We hope today’s message was encouraging and helpful. These notes are meant to help you remember and reflect on the message, help you go deeper into study on the subject, or to be used for a Bible/sermon group study. Enjoy!

Main Scripture: JOHN 15:1-11

Other scripture mentioned: Mark 3:14; Hebrews 4:12; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Galatians 5:16-25; and Romans 5:5

If you’re going through this discussion with a community group this week consider taking the time to read or paraphrase through some of the provided scripture to catch everyone up!

Overview:

Recap: 

Last week we learned that Jesus is the source of life and we connect to Him by faith. We as Christians were reminded not to be apathetic, or complacent with our relationship and to make sure we are relying on Jesus as our source of life too. This series aims to live our faith and life out of a relationship with Jesus versus being disconnected, exhausted, and incapable of doing anything for him with joy and love. Jesus says, apart from me you can do nothing. Jesus is the source and power of a fruitful Christian life and that’s where we must begin. Today, I want to break down this allegory of the vineyard a little more to help us see the imperative of being faithful in fellowship to grow and be fruitful followers of Christ. 

Notes:

John 15:1-11 NLT 

In the first eight verses fruit is mentioned six times. 

  • The fruit referred to here is the fruit of the Spirit, the fruit of God, the characteristics of Christ. Galatians 5:22-23 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. But this chapter points to further fruit, such as the ministry of going into the world to reach the lost and making disciples… a fulfillment of the great commission. Jesus wants them to be productive in every way. 

  • Notice the imperative and importance of seeing the production of fruit in our lives in verses 2, 4, 5, and 8. 

  • Why does God want us to be fruitful? In short, for our benefit, for His glory, and for the lost. 

    • For our Benefit: God wants you to experience His grace, love, and life and all the qualities the fruit represent. These qualities counter the flesh and sinful nature. These qualities contrast the wickedness and destruction of what we get from this world. The fruit of God are the values and produce of God’s kingdom now in us. We have a foretaste of heaven in us through the fruit of the Spirit. 

    • For His glory. God desires that we bear His fruit in and on our lives so it shows the world God that exists. To show the grace and truth of God makes Him known and shine in this world. 

    • For the lost. Bearing much fruit in our lives allows the world to see and experience the produce or goodness of God now, hopefully, leading them to believe and be saved. 

    • What if I told you your sole purpose in this life is to be a branch that bears and holds the fruit of Jesus? This may not sound exciting, but take a moment to consider how Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Jesus is the source of true love, joy, and peace. Jesus is the redemption for mankind’s sins and the way to eternal life. Is that not an important role in this world? To bear these truths in our lives? Can you see the value of being fruit bearers in our world? Fruitbearers help bring people into eternity. Jesus saved you to bear His name on your lips and His love and truth on your lives. Jesus doesn’t just save us and send us to heaven, Jesus saves us and sends us to those on their way to hell. If that’s not purpose then I don’t know what is. Lord, wake us up to see the great and noble purpose you have given us. 

  • If someone says or professes they are a Christian but have no desire for God and the fruitfulness He desires then we have to evaluate whether we have truly come to a saving faith relationship with God. I say this with love and pray the Spirit convicts us to be honest with ourselves and God. Faith without works is dead as James says. But you can't force faith by doing works. In other words, fruit or Christlike characteristics, desires, and good deeds prove you have faith and have been saved. Fruit has always been a litmus test in scripture for true faith. But God knows the heart and whether someone is working to do good or someone simply living out of their faith and love for God. 

  • If you truly do believe but have a weak desire I would say this next point would be critical. This brings us to the next dominating point in these verses.

God desires fellowship with us

  • This is a point of celebration. God wants to be in a relationship with you! God initiated a relationship with us since the beginning of time and continued to pursue us in the new testament when Jesus was born into our world to call us to Him. Jesus speaks of our remaining in Him 8 times. According to Mark 3:14, Jesus started the fellowship of His disciples by calling them to a relationship with Him. Nothing has changed, except He would depart physically but still be in fellowship spiritually like He is with us today. Jesus loves us and desires fellowship with us. 

How does God’s fruit grow in our lives?

Faithful fellowship with Christ

  • Jesus faithfully gives us His fruit and God faithfully prunes us so we can be more fruitful. 

    • The only way we can receive and possess the fruit is if we are connected to Jesus like a branch (salvation) then we receive more and more of His life through faith-based relationship or fellowship with Jesus. It’s not a work-based relationship where we do things to get fruit, it is graciously given to us by faith first. Therefore, more fruit flows and grows through a faithful fellowship with Jesus (remaining in Him). God, the gardener, and Jesus the vine, cares about the whole world. But when it comes to His followers and fruit-bearing, Jesus will fulfill His role with unfailing success, feeding fruit life to those who want more and God is pruning those who do have fruit so they will produce more. Why? It is given and received to branches or those who believe, steward, cooperate, and want more of God. 

    • God prunes. To prune is to trim and clean branches. God prunes fruitful lives so they will be even more fruitful (v.2). But how and what does it look like? The Sword of the Spirit…

      • Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.

      • 2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

What’s our role in the growing and fruit-bearing process? 

  • Faithful fellowship through the Word and Prayer (V.7) 

    • 7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! 

    • Today, we have practiced reading and studying the Word and letting God work and prune us. Before we close, we will pray and humbly and confidently ask God who wants us to grow to help us grow. 

  • Faithfully Following the Spirit’s lead

    • Galatians 5:16-25 NLT

  • Faithful, Loving Obedience (V. 9 & 10)

    • It's not a works-based fellowship where you have to do things for God to show up in your life. This fellowship is rooted in love. Once again, the Holy Spirit’s role is unsaid but critical here. When we put our faith in Jesus for salvation the holy Spirit comes into our lives so we can know and grow in God. Romans 5:5 For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

    • We are already loved by God and saved because we believe He has forgiven us and lives in us. We obey because we love God. We obey because God has given us His Spirit which gives us a desire to do what is right (Phil. 2:13 NLT). Obedience grows because we grow in our love and appreciation for God. The more I know God the more in love and devoted I am to him. This is why being in the Word and living out the Word is crucial to even our love for God. 

  • Remain in Jesus…We know that every form of plant life needs time in three elements, soil, sun, and water. We too need time in and with Jesus. We grow over time as we soak up the presence of God in His Word and prayer, and follow and obey the leading of the Spirit and Jesus. Growth comes from being a branch that wants more of God.  There’s a call in this scripture to be active recipients but not hurried and busy. The best way to fix this is to start prioritizing being in fellowship with God. Many times it’s our spiritual fellowship with Jesus that falls to the waste side when it should be other things that don’t give you life. Be a branch that connects and relies on Jesus all day. Then the vine will feed you, God will prune you and you will grow and bear fruit.

Discussion:

  • What is one thing from the message that resonated with you?

  • How does God’s fruit grow in your life?

  • In what ways are you helping the fruit growing and bearing process?

  • Pastor Ryan encouraged us to ask God to prune and cut away what is unhealthy and dead in our lives. Was there any areas or things that God spoke to you to prune or cut away? What will be hard to let go?

  • What other notes did you make for today’s message?

The most important decision you will ever make!

If you’re ready to trust in Jesus for salvation and eternal life we encourage you to process this decision with a strong believer and when you’re ready say a simple prayer like this from your heart: Dear God, I acknowledge and admit I have sinned. I see my need for Jesus Christ. I believe in Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I believe I am forgiven and cleansed of my sin by His death. I also believe I have eternal life because of His resurrection from the dead. I repent, I turn away from my old ways and I choose to live my life to worship you and follow Jesus, Amen!

We would love to know if you decided to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Let us know here.

Pray Together

We hope you found this AFTER THE SERMON discussion helpful for your walk with Jesus. We pray you can find ways to apply it this week!

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