Part 2 of the “Secrets Revealed” sermon series.
There are some people who are described as detailed minded and goal oriented. They make lists of the tasks that must be addressed. They work hard until the list is accomplished. Then they make another list and work at it until that list is accomplished. This is an admirable quality. However, the right goals need to be on my list! Can you imagine if someone had goals like this?
1. Steal a magazine from the newsstand on the way to work…
2. Leave early from work and have my buddy sign me off the clock at the end of the day…
3. When I arrive home, blow up at the wife and kids
You see, it is important that we have the right goals in mind. It really is important that every believer seeks to accomplish the right goal – the God-given goal! Last week we saw the right source for the goal. The right source is Jesus Christ! John 15:1. What is the right goal?
The Right Goal
Here’s a quick review: The true vine is Jesus Christ. The branches are professing believers.
Charles Ryrie notes that there is a progression shown in this portion of scripture – the step from fruit to more fruit involves pruning (cleansing) through the Word of God, and the step from more fruit to much fruit involves a life of answered prayer!
This week, let’s look at this matter of branches on the True Vine.
John 15:2 – The passage begins with our need to “bear fruit” – period!
My wife’s father grew up on a farm in Iowa. Dad Porter’s father’s father lived in the house he grew up in. Farming was a big part of their lives. When I met my wife in college, all of her uncles had moved away from the farm except for her father’s youngest brother. I can remember hearing of several summers that they were not reaping much fruit from the land. They had had severe rainstorms that just kept flooding the land and drowning the crops. Eventually her uncle chose a different profession. Why? Because the time it took to reap next to no fruit was not working! Bearing fruit is essential for a farmer to make a living!
The same is true for the believer in a spiritual sense. Christ says that each believer that does not “bear fruit” He “takes away,” and the believer that “bears fruit, He purges it, that it may bring forth more fruit.” This does not mean we must bear fruit 24/7 or the church is danger of being cut off —and this we are very thankful!
Once you are in the true vine –meaning, you have accepted the gift of salvation through Jesus alone, you are secure!
II Tim. 1:12 – God is able to keep His word
Phil. 1:6 – God finished what He starts
John 10:28 – in God’s hand and secure
So, what does Christ mean by these statements “take away,” and “purge?”
There is an obvious picture set here by Christ of two classes of “professing” Christians. Both seem to be in Christ – as a branch is in a vine. However, only one reaps fruit and the other does not reap fruit. How is it possible for one not to bear fruit and the other to bear fruit when both are in Christ, or in the vine? Consider this context from the perspective a vineyard:
“A graft may be mechanically attached to a fruit tree, and yet take no vital hold of it, and have not virtual connection with it. In that case, receiving none of the juices of the tree – no vegetable sap from the stem - it can bear no fruit.”
Source: Jamieson, Faucett, and Brown Commentary
Such mechanical attachments to the True Vine is evidenced in those who believe in the truths of Christianity but have no living faith in Jesus on a daily basis — nor do they desire His salvation. In other words, the branches that bear no fruit and are removed are false professors and not truly saved! Look at the examples of false professors and the Lord’s warnings:
Judas Iscariot - he was among them, but not of them.
Matt. 13 – the parable of the seed and soils
Heb. 6:4-6 – talks of many who make good decisions initially but then consider turning back
The false professor is one who does not open his life to THE RIGHT SOURCE – JESUS CHRIST! He is not drawing from the nourishment of the true vine and, therefore, he does not bear fruit!
He has an appearance of a branch on the vine, nothing else.
Matthew Henry states it this way, “It is here intimated that there are many who pass for branches in Christ who yet do not bear fruit. Were they really united to Christ by faith, they would bear fruit; but being only tied to Him by the thread of an outward profession, though they seem to be branches, they will soon be seen to be dry ones.”
Selma Elmore’s conscience must have been bothering her. In October 2010, the 44-year-old woman flagged down a police car in Lockland, Ohio to ask if there was a warrant out for her arrest. After the officer informed her that there was, she ran away. Her previous warrant was for failing to pay a fine, but her new problem, resisting arrest, was much more serious. (Source: CBSNEWS.com, October 12, 2010)
“We can choose our actions, but we cannot choose our consequences.” (Source: Unknown)
What is the consequence of not being in the true vine?
John 15:2 says it this way, “He taketh away….” The ultimate consequence of rejecting genuine relationship with Jesus is an eternal consequence!
Rev. 21:8 – The greatest and least of sinners included
Matt. 25:41 – Eternal Fire
Matt. 3:12 – unquenchable fire
Luke 16:23-24 – a place of torment
Rev. 20:10 – a lake of burning sulfur
Matt. 25:46 – this judgment never ends, but heavens reward is forever as well
John 3:16, 18, 36 – Escapable…for now
Christ takes away the one who does not bear fruit. They are taken away out of justice to them and in kindness to the rest of the branches – and burned (John 15:6). These are those who do not have real union with Christ. However, the genuine believer attached to the True Vine will bear fruit!
Living life as a branch in the True Vine – in other words, living life as a man/woman saved by grace – totally transforms all the steps that follow! Hardship is not removed, but the sweet strength of the Spirit enables with His sufficient grace.
So, what about you? Are you merely caught in the trappings of Christianity without genuine relationship “in Christ?” Can I say without question that you have eternal life and forgiveness of sin based on what the Bible says and what Jesus has done? Or am are you just playing church…fulfilling an obligation…adding more good works to your chart of life?
A few years ago, when I was in elementary school, I can remember the teacher asking a question and several responses would follow. Some of my classmates would hide their face and look down (they did not know the answer), and some of my classmates would continue looking forward and not alter their appearance (but hoped this would deter the teacher from calling on them, as they too did not know the answer). The last group was very vocal. This group would raise the hand, waving it in the area, and makes sounds like, “Oh, oh, oh!” They were in essence saying, “Pick me!! Pick me, I know the answer and I am amazing!!”
Every human being can choose Jesus. Jesus is in essence waiting on us, looking at us and saying, “Choose me! I am amazing!!”