R281 The Right Connection Pt.1

The right connection that's today's topic Dr. Don Wilton is open the book of John chapter 15 and study God's word together and while we do so no other word available for you were connecting right now online at tewonline.org G about a brand-new book from Dr. Wilson think their W online.org now like a copy of God's word this morning. Turn with me in John's Gospel chapter 15. John's gospel chapter 50 consider our world today. It seems that we have become increasingly a group of people who major on the importance of making the right connection we make much of that and I should imagine that the world has made a great deal about that as long as the world is being in existence, but it's becoming more apparently clear that this is an issue in society. Consider the criminal justice system just for one moment, there is very rarely a trial. A criminal trial takes place today that at least the defense, if not the prosecution tries to trace back the behavior of the person allegedly involved in the crime that is being tried back to their connections, they trace it back to their upbringing, their parenthood. There people they been with. They places they have frequented the society in which they live.

The culture of the thigh grew up in whether or not they grew up in a single-parent home, whether they was divorcing the home whether there was violence and abuse of, and one could go on and on, that that has tremendous merit is no question about that. It has a very good side.

It enables one to be able to track calls in effect, and lawyers are becoming very skilled at doing that and we seen that even on national television. There are many linkages but it also has a downside to the downside in terms of the criminal justice system is that if you always trace something back to somebody else or something else. It means that nobody is ever to blame. It's increasingly becoming true that it is increasingly difficult to indict anybody of a crime because it is never the criminals fault that he committed the crime.

It's always because of his connections and that has both a positive effect as well as a negative effect. The path that disturbs so many vices when it comes down to the tremendous tragedies like drunken-driving people who lose their lives because of alcohol because of the commercials that are smoothing over the cracks in the wall and trying to buy corrupt society coming out with cute little sayings like know when to say when. If you drink too much on discussing will have someone to drive.

That's a service we want to provide for you and our restaurant. They've even got the dominant forms on TV now and people are falling for it hook line and sinker.

Just be around children when those adverts come on and watch the they want to watch those rocks. You see, we already connecting people. We are constantly trying to make connections. Education must do the same thing we gonna try and find out why a child has a deficiency in a certain area that they start school to early the day Scott start school too late.

How many siblings do they have. Maybe they are one of three indict the middle one and you know the middle one always has something missing. I know that because I'm the middle one that is the black sheep syndrome is always something back there, hearing John chapter 15 as Jesus begins these walk down the road to the garden of Gethsemane. I'm convinced in my heart that what the Lord Jesus Christ did in this unbelievable passage of Scripture that is so with the riches of God's grace and of his glory that the Lord Jesus Christ was establishing something in terms of making the right connection that would have far-reaching implications on all of our lives. Let's read what Jesus had to say.

John chapter 15 beginning at verse one.

I am the true vine.

My father is the gardener or the husbandman. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every bronze that does not bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.

You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you remaining me and I will remain in you know bronze can bear fruit by itself. Did you see that there very interesting what Jesus said that Christian men and women listen carefully to what Jesus says to the says far-reaching implications for those of us who are the disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. They may read that statement again in verse four know bronze can bear fruit by itself, it must remain in the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me, I am the vine and you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I am him, he will bear much fruit.

Apart from the you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a bronze that is thrown away and withers.

Such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and but if you remaining me and my words remain in you all ask whatever you wish, and it will be given to you, and he just pulls there in verse seven because very important to make a statement and I'm going to come back to it in just a little while. What Jesus was saying here is not that if you follow me, you can all ask him for anything and he's going to give it to. That's not what Jesus is saying here what Jesus is saying here is that if you follow me and you abide in me, your practice of abiding in me means that you are eligible to become connected to the expressed will of God.

It means that, by virtue of your connected goodness you are able to become the recipient of all that God has in store for those that love him. Therefore, on that basis, you are able to awesome God. Anything that you wish my name. Why, because you are connected to me your umbilical connection is the blood flow that was shed upon Calvary Street and on that basis, you will find yourself becoming the recipient of all that God has in store for his own children. The site this is to my father's glory, that you bear much fruit, thereby showing your self to be my disciples.

As the father has loved me, so have I loved you not remain in my love. If you love Mike Lamont. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my father's commands and remain in his love. Let me pause here again you notice the connection that Jesus is making God the father, God the son through his Holy Spirit, his disciples, there is a direct why a connection, a float between God the father and his children and what Jesus is saying is because I am in my father and my father is in me, and because you are in me and through me. Therefore you are able to do what I am instructing you to do because you have the right connection verse nine.

Let's go back to verse nine as the father has loved me, so have I loved you.

Now remain in my love, if you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my father's commands and remain in his love. I've told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. Mike Amanda's this love each other just the same way that I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he laid down his life for his friends watch the connection here again in verse 14.

The sun has laid down his life for his friends. Jesus is going to say in verse 17 Mike Amanda's that you do the same for others because you are connected. Look at verse 14. You are my friends if you do what I Kaman I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know he's lost his business instead. I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my father I have made known to you, you did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit fruit that will remain and loss. Then the father will give you what ever you all ask in my name. This is my Kaman love each other. If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belong to the world. It would love you as its own, as it is you do not belong to the world but I have chosen you out of the world.

This is why the world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you. No servant is greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If I obeyed my teaching. They will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me.

If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates me hates my father's will. If I've not done among them what no one else did they would not be guilty of sin, but now that I have seen these miracles, yet they have hated both me and my father, but this is to fulfill what is written in the Lord. They hated me without reason. When the counselor calms whom I will send to you from the father, the spirit of truth who goes out from the father. He will testify about me and you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning by the Lord righties word upon our hearts this morning.

There are full points that I want to give to you in terms of a summary of John chapter 15 if you were to say to me today pasta. How would you summarize John chapter 15 what is Jesus trying to say there are four major themes in John chapter 15, number one, we must note that Jesus Christ is the true vine. Jesus Christ is the true vine. He tells us in verse 15 tells us again in verse five he establishes this without apology Jesus is. I am the right connection that what was Jesus trying to say Jesus was trying to say that the subsequent action and the subsequent behavior of people upon this earth will be found in direct propulsion to their connectedness and Jesus was saying to his disciples. I am the true vine. I'm the only one by which you are able to be connected to thereby ensuring a full and meaningful life. According to the standard that I have said before what Jesus was saying is all you connected to me your listing to Dr. Don Wilton our teacher here on The Encouraging Word will be back with more of the right connection. Today's message in just a moment, but you may not be aware that this message, as well as a number of messages both in video and audio form are available right there on her website. You can drop by@twonline.org and discover these resources share them with friends T EW online.org will also find a place to sign up for the daily Encouraging Word email with Dr. Wilton. It's a great blessing of course is absently free sign up today online@tewonline.org. Now back to more great teaching with Dr. Don Wilton as a minister of the gospel, together with my fellow ministers on our Starfleet spend a lot of time counseling and helping and supporting and encouraging people in varying different predicaments and circumstance. What Jesus was saying to his disciples was simply this pasta when you counsel you need to major will focus on the fact that Jesus Christ is the right connection when you have anything to say in the pulpit. You need to focus on the fact that Jesus Christ is the right connection. What Jesus was saying to the apostle Paul is Paul when you preach. You need to major and focus on Jesus Christ and him crucified what he was saying to Charles Haddon Spurgeon back there in the 17 1800s. He was thinking Charles Spurgeon every time you open the book you need to make a beeline for the cost. Why because I alone am the true and the old me connection. I and the true vine number two. Note that the unsaved will be revealed and exposed.

That is the second major thesis of John chapter 15 Jesus was making this type of book with me at verse two and then again at verse six, Jesus said he cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit in verse six he said if anyone does not remain me, he is like a bronze that is thrown away and withers.

Such branches are picked up and thrown into the fire and burned all the commentators that I have read on this particular issue have one thing in common. They all point to Judas Iscariot. This is the march down the road to Gethsemane. Yet Jesus was surrounded by men who call themselves disciples. And what Jesus was about to tell them is this that there is a counterfeit among you, and I'm going to demonstrate to you publicly and unapologetically that counterfeits the say will eventually be exposed and be revealed in Galatians, writing to the church at Galatia. The apostle Paul put it like this.

He said the sins of the flesh are made manifest. They are made plain for everyone to see. He said listen, it is impossible to even look like a Christian and behave like a Christian and yet not to be connected to the Lord Jesus Christ and it is guaranteed that you will be revealed.

Why because I'm the true vine.

If you're not connected into the true vine, you have no sustenance.

Why, because God is the husbandman. He is the gardener. He is the man into his heart and soul, though the roots of the Christian disciple and if we do not draw this sustenance directly from the heart and the soul of Almighty God, we do not have a relationship. We will be comfortable and we will never bear fruit. Number one. Note that Jesus is the true vine note in the second place that the unsaved will be reviewed for fighting the third place that the saved will be clean this say will be clean. Down the second part of verse two and verse three and then verse five. Listen to what the Bible says Jesus said, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be more fruitful then in verse three he says you already clean because of the word I have spoken to you in verse five I am the vine, who are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit, for apart from me. He can do nothing. The unsaved, at least decided will be claims now that word for plans right there in verse two is the word for fire low in the Greek New Testament, it literally means to be made clear. It literally means to be made free from all obstacles. That's what it means. It literally means to present and hindered passageway and what Jesus was say he's saying that if you are not saved, you will be reviewed. You will be exposed. If you say you are going to be playing I'm going to work in your life. I am going to clear out the passages I'm going to clear out the clogged arteries I'm going to allow the blood to flow. I believe Jesus was speaking about spiritual discipline. I believe that Jesus was say that any born-again believer must object him or herself to the claim using power of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ will how does he do that that two words one is radical surgery. The other one is not so radical surgery. One is when he takes those little clippers and he cuts out so just at the point we need to cut off in order to make us grow properly.

Now my favorite flower is the road I'm not an expert on growing roses but I wish I were you need to go see Dr. Bob Parsons Rose. They all absolutely magnificent but I know something about growing roses at a certain time at a certain moment. You need to go and you need to prune that rosebush you need to cut back.

You need to do just a little tad bit of surgery on the all thing and what will happen is that by virtue of proving it in the right place. The result is a flower that will boggle the mind and a perfume that will knock your socks off. It is something that is so special and Jesus is saying that for save people that what I do as God the father through the power of the Holy Spirit is not hemmed continually in the business of trimming you back. Nothing order to cut you down or to assassinate you or to trip you up, but I'm trimming you back in order to clear away all kinds of obstacles so that the blood can flow freely.

Number four number four. We need to note that fruitfulness bears results fruitfulness bears results for major themes during chapter 15, number one. Jesus is the true vine number two. The unsaved will be revealed and exposed.

Number three the saved will be cleansed. Number four. Fruitfulness always bears results now beloved friends this morning. There are eight results hearing God's word and dying team to give them to you. I hope you had your pains with you. You might say to me, will foster what does this mean I have people from time to time come to me and say to me, foster, how can I really know if I'm say how can I know that I know that I know that I know that I know that I'm say Garrett is Jesus was giving his disciples. Eight. Results of spiritual fruitfulness. Jesus was saying there are eight ways in which you know that you are connected in the right place because they are number one you will glorify God you will glorify God. Look at verse eight. This is to my father's glory, that you bear much fruit.

Why, thereby showing your sales to be my disciples is not beautiful picture Jesus makes a direct connection between here he is the fruit that we bear in relation to the validation of who we say that we all. And Jesus said that as a consequence of our fruit bearing. We will bring glory to God because the question that I have to ask myself to.

If I say that I'm a born-again believer. If I say that I have Jesus Christ living in my heart if I say that I've been washed and redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. If I say that I've trusted him as my Lord and my Savior.

If I say that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world and is written my name in the Lamb's book of life go to office myself this question, do I glorify God with that which I am doing is my life. A public and practical demonstration of the glory of God is the resultant impact of my life. The fact that God is being glorify always man being glorify number two you will grow in his love, you will grow in his love. Look at verses nine through 12. Jesus said, as the father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love continued in my love. He was say and note the conditional sentence. If you obey my Kaman's you will continue remaining in my love for just as I have obeyed my father's Kaman and remain in his love. So it is I've told you this, that my joy may be in you and your joy will be complete. Why because my Kaman business love each other as I have loved you. There is no greater love than the demonstration with which I have loved you in laying down my life for you and in verse 17.

Therefore, this is my Kaman that you love one another because what happens. Jesus was saying his disciples. You have come to me because of my demonstration of love. I came to you because I had demonstrated love that's what John 316 is all about God so loved the world God's love the Lord Jesus Christ love man's love.

As a consequence of our connectedness.

Jesus is saying you can know that you are one of my disciples, if you love people, since powerful teaching. We just begun on this great message. Call the right connection with Dr. Don Wilton will complete it tomorrow but as Dr. Don was talking about this concept of understanding how we know were one of God's disciples. Do you know that you are a follower of Jesus Christ you know that you belong to Jesus Christ and her child of God in my own situation. I knew about Jesus long before I knew the person I pray that you would open your heart to the possibility of changing the relationship not to knowing about Jesus, but knowing him personally. Here's Dr. Don that opportunity for you and me today. Are you ready to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ. Why don't you pray this prayer with me right now. Dear God, I know that on the center and I know that Jesus died for me today. I repainted my sick and by faith I receive you into my in Jesus name, my friend.

I welcome you today into the family of God. This is exciting news. If you just prayed with Dr. will give your life to Jesus Christ or maybe rededicate your life were so excited for what God is about to do in your life and would love to be a part of encouraging you. That's who we are The Encouraging Word we have a wonderful packet of free information for you if you just gave your life to Christ.

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