to pay for 196 00:09:08,427 --> 00:09:10,215 our sins, for the sins of the whole world. 197 00:09:11,475 --> 00:09:14,651 But Jesus completely obeyed and he fulfilled the Father's will 198 00:09:14,683 --> 00:09:15,467 for his life on earth. 199 00:09:15,531 --> 00:09:16,411 And why is this important? 200 00:09:16,483 --> 00:09:18,575 Why is this important that Jesus is saying this? 201 00:09:19,035 --> 00:09:23,771 Because he is showing this direct connection, that I'm the true 202 00:09:23,803 --> 00:09:26,873 vine, my Father is the husbandman, I am following his will. 203 00:09:26,979 --> 00:09:30,685 So as he's about to break down these different things and these 204 00:09:30,725 --> 00:09:34,065 different challenges for us as believers, us as followers of Christ, 205 00:09:34,485 --> 00:09:37,565 Christ is saying, look, my Father is the husbandman. 206 00:09:37,605 --> 00:09:38,965 He is the one coming alongside. 207 00:09:39,045 --> 00:09:39,845 I am the vine. 208 00:09:39,885 --> 00:09:41,933 I'm your source, I am your life source. 209 00:09:42,069 --> 00:09:44,317 And then the Father is ultimately the One who has commanded 210 00:09:44,341 --> 00:09:45,221 this whole all to happen. 211 00:09:45,253 --> 00:09:46,745 So this is all coming from Him. 212 00:09:47,965 --> 00:09:49,905 But so who is, who is the Father? 213 00:09:50,325 --> 00:09:53,705 Verse 1, it says, My Father is the husbandman. 214 00:09:54,185 --> 00:09:57,057 Now, this description for the Father is simply the one who manages 215 00:09:57,081 --> 00:09:59,805 the livelihood of the vine and its branches. 216 00:10:00,145 --> 00:10:03,685 In this case, the Father manages Jesus and his branches. 217 00:10:04,065 --> 00:10:07,545 To give you an idea of what an earthly husbandman or Vinedresser 218 00:10:07,585 --> 00:10:11,713 does, Ag Explorer reported in 2021 that vitaculturists earned an 219 00:10:11,729 --> 00:10:15,817 average salary of $61,457 per year. 220 00:10:16,001 --> 00:10:18,985 Although the idea of working outside Every day in sunny vineyards, 221 00:10:19,065 --> 00:10:21,131 overlooking rolling hills seems romantic. 222 00:10:21,273 --> 00:10:23,591 The job itself is physically demanding and tiring. 223 00:10:23,623 --> 00:10:26,263 I'm not sure how many people are, you know, the go getters to 224 00:10:26,279 --> 00:10:29,055 go outside, to get in the sun or how many are like, no, I'm gonna 225 00:10:29,095 --> 00:10:29,575 stay inside. 226 00:10:29,615 --> 00:10:32,103 But for this example here, this vine dresser, he's out there, 227 00:10:32,119 --> 00:10:32,711 he's working, right? 228 00:10:32,743 --> 00:10:35,279 Maybe related to yourself, like, yeah, maybe you're an IT person, 229 00:10:35,327 --> 00:10:35,727 right? 230 00:10:35,831 --> 00:10:36,751 Faithful, working hard. 231 00:10:36,783 --> 00:10:42,031 And so this, this husbandman, he is working hard, right? 232 00:10:42,143 --> 00:10:42,559 He is. 233 00:10:42,607 --> 00:10:45,759 This is a very physically demanding job, a very tiring job, 234 00:10:45,887 --> 00:10:48,685 particularly during harmless season right now, right? 235 00:10:48,805 --> 00:10:51,245 How many hours do you think Avantras is putting in my now? 236 00:10:51,285 --> 00:10:53,905 Every day, 18 hour days. 237 00:10:55,085 --> 00:10:56,425 How many want that job? 238 00:10:57,165 --> 00:10:57,885 Right? 239 00:10:58,045 --> 00:11:01,501 But that's how much work is involved with harvesting and getting 240 00:11:01,533 --> 00:11:05,189 this fruit, getting vegetables, getting the harvest from 241 00:11:05,237 --> 00:11:06,225 the crops. 242 00:11:06,685 --> 00:11:11,905 And so God the father is a very faithful vine dresser to us. 243 00:11:13,575 --> 00:11:16,615 But something else that the vinedresser does, the vine dresser 244 00:11:16,655 --> 00:11:19,471 also helps to till the soil, to prepare the soil, pulling out 245 00:11:19,503 --> 00:11:23,275 the weeds, maybe taking out rocks and stuff to get the soil prepared. 246 00:11:24,255 --> 00:11:26,511 But what threats come to the plants? 247 00:11:26,703 --> 00:11:31,727 Well, you might have crows or insects that come in to eat at the 248 00:11:31,751 --> 00:11:33,911 vine, eat at the branches and stuff, or eat at the fruit. 249 00:11:34,023 --> 00:11:36,959 The husbandman takes care of all that, right? 250 00:11:37,127 --> 00:11:40,743 He scares off the deer, he puts up the scarecrow to get rid 251 00:11:40,759 --> 00:11:42,051 of the crows, right? 252 00:11:42,223 --> 00:11:47,131 The husband, he is faithful with keeping this work so that there 253 00:11:47,163 --> 00:11:50,859 are fast growing vines, but these fast growing vines require 254 00:11:50,907 --> 00:11:51,695 pruning. 255 00:11:52,475 --> 00:11:55,291 Other duties that are also associated with this vinedresser 256 00:11:55,403 --> 00:11:59,947 is he's soil testing, irrigating, weeding and fertilizing. 257 00:12:00,091 --> 00:12:03,475 Vine dressers must be ever vigilant to ensure that plump, juicy 258 00:12:03,515 --> 00:12:06,379 grapes are adequately protected from birds and marauding 259 00:12:06,427 --> 00:12:07,055 animals. 260 00:12:08,085 --> 00:12:10,149 So did you catch those different details there? 261 00:12:10,277 --> 00:12:12,989 God the Father is not only the one who is doing this pruning, you 262 00:12:12,997 --> 00:12:16,905 know, he's ensuring the process of helping the fruit to produce. 263 00:12:17,365 --> 00:12:19,413 But the vine duster is the protector. 264 00:12:19,509 --> 00:12:22,597 He tills the soil, he protects the vine, the branches from any animal 265 00:12:22,621 --> 00:12:24,825 that might try to come and take the fruit out the branches. 266 00:12:25,765 --> 00:12:29,981 But now think about this from a bigger picture as God, God the 267 00:12:30,013 --> 00:12:35,505 Father the infinitely wiser and carrying one over your life, 268 00:12:35,665 --> 00:12:38,765 carefully tills the conditions of the soil in your life. 269 00:12:39,265 --> 00:12:41,401 A lot of times we go through difficult struggles, right? 270 00:12:41,433 --> 00:12:43,605 We might go through a challenge here or there. 271 00:12:44,065 --> 00:12:46,485 And there's questions, what is the purpose of this? 272 00:12:46,905 --> 00:12:50,553 Well, maybe the purpose of that is God is tilling the soil and 273 00:12:50,649 --> 00:12:53,817 God is allowing for these to have to be removed from our life, 274 00:12:54,001 --> 00:12:55,925 from the distractions in our life. 275 00:12:56,545 --> 00:13:01,665 But ultimately God, who is the infinitely stronger, infinitely wiser 276 00:13:01,705 --> 00:13:06,765 vine dresser, how able is he to take care of your life, in your 277 00:13:06,805 --> 00:13:09,225 situation, in your stage of life? 278 00:13:10,045 --> 00:13:13,485 So we see that Jesus describes himself as the true vine. 279 00:13:13,525 --> 00:13:14,325 I am the true vine. 280 00:13:14,365 --> 00:13:16,065 My father is the husbandman. 281 00:13:16,765 --> 00:13:17,565 Verse 2. 282 00:13:17,645 --> 00:13:20,637 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh away. 283 00:13:20,821 --> 00:13:23,277 And every branch that beareth fruit, he purchased it that it may 284 00:13:23,301 --> 00:13:24,181 bring forth more fruit. 285 00:13:24,213 --> 00:13:26,285 So we see this other responsibility of the vinedress. 286 00:13:26,325 --> 00:13:29,021 The vine dress is coming through, and he is cutting out these 287 00:13:29,053 --> 00:13:30,635 branches that are not producing fruit. 288 00:13:30,725 --> 00:13:32,767 He's purging it so that he can produce more fruit. 289 00:13:32,791 --> 00:13:34,911 And that's part of the purpose of the vine dresser, right? 290 00:13:35,063 --> 00:13:38,391 Coming alongside this plant that's producing these different 291 00:13:38,423 --> 00:13:39,039 fruit. 292 00:13:39,207 --> 00:13:39,535 Right. 293 00:13:39,575 --> 00:13:40,471 After some time. 294 00:13:40,503 --> 00:13:43,431 And think about this, like, logistically speaking, if you're 295 00:13:43,463 --> 00:13:47,311 a farmer and you're trying to produce a good crop for people to 296 00:13:47,343 --> 00:13:51,231 sell, are you going to allow branches to grow and to die to affect 297 00:13:51,263 --> 00:13:52,955 the ultimate life of that vine? 298 00:13:53,975 --> 00:13:54,623 No. 299 00:13:54,759 --> 00:13:55,079 Why? 300 00:13:55,127 --> 00:13:57,071 Because it's going to affect your sales. 301 00:13:57,103 --> 00:13:59,347 It's going to affect the production of what you're trying 302 00:13:59,371 --> 00:14:03,347 to produce for selling these different fruit and different things 303 00:14:03,371 --> 00:14:04,615 coming out of these vines. 304 00:14:05,155 --> 00:14:09,115 And so a lot of times we can feel that this is a personal attack 305 00:14:09,155 --> 00:14:09,491 on me. 306 00:14:09,523 --> 00:14:09,643 Why? 307 00:14:09,659 --> 00:14:10,575 Is this me? 308 00:14:10,875 --> 00:14:11,235 Right. 309 00:14:11,275 --> 00:14:14,043 No, but it's a part of God's sovereign plan that he's striving 310 00:14:14,099 --> 00:14:17,435 to purge things in our lives to help us to be able to bring forth 311 00:14:17,475 --> 00:14:18,415 more fruit. 312 00:14:18,915 --> 00:14:21,619 And so we see that the purpose of a fine dresser. 313 00:14:21,787 --> 00:14:24,475 But we also see that we are called to abide in Christ. 314 00:14:24,515 --> 00:14:25,615 Look at verse three. 315 00:14:26,435 --> 00:14:29,899 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 316 00:14:30,027 --> 00:14:31,975 We cannot bear fruit in and of ourselves. 317 00:14:32,395 --> 00:14:33,691 We can't do it. 318 00:14:33,883 --> 00:14:35,975 We need the true vine. 319 00:14:37,155 --> 00:14:37,971 Look at verse four. 320 00:14:38,003 --> 00:14:42,011 It says, abide in me and die in you, as the branch cannot bear 321 00:14:42,043 --> 00:14:44,291 fruit of itself except it abide in the vine. 322 00:14:44,403 --> 00:14:46,331 No more can ye, except ye, abide in me. 323 00:14:46,363 --> 00:14:49,547 This seems to indicate that the disciples had shown evidence 324 00:14:49,611 --> 00:14:53,165 of fruit and Jesus was ensuring that they abided in him. 325 00:14:53,245 --> 00:14:53,437 Right? 326 00:14:53,461 --> 00:14:54,237 What was about to happen? 327 00:14:54,261 --> 00:14:56,893 He's about to be separated from his disciples, right? 328 00:14:57,029 --> 00:14:58,785 He's about to be removed. 329 00:14:59,085 --> 00:15:01,585 And it was going to be a very scary time for them. 330 00:15:02,405 --> 00:15:03,541 What's going to happen? 331 00:15:03,653 --> 00:15:04,925 You know, they're going to be separated. 332 00:15:04,965 --> 00:15:08,141 They're going to be removed from their situation, from. 333 00:15:08,213 --> 00:15:10,981 From having him with them as, as their present leader and their 334 00:15:11,013 --> 00:15:11,985 present guide. 335 00:15:12,325 --> 00:15:13,813 And what does Christ tell him? 336 00:15:13,829 --> 00:15:18,449 He says, be faithful, keep being steadfast, abiding in me. 337 00:15:18,617 --> 00:15:21,625 You may feel that there is a physical separation, but I am still 338 00:15:21,665 --> 00:15:22,725 the true vine. 339 00:15:23,145 --> 00:15:24,441 Trust in me and rest in me. 340 00:15:24,473 --> 00:15:25,565 Question through you. 341 00:15:27,265 --> 00:15:30,489 Have you been struggling with those thoughts that God has forsaken 342 00:15:30,537 --> 00:15:34,665 you, that God has abandoned you, he has not banned you, he is 343 00:15:34,705 --> 00:15:35,545 still faithful. 344 00:15:35,625 --> 00:15:39,185 He is a faithful line dresser who will be faithful to come alongside 345 00:15:39,225 --> 00:15:41,645 to do what he has to do, to help me, to produce for me. 346 00:15:42,555 --> 00:15:45,251 And so we are called to abide in Christ. 347 00:15:45,443 --> 00:15:48,019 But how could the disciples in Christ, even though he was about 348 00:15:48,067 --> 00:15:51,891 to die, he was about to be separated, how could the disciples 349 00:15:51,963 --> 00:15:53,175 abide in Christ? 350 00:15:53,635 --> 00:15:55,363 They needed to be steadfast. 351 00:15:55,539 --> 00:15:58,411 They needed to remind themselves that even though Jesus 352 00:15:58,443 --> 00:16:01,707 would be removed from their equation, God the Father still had 353 00:16:01,731 --> 00:16:02,307 his plan. 354 00:16:02,411 --> 00:16:04,195 God the Father still had his purpose. 355 00:16:04,315 --> 00:16:07,615 God the Father still had everything that was going to happen 356 00:16:07,925 --> 00:16:08,869 and what was going to result. 357 00:16:08,917 --> 00:16:13,021 If the disciples recognized Jesus, he would be departed for a 358 00:16:13,053 --> 00:16:15,065 time, but he would come back. 359 00:16:15,405 --> 00:16:20,197 And when he would come back, then they would be able to have that 360 00:16:20,381 --> 00:16:21,533 unification with him. 361 00:16:21,589 --> 00:16:24,045 And as for us today, right as the bride of Christ and one day we 362 00:16:24,085 --> 00:16:27,525 look forward to his coming soon return, right? 363 00:16:27,645 --> 00:16:30,545 Being reminded of how we look forward to his return for us. 364 00:16:31,125 --> 00:16:36,017 And that's how we can encourage ourselves is that no, God 365 00:16:36,041 --> 00:16:36,841 has not abandoned us. 366 00:16:36,873 --> 00:16:38,185 In fact he is going to come back. 367 00:16:38,225 --> 00:16:39,625 John 14 talks about this. 368 00:16:39,665 --> 00:16:40,801 John 14, verse 1. 369 00:16:40,833 --> 00:16:42,209 Let not your heart be troubled. 370 00:16:42,297 --> 00:16:44,977 Ye believe in God, believe also in me. 371 00:16:45,081 --> 00:16:46,641 In my Father's house are many mansions. 372 00:16:46,673 --> 00:16:49,217 If it were not so, I would have told you, I go to prepare a 373 00:16:49,241 --> 00:16:49,657 place for you. 374 00:16:49,681 --> 00:16:52,265 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again 375 00:16:52,385 --> 00:16:53,593 and receive you unto myself. 376 00:16:53,649 --> 00:16:56,325 That where I am, there you may be also. 377 00:16:57,185 --> 00:17:00,801 And so Christ here is just laying out right in the previous 378 00:17:00,873 --> 00:17:03,353 context here with the disciples saying don't, don't let 379 00:17:03,369 --> 00:17:04,305 your hearts be troubled. 380 00:17:04,345 --> 00:17:06,205 You believe in God, believe in me. 381 00:17:07,305 --> 00:17:10,105 I'm going to go prepare a place for you that when I come again, 382 00:17:10,145 --> 00:17:11,965 I can take you to come with me for. 383 00:17:12,905 --> 00:17:16,249 And that's the excitement, that's the joy that we can have in 384 00:17:16,297 --> 00:17:17,765 waiting on Him. 385 00:17:19,425 --> 00:17:21,761 And so we cannot bear fruit in of ourselves. 386 00:17:21,913 --> 00:17:23,445 We need the true vine. 387 00:17:23,825 --> 00:17:25,641 And Christ says that I am the truth. 388 00:17:25,673 --> 00:17:26,577 Look at, look at verse five. 389 00:17:26,641 --> 00:17:28,609 I am the vine, ye are the branches. 390 00:17:28,657 --> 00:17:30,701 He that abideth in me and I in Him. 391 00:17:30,833 --> 00:17:33,145 The saying bringeth forth much fruit. 392 00:17:33,565 --> 00:17:36,133 For without me ye can do nothing. 393 00:17:36,189 --> 00:17:37,141 We cannot Bear fruit. 394 00:17:37,173 --> 00:17:39,661 Without Christ, it is impossible. 395 00:17:39,813 --> 00:17:41,557 That's what he's saying in verse five. 396 00:17:41,701 --> 00:17:45,901 He's saying we need to abide in him and he and us. 397 00:17:45,933 --> 00:17:50,141 The saying brings forth much fruit because of that and we cannot 398 00:17:50,173 --> 00:17:50,565 do anything. 399 00:17:50,605 --> 00:17:51,437 We were just talking this morning. 400 00:17:51,461 --> 00:17:53,065 I sent into a class about this. 401 00:17:53,765 --> 00:17:55,661 2 Timothy 3, 16 and 17. 402 00:17:55,733 --> 00:17:57,581 All scripture is given by inspiration of God. 403 00:17:57,613 --> 00:17:59,933 Is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for 404 00:17:59,949 --> 00:18:01,173 the instruction in righteousness. 405 00:18:01,269 --> 00:18:03,885 That the man of God be perfect, throw thee furnished into 406 00:18:03,925 --> 00:18:04,637 all good works. 407 00:18:04,701 --> 00:18:06,145 Why is that put in there? 408 00:18:06,765 --> 00:18:08,077 Why is the life of Christ? 409 00:18:08,141 --> 00:18:10,265 Why is the teachings of Christ in there? 410 00:18:10,565 --> 00:18:12,413 Why can't anything be added to it? 411 00:18:12,549 --> 00:18:13,917 Why can't anything be taken from it? 412 00:18:13,941 --> 00:18:14,501 Oh, it's too hard. 413 00:18:14,533 --> 00:18:15,261 It's too difficult. 414 00:18:15,333 --> 00:18:17,821 Look, that's how God has ordained it. 415 00:18:17,893 --> 00:18:19,749 It is the truth of God's word. 416 00:18:19,917 --> 00:18:22,381 It is what God has established for us to follow. 417 00:18:22,493 --> 00:18:24,877 He has established for us to abide in Him. 418 00:18:24,901 --> 00:18:27,557 He has established that we cannot do anything in and of ourselves. 419 00:18:27,621 --> 00:18:28,585 We need Him. 420 00:18:29,325 --> 00:18:32,745 We need him desperately with what we're dealing with in our lives. 421 00:18:33,245 --> 00:18:36,585 What I love about this is that this is every stage in our life. 422 00:18:36,925 --> 00:18:39,917 Whether you're a child in the service this morning and you're dealing 423 00:18:39,941 --> 00:18:42,901 with something, whether you're a teenager, you're dealing with struggles. 424 00:18:42,933 --> 00:18:48,149 If you're an adult with no kids, young kids, older kids, grandparents, 425 00:18:48,197 --> 00:18:52,105 whatever stage you are in life, we can all still abide in Christ. 426 00:18:52,405 --> 00:18:56,305 We can all still be steadfast to following him and abiding in Him. 427 00:18:58,595 --> 00:18:59,935 Let me ask you a question. 428 00:19:00,315 --> 00:19:03,259 Is it possible if somebody has a goal, right? 429 00:19:03,307 --> 00:19:05,055 I want to lose weight. 430 00:19:05,635 --> 00:19:08,195 Is it possible to lose weight if you don't actually do anything 431 00:19:08,235 --> 00:19:09,015 about it? 432 00:19:10,035 --> 00:19:10,611 No. 433 00:19:10,723 --> 00:19:11,427 Right. 434 00:19:11,611 --> 00:19:15,347 For me, for the first year, towards the beginning of this year, 435 00:19:15,451 --> 00:19:17,075 you know, I was like, I really want to lose weight. 436 00:19:17,115 --> 00:19:18,835 I really want to get in shape. 437 00:19:18,995 --> 00:19:21,659 But it wasn't until it finally clicked for me where I was like, 438 00:19:21,707 --> 00:19:24,583 yes, okay, I had this coaching program, I had this Dan and get on. 439 00:19:24,739 --> 00:19:28,271 And by God's grace, it's helped a lot to lose weight, right? 440 00:19:28,423 --> 00:19:29,795 But it takes work. 441 00:19:31,495 --> 00:19:35,343 But being more fit without working out, that's not possible, 442 00:19:35,399 --> 00:19:35,975 right? 443 00:19:36,135 --> 00:19:37,775 There has to be intentional changes. 444 00:19:37,895 --> 00:19:41,087 There has to be nutritional decisions, There has to be maybe 445 00:19:41,151 --> 00:19:42,391 some working out decisions. 446 00:19:42,423 --> 00:19:44,527 And I have to go walk around, get a certain number of steps in 447 00:19:44,551 --> 00:19:45,199 every day. 448 00:19:45,327 --> 00:19:48,783 There are necessary steps to ensure that and there are necessary 449 00:19:48,839 --> 00:19:52,191 steps for us if we're truly desiring to abide in Christ, to follow 450 00:19:52,263 --> 00:19:57,015 Christ, we need to ask him to help us work through this. 451 00:19:57,515 --> 00:19:58,371 Look at verse six. 452 00:19:58,403 --> 00:20:02,563 It says, if a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch 453 00:20:02,619 --> 00:20:03,695 and is withered. 454 00:20:04,035 --> 00:20:07,755 And men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned. 455 00:20:07,875 --> 00:20:10,931 I was so thankful this last weekend they lifted up the burn ban 456 00:20:10,963 --> 00:20:11,819 in Delaware. 457 00:20:11,987 --> 00:20:15,955 And then we had a huge bonfire at my in laws house this last weekend. 458 00:20:15,995 --> 00:20:16,895 It was awesome. 459 00:20:17,315 --> 00:20:19,495 And but you know what we threw in the fire? 460 00:20:20,515 --> 00:20:23,147 We didn't throw a wholesome, you know, wood in there. 461 00:20:23,171 --> 00:20:26,035 We didn't throw in there, you know, green, green branches and green 462 00:20:26,075 --> 00:20:26,635 sticks, right? 463 00:20:26,675 --> 00:20:26,827 Why? 464 00:20:26,851 --> 00:20:28,107 Because they wouldn't have started. 465 00:20:28,291 --> 00:20:32,291 It's specifically things that have fully dried up, right? 466 00:20:32,403 --> 00:20:36,563 Wood has to sit out for a year to dry out from the, from the, from 467 00:20:36,579 --> 00:20:39,611 all the moisture, all the greenness of it, until it's fully 468 00:20:39,643 --> 00:20:40,535 dried out. 469 00:20:41,315 --> 00:20:45,171 And just like that, this process, you may think to yourself, 470 00:20:45,243 --> 00:20:47,055 well, is it too late for me? 471 00:20:47,515 --> 00:20:50,755 Is it too late for me to be able to be restored again? 472 00:20:50,795 --> 00:20:53,575 Maybe you feel like you've taken so many steps off the track. 473 00:20:55,595 --> 00:20:56,811 Can I be restored? 474 00:20:56,963 --> 00:21:01,855 And the answer is yes, come back to him, abide in him. 475 00:21:02,475 --> 00:21:07,895 And you ask the Lord, you say, lord, please take thee and use me. 476 00:21:08,595 --> 00:21:13,251 There's always that goal that we can work towards building back 477 00:21:13,283 --> 00:21:13,855 to. 478 00:21:15,895 --> 00:21:20,263 But it says in verse six, it does say, it says, and men gather 479 00:21:20,319 --> 00:21:22,635 them and cast them into the fire and they are burned. 480 00:21:23,095 --> 00:21:30,351 And so there is a end point where our testimony is just skewed. 481 00:21:30,543 --> 00:21:34,879 And that you have specifically the way of the ungodly that perishes. 482 00:21:34,927 --> 00:21:37,399 This is the end of those who choose to abide in the alternative 483 00:21:37,447 --> 00:21:37,671 vine. 484 00:21:37,703 --> 00:21:39,375 They weren't truly saved in the first place. 485 00:21:39,495 --> 00:21:42,855 They weren't truly Christ's Psalm 1 talks about this. 486 00:21:42,895 --> 00:21:46,639 It says, blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of 487 00:21:46,647 --> 00:21:47,647 the ungodly. 488 00:21:47,831 --> 00:21:49,983 Nor standeth the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat 489 00:21:49,999 --> 00:21:50,847 of the scornful. 490 00:21:50,951 --> 00:21:53,527 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law does 491 00:21:53,551 --> 00:21:55,263 he meditate day and night. 492 00:21:55,399 --> 00:21:58,367 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that 493 00:21:58,391 --> 00:22:00,007 bringeth forth his fruit in his season. 494 00:22:00,071 --> 00:22:03,319 His leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall 495 00:22:03,367 --> 00:22:04,023 prosper. 496 00:22:04,159 --> 00:22:06,791 The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind 497 00:22:06,823 --> 00:22:07,701 driveth away. 498 00:22:07,823 --> 00:22:10,401 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in judgment, nor sinners 499 00:22:10,433 --> 00:22:11,513 in the congregation of the righteous. 500 00:22:11,569 --> 00:22:14,193 The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous, but the way of the 501 00:22:14,209 --> 00:22:15,605 ungodly shall perish. 502 00:22:16,185 --> 00:22:18,769 God knows the way of the righteous, they are going. 503 00:22:18,937 --> 00:22:21,297 They're going to be steadfast, they're going to be faithful. 504 00:22:21,441 --> 00:22:24,285 But the wicked, they are going to perish. 505 00:22:24,825 --> 00:22:26,065 And I'm encouraging you today. 506 00:22:26,145 --> 00:22:26,817 And you're like, you know what? 507 00:22:26,841 --> 00:22:27,617 This all sounds great. 508 00:22:27,641 --> 00:22:29,805 Maybe you've been in church for your whole life. 509 00:22:30,145 --> 00:22:33,161 But if you have not truly received Jesus Christ as your personal 510 00:22:33,233 --> 00:22:35,615 savior, would you do that today? 511 00:22:36,435 --> 00:22:40,515 Would you say, you know, I'm done playing this Christian, Christian 512 00:22:40,555 --> 00:22:43,775 life of portraying myself of somebody who I'm not truly am. 513 00:22:44,235 --> 00:22:47,203 Would you confess with your mouth to Lord Jesus and say, lord, 514 00:22:47,219 --> 00:22:48,135 I'm a sinner. 515 00:22:48,435 --> 00:22:51,347 I believe what you did for me when you died on the cross for me. 516 00:22:51,371 --> 00:22:52,251 You paid for my sins. 517 00:22:52,283 --> 00:22:55,695 You were buried and you rose again to give me eternal life. 518 00:22:56,555 --> 00:23:00,215 That hope is always available at any point in your life. 519 00:23:01,505 --> 00:23:03,633 There's a quote from Matthew Henry, a commentator. 520 00:23:03,689 --> 00:23:07,401 He says, those who fall off from Christ presently fall in with 521 00:23:07,433 --> 00:23:08,049 sinners. 522 00:23:08,177 --> 00:23:12,193 And the sheep that wander from Christ's fold, the devil stands ready 523 00:23:12,249 --> 00:23:13,417 to seize them for himself. 524 00:23:13,481 --> 00:23:17,745 1 Peter 5, 8, 10 states, Be sober, be vigilant, because your 525 00:23:17,785 --> 00:23:20,481 adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking 526 00:23:20,513 --> 00:23:23,993 whom he devour, whom he's steadfast in the faith, knowing that 527 00:23:24,009 --> 00:23:26,041 the same afflictions are accomplishing your brethren there 528 00:23:26,073 --> 00:23:27,017 in the world. 529 00:23:27,201 --> 00:23:30,305 By the God of all grace who hath called us into his eternal glory 530 00:23:30,425 --> 00:23:33,777 by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while and make you 531 00:23:33,841 --> 00:23:38,001 perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you to him be 532 00:23:38,033 --> 00:23:40,273 glory and dominion forever and ever. 533 00:23:40,369 --> 00:23:41,041 Amen. 534 00:23:41,193 --> 00:23:43,473 We are called as Christ's followers. 535 00:23:43,529 --> 00:23:47,153 We are called, as we are abiding in Christ, to be resisting, 536 00:23:47,209 --> 00:23:50,241 steadfast in the faith, the world around us, specifically the 537 00:23:50,273 --> 00:23:54,325 devil, submitting ourselves to God, resisting the devil. 538 00:23:54,365 --> 00:23:57,581 He will flee from us by abiding in Christ. 539 00:23:57,653 --> 00:23:59,101 We don't have the strength to do it in our. 540 00:23:59,173 --> 00:24:00,021 In ourselves. 541 00:24:00,093 --> 00:24:02,265 Guys, we need God's word. 542 00:24:02,885 --> 00:24:05,437 Christ used God's word to rebuke the devil. 543 00:24:05,621 --> 00:24:09,597 We need God's word to help to overcome the sin in our lives, the 544 00:24:09,621 --> 00:24:12,305 struggles in our lives, the evil influences around us. 545 00:24:12,845 --> 00:24:13,853 Let me ask you a question. 546 00:24:13,909 --> 00:24:16,785 Are you being firm and unmovable in your life? 547 00:24:17,605 --> 00:24:21,105 Are you being firm and unmovable with your children? 548 00:24:21,465 --> 00:24:23,265 And am I saying, oh, it's this harsh. 549 00:24:23,305 --> 00:24:26,145 This is harsh reality where it's like, no, it's just, no, no, 550 00:24:26,185 --> 00:24:27,145 no, no. 551 00:24:27,305 --> 00:24:28,281 God commands us. 552 00:24:28,313 --> 00:24:32,369 He says, we are called to nurture our children and to admonish 553 00:24:32,417 --> 00:24:32,929 our children. 554 00:24:32,977 --> 00:24:35,873 That is a respective relationship where you are building 555 00:24:35,929 --> 00:24:38,097 that loving relationship with your child. 556 00:24:38,281 --> 00:24:39,505 And you're also having that. 557 00:24:39,545 --> 00:24:42,065 That reaffirming where you're saying this is wrong. 558 00:24:42,185 --> 00:24:44,089 There's that balanced approach there. 559 00:24:44,257 --> 00:24:45,845 We're called to have that. 560 00:24:46,145 --> 00:24:49,371 What about in your workplace with your coworkers, maybe with a 561 00:24:49,403 --> 00:24:50,891 boss who. 562 00:24:50,923 --> 00:24:53,003 A boss has just been nonstop. 563 00:24:53,059 --> 00:24:53,947 They're clearly not. 564 00:24:54,051 --> 00:24:56,455 They clearly hate you for what you believe as a Christian. 565 00:24:57,035 --> 00:25:00,763 But yes, you can still, in a loving way, still show Christ to 566 00:25:00,779 --> 00:25:01,335 them. 567 00:25:01,915 --> 00:25:07,083 Ask God, read scripture, read this passage and say, lord, how can 568 00:25:07,099 --> 00:25:08,695 I this week abide in you? 569 00:25:09,555 --> 00:25:11,675 Maybe you're at the holidays this last week. 570 00:25:11,755 --> 00:25:14,935 Maybe you foresee being around family that's not safe coming up. 571 00:25:15,495 --> 00:25:18,355 Ask God to show you how can I abide in you? 572 00:25:19,935 --> 00:25:21,023 Maybe it requires. 573 00:25:21,079 --> 00:25:23,759 Maybe it requires a removal of distractions. 574 00:25:23,927 --> 00:25:27,807 Maybe requires removal of certain electronics, of things that 575 00:25:27,831 --> 00:25:28,343 don't matter. 576 00:25:28,399 --> 00:25:30,835 To have our focus, of our needs to be on Christ. 577 00:25:32,655 --> 00:25:36,447 Do you strive to remain consistent in your walk with him, 578 00:25:36,591 --> 00:25:38,023 to be abiding in him? 579 00:25:38,159 --> 00:25:42,151 It's very difficult, but it is right and it is worth it. 580 00:25:42,223 --> 00:25:45,871 Bearing fruit takes a lot of patience and hard work, but it yields 581 00:25:45,903 --> 00:25:46,135 fruit. 582 00:25:46,175 --> 00:25:47,439 Hebrews 12:11. 583 00:25:47,487 --> 00:25:50,791 It states, now, no chastity for the present seemeth to be joyous, 584 00:25:50,943 --> 00:25:53,367 but grievous nevertheless. 585 00:25:53,431 --> 00:25:55,927 Afterward, it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness 586 00:25:56,071 --> 00:25:58,235 unto them which are exercised thereby. 587 00:25:58,775 --> 00:26:03,795 So when we are disobedient to God, when we don't abide in Christ, 588 00:26:04,415 --> 00:26:08,125 when God chastens us, it's not an enjoyable time, is it? 589 00:26:08,425 --> 00:26:09,161 When we have to. 590 00:26:09,193 --> 00:26:12,233 When we have to deal with children, our children, and say, 591 00:26:12,289 --> 00:26:15,113 you did this, there's a consequence, you're disciplined. 592 00:26:15,249 --> 00:26:19,865 It's not an enjoyable process, but there's joy in this, joy of the 593 00:26:19,905 --> 00:26:22,325 outcome of that process. 594 00:26:22,985 --> 00:26:25,801 And that joy is that fruit of righteousness, right? 595 00:26:25,913 --> 00:26:28,569 Tramp a child in the way he should go, that when he is old, he 596 00:26:28,577 --> 00:26:29,385 will not depart from it. 597 00:26:29,425 --> 00:26:30,737 It's saying, this is the way. 598 00:26:30,921 --> 00:26:33,369 This is the way that we are called to live as a Christ follower, 599 00:26:33,417 --> 00:26:34,249 abiding in Christ. 600 00:26:34,297 --> 00:26:35,011 And for. 601 00:26:35,153 --> 00:26:38,111 Maybe some of us were like, maybe you say, man, I have been going 602 00:26:38,143 --> 00:26:39,095 through some of this. 603 00:26:39,255 --> 00:26:42,127 I've been getting a firm kick, you know, to. 604 00:26:42,311 --> 00:26:43,623 From the Lord, to be like, you know what? 605 00:26:43,639 --> 00:26:45,767 I gotta make sure that my life is shaped up to where it's supposed 606 00:26:45,791 --> 00:26:46,515 to be. 607 00:26:47,015 --> 00:26:50,703 Maybe today is that reminder that we all need to saying, you know 608 00:26:50,719 --> 00:26:50,991 what? 609 00:26:51,063 --> 00:26:53,807 I need to take the steps that I need to take to abide in Christ, 610 00:26:53,871 --> 00:26:56,915 to confess that sin to him, to confess that distraction to him, 611 00:26:57,335 --> 00:26:59,435 saying, I have not been abiding in you. 612 00:27:01,065 --> 00:27:03,217 But there is blessing by abiding in Christ. 613 00:27:03,361 --> 00:27:04,645 Look at verse seven. 614 00:27:05,705 --> 00:27:08,857 It says, if ye abide in Me and my words abide in you, ye shall ask 615 00:27:08,881 --> 00:27:11,685 what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 616 00:27:12,585 --> 00:27:14,305 He will answer our prayer. 617 00:27:14,465 --> 00:27:17,257 When we abide in Christ and His Word remains within us, we are 618 00:27:17,281 --> 00:27:20,249 in sync with him and he will guide us into what we need to ask 619 00:27:20,297 --> 00:27:21,765 him for things in our lives. 620 00:27:22,625 --> 00:27:25,937 He wants to give us the things that we need and necessarily things 621 00:27:25,961 --> 00:27:26,401 that we want. 622 00:27:26,433 --> 00:27:27,517 I mean, that'd be nice, right? 623 00:27:27,601 --> 00:27:28,285 Things that we want. 624 00:27:28,325 --> 00:27:29,477 And sometimes he may. 625 00:27:29,621 --> 00:27:34,173 But if we're abiding in him and his words, his commandments are 626 00:27:34,189 --> 00:27:37,581 abiding in us, we're in sync with obedience to his will, with 627 00:27:37,613 --> 00:27:39,421 our will being in line with his. 628 00:27:39,573 --> 00:27:41,345 And he will answer our prayer. 629 00:27:41,885 --> 00:27:44,581 But not only that, but we also glorify God. 630 00:27:44,613 --> 00:27:45,557 Look at verse eight, hearing. 631 00:27:45,581 --> 00:27:48,733 Is my Father glorified that ye bear much fruit? 632 00:27:48,789 --> 00:27:50,661 So shall ye be my disciples. 633 00:27:50,853 --> 00:27:54,043 As we choose to abide in Christ and His Word, we will bear 634 00:27:54,099 --> 00:27:55,051 much fruit. 635 00:27:55,203 --> 00:27:58,095 This is a manifestation of our faithful love to Him. 636 00:27:58,795 --> 00:28:02,155 Much here, much here, much fruit. 637 00:28:02,195 --> 00:28:05,915 Meaning specifically that this is a many or a large fruit. 638 00:28:05,995 --> 00:28:08,835 There will be a large amount of fruit that demonstrates a faithful, 639 00:28:08,875 --> 00:28:10,615 obedient walk with Christ. 640 00:28:11,675 --> 00:28:12,787 Let me ask you a question. 641 00:28:12,851 --> 00:28:13,575 How many. 642 00:28:14,275 --> 00:28:18,723 How many of us truly want to be able to bear specifically that? 643 00:28:18,739 --> 00:28:19,731 The fruit of the Spirit, right? 644 00:28:19,763 --> 00:28:22,491 Maybe you say, in my home, I've been feeling. 645 00:28:22,643 --> 00:28:23,955 I've been seeing this. 646 00:28:24,075 --> 00:28:25,867 I've been seeing a lack of love. 647 00:28:25,971 --> 00:28:27,643 I've been seeing a lack of peace. 648 00:28:27,739 --> 00:28:30,467 I've been seeing a lack of joy, right? 649 00:28:30,491 --> 00:28:32,187 The fruit of the Spirit just kind of goes through that in your, 650 00:28:32,211 --> 00:28:33,095 in your mind. 651 00:28:33,955 --> 00:28:38,535 How can I, how, how, how can I get that back on track? 652 00:28:38,835 --> 00:28:41,051 How can I get that focus of where it needs to be? 653 00:28:41,083 --> 00:28:43,027 Look at verse nine right here. 654 00:28:43,051 --> 00:28:44,815 It gives you a really good first step. 655 00:28:45,395 --> 00:28:51,695 As a Father hath love to me, so have I loved you. 656 00:28:52,115 --> 00:28:54,339 Continue ye in my love. 657 00:28:54,507 --> 00:28:56,895 This is a whole reciprocated relationship here. 658 00:28:57,755 --> 00:29:01,891 God the Father loves the Son, His Son loves the Father, God loves 659 00:29:01,923 --> 00:29:05,355 us, and we love him, and then we love others. 660 00:29:05,475 --> 00:29:07,855 It's an overflow of our relationship with God. 661 00:29:08,755 --> 00:29:12,411 And so that is where it's a really good starting point. 662 00:29:12,443 --> 00:29:14,115 If you're like, where can I start? 663 00:29:14,235 --> 00:29:14,755 Right? 664 00:29:14,875 --> 00:29:16,171 Focus on loving God. 665 00:29:16,283 --> 00:29:19,171 Loving God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. 666 00:29:19,203 --> 00:29:20,891 And what does loving God require? 667 00:29:21,083 --> 00:29:24,195 It requires being faithful to God's commandments, abiding in his 668 00:29:24,235 --> 00:29:28,295 commandments, and not just having A Persona. 669 00:29:28,835 --> 00:29:31,467 Maybe, maybe you have a Persona before your family, but behind 670 00:29:31,531 --> 00:29:34,555 closed doors, when you're by yourself in your own private space, 671 00:29:34,595 --> 00:29:36,515 you're not truly abiding in God's commandments, right? 672 00:29:36,555 --> 00:29:42,821 No, it means being genuine, being real, saying, I'm truly desiring 673 00:29:42,853 --> 00:29:44,145 to abide in Christ. 674 00:29:46,165 --> 00:29:47,469 Well, let's look at our next point here. 675 00:29:47,517 --> 00:29:50,105 Being steadfast in the Lord, you must obey Christ. 676 00:29:51,365 --> 00:29:54,305 A couple married for 30 years had a daily tradition. 677 00:29:54,725 --> 00:29:57,325 The wife would bake a bun cut at a cross. 678 00:29:57,405 --> 00:30:00,785 She buttered both sides and as usual, she gave the top for the husband. 679 00:30:01,365 --> 00:30:04,625 But this day, it was their 30th anniversary. 680 00:30:05,015 --> 00:30:07,231 As she reached her hand out to give the sweeter part of the bun 681 00:30:07,263 --> 00:30:11,071 to her husband, she thought, on the day of our 30th anniversary, 682 00:30:11,183 --> 00:30:13,167 I want to eat this rosy part of the bun. 683 00:30:13,311 --> 00:30:17,463 I was dreaming about this for 30 years, every single day for 30 684 00:30:17,519 --> 00:30:18,115 years. 685 00:30:19,855 --> 00:30:23,095 Finally, I was an exemplary wife for 30 years. 686 00:30:23,135 --> 00:30:24,639 I raised good sons for him. 687 00:30:24,727 --> 00:30:27,183 I put so much effort and health for the well being of our 688 00:30:27,239 --> 00:30:27,835 family. 689 00:30:28,455 --> 00:30:30,533 Well, guys, she made the decision. 690 00:30:30,679 --> 00:30:32,365 Her husband, the bottom part of the bun. 691 00:30:32,905 --> 00:30:36,089 Her husband said, what a wonderful gift you gave me today, 692 00:30:36,137 --> 00:30:36,977 my dear. 693 00:30:37,161 --> 00:30:40,353 30 years I did not eat my favorite part, the bottom, the part 694 00:30:40,369 --> 00:30:43,925 of the bun, because I thought it rightfully belonged to you. 695 00:30:45,065 --> 00:30:47,593 When it comes to our relationship to Christ, there should 696 00:30:47,609 --> 00:30:50,641 be a continual growth in our walk with him that we're growing 697 00:30:50,673 --> 00:30:52,393 in our love and allegiance to Him. 698 00:30:52,529 --> 00:30:55,481 This is a demonstration through obedience to His Word, right 699 00:30:55,513 --> 00:30:57,829 where we always have areas to grow. 700 00:30:57,977 --> 00:31:01,525 All of us, we're striving to grow, to love him, to abide in him, 701 00:31:01,565 --> 00:31:03,065 to learn more about Him. 702 00:31:03,445 --> 00:31:05,077 But verse nine of it talks about that. 703 00:31:05,101 --> 00:31:08,029 It says, as a Father hath loved me, so have I loved you. 704 00:31:08,077 --> 00:31:08,821 Continuing my love. 705 00:31:08,853 --> 00:31:12,733 If Jesus is somebody who is continuing in the Father's love, 706 00:31:12,829 --> 00:31:16,077 He is continuing in that love, how much more should we be abiding 707 00:31:16,101 --> 00:31:19,425 in his love and living out his love for those around us? 708 00:31:21,685 --> 00:31:23,029 So the Father loves His son. 709 00:31:23,117 --> 00:31:25,119 The Son loves us to remain in his love. 710 00:31:25,197 --> 00:31:27,495 Now, the word used here for love is agape. 711 00:31:27,795 --> 00:31:30,499 And it's in the tense of a past love that is continual. 712 00:31:30,587 --> 00:31:31,331 What does that mean? 713 00:31:31,363 --> 00:31:31,923 Well, it is. 714 00:31:31,979 --> 00:31:33,123 It has been in the past. 715 00:31:33,219 --> 00:31:36,307 It is a continuing love and abiding love that God has for you, 716 00:31:36,331 --> 00:31:37,747 that God has for me. 717 00:31:37,931 --> 00:31:38,947 The question is, do you want. 718 00:31:38,971 --> 00:31:42,019 Do you want to continue to be a part of that in your life or do 719 00:31:42,027 --> 00:31:46,219 you want to continue to not do that and have to experience that 720 00:31:46,267 --> 00:31:48,579 pain and that Hardship of not abiding in his love. 721 00:31:48,627 --> 00:31:50,505 We all have that choice to make. 722 00:31:50,675 --> 00:31:54,301 But God's love is of no short supply for us. 723 00:31:54,493 --> 00:31:57,345 Do you struggle to continue showing God's love to others? 724 00:31:57,965 --> 00:32:00,749 You need to dig into Scripture and pray over those verses about 725 00:32:00,797 --> 00:32:01,685 God's love. 726 00:32:01,845 --> 00:32:05,145 Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you how to live that out. 727 00:32:05,525 --> 00:32:08,045 We are encouraged to continue in Christ's love. 728 00:32:08,085 --> 00:32:09,545 How is your walk with the Lord? 729 00:32:10,005 --> 00:32:12,445 Is the love you show self centered love that you were living 730 00:32:12,485 --> 00:32:13,065 in? 731 00:32:13,485 --> 00:32:16,145 Is God's love steadfast and in through your life? 732 00:32:16,735 --> 00:32:19,423 If you haven't been showing God's love, ask him to show you how 733 00:32:19,439 --> 00:32:21,315 to live it out and he will show you. 734 00:32:21,855 --> 00:32:24,615 We demonstrate that we love God by obeying his commandments. 735 00:32:24,655 --> 00:32:25,755 Look at verse 10. 736 00:32:26,255 --> 00:32:29,271 Christ says, if ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in my 737 00:32:29,303 --> 00:32:34,111 love, even as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in 738 00:32:34,143 --> 00:32:34,991 his love. 739 00:32:35,183 --> 00:32:38,671 These things have I spoken unto you that my joy might remain 740 00:32:38,703 --> 00:32:41,635 in you and that your joy might be full. 741 00:32:42,145 --> 00:32:45,345 This is my commandment that ye love one another as I have loved 742 00:32:45,385 --> 00:32:45,965 you. 743 00:32:46,265 --> 00:32:49,081 And greater love hath no man than this than a man laid down his 744 00:32:49,113 --> 00:32:50,205 life for his friends. 745 00:32:50,865 --> 00:32:54,085 Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you. 746 00:32:54,425 --> 00:32:57,113 Henceforth I call you not servants, for the servant knoweth 747 00:32:57,129 --> 00:32:58,645 not what his Lord doeth. 748 00:32:59,025 --> 00:33:01,713 But I have called you friends for all things that I have heard 749 00:33:01,729 --> 00:33:03,845 of my Father I have made known unto you. 750 00:33:05,265 --> 00:33:10,333 So we see that there is this whole purpose, this whole goal of 751 00:33:10,349 --> 00:33:11,637 what God has for us. 752 00:33:11,701 --> 00:33:14,349 We demonstrate that we love God by obeying his commandments. 753 00:33:14,397 --> 00:33:14,861 Verse 10. 754 00:33:14,893 --> 00:33:16,205 If you keep my commandments. 755 00:33:16,245 --> 00:33:17,985 Now, what does this word keep mean? 756 00:33:18,405 --> 00:33:21,181 This word keep here, Obviously it means, okay, I'm, I'm keeping 757 00:33:21,213 --> 00:33:21,941 this within. 758 00:33:22,093 --> 00:33:26,261 But it also conveys the idea of protecting and guarding, right? 759 00:33:26,293 --> 00:33:28,053 Why do we need to protect and guard that? 760 00:33:28,109 --> 00:33:31,813 Specifically, we need to protect and guard ourselves that 761 00:33:31,829 --> 00:33:34,149 we truly are abiding in God's love. 762 00:33:34,197 --> 00:33:37,731 Because if we're not careful in our thinking, if we're not careful 763 00:33:37,763 --> 00:33:40,723 in our hearts to properly be processing things in our lives according 764 00:33:40,779 --> 00:33:41,735 to truth. 765 00:33:42,075 --> 00:33:45,027 And the smallest bit of information that gets in there, that's 766 00:33:45,051 --> 00:33:48,695 a lie, that's not of God's word, that's not of Christ. 767 00:33:49,275 --> 00:33:53,347 And then it can potentially throw off the whole thing down the 768 00:33:53,371 --> 00:33:53,935 road. 769 00:33:54,315 --> 00:33:56,955 And to bring back the illustration from before, right? 770 00:33:57,115 --> 00:34:01,507 Wood being thrown in a fire, it's not an immediate thing, right? 771 00:34:01,531 --> 00:34:04,147 You cut the wood off, but it takes a good year for it to dry out 772 00:34:04,171 --> 00:34:05,513 before it can be used for fire. 773 00:34:05,659 --> 00:34:07,221 It takes time for that to happen. 774 00:34:07,253 --> 00:34:08,757 And you can always be restored to that. 775 00:34:08,781 --> 00:34:13,305 You can always have that back by remaining in God's commandments. 776 00:34:13,645 --> 00:34:16,949 And so we see the first aspect there of abiding in Christ is his 777 00:34:16,997 --> 00:34:17,637 love. 778 00:34:17,821 --> 00:34:20,445 But we also see the next one is his joy. 779 00:34:20,525 --> 00:34:21,205 Verse 11. 780 00:34:21,285 --> 00:34:25,741 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy by remaining 781 00:34:25,813 --> 00:34:28,517 you and that your joy might be full. 782 00:34:28,581 --> 00:34:30,573 Christ is saying, you're saying these things. 783 00:34:30,629 --> 00:34:31,793 I'm sharing with you. 784 00:34:31,909 --> 00:34:34,005 I'm saying for you to abide in me. 785 00:34:34,385 --> 00:34:37,405 I'm encouraging you to abide in God's love. 786 00:34:37,865 --> 00:34:38,969 I'm encouraging that. 787 00:34:39,017 --> 00:34:39,605 Why? 788 00:34:40,425 --> 00:34:44,529 Because then a natural production of fruit that comes after 789 00:34:44,577 --> 00:34:45,845 love is joy. 790 00:34:46,345 --> 00:34:46,985 Verse 11. 791 00:34:47,025 --> 00:34:50,241 There he says that my joy might remain in you and that your 792 00:34:50,273 --> 00:34:51,645 joy might be full. 793 00:34:51,945 --> 00:34:56,445 So going back to the illustration of discipline, correction, 794 00:34:56,945 --> 00:35:01,401 chastisement, you know, of being punished for disobedience to 795 00:35:01,433 --> 00:35:02,765 God, right? 796 00:35:03,825 --> 00:35:04,945 Is it joyful? 797 00:35:05,065 --> 00:35:05,725 No. 798 00:35:06,225 --> 00:35:10,273 But coming out of it, there's that joy and that restoration of 799 00:35:10,289 --> 00:35:12,225 the relationship with God that we have. 800 00:35:12,265 --> 00:35:14,325 And that's the whole purpose and the whole point of it. 801 00:35:15,225 --> 00:35:19,185 And so as we look at God's commandments, he has many things 802 00:35:19,225 --> 00:35:20,449 for us to follow, right? 803 00:35:20,537 --> 00:35:21,065 Verse 12. 804 00:35:21,105 --> 00:35:24,121 This is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved 805 00:35:24,153 --> 00:35:24,725 you. 806 00:35:25,765 --> 00:35:28,425 That's a pretty tall order, right? 807 00:35:29,245 --> 00:35:30,117 What are you saying there? 808 00:35:30,141 --> 00:35:32,861 He's saying you love one another as I've loved you. 809 00:35:32,893 --> 00:35:36,093 That natural overflow of that relationship, of our love with God, 810 00:35:36,189 --> 00:35:38,965 as we have that love, we have that joy abiding. 811 00:35:39,125 --> 00:35:41,741 That's where you're gonna start seeing your own individual 812 00:35:41,813 --> 00:35:42,425 life. 813 00:35:43,045 --> 00:35:47,205 And maybe it's in your family, within your home, maybe it's even 814 00:35:47,245 --> 00:35:48,101 within your workplace. 815 00:35:48,133 --> 00:35:50,541 And you're like, how can I possibly show God's love and joy 816 00:35:50,573 --> 00:35:52,203 to people who hate the gospel? 817 00:35:52,389 --> 00:35:55,239 How can I possibly show God's love and show God's joy? 818 00:35:55,287 --> 00:35:59,915 Well, a lot of times love is sacrificial, right? 819 00:36:00,815 --> 00:36:04,639 Is love something that's a happy feeling, an enjoyable feeling? 820 00:36:04,687 --> 00:36:09,695 No, it is an intentional self sacrificial decision that we make 821 00:36:09,775 --> 00:36:11,515 on the betterment of somebody else. 822 00:36:12,095 --> 00:36:15,047 So if you have a boss who is being, who is just getting upset 823 00:36:15,071 --> 00:36:17,959 at you about this or that or whatever, and maybe about your Christian 824 00:36:18,007 --> 00:36:18,595 faith. 825 00:36:19,425 --> 00:36:21,885 How can my, how can I make my boss look good? 826 00:36:22,225 --> 00:36:27,205 What can I do with projects in my workplace to help lift him up 827 00:36:27,505 --> 00:36:29,329 to show God's love, right? 828 00:36:29,377 --> 00:36:30,601 Self sacrificial, right? 829 00:36:30,633 --> 00:36:33,545 Because that's contrary to the world around us, right? 830 00:36:33,665 --> 00:36:34,721 You got to be on top. 831 00:36:34,753 --> 00:36:36,897 You Got to rise to the cream of the top and you have to be the 832 00:36:36,921 --> 00:36:38,925 best of the best to be on top, right? 833 00:36:39,505 --> 00:36:43,561 What better testimony would be for Christ if you had that perspective 834 00:36:43,593 --> 00:36:46,455 where it's like, you know what, I make my boss look good. 835 00:36:46,955 --> 00:36:48,883 And that's my goal, right? 836 00:36:49,059 --> 00:36:51,251 That was my goal when I was working at 84 Lumber a few years 837 00:36:51,283 --> 00:36:51,787 ago. 838 00:36:51,931 --> 00:36:55,771 And I'm like, you know, I have no idea how to fully quote on materials 839 00:36:55,803 --> 00:36:56,659 for a house. 840 00:36:56,787 --> 00:37:00,275 You know, I try loading massive dirty and 50 foot trusses 841 00:37:00,315 --> 00:37:01,019 on trucks. 842 00:37:01,107 --> 00:37:02,375 Crazy insanity. 843 00:37:02,715 --> 00:37:05,523 But how can I, how can I make my boss look good? 844 00:37:05,659 --> 00:37:08,723 How can I do the best that I can to help further that cause for 845 00:37:08,739 --> 00:37:09,495 the company? 846 00:37:10,205 --> 00:37:11,745 So think about that. 847 00:37:12,125 --> 00:37:13,405 How can you make your boss look good? 848 00:37:13,445 --> 00:37:15,093 Maybe it's a spouse, right? 849 00:37:15,229 --> 00:37:16,421 How can I lift them up? 850 00:37:16,453 --> 00:37:18,125 How can I show them God's love? 851 00:37:18,165 --> 00:37:19,709 How can I serve them right? 852 00:37:19,797 --> 00:37:21,265 How can I serve my boss? 853 00:37:21,645 --> 00:37:24,065 Likewise, children, how can you serve your parents? 854 00:37:25,125 --> 00:37:26,717 You know, how can you love your parents? 855 00:37:26,781 --> 00:37:28,345 How can you show them honor? 856 00:37:28,805 --> 00:37:32,941 How can you take the steps in your life to say, you know what simple 857 00:37:32,973 --> 00:37:34,405 obedience may be, saying, you know what? 858 00:37:34,445 --> 00:37:36,893 Mom and dad said, I got to go do this, and I'm going to do it because 859 00:37:36,909 --> 00:37:38,665 I have to be obedient to my parents. 860 00:37:39,745 --> 00:37:42,137 Teenagers, I know it's difficult, difficult stage you're 861 00:37:42,161 --> 00:37:44,985 going through with transition of going into adulthood. 862 00:37:45,145 --> 00:37:47,645 But the Bible continues to say to honor our parents. 863 00:37:48,065 --> 00:37:49,505 How can I honor my parents? 864 00:37:49,625 --> 00:37:51,545 I may not fully agree with that decision that they're making, 865 00:37:51,585 --> 00:37:54,225 but how can I honor them and respect their opinion about that? 866 00:37:54,265 --> 00:37:59,305 You know, a lot of times when in general, when there's a thought 867 00:37:59,345 --> 00:38:03,249 that we have that's contrary to something else that we want, a 868 00:38:03,257 --> 00:38:05,993 lot of times God is using that other thought that's contrary to 869 00:38:06,009 --> 00:38:08,913 what you think to help to show you that that isn't the best of the 870 00:38:08,929 --> 00:38:10,925 tickle right now, right? 871 00:38:11,465 --> 00:38:13,873 So when I was a teenager, my parents said a few things to me and 872 00:38:13,889 --> 00:38:16,897 I was like, I did not fully agree with it, but I trusted them 873 00:38:16,921 --> 00:38:17,473 and I honored them. 874 00:38:17,489 --> 00:38:19,889 And I said, you know what my parents are? 875 00:38:20,057 --> 00:38:21,321 They have more experience in life. 876 00:38:21,353 --> 00:38:24,297 They know that they've gone through that process of life. 877 00:38:24,321 --> 00:38:26,085 And I can honor them and respect them. 878 00:38:26,705 --> 00:38:28,369 So how can you do that for your parents? 879 00:38:28,497 --> 00:38:31,345 How can you do that for your boss, for your spouse, for those 880 00:38:31,385 --> 00:38:32,245 around you? 881 00:38:32,945 --> 00:38:33,965 Verse 13. 882 00:38:34,465 --> 00:38:37,335 Christ says, Greater love hath no man than this. 883 00:38:37,505 --> 00:38:39,531 That a man laid down his life for his friends. 884 00:38:39,603 --> 00:38:40,475 Christ does it. 885 00:38:40,555 --> 00:38:41,895 Christ did it for us. 886 00:38:42,315 --> 00:38:45,815 Christ was referencing how he was about to do that for his disciples. 887 00:38:46,635 --> 00:38:52,875 And then in verse 14, he says, Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever, 888 00:38:53,035 --> 00:38:54,455 I command you. 889 00:38:55,915 --> 00:38:56,843 What's Christ saying? 890 00:38:56,899 --> 00:38:58,203 This is common sense, right? 891 00:38:58,259 --> 00:39:00,935 Abide in me, follow my commandments. 892 00:39:01,595 --> 00:39:04,375 Let's have that fellowship that we're supposed to have. 893 00:39:04,995 --> 00:39:08,251 Just as we cannot have a proper relationship with somebody 894 00:39:08,283 --> 00:39:11,331 else who is not abiding in Christ, right? 895 00:39:11,363 --> 00:39:12,539 But we can ourselves. 896 00:39:12,627 --> 00:39:15,931 We can be responsible for how we choose to live, how we choose 897 00:39:15,963 --> 00:39:19,939 to respond, how we can choose to be Jesus friends by doing whatever 898 00:39:19,987 --> 00:39:21,855 he has commanded us to do. 899 00:39:22,235 --> 00:39:25,131 In verse 15, he says, henceforth, I call you not servants, 900 00:39:25,243 --> 00:39:27,939 for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth. 901 00:39:28,067 --> 00:39:31,437 But I have called you friends for all things that I have heard 902 00:39:31,461 --> 00:39:31,573 of. 903 00:39:31,589 --> 00:39:33,621 My Father I have made known unto you. 904 00:39:33,773 --> 00:39:34,941 What's Jesus saying here? 905 00:39:34,973 --> 00:39:37,905 He's saying, I'm not keeping any secrets from you guys. 906 00:39:38,805 --> 00:39:41,265 I'm being open and transparent with you. 907 00:39:41,845 --> 00:39:44,305 Everything the Father has told me, I'm telling you. 908 00:39:46,005 --> 00:39:48,305 Have you been open with your spouse about things? 909 00:39:49,485 --> 00:39:51,237 Have you been open with your parents about these? 910 00:39:51,301 --> 00:39:52,717 Have you been open with your boss about these? 911 00:39:52,741 --> 00:39:54,965 Let me go back to the example of an unsaved boss. 912 00:39:55,005 --> 00:39:55,825 But how. 913 00:39:57,225 --> 00:39:59,601 How transparent have you been with those in your life? 914 00:39:59,753 --> 00:40:01,025 This is a very hard one, right? 915 00:40:01,065 --> 00:40:01,845 We all. 916 00:40:02,345 --> 00:40:04,841 Oh, I shouldn't say oh. 917 00:40:04,873 --> 00:40:06,017 Some of us might say, you know what? 918 00:40:06,081 --> 00:40:07,569 I have that one skeleton in the closet. 919 00:40:07,617 --> 00:40:09,017 I'll bring this example in. 920 00:40:09,161 --> 00:40:12,005 You know, let's say Jesus walks into the house of your life, 921 00:40:12,345 --> 00:40:13,085 right? 922 00:40:13,905 --> 00:40:16,673 Comes up, pulls up at the front door, walks up. 923 00:40:16,769 --> 00:40:17,105 Beautiful. 924 00:40:17,145 --> 00:40:18,545 Maybe it's a beautiful front door. 925 00:40:18,585 --> 00:40:22,943 You know, there's beautiful blinds, know, window shutters on 926 00:40:22,959 --> 00:40:23,755 the outside. 927 00:40:25,735 --> 00:40:29,399 You come to the door, hello, Lord, it's so good to have you. 928 00:40:29,447 --> 00:40:31,239 Come on in, right? 929 00:40:31,407 --> 00:40:34,431 He walks in, lush, just living. 930 00:40:34,583 --> 00:40:35,935 Just like, nice couches. 931 00:40:35,975 --> 00:40:37,367 There's a rug on the floor. 932 00:40:37,511 --> 00:40:39,439 Beautiful fire going, right? 933 00:40:39,487 --> 00:40:41,315 During this cooler season and stuff. 934 00:40:41,735 --> 00:40:44,527 And the Lord's like, let's go to the next room, right? 935 00:40:44,551 --> 00:40:46,391 So we go to the kitchen, right? 936 00:40:46,503 --> 00:40:48,169 Dishes are all stacked away. 937 00:40:48,327 --> 00:40:49,253 Everything's all clean. 938 00:40:49,309 --> 00:40:51,785 Everything's all nice, organized, right? 939 00:40:52,725 --> 00:40:56,661 Then you go into your bedroom, okay? 940 00:40:56,733 --> 00:40:59,525 You know, the bed's made, Everything's organized, everything's 941 00:40:59,565 --> 00:41:00,145 great. 942 00:41:01,325 --> 00:41:05,705 And then Jesus says, can I look at your closet? 943 00:41:06,965 --> 00:41:12,173 And you're like, lord, don't go to my closet, Lord, I have a skeleton 944 00:41:12,229 --> 00:41:13,819 in there, and I want you to see it. 945 00:41:13,997 --> 00:41:16,927 But the Lord's like, look, if you're my friend, you need to do 946 00:41:16,951 --> 00:41:17,515 that. 947 00:41:18,015 --> 00:41:21,555 You start tearing up, and you're like, no, please don't. 948 00:41:22,455 --> 00:41:24,835 And God is like, am I not the Lord of your life? 949 00:41:25,255 --> 00:41:31,031 Am I not your Savior and your God if you don't look? 950 00:41:31,223 --> 00:41:33,755 And the truth is that Christ already knows anyways, right? 951 00:41:34,255 --> 00:41:36,315 And so he goes, he opens that door. 952 00:41:37,855 --> 00:41:40,555 How many of us have that skeleton in our closet today? 953 00:41:41,645 --> 00:41:47,701 How many of us have chosen not to be a full friend of Christ, fully 954 00:41:47,733 --> 00:41:50,785 obedient to Christ, having that full love for Him? 955 00:41:51,085 --> 00:41:53,653 How many of us have that skeleton in the closet that we have 956 00:41:53,669 --> 00:41:57,317 to confess to him to saying, lord, I completely yield everything 957 00:41:57,381 --> 00:41:57,741 to you. 958 00:41:57,773 --> 00:41:59,357 I'm not going to hide anything. 959 00:41:59,501 --> 00:42:02,565 I'm going to be open and I'm going to be transparent with you 960 00:42:02,605 --> 00:42:03,585 about everything. 961 00:42:05,895 --> 00:42:06,263 Serve. 962 00:42:06,279 --> 00:42:06,775 Verse 15. 963 00:42:06,815 --> 00:42:09,487 There he says, henceforth I call you not servants, for the servant 964 00:42:09,551 --> 00:42:11,791 knoweth not what is what his Lord doeth. 965 00:42:11,903 --> 00:42:14,247 But I have called you friends for all things that I have heard 966 00:42:14,271 --> 00:42:17,755 of my Father I have made known unto you. 967 00:42:18,855 --> 00:42:20,995 So what's the purpose behind all of this? 968 00:42:21,455 --> 00:42:25,327 Purpose behind all this is that God is designed for us to abide 969 00:42:25,351 --> 00:42:26,711 in him, to be steadfast in Him. 970 00:42:26,743 --> 00:42:29,887 We demonstrate this, that we love God by obeying his commandments. 971 00:42:29,951 --> 00:42:32,831 First John, 2 verses 3, 3 through 6. 972 00:42:32,863 --> 00:42:36,807 It states, and hereby we do know that we know him if we keep 973 00:42:36,871 --> 00:42:37,807 his commandments. 974 00:42:37,911 --> 00:42:39,995 This next verse here is very crucial. 975 00:42:40,335 --> 00:42:45,535 It states, he that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments 976 00:42:45,575 --> 00:42:51,471 is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoso keepeth his 977 00:42:51,503 --> 00:42:52,735 word in him. 978 00:42:52,775 --> 00:42:54,635 Verily is the love of God perfected. 979 00:42:55,335 --> 00:42:58,087 Hereby know we that we are in him. 980 00:42:58,271 --> 00:43:02,275 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk 981 00:43:02,655 --> 00:43:04,235 even as he walked. 982 00:43:04,935 --> 00:43:07,855 The author of the Gospel of John, the author of the Epistles 983 00:43:07,895 --> 00:43:12,407 of John, like First John here, he was known as the disciple whom 984 00:43:12,431 --> 00:43:15,095 Jesus loved at the Lord's Supper. 985 00:43:15,215 --> 00:43:18,591 He was literally laying on Jesus chest because he was so in 986 00:43:18,623 --> 00:43:19,955 love with his Lord. 987 00:43:20,975 --> 00:43:22,407 He loved Christ. 988 00:43:22,591 --> 00:43:25,863 And all throughout the Gospel of John, John's referred to as the 989 00:43:25,879 --> 00:43:27,475 disciple whom Jesus loved. 990 00:43:27,865 --> 00:43:28,605 Why? 991 00:43:29,105 --> 00:43:31,577 Because John abided by God's commandments. 992 00:43:31,721 --> 00:43:33,433 John abided in Christ. 993 00:43:33,489 --> 00:43:37,085 He was faithful to abiding in Christ as his true vine. 994 00:43:38,385 --> 00:43:39,845 Go back to verse three. 995 00:43:41,985 --> 00:43:44,305 And this is, and this is a huge pivotal part here. 996 00:43:44,345 --> 00:43:45,225 Verse 3. 997 00:43:45,385 --> 00:43:50,049 Christ says, now you are clean through the word which I have spoken 998 00:43:50,217 --> 00:43:51,285 unto you. 999 00:43:53,275 --> 00:43:54,615 How are we made clean? 1000 00:43:55,035 --> 00:43:57,655 How are we made right pure before God? 1001 00:43:58,315 --> 00:44:00,495 It is through his word. 1002 00:44:00,955 --> 00:44:03,851 Psalm 19 talks about that, right? 1003 00:44:03,883 --> 00:44:08,667 There is that cleansing, there is that washing, there is that growth 1004 00:44:08,731 --> 00:44:12,275 in God's wisdom and God's understanding as we're truly desiring 1005 00:44:12,315 --> 00:44:13,443 to live for Him. 1006 00:44:13,619 --> 00:44:17,531 He gives us that understanding and no, this is what God's Word is. 1007 00:44:17,563 --> 00:44:18,403 It's cleansing. 1008 00:44:18,499 --> 00:44:20,757 It purifies us and it helps to make it. 1009 00:44:20,851 --> 00:44:23,805 It helps to show us the right way to go and how to live. 1010 00:44:24,425 --> 00:44:25,605 Psalm 119. 1011 00:44:26,425 --> 00:44:30,417 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed thereto 1012 00:44:30,481 --> 00:44:31,881 according to thy Word. 1013 00:44:32,073 --> 00:44:34,665 Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against 1014 00:44:34,705 --> 00:44:34,945 thee. 1015 00:44:34,985 --> 00:44:35,601 How do we. 1016 00:44:35,713 --> 00:44:36,609 How do we not sin? 1017 00:44:36,657 --> 00:44:39,457 How do we abide in Christ is by abiding in His Word? 1018 00:44:39,521 --> 00:44:40,081 Question for you. 1019 00:44:40,113 --> 00:44:41,885 Have you been abiding in God's Word? 1020 00:44:42,225 --> 00:44:45,857 Have you been faithful to spending time regularly with him, 1021 00:44:45,881 --> 00:44:46,849 in your relationship with him? 1022 00:44:46,897 --> 00:44:47,915 Spending time? 1023 00:44:48,105 --> 00:44:50,047 Maybe it's taking just a couple of verses every day. 1024 00:44:50,071 --> 00:44:52,663 Maybe it's taking right now some Bible verses and bringing it 1025 00:44:52,679 --> 00:44:55,675 with you on a two by five card, tucking it in your shirt pocket, 1026 00:44:56,775 --> 00:44:59,515 meditating on scripture, focusing on God's word. 1027 00:45:00,975 --> 00:45:04,191 And so we demonstrate that we love God by obeying his commandments. 1028 00:45:04,223 --> 00:45:06,775 But the purpose of Jesus sharing these things is also to produce 1029 00:45:06,815 --> 00:45:08,639 that consistent joy in our life. 1030 00:45:08,807 --> 00:45:10,515 Think about what happened to Jesus. 1031 00:45:11,135 --> 00:45:13,451 Jesus was about to be betrayed here. 1032 00:45:13,543 --> 00:45:16,907 He was about to be dragged off to be killed, crucified. 1033 00:45:17,051 --> 00:45:20,651 If there was ever an essential time for the disciples to know his 1034 00:45:20,683 --> 00:45:22,215 true joy was right now. 1035 00:45:22,515 --> 00:45:24,375 He was about to be separated. 1036 00:45:24,835 --> 00:45:28,011 But in our world today, there are many uncertainties, right? 1037 00:45:28,043 --> 00:45:32,907 The economy, weather, refrigerated this last weekend, the 1038 00:45:32,931 --> 00:45:35,415 hostile environment towards Christianity and our culture. 1039 00:45:35,875 --> 00:45:39,049 If there was ever a time for us to be remaining in God's commandments 1040 00:45:39,227 --> 00:45:41,781 so that we can keep our priorities straight, it is now. 1041 00:45:41,853 --> 00:45:46,109 We must be abiding in God's love and his joy so that we can carefully 1042 00:45:46,157 --> 00:45:49,701 demonstrate to our families, our workplaces and our church that 1043 00:45:49,733 --> 00:45:51,757 we all must abide in Christ. 1044 00:45:51,821 --> 00:45:54,345 When was the last time someone noticed a difference in your life 1045 00:45:54,965 --> 00:45:57,145 through a demonstration of God's love and joy? 1046 00:45:57,445 --> 00:45:59,965 Maybe you say yesterday with my spouse or child. 1047 00:46:00,085 --> 00:46:00,981 Oh great, good. 1048 00:46:01,013 --> 00:46:01,397 Keep it up. 1049 00:46:01,421 --> 00:46:03,185 Maybe it was maybe a coworker. 1050 00:46:03,845 --> 00:46:07,821 But choose to remain faithful by abiding in God's commandments. 1051 00:46:08,013 --> 00:46:15,141 Go down to go back to John, John chapter 13 and John 13 and 34. 1052 00:46:15,333 --> 00:46:19,165 He states, A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one 1053 00:46:19,205 --> 00:46:24,029 another as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 1054 00:46:24,077 --> 00:46:26,357 By this shall all men know that you're my disciples. 1055 00:46:26,541 --> 00:46:29,093 If you have love one to another. 1056 00:46:29,149 --> 00:46:31,373 By this shall all men Know that you and my disciples, if you 1057 00:46:31,389 --> 00:46:35,411 have love one to another, how are you doing today? 1058 00:46:35,443 --> 00:46:36,459 Are you abiding in God's. 1059 00:46:36,507 --> 00:46:38,171 Are you abiding in God's commandments? 1060 00:46:38,283 --> 00:46:39,895 Are you abiding in him? 1061 00:46:40,275 --> 00:46:42,419 Go back to John 15. 1062 00:46:42,587 --> 00:46:45,163 There is this contrast between the world and between us if we're 1063 00:46:45,179 --> 00:46:46,335 abiding in Christ. 1064 00:46:48,235 --> 00:46:48,915 Verse 16. 1065 00:46:48,955 --> 00:46:51,307 Ye have chosen me, but ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen 1066 00:46:51,331 --> 00:46:54,963 you and ordained you that ye should go and bring forth fruit and 1067 00:46:54,979 --> 00:46:56,411 that your faith should remain. 1068 00:46:56,523 --> 00:47:00,389 That whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My name, he may 1069 00:47:00,437 --> 00:47:01,945 give it to you. 1070 00:47:03,125 --> 00:47:04,625 What is he saying here? 1071 00:47:05,285 --> 00:47:06,277 You haven't. 1072 00:47:06,461 --> 00:47:09,013 You are not the one who has ultimately ordained this. 1073 00:47:09,069 --> 00:47:10,501 God has and I have. 1074 00:47:10,653 --> 00:47:12,173 And it's all set up for you. 1075 00:47:12,229 --> 00:47:16,461 All you have to do is just take it up and run with it, right? 1076 00:47:16,493 --> 00:47:18,781 He says, I have ordained that you should go and bring forth fruit. 1077 00:47:18,813 --> 00:47:20,065 So let me ask you a question. 1078 00:47:20,565 --> 00:47:24,345 Who is the one that this, that this is depending upon? 1079 00:47:25,335 --> 00:47:26,795 Does it depend on you? 1080 00:47:27,455 --> 00:47:29,447 Ultimately, no. 1081 00:47:29,511 --> 00:47:30,795 It depends on Christ. 1082 00:47:31,975 --> 00:47:32,863 And that's what he's saying. 1083 00:47:32,879 --> 00:47:36,119 He's saying that your fruit should remain and that whatsoever 1084 00:47:36,167 --> 00:47:39,951 ye shall ask of the Father in My name, he may give it you these 1085 00:47:39,983 --> 00:47:40,199 things. 1086 00:47:40,247 --> 00:47:42,847 I command you that ye love one another. 1087 00:47:42,911 --> 00:47:46,415 If the world hates you, ye know that it hated me before it hated 1088 00:47:46,455 --> 00:47:47,919 you, right? 1089 00:47:48,007 --> 00:47:50,055 This message that we're sharing, you guys know this. 1090 00:47:50,175 --> 00:47:54,573 In our workplaces, maybe in our public schools, maybe in when 1091 00:47:54,589 --> 00:47:57,613 you go shopping in different places, maybe on social media, as 1092 00:47:57,629 --> 00:47:59,709 you have all these different influences from the culture around 1093 00:47:59,757 --> 00:48:04,117 us, the world did not respond to Jesus well, did it? 1094 00:48:04,261 --> 00:48:04,945 No. 1095 00:48:05,325 --> 00:48:08,305 And the world won't respond well to us. 1096 00:48:08,925 --> 00:48:11,613 So when you make a decision, maybe today you're saying, you know 1097 00:48:11,629 --> 00:48:11,829 what? 1098 00:48:11,877 --> 00:48:14,181 Okay, I will abide in Christ. 1099 00:48:14,373 --> 00:48:15,965 I will be faithful to Him. 1100 00:48:16,085 --> 00:48:17,705 I will abide in His Word. 1101 00:48:18,575 --> 00:48:22,775 And then when you start having harsh responses, don't let it discourage 1102 00:48:22,815 --> 00:48:22,991 you. 1103 00:48:23,023 --> 00:48:24,887 Maybe you say, you know, and maybe recently I have been trying 1104 00:48:24,911 --> 00:48:25,755 to do that. 1105 00:48:26,335 --> 00:48:27,367 Don't let it discourage you. 1106 00:48:27,391 --> 00:48:31,951 I remember years ago, when I was young, probably about 12 years 1107 00:48:31,983 --> 00:48:33,935 old, I had a gospel tract. 1108 00:48:33,975 --> 00:48:36,463 I remember I was going up to this one truck, this guy, he was 1109 00:48:36,479 --> 00:48:36,871 in his truck. 1110 00:48:36,903 --> 00:48:38,991 I think it was like an F250 or something like that. 1111 00:48:39,103 --> 00:48:41,815 A big pickup truck, a little 12 year old. 1112 00:48:41,895 --> 00:48:46,313 I was a little 12 year old, and I gave, I gave this guy in the 1113 00:48:46,329 --> 00:48:46,497 truck. 1114 00:48:46,521 --> 00:48:49,485 And I was like, here, here's a gospel tract for you, right? 1115 00:48:49,985 --> 00:48:50,849 He took the tract. 1116 00:48:50,897 --> 00:48:51,965 You know what he did? 1117 00:48:52,505 --> 00:48:56,925 He threw it Back in my face, he said, no, thank you, I'm not interested. 1118 00:48:57,785 --> 00:48:59,401 Thankfully, my dad was there. 1119 00:48:59,553 --> 00:49:03,449 My dad pulled me aside and he was like, john, that's how the world 1120 00:49:03,497 --> 00:49:04,089 is. 1121 00:49:04,257 --> 00:49:08,169 You know, the world hated Jesus and is going to hate you. 1122 00:49:08,337 --> 00:49:10,109 And so maybe today, as. 1123 00:49:10,257 --> 00:49:13,333 As we're looking towards, okay, what are the next steps for 1124 00:49:13,349 --> 00:49:14,709 me maybe abiding in Christ? 1125 00:49:14,837 --> 00:49:18,825 It's good if you be warned that the world hated Christ. 1126 00:49:19,325 --> 00:49:20,117 Verse 19. 1127 00:49:20,181 --> 00:49:23,653 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own. 1128 00:49:23,789 --> 00:49:26,573 But because you're not of the world, but I have chosen you out 1129 00:49:26,589 --> 00:49:29,665 of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 1130 00:49:30,085 --> 00:49:31,621 Remember the word that I said unto you. 1131 00:49:31,653 --> 00:49:33,365 The servant is not greater than his Lord. 1132 00:49:33,485 --> 00:49:36,949 If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you. 1133 00:49:36,997 --> 00:49:40,695 If they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. 1134 00:49:41,275 --> 00:49:43,883 But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake. 1135 00:49:43,939 --> 00:49:47,135 Because they know not him that sent me. 1136 00:49:47,475 --> 00:49:49,175 The world doesn't know God. 1137 00:49:50,195 --> 00:49:51,491 Romans 1 talks about that. 1138 00:49:51,523 --> 00:49:52,775 They don't know God. 1139 00:49:53,595 --> 00:49:54,355 They choose. 1140 00:49:54,435 --> 00:49:54,907 They choose. 1141 00:49:54,971 --> 00:49:57,091 They choose to reject the true and living God. 1142 00:49:57,203 --> 00:49:59,715 They don't want to have an accountability with the Creator. 1143 00:49:59,835 --> 00:50:03,507 And your life as a living testament to God's saving grace to 1144 00:50:03,531 --> 00:50:06,827 Jesus and what he's doing in your life and having that true love 1145 00:50:06,851 --> 00:50:11,051 and that true joy in your life is in direct opposition to what they 1146 00:50:11,083 --> 00:50:11,655 want. 1147 00:50:12,995 --> 00:50:14,747 What is the philosophy of the world? 1148 00:50:14,851 --> 00:50:18,715 Look, the satanic philosophy is the philosophy of live as you 1149 00:50:18,755 --> 00:50:21,683 please, have what you want, don't let anybody tell you what to 1150 00:50:21,699 --> 00:50:21,827 do. 1151 00:50:21,851 --> 00:50:22,907 It's your life and you have a. 1152 00:50:22,971 --> 00:50:24,259 You have a right to live it. 1153 00:50:24,387 --> 00:50:26,979 Completely foreign from what the Christian philosophy is. 1154 00:50:27,027 --> 00:50:29,295 Self denial, self control and self restraint. 1155 00:50:30,445 --> 00:50:34,085 The world's gonna tell you, oh, don't kid, don't. 1156 00:50:34,125 --> 00:50:36,613 Don't worry about what this book says, okay? 1157 00:50:36,629 --> 00:50:37,965 You wanna be a Christian, that's okay. 1158 00:50:38,005 --> 00:50:40,381 Maybe, maybe you have some people like, oh, yo, I respect your 1159 00:50:40,413 --> 00:50:40,973 beliefs. 1160 00:50:41,069 --> 00:50:41,941 I have my beliefs. 1161 00:50:41,973 --> 00:50:44,345 But hey, it's okay for you to come out and do this. 1162 00:50:45,005 --> 00:50:46,745 It's okay for you to go do this. 1163 00:50:47,125 --> 00:50:50,645 And maybe you found yourself doing that well today I wanna encourage 1164 00:50:50,685 --> 00:50:51,005 you. 1165 00:50:51,085 --> 00:50:52,065 Don't do that. 1166 00:50:52,405 --> 00:50:53,705 Abide in Christ. 1167 00:50:54,045 --> 00:50:58,191 And I'm not gonna list any specific examples because that's 1168 00:50:58,223 --> 00:51:00,671 God's job on his part with the Holy Spirit to be talking to you 1169 00:51:00,703 --> 00:51:03,063 about whatever the area is right now that he's dealing with 1170 00:51:03,079 --> 00:51:03,835 you about. 1171 00:51:05,095 --> 00:51:06,423 What do we need to confess to him? 1172 00:51:06,439 --> 00:51:07,711 What do we need to confess to the Lord? 1173 00:51:07,743 --> 00:51:11,255 To say, lord, I need to confess this area of my life that 1174 00:51:11,295 --> 00:51:17,275 I have not been living right for Think about this too. 1175 00:51:19,335 --> 00:51:21,999 The world has already rejected the Bible, right? 1176 00:51:22,047 --> 00:51:23,063 They're not going to read the Bible. 1177 00:51:23,119 --> 00:51:24,835 They're not going to listen to the Bible. 1178 00:51:26,865 --> 00:51:31,089 But you could be the only, the only example of Christ, the only 1179 00:51:31,137 --> 00:51:34,605 example of God's word that they'll ever see in their life. 1180 00:51:35,585 --> 00:51:36,965 Let's think about that first. 1181 00:51:37,545 --> 00:51:41,445 You might be the only person that they know who's a true Christian. 1182 00:51:42,665 --> 00:51:45,945 And if you choose to abide in Christ by having that self sacrificial 1183 00:51:45,985 --> 00:51:49,937 love for that person, think about how much further you can get 1184 00:51:49,961 --> 00:51:51,525 in your testimony for Christ. 1185 00:51:52,185 --> 00:51:55,377 Right back in verse 13 he states, Greater love hath no man 1186 00:51:55,401 --> 00:51:57,433 than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 1187 00:51:57,489 --> 00:52:01,405 What measure of love have you done for those around you? 1188 00:52:02,065 --> 00:52:06,833 What measure of love have you demonstrated to those and lay down 1189 00:52:06,849 --> 00:52:07,225 your life? 1190 00:52:07,265 --> 00:52:14,409 For I'm challenged myself on a regular basis to make sure that my 1191 00:52:14,457 --> 00:52:19,395 rights are crucified so that others can move forward. 1192 00:52:20,215 --> 00:52:24,071 My opinions don't matter in comparison to opinions of what God. 1193 00:52:24,223 --> 00:52:27,395 Of how God has called me to live and how he's called me to be. 1194 00:52:29,135 --> 00:52:31,511 Final thought here down in verse 20:23. 1195 00:52:31,583 --> 00:52:34,183 He that hateth me, hateth my Father also. 1196 00:52:34,239 --> 00:52:37,191 If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, 1197 00:52:37,343 --> 00:52:38,951 they had not had sinned. 1198 00:52:39,063 --> 00:52:42,031 But now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. 1199 00:52:42,063 --> 00:52:42,767 What's he saying here? 1200 00:52:42,791 --> 00:52:47,409 He's saying, look, if I never came, they wouldn't have recognized 1201 00:52:47,457 --> 00:52:48,285 their sin. 1202 00:52:48,785 --> 00:52:52,337 By me explaining the truth, by me explaining what this is. 1203 00:52:52,441 --> 00:52:55,805 It convicts them of their sin, right? 1204 00:52:56,425 --> 00:52:59,605 And did Christ come and just condemn people? 1205 00:53:00,025 --> 00:53:00,625 No. 1206 00:53:00,745 --> 00:53:05,565 When Christ came, he came to give himself as a ransom for many. 1207 00:53:06,065 --> 00:53:07,881 And that's what God's called us to do. 1208 00:53:07,993 --> 00:53:09,641 He's called us to abide in God's love. 1209 00:53:09,673 --> 00:53:12,997 He's called us to abide in the joy of Christ. 1210 00:53:13,061 --> 00:53:15,265 Will you remain steadfast in the lord? 1211 00:53:15,845 --> 00:53:19,125 In verses 12 through 14 here we are called to be faithful by loving 1212 00:53:19,205 --> 00:53:22,157 Christ through our obedience to his commandments. 1213 00:53:22,341 --> 00:53:26,225 This will be shown through how we love God and others. 1214 00:53:28,085 --> 00:53:29,025 Let's pray. 1215 00:53:34,605 --> 00:53:38,549 Dear Father, thank you Lord for this message of how important 1216 00:53:38,597 --> 00:53:40,909 it is for us, Father, to be steadfast in you. 1217 00:53:40,957 --> 00:53:47,037 Lord, I pray that as we take a few moments here, Lord, to be challenged, 1218 00:53:47,061 --> 00:53:48,453 Lord, with these different things. 1219 00:53:48,509 --> 00:53:48,837 Father. 1220 00:53:48,901 --> 00:53:50,685 Help us Lord, to make new commandments today. 1221 00:53:50,725 --> 00:53:52,493 Maybe renew commitments, Father. 1222 00:53:52,669 --> 00:53:55,285 Maybe new individuals, Lord, who need to know you as a personal 1223 00:53:55,365 --> 00:53:55,685 savior. 1224 00:53:55,725 --> 00:53:56,349 Lord, please. 1225 00:53:56,437 --> 00:53:57,905 May your word work today. 1226 00:53:58,605 --> 00:53:59,501 Jesus name I pray. 1227 00:53:59,533 --> 00:54:00,225 Amen. 1228 00:54:03,815 --> 00:54:08,115 You please test it. 1229 00:54:08,935 --> 00:54:11,195 Do you please stand with your eyes closed. 1230 00:54:15,975 --> 00:54:18,023 I invite you to come forward right now. 1231 00:54:18,079 --> 00:54:18,335 Maybe. 1232 00:54:18,375 --> 00:54:19,527 Maybe you say, you know what? 1233 00:54:19,591 --> 00:54:20,327 I have. 1234 00:54:20,471 --> 00:54:23,343 I've been dealing with a struggle with abiding in the Lord 1235 00:54:23,399 --> 00:54:23,995 today. 1236 00:54:25,295 --> 00:54:30,205 Maybe I need to come forward and I need to confess a distraction 1237 00:54:30,245 --> 00:54:34,305 in my life that has caused me to be unfaithful to him. 1238 00:54:35,605 --> 00:54:36,893 Maybe where you're standing there. 1239 00:54:36,989 --> 00:54:41,293 Maybe where you're standing there in your seat, Maybe you say, 1240 00:54:41,309 --> 00:54:41,661 you know what? 1241 00:54:41,693 --> 00:54:42,741 I have not been abiding. 1242 00:54:42,813 --> 00:54:43,789 I have not been abiding. 1243 00:54:43,837 --> 00:54:46,225 Faithful in God's love and God's joy. 1244 00:54:47,365 --> 00:54:48,445 Maybe you say, you know what? 1245 00:54:48,485 --> 00:54:50,865 I've allowed the flesh to get a better hold of me. 1246 00:54:51,805 --> 00:54:55,205 I've allowed the distractions in this world to pull away from my 1247 00:54:55,245 --> 00:54:56,185 responsibility. 1248 00:54:56,545 --> 00:55:00,565 Perhaps as a father, as a husband, as a wife, as a mother, 1249 00:55:01,145 --> 00:55:03,925 as an employee, or even an employer. 1250 00:55:05,665 --> 00:55:06,377 How can you. 1251 00:55:06,441 --> 00:55:06,665 How. 1252 00:55:06,705 --> 00:55:06,905 How. 1253 00:55:06,945 --> 00:55:08,073 How can you abide in Christ? 1254 00:55:08,129 --> 00:55:09,765 This week I'm gonna ask another question. 1255 00:55:11,385 --> 00:55:13,129 Maybe you've been in the service this morning. 1256 00:55:13,177 --> 00:55:14,441 Maybe you've been in church your whole life. 1257 00:55:14,473 --> 00:55:17,945 Maybe this is your first time today listening maybe online here 1258 00:55:17,985 --> 00:55:21,793 in church, hearing the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 1259 00:55:21,849 --> 00:55:23,445 How Jesus Christ came. 1260 00:55:23,755 --> 00:55:25,427 He lived that perfect life. 1261 00:55:25,531 --> 00:55:27,211 As a lamb before shearers is dumb. 1262 00:55:27,243 --> 00:55:28,735 He opened not his mouth. 1263 00:55:30,315 --> 00:55:33,219 And how Christ paid for the sins of the entire world. 1264 00:55:33,267 --> 00:55:34,211 He paid for your sins. 1265 00:55:34,243 --> 00:55:35,815 He'd be paid for my sins. 1266 00:55:36,715 --> 00:55:39,335 That perfect sacrifice is the Lamb of God. 1267 00:55:41,075 --> 00:55:42,211 He died, he was buried. 1268 00:55:42,243 --> 00:55:44,955 He rose again according to the scriptures. 1269 00:55:45,035 --> 00:55:51,305 How have you done that in your life? 1270 00:55:51,805 --> 00:55:55,133 Romans 10:13 states, Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord 1271 00:55:55,189 --> 00:55:56,305 shall be saved. 1272 00:55:59,005 --> 00:56:01,025 Would you call out to God today? 1273 00:56:03,765 --> 00:56:04,973 Maybe it's something like this. 1274 00:56:05,029 --> 00:56:08,709 Lord, I confess I'm a sinner, Lord, in of myself. 1275 00:56:08,797 --> 00:56:10,077 I cannot do anything. 1276 00:56:10,141 --> 00:56:10,949 Lord, I need you. 1277 00:56:10,997 --> 00:56:15,605 Father, I confess that you are the Lord of the universe, that you 1278 00:56:15,645 --> 00:56:16,349 died for me. 1279 00:56:16,397 --> 00:56:17,861 That you were buried and you rose again. 1280 00:56:17,933 --> 00:56:22,715 And I put my full faith and trust in you alone to be my Savior. 1281 00:56:24,735 --> 00:56:26,315 Let's pray something like that. 1282 00:56:30,255 --> 00:56:30,783 If you. 1283 00:56:30,839 --> 00:56:33,695 If you prayed a prayer like that or something similar, or a decision 1284 00:56:33,735 --> 00:56:36,327 you made that you've made today, please feel free to come talk 1285 00:56:36,351 --> 00:56:38,943 to me or to write on one of the cards in the welcome center. 1286 00:56:38,959 --> 00:56:41,991 I would love to be able to follow up with you by decision this 1287 00:56:42,023 --> 00:56:42,595 morning. 1288 00:56:48,505 --> 00:56:53,289 Dear Lord, I thank you for this time, Lord, to reflect on this 1289 00:56:53,377 --> 00:56:54,001 these truths. 1290 00:56:54,033 --> 00:56:54,265 Lord. 1291 00:56:54,305 --> 00:56:56,817 Help us God, to be steadfast in you, Lord. 1292 00:56:56,961 --> 00:56:59,465 And thank you so much for all you've done for us. 1293 00:56:59,505 --> 00:57:01,105 Lord, in Jesus name I pray. 1294 00:57:01,265 --> 00:57:02,045 Amen. 1295 00:57:02,745 --> 00:57:05,329 Thank you again for listening to the Middletown Baptist Church 1296 00:57:05,377 --> 00:57:06,121 podcast. 1297 00:57:06,273 --> 00:57:08,805 I hope that this sermon has been a blessing for you. 1298 00:57:09,235 --> 00:57:11,491 If you would like to find out more information about our church 1299 00:57:11,523 --> 00:57:15,171 or this sermon, you can find us at middletownbaptistchurch.org 1300 00:57:15,323 --> 00:57:18,095 or find us on Facebook or YouTube. 1301 00:57:18,555 --> 00:57:23,019 You can also email me directly at joshmisaroiddletownbaptistchurch 1302 00:57:23,067 --> 00:57:27,499 dot com if you've enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe and follow 1303 00:57:27,547 --> 00:57:30,575 along for future podcasts and updates. 1304 00:57:30,955 --> 00:57:32,043 Thank you so much. 1305 00:57:32,179 --> 00:57:33,027 God Bless. 1306 00:57:33,171 --> 00:57:34,155 Have a wonderful day.