From, Not For - John 15:4 - The Heart of Jesus

All right had all of our campuses today. One of the most exciting weekends of the whole year is upon us. I know you guys are thinking that means Easter or Christmas or kids. We but it actually means it's church survey weekend okay I don't I don't I have ever heard Buffy and everybody get all locations.

All right if you grab this. It was in your seat. We are not starting the sermon. Yet we are doing church survey first okay and I want to talk to you about it. Hey, if you could go ahead and start the process of name, address all that, stubbornly talking about her surgery for just a minute guys this is become a best practice in churches that are kind of a bore size multisite for years now we have we have done it helps us greatly.

I know some of you might question that I'm telling you, for example of to know who's coming from certain areas like when we made the decision apply the Northeast campus. For example, write it helps us to know where people are coming from, or for example when we start asking questions about what is most on your heart and I can't think when the survey couple years ago started really given us a lot of stuff about adoption and foster care.

We could really get a picture of that. We did one of these around that specific thing a few months ago I really just helps us in so many ways to get a snapshot of the church as part of where were going where we all are. There's also questions that we can individually call every body and say what you think about this reading about that or we can knock it out in one weekend on the church survey have your watching this online that are out of town this weekend on vacation or something like that. There's a description where ever you are watching this.

So, Facebook, YouTube to watch on our website. There is a link in that description that shows you where you can access this digitally so if you could do, name, address, phone, email, I know some of your like you already have that for me, but when people move. It helps us to update. Also, make sure you don't have any typos, let me say this. All right, I know that some of us have a hard time writing these days.

Everything is digital and all that all right. I have really bad handwriting that is come out a few times are in the last few sermons or whatever, but I would say that I could will myself to get there. If I had to do this legibly.

Okay. And I think you guys can do that to so mail. Please, please write as legibly as you can. You guys are are are your check in right through here. Some of this is just general demographics of no you know what is your age range would like to know, snapshot of the fuse here. How long have you been attending these are easy what campus do you attend if you if you're a first-time guest us this weekend just to check whatever campus that you're at right now are in what ways do you prefer to receive information are some of that's getting and I go to website my my phone is, whole life know how like to have something in my hand.

You know the hoppers are our of our family still does paper calendar so so we might be like man I need a handout that I can get out stick on the wall somewhere. Whatever, that's fine. Just let us know that I minute, move here guys into some of the ministry stuff so we walk through this together.

In a preferred service time in the morning met all of our preferences are and exactly they're actually not exactly why we do different service times but is good to know where people are out if there is something that's bubbling up to the surface. So if there's sometimes and there that might work for you better than the ones that we currently offer you guys know we have a huge heart for adoption and foster care here at Mercy Hill. That doesn't mean every body is to be involved that ministry, but we can all be praying supporting those in our groups rope, holding that maybe are actually saying and I'm I'm interested in these different areas of that we would love to get that from you and to know, where your interest is there. Hey, if you started sending Mercy Hill visages very basic, market research, because here okay. Where can we pour in more to figure it out to the places where people are finding out about our church and hear the gospel through the preaching here experiencing worship and student ministry. All that is that word-of-mouth is it in our online search. Did you see something of an ad or something like that. We would love to know right number for what you enjoy most about attending a worship service at Mercy Hill is a lot of different reasons why people want to call Mercy Hill home and we want to make sure the work on keeping our Iowa. Some of those things are so that we can pour more resources into them are a couple more things here as we as we look ahead I know this is just this is as exciting as Christmas is and I know that all right. But seriously, it helps us so much. All right which there is would you like to grow in this year you'll do it and if you notice this is this is our flywheel are.

This is not the asked to flywheel. This is kind of our strategy here Mercy Gilbert which of these areas in your life and your family could use more and of an emphasis in a given group's gathering going on mission to what areas do you see Mercy Hill extending into the future and this doesn't just mean that you live there.

Okay I am I mean that you have family there.

You think Madison underserved area and our collective cities in the Triad we have a big vision for forcing campuses go throughout the trial, would love to stand on the stage one day and say hey I can say definitively that there is not a place in the tribe, it's less than 15 minutes away from a community group or a campus of Mercy Hill and so that we love to know what areas you're thinking about their pay if we were. This is specific to regional all right but may just if you're one of our campuses.

Let us know was specifically at regional. If there was another night option.

If there with you. We do Thursday night and we do Sunday night but is there something that would work better maybe an afternoon type service may be like a sleep really late on Sunday and come at 1215.

Or maybe Saturday or something like that and you can let us know that pay in the next year, what would you like to hear a sermon on I can have my eye on this and our team does.

But you know there are times where you you can get an office and you sort of something.

Something is really awesome idea, but it might be not. The question is really being asked in culture what what are some things from the Scriptures that you would like to hear more about if you're not currently serving right now where would be a good area for you to serve and if there's not something on there that you're like man I would love the work and facilities. I would love to do something more with mediocre or something like that. Please let us know that here in question 10. And finally, in a world's out of this coming to an end here but finally in number 11 man, how can we be in prayer for you were to take every one of these cards were to synthesize them into different buckets of kind of where were thing you where people were in a where people are at and I were to be targeted prayer with our staff.

Among these things so you let us know how we can serve you in that way and be in prayer for you right so hey guys were to jump in sermon y'all can go ahead had all our campuses were not going to give you guys the opportunity to lose these between now and when you leave. Okay so were to go ahead and they're gonna start passing buckets here and we would love to get those from you guys now.

So thank you so much for doing that thing so much for investing their if you not quite done. You don't get there before the bucket gets to you.

You can certainly will have people at all of our lobbies with those buckets when you are on your way out rights all right. Was not it hate. If you copy Scripture. I would like to all the locations to turn with me to John chapter 15 and here's where were to go this weekend.

You guys probably Artie know this.

Okay, but one of the greatest tales about somebody's heart for you is and what they want for you right if you want to see someone's heart for you. You gotta ask your class. The question meant.

What do they want for me, as opposed to warnings from me. What did I actually want for me and I will were to see this weekend across all of our campuses. We get into John chapter 15 is that Jesus Christ want something spectacular for you. This series is all about the heart of Christ is not just talk about what he did but it's talking about who he is and his heart posture toward you and one of the ways that were to get a chance to see that together is and what Jesus actually wants for us he know he wants for you man.

He wants tremendous personal growth in your life.

He wants a spirit born character transformation that overflows from you into creating other disciples around you. He wants most exciting life possible for you.

He wants your growth.

He wants you to grow.

That's one of things that he wants for us.

He wants to see to your relationship with God is so flourishing that there is spiritual fruit were to get and what all this is popping out all over your life and when we see that when we see his heart for us in that I really think it should warm eyes toward him. You have anybody do something for you that was just absolutely for you and their hearts shined in that moment you know after this before but when I was 27 years old I walked into our pastor's office pastor JD Greer had over the summer church in Raleigh, Durham, North Carolina, and I said hey man, I know we've been talking a lot around this, but the reality is I think I'm ready and I and I want to take a team and go plant a new church out of the summit church and listen. I don't mean plan a campus. I don't mean an extension of the summit like were to take your time, talent, treasure resources people from this church and go plant a brand-new church and don't you know it was one of the shortest, most encouraging conversations I've ever had with my pastor. He said man we sing this in you for a long time. This really hurts because we wish we can keep you and all the people you're gonna take here to keep plugging into what were doing to me, their leaders and their generous and all of that but man I see this in you and I want this for you and I want you to go and I want you to take 100 people with you if you can convince them to go with you and it was one of those moments where I could see someone's heart shining for me because of what they wanted for me, not what they wanted from me right now I am you is about kingdom growth yes is about multiplication. Yes, I get all of that but there was a piece of that where I could tell that his heart was man I want you to hit your fullest potential. Like, and if it's not here, and it's gotta be somewhere else.

That's great.

I'm not in a hold you all will release you to go and he said to me hey man, if I can help you in any specific ways with my contact or resourcing from our church. I would help you in any way I can. You know, when you see somebody do something like that you will you when you see a parent that wants their kid to flourish and and they wanted to flourish, not for them but they wanted to flourish actually for them right.

You see a tiny glimpse of this when an employer is and is willing to say man, it doesn't have to be here, but I want you to reach your highest and best we see a glimpse of that we see a heart posture towards us and it really warms us what what we see when the son of God shows his heart off toward us when he says hey man, I want you to reach your highest potential. I want you to grow. I want there to be spiritual fruit and life change popping all over your life. That's what I want for you and by the way I willing to die on a cross and give myself to you, I will attend anchor you and and and and see the spirit indwell you. I'm willing to join up with you in a very spiritual way.

The word messy.

Today I willing to do all that because I want you to get there. Isn't that encouraging like isn't one of those things recently met God is not just stating there frowning with his thumb over my head, but he is got a heart posture towards me. This is man I am not only willing to give you this time to be the key to it.

I want to see you change and reach your highest potential. I want you to grow spiritually. Man, I know that warms my heart to God when I think about him looking at me and that way and that's where they get into this we can. Here's the big idea. Jesus wants you to produce fruit and he provides what you need to do it know what in your life needs to change. Do we have any fearful that need courage, do we have any warriors that wish I would give anything to be a rock and to not be thrown by the wind and the waves of the culture that we live in, and of the time were living in other circumstances that are in my life.

Do we have any among us there like man I wish I could be more generous with my time, talent and treasure, but I'm just not there. They do have any interest in such a politicized and binary culture that we are living in a like man. There is anger in my heart there is bigotry in my heart and I wish it could melt away into understanding and into love. I know I want and it wasn't worth a hill know you have got my finger on the pulse of this church. We attract a lot of leaders.

We attract a lot of people that want to make an impact in their life. And if you're anything like me, you're like, man. I want those things more than anything the world has to offer. I want more. The money I want more than a possession like I want to grow and to change and to make an impact.

And if that's where you are. This is the mind going through for me today. That is exactly what Jesus wants to give you. It's exactly what he wants to produce in you and the waiter were to get there where Susan John chapter 15 may not be so much about what were supposed to do. It might be where we are supposed to remain in might not be about what to do. It might be about the questionnaire. Where are you today where you dwelling where you abiding where you remaining list. I then John chapter 15. Here's the Scripture says I am the true vine, and my father is the vine dresser and every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit already. You are clean because of the word that I've spoken to you.

Here's the verse I want to preach really the whole sermon from verse four abiding me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me, I will preach pretty much this whole sermon from John chapter 15 verse four, but we understand some things because of verse one we gotta talk about those John chapter 15 a month they were dropped in. I'm Jump to right into the middle of what theologians call the farewell discourse. Okay, Jesus is preparing his disciples for life in the kingdom. A life that is post-resurrection. A life that is spirit filled a flame that is been lit in the church 2000 years ago the world live in right now this very second he is preparing all of us to live this life and what he says is he says hey you need to know something about me I am the true vine. It's the last of said then I am statements in the book of John and the last one we get to is where he says I am the true vine that was in verse one. Now as the vine. He says this is what you need to do abide in me and I in you, because as the branch cannot bear much fruit abide by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me, Jesus saying very simply carry setting up a metaphor. The were to talk about in the Old Testament. All right, I am the vine, and if you want to bear fruit like God wants you to the very reason that you're in this world. We say this all the time and mercy hill you were made for more than possessions and promotions your kids are made for more than straight A's in soccer. Okay, you were made for more. You are made to live and I a life of impact. A life that bears fruit. A life that changes over time because of the Spirit's work in your life right. If you want to live that life. What Jesus is saying is the only way to get there is to abide in me to be a branch from the vine and I am the vine, now Jesus when he says I am the vine actually says I am the true vine in verse 1D settings himself up over and against a metaphor that comes out of Isaiah chapter 5 okay now love you done much studying Isaiah Isaiah could be a collocated book to try to read there's one place in Isaiah than a complicated all and that's Isaiah chapter 5 in Isaiah chapter 5 God sets up this metaphor of a vine and is likening it to the people of God, the nation of Israel in the Old Testament.

He said hate you were supposed to be a vine that produces fruit that's the point of all of our lives are that we would produce fruit that is connected to our relationship with God would produce fruit in this world and it glorifies God as we love him as he is our one thing is he is before all things in our life as we glorify him. It overflows in fruit in our life but here's what happens in Isaiah chapter 5, you haven't brushed up on it in a while.

Okay, what happens in Isaiah 5 is that the people are planted there supposed to bear fruit but the fruit that they bear is wild grapes. It's inevitable. It's not the right fruits. It's not the right thing popping all over their lives.

So Jesus comes along and John chapter 15 the last of seven. I am statements and he says okay here we go. I am the true vine. I am the one that produces the fruit that God is after the very point of our lives. I am the one who does not listen and if you want to do that if you want to have a life that bears fruit. What you need to do is be connected as a branch into me as the true vine that are two things that happen in John chapter 15 verse four okay II think broadly speaking.

One is that we are to abide in the vine, and the second is that abiding in the vine produces a lot of fruit so you can say like this how do we produce fruit.

You prove it's produced by abiding what is produced spiritual fruit character change that flows over into other people's lives not want to take this actually in it, just in explaining it in reverse order.

Okay is the way my mind works is like man I gotta know what were talking about and care about that before I care about how we get it right. So let's talk about fruit first and I will talk about how the fruit pops out in our life.

So what. And then the house right what is spiritual fruit.

Here's a good definition of spiritual fruit right spiritual fruit is fruit that is spirit born character growth that impacts others. That's what I would call spiritual fruit. We abide in the vine date that the things that begin to come out of our lives were to get into the spiritual fruit in Galatians chapter 5 the things that come out of our life, hope, joy, peace by patients, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, these things come out of our life when we are hidden in Christ when we are hidden in him joined with him were to get into some of this. This is what happens when we are living a life that is drawing upon the pulsating life of Christ as the vine is alive is there's nutrients going through the vine. The branch is drawing off of that when we are drawing off the pulsating life of Christ.

There is fruit that gets popping out all over our life. Here's what we need to hear this weekend okay because man I don't know where you're coming from.

I don't your theological background every single week at mercy.

All of our locations where people are coming in from all over the place. You gotta hear me here. Okay, not all works are fruit got understand this okay. There's a lot of things that can produce change in your life. Short-term sphere can do that. Good parents can do that. Okay, meant a great desire for great life can do that. There's a lot of things that can produce short-term morality in your life but is that fruits fruit is what is born from the spirits that is growing in your life and impacting others, and that's what Galatians talks about Galatians 5 is an incredible place in the Scripture to go out on time to get into this this weekend is not about just assessing your life. It's also things that God is giving you. You have access to. Okay. They are then another joyful regattas are given you that you can open a door and walk into that if you are a believer. If you are hidden in Christ are. This is what the fruit of the spirit is right. Galatians 522 but the fruit of the spirit is what happens when were joined to Christ warned well by the spirit. This is what she popping out in our lives and growing all together as a cluster here, love, joy, peace, patients, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, and against such things there is no law. Now one of these you got understand is I don't think this is supposed to be a definitive list of the only things that the spirit will do in your life. I think that's extra true spiritual gifting inventories as well. There's a lot of things that the spirit might gift you with and there are some examples of a here there's examples of gifts in the Scriptures list that there's examples of fruit. I think these are examples of fruit, but these are the types of things that God wants to produce in your life spirit born character transformation that ends up impacting others, but it's born from being a branch that is connected to the vine. It is about character, which is different. I know you know this know that's different than just fear-based morality that helps you toe the line character something else yet you know we also and will religiously also the poster on somebody's wall character. You know who you are when no one's looking at acting out. Not terrible definition right because that they want to try to get out is something is actually hard to define what is character.

Character is the summation of your qualities and your morality is the sum total of those things. Character is who you are. I don't have to say it. This is what God is after he is after fruit that is popping out in your character because of who he has.

It is spilling over into other people's life because it's coming out of your life. You're the Bible it talks about fruit is really talking about character formation, but there's other. There's other analogies that come in the Scripture like fishers of men like people that are supposed to be about a harvest may fruit is also about disciple making is not just what God is doing in us. It's what he's doing through us as we share the gospel with others as we speak truth into their life as we invite them to things like one of the greatest weeks of the whole year kids we coming up in just a couple of weeks.

There is fruit that is coming out of our life and spilling into other people's lives.

But you got understand this from our camp for just a minute you'll it is spirit born is coming from being connected to the vine.

There a lot of things in life that can produce morality like the Boy Scouts are something you think about you think about you people, people have their kids play sports to learn good thanks you have a big man learn how to be on team learn how to take coaching that's fine that's good. Those are good things, are they spirit is a spirit born fruit. You know I was thing about this because last summer, kids were not in a baseball camp and denied it.

It's always unruffled, but I could see like three years younger. Nobody else we always get signed up to be with older kids that way older and he's out there six years old and my other son is like like nine years old the time… It's a screaming line drive skips once, but I don't even move family and hits him right in the chest and he falls down you know and and arriving to cry everybody the cows like home how well mine. I'm discussing their waiting through this can happen here and and he he pops up sticks his arm in the air and starts laughing okay and I was just yelling from the stance later where like a man sign it. I was so excited.

Okay. Better than a homerun better than getting a hint why because something about the sport. Something about the coach was producing toughness, not nothing wrong with that is that spiritual fruit. You think there's good things that can count you Malcolm X talked about this when he was in prison to turning to Islam for what reason he turned to Islam because he saw in it a way to produce morality and people and responsibility and he said hey this is good for societal advancement. I've heard people talk that way about the military then I say I was a punk kid and 18 years old. This Marine drill sergeants work and be over and and all of a sudden I come out. Four years later and there's your there's a discipline in my life. There's a morality in my life what I want to say about that. Is he some of those things you don't mind man if you if you conform to discipline it's good for human flourishing.

Nothing bad in that but whether what I'm saying is it's not connect. If it's not spirit born when I talk about fruit.

What fruit is, is something that the spirit of God is doing in me because of my connection to him. And that's what Jesus says number two things right.

How do we get it, but what we get when we get is a fruit that is born from the spirit transforming our character. All that listing from Galatians 5 and it is popping out all over my life and if you're like me, you're somebody who's like man I give anything to see those changes in my life. Over time, sometimes the hardest thing about being a Christian is how slow sanctification can be at times may I want that more than anything.

That's the one. Okay, that's the first question right. What is it spiritual fruit, not just morality, not just towing the line, not something you get because you played sports are tough. Now it's a spiritual thing that God is doing in your life okay.

The second question though is how do we get there. And this is the big question how do we get there.

I've Artie said this once but I know that you guys if you're like me at all, you're like now I want to get there. I want I want to know in the book of acts chapter 1336. The Scripture says that David fulfilled his purpose that God had for him in his generation. Anybody else want up right away.

How many of us like a guy I want to I want to see that in my life, but it all square. Many times, even for me. You know, don't square exactly with where I am. How do we get to that change. How do we see that growth minimal about leadership books on mobile self-help audio podcast. All that I stay on all of it. That stuff is icing. This is where we get the change right this is this is where we actually get to where we what's come to your mind when you change are you stingy person that wishes you to be generous in another month has gone by with no giving minute you stumbled back into something you're trying to get out and he stumbled back into pornography thing is her son and it is a been another blow up at home and it just seems like it never is going on over and over and were trying to change and we want to see God do in our life. How do we get there mentors a lot of reading. There's a lot of Christian reading. There's a lot of podcasting out and I'm not. Nothing is wrong. I really do stay on all that stuff.

I want to be sharp and all that is icing. We gotta do is sue the Scripture tells us here who wants courage.

Who wants a different temperament who wants more generosity. Who wants contentment right here Steve Martin famous comedian when his dad died. He said this is the quote I was shocked because at the funeral. Everybody kept saying how funny and caring he was and he said this quote he had evidently saved his vibrant personality.

For those that were outside of the family, to identify without. I want the people that are closest to me to see fruit not just people that are really far away right like how how many of us really want that man I know I'm good I hope you're getting there. This passage has kept me up at night. For this reason, not just because of what is going to do. But Jesus wants this for me and he wants it for you and how do we get there we get there through and this is the whole point.

We get there through abiding in the vine right that that's the idea. We want to jump to what I do and the passage is getting us to see where are you, that's the question we want to turn this into an emotion or into an action and what the Bible is talking about in John 15 for is neither these not talk about action is not talk about an emotion he's talking about a position where are you we are to abide which means to remain, which means to dwell. That's what it means our role in spiritual fruit production is abiding in the true vine where you are, not what you are doing abiding means to remain a means to stay there was a branch to branch. Don't wake up in the morning thinking I got a produce fruit. I got a producer and I got a produce fruit. A branch wakes up in the morning us as managers hold on for dear life to the vine and if I cling to the vine, then the fruit sort of takes care of itself right if I cling to the vine. If I abide was abide in me, and I mean just that that that was simple. What you think remain dwell to abide in the vine is to stay in a daily personal posture a personal relationship yielding to the Lordship of Christ obedience agent chose to remain in the position that the gospel has put you in is a permanent, life-giving fruit producing union.

That's what the branch does it just connects to the vine in the gospel and what you know what is the gospel to Gospels use my place. The gospel is God is done something I couldn't do the gospel is in my sin I deserve to be kicked out, the God is brought me back in through the blood of Christ.

God is put you in the family and what we are called to do is to remember that to rely on the spirit to remind us of that to just stay where we are. What is John 15 split let us go deeper here with John 15 for site abide in me and I in you trust Christ for this union that he has provided for you in the gospel. If you place your faith in him.

If you have confessed your sin.

If you have repented.

If you call upon him as the Lord of your life. You do not done those things you're not in the vine.

But if you are in the vine.

What is calling you to do here is just to remain in a mutual indwelling relationship with Christ. Now that's a word and it mutual indwelling was mutual indwelling mean mutual indwelling means I can't quite distinguish where one begins and the other ends right so they think this thing on this. This to this tomato plant okay you think about you think about where there's at where there's a branch on ISA where where is the actual mainstem and where is the branch I it's not that I can't tell which is the stem in which of the branch, but as you said hey definitively in a modern analytical way, tell me exactly where one begins any other ends like manna questions, nonsensical is why, because there are mutually indwells their grafted together. Another way to think about this is when you think about the body. Write what you think about a norm. If I said hey where you what is a hand.it was a norm got it, where does one start and the other one stop I know is like manna ice on the same where I must say you and Jesus are the same thing. Okay, what I am saying is that you are joined to him through the gospel in a way that is sort of in mutually indwells that there's there's a joining there. That is a spiritual reality.

And this is what the Bible points to so many times. If you been a believer for a while. You've heard these words maybe haven't caught them as much is on to say that now, but what you think about this when you became a Christian, you are joined up with Christ in a way that the Bible speaks about you being in town.

What is that mean you're not the same thing as him. But you are in him was that mean the thing about if you want to just based on Philippians 3 Nine says this we are found in Christ. Colossians 33 says this for you have died and your life is hidden with Christ it's hidden is it where is that connection point can't really find it, if any, I'm hidden in him.

Ephesians 1 says over and over and over. You are in Christ in Christ in Christ. Colossians 1 then says of the other way. What is the hope of glory is Christ in you right you are found in him and he is found in you.

If you become a believer.

There is a spiritual union that is there another great year.

The Bible gives a few analogies this summer to give you two okay one vine a branch mutually indwells write the second one is body.

I may have had.

Where is one you were not all the same body part but were joined altogether. There's a spiritual kind of union that is there. The Bible is trying to speak to what's the other great analogy is in six maturity okay. What is the other great analogy that the Bible talks about a lot of talks about sexuality within marriage wise. The Bible got so much in it about sex and marriage. If you're not a believer here today are with us this weekend you might have the thought why are Christians so uptight when it comes to sexuality you maybe have had that thought well you know the first will have a thought, okay, I mean for thousands of years.

This is been lobbed at the church know that the earliest church was so countercultural that at the time Rome very licentious society. They said of the early Christians their opposite than the Romans because they are generous with their money, but stingy with their wives and end, and a culture was opposite of that. What Christians always like this. Why because we see this idea vine and branch. We see this idea of the body you mutually indwells. We see it in marriage. The Bible has stuff about this all through it. What is the big deal with the metaphor marriage in the Bible.

The Bible begins with the marriage and into the marriage.

The Bible got whole books.

He almost don't want to stand up and read out loud because you're like where this is you come over the top. You know, why does it do all of that because there is oneness pictured in sexuality within marriage that talks about mutual indwelling and that is the relationship between Christ and his bride, the church us guys we talked over the seminar I just just a minute here on a women you I felt was to them talk to the dudes right and it's okay to let this how many of us have ever been sitting in a worship service and they begin to sing a song that makes us really feel weird. Okay. We got one okay you don't talk about. I'm years that you're sitting there and you're like, man try to get there, but this song feels a little bit like you got me in Jesus walking on the beach in the rain.

Sarah and shut his eyes and I'm not real sure will. And it's freaking me out a little bit right and you been there. I've been there before and we some songs before at at at Mercy Hill where I am going back to our band and I said like and I I don't know what kind of felt like you had been Jesus have them only here and I'm not real sure were slow dance with Jesus. I'm not sure how to know you saw this together and in my mind and I'm really trying to work it out and one of our worship leaders look at me across the table and she said to me, man, what exactly is the problem that you have with the metaphor of God as lover, and I was like man as a feeler. I don't know to do with that.

But as a theologian, you're exactly right, because in my study of the Scripture we see that over and over and over and over and I was going to about one particular salty and okay and I'm sorry but I'm just but I'm just I'm just saying like the sentiment that I got back is like man that that that is a heavy metaphor in the Scripture as God as a lover of his people. Why is it there vine branch body oneness in sexuality. We are trying to get us the place where we see. Wait a minute, this, this spiritual fruit in our life is not just born from towing the line of figuring out morality.

It is born from being in Christ is born from being a branch that you can't quite tell where it begins and where it in. You can podcast all day. You can leadership classics all day thousands of dollars spent on mentor ship all great things to the glory of God. But here's the reality.

If you want to change, you need to remain in Christ, if you want spiritual change in your life. This is the way that Jesus has given us to remain all by well be a branch that is grafted in to the true life-giving pulsating life of Christ vine you want to know why some of us here today and some of us in our campuses are absolutely stagnant in your spiritual growth is because you take in John 15 for an evil plot. It's your life exactly backwards there what you think my Marie to get right because this is this is so pervasive in our church culture married again abide in me and I in you and as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me, but so many of us, particularly in the South.

We look at that verse and we still get the idea.

If I can will myself to pop out fruit, then God will give me entrance into the vine. It's a simple workspace lie that has been around since the book of Galatians. This is all way back in the light all the weight of only the beginning. If I can make myself acceptable then maybe God looks at me if I can clean myself up. Then he will make me worthy. I will be worthy to be able to come before him, and it's the exact opposite of the gospel. It is a satanic lie, that masquerades as truth is not true and I was soon I was sitting with an indigenous brother in the jungles of Peru and I said what is the hardest thing about where you are, what is it that makes your people stumble the most, and he said when they think they gotta do a bunch of stuff to be saved. It is a matter of the jungle, Peru. If you're here.

This is what the human heart wants I want to make myself worthy. I want to pop out fruit so God has to accept me as exact opposite of what Scripture actually says you know we have this thing in my kids.

We do every year we plant a garden that about 60 days later, we are sorely disappointed.

Okay so this is how are things are and and you know why you cannot water it all the time. You know Bob Loblaw water all the stuff okay and and so it's it's some you know that. But do you know you got this, garden garden thing go in and and I thought about this because I'm like okay what what if what if I decided to change the narrative in my cat. It will my kids to be sorely disappointed.

So what I do when I go to the store, you guys probably already figured this out man this these are exactly real tomatoes. They can look like apples. Okay, but you what what we do. The these I want to see okay one of our staff members literally stapled the fake tomatoes to the vine. Either there literally stapled onto the vine and FAQs they can be just a faint piece of fruit that stapled but you know what from 10 feet away, or maybe from 100 feet away, or whatever. Okay, it looks pretty good now actually end this tomato plant there actually is some real fruit. This beginning to pop up. The big difference is one of them is connected to the pulsating life of the vine and the other one just looks good for a while but eventually the gig will be up because the counterfeit.

If it wasn't fake it would just simply die again so many of us are in a spiritual stagnant state because maybe you're not even maybe or not say that all that excited about growth you got something backwards later. Major does not even save you keep coming around you acquire these people so excited I'm here I'm doing a thing but I'm still trying to earn my salvation if I can pop out fruit, then God will accept me into the vine and its backwards from John 15 for so let me apply this to us all pretty broadly here as we begin to close a right number. Well, this should just just one big application form applied in two ways is almost as soon as we can abide in Christ to produce spiritual fruit abide in Christ, we talk to Christians, then I'll talk to those of us who have yet to place faith in Christ and in will be done right. And for those of us that are not believers just yet. So here. For those of us that are already believers.

But you feel like minimum, running through knee-deep sand here a little spiritual stagnant here that's kind of where I am and what do I need to do today what you need to do is to remember that you are called to remain, and abide and dwell. That is the first thing are you remaining in a connected life-giving life pulsating vine are you remaining there were you jumping to a million other things in your life. Can you be blown away by this that the thing that you want most change in my life change in these areas. Men, you know what it is, your family knows what it is we need to see movement here that's exactly what Jesus has come to die and to give you access to and is giving it to you and you have the opportunity to do can we remain there today letting me chuckle a little bit of flesh on the street like a cape. You've Artie said it's not what to do, but nowhere to be and all that but how do I stay there. You know what, what exactly do I do to stay in that position. Let me put a little bit more flesh on this I would say like this. Remember the gospel and rely on the spirit. I serve you if you needed to do today.

The to do is can you go back and can you remember that even in your failure.

God cannot love you more than he does. Right now, if you're found in Christ.

Even though you can't see the change that he is working in your life if you are found in Christ. God already season you the righteousness of his son.

Maybe another month has gone by with, there's no giving. Maybe there is another pornography thing. I stumbled back into her. Maybe there is another flight that you're having a home or or whatever it is that's going on and it's hard for you to see right now what you need to remember is if you are in Christ God already sees you as he does his son. That is what the gospel is that Jesus in my place means me when he died on the cross he was exchanging he was giving me his righteousness, and take the penalty for my sin. Three days later he proved himself to be who he was. He invited me into this life-giving relationship with him as long as he is alive. God will forever and internally see me with the white robes of his son because remember that today. I don't know what's going on your life.

I don't how hard it is. But can you see how much God loves you how much his heart is for you and how he sees you today if you like man. I'm not sure I can get there. They need the second part of what I said which is hey you got rely on the spirit of God to do that man God the father sees Christ the son in you and you need the spirit of God to help you to see what God already sees unique you need a spirit of God to remind you of God's love for you today. He is not left you without the means, if you're a believer, the spirit is inside of you. Are you kindling are you stirring up what he has put in you is not left you alone. You know about out on a leaf through four years ago we went to one of these two things on the new River okay so semi-diving from North Carolina. You've done this before and I had a four-year-old housing all through the older kids and a four-year-old Minaya. He was goes through four years ago he was. He was so scared that a thunderstorm is to become he asked me 100 times that.

Are you sure there's no thunderstorm. I said that I promise you there is no thunderstorm, today. Well, a category two hurricane shows up okay and we were out there in the middle of the new River like sitting ducks when you're paddling.

This is doing nothing okay were just sitting out here and you maybe some of you have been there. I'm amazed by how we people have this experience okay and so I'm relighting his topping euro is now become freezing cold.

The winning all my kids are just shivering to the and and it's raining and and I'm like, man, we gotta get off this river so it's a crazy storm. We get off the river pull the tubes off the river. I huddle us up under huge tree. Probably not the best idea.

Okay, so I'll run his big tree and I like that. I don't know what were gonna do you know and all the sudden flying up on this kayak here this woman comes an angel.

I mean a saint and she comes flying up on this kayak and she's like do you need hello I think you God yes I'm in a very bad dad situation here. Okay I'm in a bad spot right I need help. She's like what you said you have a phone. She said no. I was like you got a towel, she said no. I said umbrella, no water, no.

I said what are you envisioning here if you like it was sort of what what was that I prod home and she she was like yeah I'm sorry don't really know. I see later. You know, I mean no there she goes and she's paddling way. I don't like II thought to myself, you know it it's one thing to want to help.

It's another thing to actually have the means to be able to do it. Don't you know that Jesus is not left you on the side of the river with nothing to do to let you there.

His heart is for your change and then he is provided his spirit in you to remind you of this connection to him abide in him would you pray the spirit about how you rekindle the spirit man go back and listen post about a sermon again. That's all is thrown wood on the fire when we do through the word, we do through prayer we do through community this is how the spirit uses these things in our life. If you're in a group. Let me say this guys this week is recommitment group for the fall. Your leader is to help you with that other to send out something in your group this week. Please let us know your plans for the fall are if you know them. That would be good to save your spot in your group or to send your spot to somebody else is looking for a group if you need a change. There is no problem with that. There's no shame. Your leader wants you to be in a group is working for you more than they want you in their group because desktop leaders we have in this church right so if you need to change. You do that on the definite group prayer the word. This is what this is the ammo of the spirit to help you remember what your to do remain, abide be blown away over God's love in your life. But hey, for others know them for others of you this weekend across all of our campuses in the rekindling the spirit is not a work because you don't have the spirit you're not a believer.

If you're not connected in the following then that's the thing that you need to do today you can go muster a bunch of works in Hebrews 11 six tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God and we can be Boy Scouts. We can do military with new sports we can become better citizens of a we can do a lot of things that can help us toe the line with morality and maybe they're good for some human flourishing stuff or whatever spiritual fruit is born from being connected to the vine.

That's how it's born. If you want to please God, you need to take care of that first probably a lot of people want to sell my voice right now and that what needs to happen is that you need to pray to receive price for the first time and let the God of this universe, turn you inside out. Remove the old you put a new you in your place be connected to him spiritually and give you the opportunity to do that right now. All are Asking about Your Heads and Close Your Eyes Here for Just a Minute and Then We Just Do This. Try to Calm Our Hearts in a Calm, Our Minds Here for Just a Minute Right and Has Now.

I Disclose All of Our Different Locations. Remember Some of You Listen, It Is Time to Get off the Hamster Wheel of Works Landowner Night and You're Wondering That I Do Enough Today That I Do Enough Today, Somebody's Gotta Have the Courage to Make Sure You Hear No You Did Not Do Enough Today.

You Did Not Do Enough Yesterday. He Will Not Do Enough Tomorrow. You Cannot Do Enough You're Trying to Dig Your Way Out Of a Hole You're Already in Even the Attempt to Work Your Way to God Is Seen As Pride in His Eyes. You Cannot Work Your Way Out Of This Problem. Some of Us Today Different Campuses. It Might Be Time to Break Free from the Dungeon That Comes from the Fear of Not Knowing What's Gonna Happen When You Close Your Eyes from Last You Could Take Care Of All of That Today and Step into the Freedom of a Permanent Union Fruit Producing Life That Jesus Christ Wants for You and You're Ready to Take That Step in His McCartney and McCarty Do ABC Admitting Your Center Believe That Jesus Christ Done Everything Necessary to Save and Confess Him As the Lord of Your Life.

That's a Very Quick Summation for My Long Awesome Book Called Romans Okay Go Read That Liquidates ABC a Right That You Need a Printer.

See Christ Today That I Want You Sprain Your Heart after Me Right You Just Wrap up on the Leads in the Prayer Menu You Pray This Prayer to God's Saving This Weekend. Father, I Admit That I'm a Sinner and I Can't Work for My Salvation in God.

I Believe That Jesus Christ Has Done Everything Necessary to Save. I Believe You Went to the Cross to Pay the Penalty for My Sin. I Believe in His Resurrection. He Offers Me the Opportunity to Join the and Walk in the Newness of Life. And I Confess Him As the Lord of My Life Thought We Come before You Right Now, Lord, We Pray That God Will Give These Believers New Believers.

All of Our Services. Gotta Pray to Give Them the Courage to Take the Next Step That We Have for Them to Go Public with What They Have Decided Today When You've Done in Their Life in Christ Name We Pray. Amen. They Guys If You Prayed to Receive Christ Today for One of Our Calves.

You Prayed to Receive Christ I'm Asked to Do a Digital, Can Raise Today. Okay That's Gonna Be Our Our Our Our Our Our Invitation for This Week and I Want You to Text Baptize to 336-967-6604 That Is Not My Personal Cell Phone Number Okay so That's Just Automated Number That We Use and If You Text That Is in the Qatar Pastoral Team Because Baptism Is the Next Step That You Need to Take As a Brand-New Believer Right Then You Put Your Faith in Christ. He's Done Some Magnificent in Your Life Maybe Was Months or Years in the Making and the Next Step for You Is to Go Public.

The Next Time That We Offer Baptism Here in A Few Weeks and We Want to Start the Company When You Text This in All Its Gonna Trigger Is a Very Very Warm Conversation with Somebody Who Loves You and Wants Your Best and Wants to Get to Know You Want to Plug You into the Life of This Church Because You Have Been Connected to the Vine.

They Want to See You Take the Next Steps in Your Spiritual Growth Right, Some at Some Point Today or Do It Now. Text Baptize to That Number