Living Grace

I have been wanting to post notes from the sermon we had two weeks ago, so here they are. I pray that these notes will bless and encourage you as they did me.

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Text: John 15:1-5

John 15:1-5

"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."

The Notes:

"The objective of pruning is to produce strong, healthy, plants."

Abiding and pruning always bear much fruit.

Every time I try to bear fruit apart from Him, I am denying the reality that I can't bear fruit without Him.

He gives us the power to abide. Our responsibility, but His power.

Do I really believe that apart from Christ I can do nothing? If I don't, I won't strive to abide.

Pruning: Key to fruit bearing!

God brings issues and circumstances to prune us.

"The Master is bringing us upon our way to bring forth more fruit, but as yet, the fruit-bearing branches are not perfect. Pruning is the lot all the fruitful Saints. You may escape it if you are not fruitful—you will be cut off—you will not be pruned. But all the fruit-bearing Saints must feel the knife." - Charles Spurgeon

The Father's hand is never so near then when He is pruning!

Without pruning, a Christian could never grow.

"It is because the Lord loves His people that He chastens them. The object in this pruning is never condemnatory. God does not purge His children with a view to visit them penally for sin. He chastises, but He can't punish those for whom the Lord Jesus Christ has died." - Charles Spurgeon

"EVERY branch that bears fruit He prunes!

Pruning is for fruitfulness.

The branch lives for the vine, therefore, to bear fruit for the King is our highest calling as Christians.

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So...be encouraged if you feel that you are in a "winter" season of your life. The Father is doing a good work in your life! There is going to be a beautiful blossom come spring!

Remember, His hand is never so near then when He is pruning you. Look to Him, trust in His grace, and you will be blessed.