1 Bible Study Wednesday, March 17, 2010 The Rev. Dr. Floyd H. Flake “An Intimate Connection That Matters ” John 15:1-11 (NIV)

2 “(1) I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. (2) He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. (3)You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.

3 (4) Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me. (5) I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.

4 (6) If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. (7) If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. (8) This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be My disciples.

5 (9) As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in My love. (10) 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. (11) I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”

6  At almost every social event, religious conference, or meeting that I attend, I am approached by people who are interested in connecting with me. They present their business cards and try to explain how they can be helpful to me. Some of them are a bit overbearing, but I have learned how to cope with them.

7  I often wonder what the world would be like if those of us who are in the body of Christ were to approach people with the same degree of passion and excitement to offer them an invitation to connect them with the church.  The offer can be made in a social context, but it should be done in such a way that the invitee clearly understands that the experience might be life –changing.

8 The connection that they make is not to the edifice (building), or to the pastor, but to GOD, who is the true head to whom we are connected.  The kingdom of God cannot be sustained if our focus is on the box that we call the church. With the proliferation of doctrines, Biblical interpretations, titles, liturgies, customs and traditions that are operative, it is important to know where our faith is rooted.

9 The text places this issue into its proper perspective by declaring in the words of Jesus: “(1) I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.”  Jesus is saying that our connection to God is through Him. He is the main stem on the tree of life. Therefore, when we connect to Him we gain access to everything that God has promised us in His Word.

10  Jesus says that He is “THE VINE.” If you have ever seen a grape vine, you know that it is a slender stem that is able to support huge amounts of grapes. It is flexible, and supports itself by nature, by climbing over walls, and any other obstacles that it confronts. So, Jesus is telling us that if we connect to Him, He will carry us over, around, or through the barriers that are keeping us from being fruitful.

11  The Psalmist give his testimony to how God blesses us when we are connected to the vine. He declared in Psalm 80; “(8) You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it. (9) You cleared the ground for it, and it took root and filled the land.”

12  Greater blessings are available to us when we make the connection to Jesus. We are the branches, and God, who is the Gardener, shapes us in ways that make us productive. With our connection to Christ we become more fruitful because He prunes us by cutting away the dead excesses of sin that block our ability to be more fruitful.

13  In verses 2 and 3, Jesus makes a clear distinction between the two kinds of pruning: 1. Cutting off ; 2. Cutting back the branches  Verse 2 says; “(2) He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”

14 He prunes by cutting off the bad spots and keeping that which is good. Pruning in real life means accepting the discipline that God gives so that we might build character and faith. But take note of the fact that some branches are beyond saving because they are disobedient; and God disposes of them.

15  God’s desire is that we ask Him to forgive us of our sins; but, when keep on sinning He cuts us off so that we do not infect others. All of us have been given a chance to connect to Christ, to ask God to forgive us. If you give Him your heart and soul, He will grant you your salvation, and put you on the path to fruitful living.

16 (4) Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me. (5) I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.

17  If you want prolific results you need to get the hook-up by: 1. Connecting with the vine who is Jesus Christ. (15) And if we know that He hears us— whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him.

18 (16) If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that he should pray about that. (1 John 5:15-16)

19 2. You must be born again. “(12) Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God— (13) children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.” (John 1:12-13)

20  The rebirth is the connection that gives you new life from God; re-arranges your attitude; helps you to control and discipline your desires; and, brings a sense of reality to your motives. 3. The connection with Jesus positions you to receive the Holy Spirit. “(32) Then John gave this testimony: ‘I saw the Spirit come down from Heaven as a dove and remain on him.’

21 (33) I would not have known Him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is He who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.” (John 1:32-33)