Notes

Slide Show

Outline

1	I Am the Vine John 15:1-17
2	Introduction The vine was the symbol of Israel.
3	“The vineyard of the Lord Almighty is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are the garden of his delight. And he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress.” Isaiah 5:7
4	Christ would replace Israel as the place of worship, just like he did with the Temple and the Feasts.
5	Only one thing is essential. It is our relationship with Jesus Christ.
6	I. Our relationship with Christ is primary. John 15:1-4
7	“I am the true vine.” There is only one Jesus.
8	“My Father is the gardener.” He cuts off dead branches that can harbor disease and decay. He prunes live branches so that they can bear more fruit. He wants his vines to be healthy and productive.
9	The means by which he prunes us is the word of God. The key to the Christian life is to remain in the vine – in Christ.
10	Willow Creek discovered in their Reveal study: There is no correlation between age and spiritual maturity. There is no correlation between activity and spiritual maturity. The greatest indicator of spiritual maturity is how someone describes their relationship with Jesus Christ.
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12	The heart of Christianity is a relationship with Jesus Christ. The more we love Christ, the more it will show in the way we live.
13	II. If Christ is the Lord of our life, we will bear much fruit. John 15:5-8
14	Apart from Christ, we can do nothing of lasting spiritual value. With Christ, we can do all things. Philippians 4:13
15	What kind of fruit is Jesus talking about? A changed life – the fruit of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23 An influential life – a witness for Christ. Acts 1:8
16	We were made to produce fruit. When we do, we glorify God and we prove we are his disciples. Verse 8
17	III. The life of a Christian is a life of love, obedience and joy. John 15:9-17
18	It is a relationship of love that begins with the Father’s love for us. “We love, because he first loved us.” I John 4:19
19	“The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17
20	Now love one another, the way I love you.
21	Obedience is the proof of our love. “Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father and I too will love him and show myself to him.” John 14:21
22	Joy is the fruit of our love and obedience. “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete (full). John 15:11 Real joy is found in loving and obeying Jesus Christ.
23	Conclusion
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25	To all who abide in him, Jesus promises his peace, his love and his joy.