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John 15_1-8 EXPLAINED_Why You MUST Stay Connected to Jesus · truthunedited

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Speaker 1: Have you ever asked yourself, am I really connected to Jesus?
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Speaker 1: Or am I just near him? Because here's the truth.
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Speaker 1: Not everyone who looks connected to Jesus is actually abiding
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Speaker 1: in him. I am the true vine, and my father
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Speaker 1: is the gardener. Every branch in me that does not
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Speaker 1: bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that bears
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Speaker 1: fruit he prunes that it may bear more fruit. John
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Speaker 1: fifteen one to two. Jesus spoke these words not as
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Speaker 1: a poetic metaphor, but as a reality of the Christian life.
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Speaker 1: He is the vine, the only true source of life
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Speaker 1: and growth. We are the branches designed to stay connected
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Speaker 1: to him, and God is the gardener, actively working to
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Speaker 1: remove what is dead and to strengthen what is alive.
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Speaker 1: But here's the warning. If anyone does not abide in Me,
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Speaker 1: he is cast out as a branch and withered. And
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Speaker 1: they gather them and throw them into the fire, and
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Speaker 1: they are burned John on fifteen six. That means it
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Speaker 1: is possible to appear religious, go to church, say the
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Speaker 1: right words, but still not be connected to Jesus. So
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Speaker 1: let's go deeper. What does it actually mean to abide
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Speaker 1: in Christ? Why does God prune those who are already
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Speaker 1: bearing fruit. What happens when someone is only near Jesus
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Speaker 1: but not truly connected to him? What kind of fruit
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Speaker 1: does God expect from us? And what happens if we
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Speaker 1: don't bear any Because by the end of this video,
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Speaker 1: you will never see your relationship with Jesus the same
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Speaker 1: way again. So let me ask you. Are you truly
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Speaker 1: connected to Jesus or are you just attached to church activities?
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Speaker 1: Are you bearing fruit or just blending in with the crowd.
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Speaker 1: If God is pruning you right now, do you trust
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Speaker 1: him or are you resisting His work in your life?
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Speaker 1: Because by the end of this video, you will know
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Speaker 1: whether you are truly abiding in Christ and what needs
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Speaker 1: to change in your life to stay connected to him.
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Speaker 1: We have created in depth explanation videos for every book
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Speaker 1: of the Bible to help you go deeper in your faith.
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Speaker 1: Each Deep Bible Stories video is designed to break down
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Speaker 1: scripture in a way that is simple, clear, and deeply impactful.
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Speaker 1: We also have ebooks on our website for some of
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Speaker 1: our most popular videos. If you'd like this video to
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Speaker 1: be turned into an e book, let us know in
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Speaker 1: the comments. And if this video has opened your eyes
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Speaker 1: to something new, like and share it so more people
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Speaker 1: can understand what it really means to abide in Christ.
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Speaker 1: It is our hope and prayer that this video awakens
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Speaker 1: something in your spirit, a faith so strong that nothing
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Speaker 1: can shake it. With that being said, let's get started.
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Speaker 1: The disciples had no idea how much their world was
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Speaker 1: about to change. They sat with Jesus, sharing what would
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Speaker 1: be their last meal together before everything they thought they
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Speaker 1: knew would be turned upside down. The atmosphere was thick
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Speaker 1: with emotion. Jesus had just washed their feet, Judas had
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Speaker 1: left to betray him, and now Jesus was giving his
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Speaker 1: final words before heading to the cross. And in this moment,
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Speaker 1: he didn't talk about miracles, about crowds, or about how
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Speaker 1: to handle persecution. He talked about staying connected. He talked
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Speaker 1: about abiding. This wasn't just another parable, this was a
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Speaker 1: life line. Jesus knew that within ours, the disciples would
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Speaker 1: see him arrested, beaten, and crucified. They would be scattered, afraid,
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Speaker 1: questioning everything. But in this final teaching, he gave them
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Speaker 1: the key to surviving the storm. Abide in me and
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Speaker 1: I in you, as the branch cannot bear fruit of
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Speaker 1: itself unless it abides in thee. Neither can you unless
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Speaker 1: you abide in me John fifteen four. Why would he
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Speaker 1: choose this moment, just before his greatest suffering to teach
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Speaker 1: about abiding Because he knew the temptation to fall away
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Speaker 1: would be strong. He knew Peter would deny him, he
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Speaker 1: knew Thomas would doubt him. He knew the disciples would
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Speaker 1: hide in fear. And he knew that after the resurrection,
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Speaker 1: after he ascended, they would need something deeper than just
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Speaker 1: memories of their time with him. They would need a
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Speaker 1: living connection to him. That's why this teaching is not
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Speaker 1: just for them, It's for us. Jesus was preparing them
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Speaker 1: for the coming of the Holy Spirit. Up until now,
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Speaker 1: they had walked with him physically, but soon they would
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Speaker 1: have to learn to walk with him spiritually. And I
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Speaker 1: will ask the Father, and he will give you another
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Speaker 1: helper to be with you forever, even the spirit of
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Speaker 1: truth John fourteen, sixteen seventeen. He was telling them, you
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Speaker 1: won't see me, but I will still be with you.
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Speaker 1: You won't hear my voice like before, but I will
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Speaker 1: still lead you. You won't be able to reach out
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Speaker 1: and touch me, but I will be more present in
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Speaker 1: your life than ever before, if you abide in Me.
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Speaker 1: And this is where it speaks to us today, because
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Speaker 1: isn't it true that sometimes we don't feel God the
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Speaker 1: way we used to. Maybe there was a time when
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Speaker 1: your faith felt strong, but now it feels weak. Maybe
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Speaker 1: you once heard God's voice clearly, but now you're struggling
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Speaker 1: to know if he's even speaking. Maybe you've been trying
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Speaker 1: to live for God, but deep down you feel dry, disconnected,
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Speaker 1: and empty. And Jesus is saying the same thing to
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Speaker 1: us that he said to them. Abide in me, stay connected.
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Speaker 1: Don't try to do this on your own. Apart from Me,
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Speaker 1: you can do nothing John fifteen five. This isn't just
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Speaker 1: a nice saying. It's the key to everything. It's the
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Speaker 1: reason some people grow spiritually while others stay stuck. It's
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Speaker 1: the reason some walk in peace while others live in
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Speaker 1: constant anxiety. It's the reason some people bear real fruit
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Speaker 1: and others wither away. Because the truth is, just like
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Speaker 1: the disciples, we will all go through seasons where we
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Speaker 1: feel like giving up. But Jesus wasn't just giving them
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Speaker 1: a command. He was giving them a promise. If you
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Speaker 1: abide in Me and my words abide in you, Ask
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Speaker 1: whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
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Speaker 1: John fifteen seven. That means everything we need, strength, wisdom, direction,
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Speaker 1: peace flows from our connection to him. So let me
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Speaker 1: ask you, are you abiding in Jesus or are you
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Speaker 1: just near him? Is your faith truly alive or is
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Speaker 1: it just routine? Are you bearing fruit or have you
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Speaker 1: settled for just looking the part? Because this teaching is
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Speaker 1: not just about what happened that night before the cross.
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Speaker 1: It's about every day of our lives. And if we
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Speaker 1: truly understand what Jesus was saying, we won't just try
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Speaker 1: harder to be better Christians. We will surrender completely to
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Speaker 1: the only one who can make us bear fruit. All
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Speaker 1: Throughout the Old Testament, Israel was described as a vine,
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Speaker 1: a vine that God planted, a vine that he cared for,
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Speaker 1: a vine that was supposed to bear fruit. In Psalm eighty.
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Speaker 1: The Psalmis says, you brought a vine out of Egypt.
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Speaker 1: You drove out the nations and planted it Psalm eighty eight.
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Speaker 1: In Isiah five, God speaks of Israel as his vineyard,
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Speaker 1: saying he did everything to cultivate it, but instead of
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Speaker 1: producing good grapes, it yielded wild bitter fruit over and
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Speaker 1: over again. If it's called Israel a vine. But there
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Speaker 1: was a problem. Israel failed to bear the fruit God wanted.
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Speaker 1: Instead of producing righteousness, they produced rebellion. Instead of being
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Speaker 1: a light to the nations, they turned inward and corrupt.
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Speaker 1: Instead of staying connected to God, they chased after idols.
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Speaker 1: That's why jesus words in John fifteen one were shocking.
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Speaker 1: I am the true vine, and my father is the
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Speaker 1: vine dresser. In one statement, Jesus was making it clear
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Speaker 1: Israel was the vine, but it had failed. Now he
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Speaker 1: was the true vine. He was everything Israel was supposed
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Speaker 1: to be but could never become on its own. For
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Speaker 1: the Jewish disciples listening, this was a radical claim. They
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Speaker 1: had grown up believing that their connection to God came
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Speaker 1: through their Jewish identity, their heritage, their temple, their sacrifices.
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Speaker 1: But now Jesus was telling them the true connection to
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Speaker 1: God wasn't through religion, but through relationship with him. Think
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Speaker 1: about what that means for us today. Many people grow
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Speaker 1: up believing that as long as they follow religious traditions,
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Speaker 1: they are connected to God. They think going to church,
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Speaker 1: reading the Bible, or even doing good deeds is what
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Speaker 1: makes them spiritually alive. But just like Israel, it's possible
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Speaker 1: to look religious on the outside while being completely disconnected
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Speaker 1: from God on the inside. That's why Jesus didn't say
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Speaker 1: I am a vine. He said I am the true vine,
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Speaker 1: the only vine that can truly give life, the only
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Speaker 1: vine that never withers, the only vine that produces lasting fruit.
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Speaker 1: This changes everything about how we understand our faith. If
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Speaker 1: Jesus is the true vine, that mean means we are
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Speaker 1: not sustained by our own efforts. If Jesus is the
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Speaker 1: true vine, that means apart from him, we have no life.
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Speaker 1: If Jesus is the true vine, that means we don't
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Speaker 1: just need to be good people, we need to be
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Speaker 1: connected to him. And here's where it gets personal, because
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Speaker 1: if Jesus is the vine, what does that make us branches?
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Speaker 1: And what happens to a branch that is cut off
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Speaker 1: from the vine. It dies. It might stay green for
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Speaker 1: a little while, it might look alive for a season,
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Speaker 1: but without connection, it withers. And this is exactly what
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Speaker 1: happens to people who try to live the Christian life
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Speaker 1: Apart from Christ. They may know how to say the
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Speaker 1: right things. They may look like they're doing well on
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Speaker 1: the outside, they may even fool themselves into thinking they're fine,
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Speaker 1: but inside they're disconnected, and it's only a matter of
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Speaker 1: time before it shows. That's why Jesus did and just
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Speaker 1: tell the disciples who he was. He gave them a
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Speaker 1: command abide in Me and I in you. As the
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Speaker 1: branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in
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Speaker 1: the vine, neither can you unless you abide in Me
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Speaker 1: John fifteen four. This isn't optional, This isn't just for
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Speaker 1: serious Christians. This is life or death. And here's the truth.
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Speaker 1: If you are truly abiding in Jesus, it will show.
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Speaker 1: You won't have to force fruit, you won't have to
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Speaker 1: pretend to be spiritual, you won't have to keep up appearances.
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Speaker 1: Because just like a healthy branch naturally bears fruit, those
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Speaker 1: who abide in Christ will naturally grow in faith, love,
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Speaker 1: and righteousness. So let me ask you, are you truly
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Speaker 1: connected to Jesus or are you just going through religious motions?
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Speaker 1: Are you abiding in the vine or are you trying
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Speaker 1: to produce fruit on your own? Are you alive in
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Speaker 1: Christ or are you just surviving off old habits and
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Speaker 1: past experiences because Jesus made it clear the only way
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Speaker 1: to bear fruit, the only way to have life, the
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Speaker 1: only way to truly grow, is to stay connected to him.
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Speaker 1: If Jesus is the true vine, then what does that
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Speaker 1: make us branches? And here's what you need to understand.
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Speaker 1: Branches do not exist on their own. They have no
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Speaker 1: life apart from the vine. A branch that is separated
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Speaker 1: from the vine may look fine for a while, but
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Speaker 1: eventually it will wither and die. Jesus made this crystal clear.
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Speaker 1: I am the vine. You are the branches. Whoever abides
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Speaker 1: in Me and I in him, he it is that
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Speaker 1: bears much fruit. For apart from me, you can do
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Speaker 1: nothing John fifteen five? Did you catch that? Apart from Jesus,
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Speaker 1: you can do nothing, not just some things, not just
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Speaker 1: a little bit nothing. A branch cannot produce fruit on
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Speaker 1: its own. It can only bear what comes from its
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Speaker 1: connection to the vine. And this is where so many
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Speaker 1: people get Christianity wrong. They think bearing fruit is about striving,
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Speaker 1: about working harder, about trying to be a better person.
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Speaker 1: But Jesus never said try harder to bear fruit. He
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Speaker 1: said abide in me. Fruit is not something we produce
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Speaker 1: it's something we bear. There's a difference. A branch doesn't
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Speaker 1: strain to produce grapes. It doesn't stress, struggle, or try
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Speaker 1: to force fruit to grow. The only job of the
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Speaker 1: branch is to stay connected to the vine. The vine
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Speaker 1: provides the nutrients, the water, the life, and when the
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Speaker 1: branch remains attached, fruit comes naturally. This is how the
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Speaker 1: Christian life works. You don't grow by trying harder. You
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Speaker 1: grow by staying connected to Jesus. You don't bear fruit
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Speaker 1: by forcing it. You bear fruit by abiding it him.
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Speaker 1: But here's the problem. Not everyone who looks like a
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Speaker 1: branch is actually abiding. There are many people who seem
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Speaker 1: spiritually alive for a while, but then something happens. They
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Speaker 1: get distracted, they get discouraged, they start relying on their
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Speaker 1: own strength instead of staying connected to Jesus, and eventually
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Speaker 1: they wither. Jesus warned about this. If anyone does not
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Speaker 1: abide in Me, he is thrown away like a branch
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Speaker 1: and withers, and the branches are gathered, thrown into the
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Speaker 1: fire and burned John fifteen six. This is a sobering truth.
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Speaker 1: Just because someone goes to church doesn't mean they're abiding.
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Speaker 1: Just because someone serves in ministry doesn't mean they're abiding.
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Speaker 1: Just because someone knows a lot about the Bible doesn't
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Speaker 1: mean they're abiding. The evidence of abiding is fruit, and
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Speaker 1: if there's no fruit, there's no real connection to the
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Speaker 1: Think about Judas. He spent three years with Jesus. He
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Speaker 1: performed miracles, he cast out demons, he walked with the disciples.
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Speaker 1: If anyone looked like they were part of the vine,
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Speaker 1: it was Judas. But he wasn't abiding, and in the
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Speaker 1: end his true nature was revealed. This is why Jesus
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Speaker 1: says abiding is everything. It's not about appearances, it's about connection.
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Speaker 1: So what does this mean for us? It means we
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Speaker 1: need to examine our lives. Are you truly abiding in
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Speaker 1: Jesus or are you just near him? Are you bearing
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Speaker 1: fruit or are you just keeping up appearances? Because at
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Speaker 1: the end of the day, Jesus didn't say try harder
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Speaker 1: to be a good branch. He said, abide in me,
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Speaker 1: and if you stay connected to him, fruit will come naturally,
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Speaker 1: growth will happen, strength will come because everything you need
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Speaker 1: is already in the vine. If Jesus is the vine
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Speaker 1: and we are the branches, then who is the gardener?
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Speaker 1: God the Father, And like any good gardener, he's not passive.
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Speaker 1: He doesn't just plant and walk away. He watches over
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Speaker 1: the vine carefully. He examines the branches, and he does
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Speaker 1: two things. He removes what is dead, and he prunes
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Speaker 1: what is alive. Jesus said, my father is the gardener.
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Speaker 1: He cuts off every brunch in me that bears no fruit,
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Speaker 1: while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so
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Speaker 1: that it will be even more fruitful. John fifteen one
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Speaker 1: to two. This is where many people struggle. We love
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Speaker 1: the idea of bearing fruit, We love the idea of
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Speaker 1: growing in our faith. But when God starts pruning, when
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Speaker 1: he starts cutting away things in our lives, it feels painful.
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Speaker 1: And that's because pruning is painful. Think about it. Pruning
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Speaker 1: means cutting. It means removing things that may seem good
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Speaker 1: but are actually preventing greater growth. And here's what you
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Speaker 1: need to understand. Pruning is not punishment. Pruning is preparation.
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Speaker 1: If God is pruning you, it means you are bearing fruit.
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Speaker 1: It means there is growth happening, and it means he
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Speaker 1: wants to take you even deeper. But in order to grow,
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Speaker 1: he has to cut away what is unnecessary. Maybe it's
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Speaker 1: a relationship that's holding you back. Maybe it's a habit
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Speaker 1: that's keeping you stuck. Maybe it's a mindset that's limiting
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Speaker 1: your faith. Whatever it is, God knows that if he
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Speaker 1: doesn't remove it, it will hinder your growth. Think about Abraham.
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Speaker 1: God told him to leave his home, his family, his country,
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Speaker 1: and go to a place. He didn't even know why,
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Speaker 1: because God was pruning him, cutting away everything that could
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Speaker 1: hold him back from the destiny God had for him.
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Speaker 1: Think about Joseph. He had a dream of greatness, but
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Speaker 1: before that dream was fulfilled, he was pruned. He was
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Speaker 1: betrayed by his brothers, thrown into a pit, sold into slavery,
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Speaker 1: falsely accused, and imprisoned. It looked like everything in his
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Speaker 1: life was being taken away, but in reality, God was
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Speaker 1: pruning him. God was cutting away pride, immaturity, self reliance,
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Speaker 1: everything that needed to be removed so Joseph could handle
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Speaker 1: the blessing God had for him. Think about Peter. He
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Speaker 1: was bold, passionate, ready to follow Jesus anywhere, but he
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Speaker 1: also had pride. He relied too much on his own strength,
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Speaker 1: and when the moment of testing came, he denied Jesus
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Speaker 1: three times. That was pruning. God was cutting away self
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Speaker 1: reliance so that Peter could become the leader of the
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Speaker 1: early Church. So let me ask you, is God pruning
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Speaker 1: you right now? Are you going through a season where
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Speaker 1: things feel like they are being taken away? Are you
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Speaker 1: wondering why certain doors are closing, certain relationships are changing,
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Speaker 1: why things that used to work no longer do. If so,
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Speaker 1: don't panic. You're not being punished, You're being prepared. And
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Speaker 1: here's the best part. Pruning always leads to greater fruitfulness,
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Speaker 1: Jesus said, every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes
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Speaker 1: so that it will be even more fruitful, not less fruitful,
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Speaker 1: more fruitful. So if God is pruning you, it's because
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Speaker 1: he sees something in you that you can't even see
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Speaker 1: in yourself. Yet he sees potential, he sees purpose, he
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Speaker 1: sees a harvest, and he loves you too much to
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Speaker 1: leave you in a state of lesser fruit when he
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Speaker 1: knows you are capable of bearing more. So trust the pruning,
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Speaker 1: trust the process, because the gardener knows exactly what he
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Speaker 1: is doing. Pruning prepares us, but it is abiding that
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Speaker 1: sustains us. Jesus didn't just say I am the true vine.
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Speaker 1: He followed that statement with a command, abide in Me
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Speaker 1: and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit
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Speaker 1: of itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can
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Speaker 1: you unless you abide in me. John fifteen four. This
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Speaker 1: is one of the most powerful and yet most misunderstood
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Speaker 1: teachings of Jesus. What does it mean to abide? The
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Speaker 1: word abide means to remain, to stay, to dwell. It's
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Speaker 1: not a temporary connection. It's not a one time experience.
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Speaker 1: It's a continuous, daily living relationship. And this is where
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Speaker 1: many people struggle, because many people want to be connected
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Speaker 1: to Jesus, but they don't want to abide in him.
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Speaker 1: They want the blessings of the vine, but they don't
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Speaker 1: want to stay attached. They want to call on Jesus
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Speaker 1: when they need something, but they don't want to remain
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Speaker 1: in him when things are going well. But Jesus made
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Speaker 1: it clear if you are not abiding, you will not
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Speaker 1: bear fruit. Look at what he says next. I am
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Speaker 1: the vine. You are the branches. He who abide in
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Speaker 1: me and I in him bears much fruit, for without
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Speaker 1: me you can do nothing John fifteen five. That last
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Speaker 1: phrase is critical. Without Jesus, you can do nothing, not
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Speaker 1: some things, not a few things. Nothing. You might be busy,
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Speaker 1: you might be successful in the world's eyes, you might
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Speaker 1: be producing things in your life that look good on
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Speaker 1: the outside, but if you are not abiding in Christ,
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Speaker 1: none of it will last because the branch has no
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Speaker 1: life apart from the vine. Think about a tree. If
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Speaker 1: you break a branch off and leave it on the ground,
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Speaker 1: what happens. At first? It might still look green, the
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Speaker 1: leaves might still be intact, but over time it starts
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Speaker 1: to wither, It dries out, it loses its ability to
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Speaker 1: produce anything because it is no longer connected to the source.
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Speaker 1: This is what happens when we try to live the
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Speaker 1: Christian life apart from Jesus. We might still look the
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Speaker 1: part for a while, while we might still say the
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Speaker 1: right things, go to church, even do good deeds. But
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Speaker 1: over time we start to wither. We lose our joy,
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Speaker 1: we lose our peace, we lose our spiritual strength because
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Speaker 1: we are disconnected from the only one who can sustain us.
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Speaker 1: So how do we abide? Jesus gives us the answer
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Speaker 1: just a few verses later. If you abide in Me
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Speaker 1: and my words abide in you. You will ask what
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Speaker 1: you desire, and it shall be done for you. John
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Speaker 1: fifteen seven. Abiding means staying in his word. It means
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Speaker 1: not just reading the Bible, but letting the Bible dwell
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Speaker 1: in you. It means making time to sit with God,
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Speaker 1: not just rush through a devotional It means obeying what
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Speaker 1: he says, not just hearing it. Abiding is not about
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Speaker 1: religious activity, it's about relationship. Think about Mary and Martha.
23:02
Speaker 1: Martha was busy doing things for Jesus. Mary was sitting
23:06
Speaker 1: at his feet abiding in his presence. Jesus said, Mary
23:10
Speaker 1: chose the better thing Luke ten forty two. Think about
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Speaker 1: the Israelites in the wilderness. God provided manner every day,
23:19
Speaker 1: but they had to gather it fresh each morning. They
23:21
Speaker 1: couldn't store it up. They had to rely on Him
23:24
Speaker 1: daily Exodus sixteen four. This is abiding, a daily, ongoing
23:32
Speaker 1: personal connection with Jesus, and the result fruit. Because fruit
23:37
Speaker 1: is not something you force, it's something that naturally comes
23:41
Speaker 1: when you are connected to the vine. So let me
23:44
Speaker 1: ask you, are you abiding or are you just visiting
23:48
Speaker 1: Jesus when it's convenient. Are you staying connected or are
23:52
Speaker 1: you trying to do life on your own strength, because
23:55
Speaker 1: Jesus didn't say try harder and bear fruit. He said
23:59
Speaker 1: abide in Me, and you will bear much fruit. So today,
24:03
Speaker 1: choose to abide, choose to stay close, because everything you
24:07
Speaker 1: need is found in him. Abiding in Christ is not optional.
24:12
Speaker 1: It's not just for pastors, church leaders, or the spiritually mature.
24:17
Speaker 1: It's the foundation of true faith because without him we
24:22
Speaker 1: can do nothing. But what happens to those who don't abide,
24:26
Speaker 1: What happens to the branches that are connected but not
24:30
Speaker 1: producing fruit. Jesus gives a sobering warning. If anyone does
24:36
Speaker 1: not abide in Me, he's cast out as a branch
24:40
Speaker 1: and is withered. And they gather them and throw them
24:42
Speaker 1: into the fire, and they are burned. John fifteen six.
24:49
Speaker 1: These are strong words, words that should cause us to
24:54
Speaker 1: pause and examine our lives, because Jesus is not just
24:59
Speaker 1: talking about those who outright reject him. He's talking about
25:03
Speaker 1: those who look connected but are not abiding. Judas was
25:08
Speaker 1: with Jesus for years. He walked with him, listened to
25:11
Speaker 1: his teaching, perform miracles in his name, but in the
25:15
Speaker 1: end he was not abiding. He was near Jesus but
25:20
Speaker 1: not truly connected. And his life ended in destruction. The
25:25
Speaker 1: Pharisees knew the scriptures, they followed religious rituals, but they
25:29
Speaker 1: rejected Jesus because their hearts were far from him. They
25:33
Speaker 1: appeared godly but bore no fruit, and Jesus called them
25:38
Speaker 1: whitewashed tombs, beautiful on the outside but dead on the
25:42
Speaker 1: inside Matthew twenty three, twenty seven. So the question is
25:47
Speaker 1: what kind of branch are you? Jesus says there are
25:51
Speaker 1: two types of branches. Branches that bear fruit and are
25:54
Speaker 1: prune to bear even more, branches that bear no fruit
25:57
Speaker 1: and are cast away. The first group is refined, the
26:01
Speaker 1: second group is removed. But notice something important. Jesus says
26:06
Speaker 1: that those who do not abide whither before they are
26:09
Speaker 1: cast out. In other words, it's not an instant thing.
26:13
Speaker 1: It's a slow process. A branch doesn't die overnight, and
26:17
Speaker 1: it starts with small compromises, neglecting time in the word,
26:21
Speaker 1: skipping prayer, choosing comfort over conviction, pursuing success over surrender,
26:27
Speaker 1: hardening your heart to the Holy Spirit's leading. At first,
26:31
Speaker 1: you might not even notice it. You might still go
26:34
Speaker 1: to church, still serve, still look like a Christian on
26:38
Speaker 1: the outside, but inside, you're withering until one day the
26:42
Speaker 1: fruit is gone, and that's when the gardener removes the branch.
26:46
Speaker 1: Now some people read this verse and wonder does this
26:49
Speaker 1: mean a true believer can lose their salvation number Because
26:54
Speaker 1: true believers abide, this warning is not about those who
26:58
Speaker 1: are genuinely in Christ. It's about those who only appear
27:02
Speaker 1: to be. Look at what John later writes, They went
27:06
Speaker 1: out from us, but they did not really belong to us,
27:08
Speaker 1: for if they had belonged to us, they would have
27:11
Speaker 1: remained with us First John two nineteen. The key word remained,
27:18
Speaker 1: because those who are truly saved don't just start with Jesus,
27:22
Speaker 1: they stay with him. So when Jesus talks about branches
27:26
Speaker 1: being thrown into the fire, he's not talking about true
27:29
Speaker 1: disciples who stumble or struggle. He's talking about those who
27:33
Speaker 1: never truly abided in the first place, those who played
27:37
Speaker 1: the part, those who wanted the benefits of Christianity but
27:41
Speaker 1: never surrendered to Christ. And the fire. It's a picture
27:45
Speaker 1: of judgment, a picture of separation from God, a picture
27:49
Speaker 1: of what happens when we choose religion over relationship, self
27:53
Speaker 1: reliance over surrender, nearness over true connection. This is why
27:58
Speaker 1: this warning is so sick serious, because you don't have
28:01
Speaker 1: to be an atheist to be cut off. You just
28:04
Speaker 1: have to be fruitless. Jesus is saying, examine yourself. Are
28:09
Speaker 1: you truly abiding or are you just a round Jesus,
28:13
Speaker 1: are you producing real fruit or are you just pretending?
28:16
Speaker 1: Because the gardener sees the difference, and one day he
28:20
Speaker 1: will make the final cut. Not all fruit is the same.
28:24
Speaker 1: Some fruit looks real but has no life. Some fruit
28:27
Speaker 1: is produced by human effort, not by the spirit. And
28:31
Speaker 1: some people believe they are bearing fruit when in reality
28:35
Speaker 1: they are only performing religious duties. But Jesus makes it
28:40
Speaker 1: clear real fruit comes from abiding in him. So what
28:44
Speaker 1: kind of fruit does God actually expect? Many people think
28:48
Speaker 1: fruit means achievements, starting a ministry, preaching, or doing great
28:52
Speaker 1: works for God. But fruit is not measured by what
28:56
Speaker 1: you do. It's measured by who you are becoming. Jesus said,
29:00
Speaker 1: you did not choose me, but I chose you and
29:03
Speaker 1: appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and
29:06
Speaker 1: that your fruit should remain. This is not temporary success,
29:11
Speaker 1: this is lasting transformation. Jesus makes it clear that love
29:15
Speaker 1: is the primary evidence of a true disciple. This is
29:19
Speaker 1: not just any love. This is sacrificial love, the kind
29:24
Speaker 1: that forgives when it's hard, the kind that serves without recognition,
29:30
Speaker 1: the kind that loves enemies, not just friends. If your
29:33
Speaker 1: life is filled with bitterness, unforgiveness, or selfishness, then you
29:38
Speaker 1: must ask are you truly abiding in Christ? Because those
29:43
Speaker 1: who abide in Him love like him. Many people claim
29:47
Speaker 1: to love Jesus but don't obey him. But Jesus said,
29:51
Speaker 1: if you love me, keep my commandments. True disciples don't
29:56
Speaker 1: just hear the word, they live it. At first it
30:00
Speaker 1: was quick to speak but slow to obey. But after
30:03
Speaker 1: truly abiding in Christ, he became a man of faith,
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Speaker 1: willing to suffer and die for the Gospel. Contrast that
30:10
Speaker 1: with the rich young ruler. He wanted to follow Jesus,
30:15
Speaker 1: but only on his own terms. When Jesus told him
30:18
Speaker 1: to give up his wealth, he walked away. Why because
30:23
Speaker 1: he didn't want to obey. Obedience is not about perfection,
30:28
Speaker 1: It's about submission. Are there areas in your life where
30:32
Speaker 1: you are resisting God's commands? Because real fruit grows in
30:37
Speaker 1: the soil of obedience. Jesus is not interested in outward religion.
30:42
Speaker 1: He is after inner change. That's why Paul writes the
30:46
Speaker 1: fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,
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Speaker 1: and self control. Notice that Paul doesn't say fruits. He
30:58
Speaker 1: says fruit because true transformation is not about picking and
31:03
Speaker 1: choosing virtues. It's about the Holy Spirit producing all of
31:07
Speaker 1: them in you. It's not about trying harder, it's about
31:11
Speaker 1: surrendering more. Before Pentecost, the disciples were fearful, weak and confused.
31:18
Speaker 1: After they were bold, unshakable, and filled with power. Why
31:24
Speaker 1: because they abided in Christ and were filled with the spirit.
31:28
Speaker 1: This is the fruit God desires, not just a change
31:32
Speaker 1: in behavior, but a change in nature. But here's the danger.
31:36
Speaker 1: Not all fruit is real. Some people fake their fruit.
31:40
Speaker 1: They serve in church but only for attention. They quote
31:44
Speaker 1: scripture but don't live it. They act kind, but only
31:48
Speaker 1: when people are watching. Jesus warned about this. Many will
31:52
Speaker 1: say to me, on that day, Lord Lord, did we
31:55
Speaker 1: not prophesy in your name, and in your name cast
31:59
Speaker 1: out demons, and in your name perform many miracles? Then
32:03
Speaker 1: I will tell them plainly, I never knew you away
32:07
Speaker 1: from me, you evil doers. These people had outward fruit,
32:11
Speaker 1: but no real connection to the vine. Because fruit that
32:14
Speaker 1: does not come from abiding in Christ is worthless. So
32:19
Speaker 1: let's ask again what kind of fruit is growing in
32:22
Speaker 1: your life? Is it real or is it just religious activity?
32:27
Speaker 1: Because God is not impressed by performance, He desires transformation.
32:33
Speaker 1: If your fruit is genuine, it will last. If it's not,
32:37
Speaker 1: it will eventually wither. So take a moment and reflect.
32:41
Speaker 1: Are you truly abiding in Christ? Or are you just
32:44
Speaker 1: producing fruit that looks good on the outside, Because on
32:48
Speaker 1: the final day, the only fruit that matters is the
32:52
Speaker 1: one that came from a life truly connected to Jesus.
32:56
Speaker 1: Not all branches look the same. Some are full of life,
33:00
Speaker 1: bearing fruit that glorifies God. Others seem alive but are
33:04
Speaker 1: only attached by tradition, routine or habit. And some, though
33:09
Speaker 1: they were once thriving, are slowly withering away. So how
33:14
Speaker 1: do you know if you are truly abiding in Christ?
33:18
Speaker 1: Jesus made it simple. If you abide in Me and
33:23
Speaker 1: I in you, you will bear much fruit. But apart
33:28
Speaker 1: from Me you can do nothing. The evidence of abiding
33:32
Speaker 1: is not just attending church, quoting scripture, or doing religious activities.
33:36
Speaker 1: It is fruit, real, lasting, spiritual transformation. But here's where
33:42
Speaker 1: many people struggle. They assume that because they still believe
33:46
Speaker 1: in Jesus, they must be abiding in him. But belief
33:50
Speaker 1: and abiding are not the same. Judas believed in Jesus,
33:56
Speaker 1: but he was never truly connected to him. The Pharisees
33:59
Speaker 1: knew the scriptures, but they were dead inside. And even
34:03
Speaker 1: Peter for a moment, followed Jesus from a distance, and
34:06
Speaker 1: it nearly led to his downfall. So let's ask what
34:10
Speaker 1: are the signs of a life that is truly abiding
34:13
Speaker 1: in Christ. One of the clearest signs is consistent spiritual growth.
34:18
Speaker 1: A branch that remains in the vine keeps growing. The
34:22
Speaker 1: fruit doesn't appear overnight, but it steadily increases in the
34:27
Speaker 1: same way. If you are truly abiding in Christ, you
34:31
Speaker 1: will see progress. Maybe your patience is growing, maybe your
34:35
Speaker 1: love is becoming deeper, Maybe your ability to forgive is
34:39
Speaker 1: getting stronger. Abiding doesn't mean perfection, It means movement in
34:45
Speaker 1: the right direction. But what if you feel like you're struggling.
34:49
Speaker 1: Struggle is not the same as separation. Even healthy branches
34:53
Speaker 1: go through difficult seasons. Storms come, winds shake them, but
34:59
Speaker 1: as long as they remain connected, they survive. If you
35:04
Speaker 1: feel spiritually dry, it doesn't necessarily mean you are disconnected.
35:10
Speaker 1: It may mean you are being pruned. And pruning is painful,
35:14
Speaker 1: but it proves you belong to him. But what about
35:19
Speaker 1: those who seem to be withering. If a branch is
35:23
Speaker 1: consistently fruitless, something is wrong. The longer you are disconnected
35:28
Speaker 1: from Jesus, the more spiritual life begins to drain out
35:31
Speaker 1: of you. Your love for the Word fades, your passion
35:36
Speaker 1: for prayer weakens, sin becomes more appealing, and conviction becomes
35:42
Speaker 1: less urgent. These are warning signs, not of temporary struggle,
35:47
Speaker 1: but of separation. And if this is you, don't ignore it,
35:52
Speaker 1: because Jesus made it clear. Apart from him you can
35:58
Speaker 1: do nothing. Consider the prodigal son. He was still his
36:04
Speaker 1: father's child, but he had distanced himself. At first he
36:08
Speaker 1: thought he was free, But over time, his strength, his resources,
36:13
Speaker 1: and even his dignity began to wither. And it wasn't
36:17
Speaker 1: till he returned to his father that he found restoration.
36:21
Speaker 1: Some people think they are abiding, but they are only
36:24
Speaker 1: attached by proximity. They are near Jesus but not connected
36:30
Speaker 1: to him, like the crowds that followed him for miracles,
36:34
Speaker 1: but left when things got difficult, like the rich young
36:38
Speaker 1: ruler who wanted eternal life but refused to surrender, like Demas,
36:44
Speaker 1: a companion of Paul, who walked away because he loved
36:48
Speaker 1: the world more. If you want to know whether you
36:51
Speaker 1: are abiding in Christ, ask yourself, Am I bearing fruit?
36:56
Speaker 1: Am I resisting God's pruning? Am I becoming more like Jesus?
37:01
Speaker 1: Or just maintaining an image of spirituality? Because Jesus didn't
37:05
Speaker 1: say that some branches bear fruit and some don't. He said,
37:09
Speaker 1: every branch in me that bears fruit, he prunes that
37:13
Speaker 1: it may bear more fruit that If you feel convicted
37:17
Speaker 1: right now, don't ignore it. That's evidence that God is
37:20
Speaker 1: still working in you. That means there is time to reconnect,
37:24
Speaker 1: time to return, time to abide. Because as long as
37:29
Speaker 1: you are connected to the true vine, you will never wither,
37:33
Speaker 1: You will grow, you will be strengthened, and you will
37:37
Speaker 1: bear fruit that lasts. If abiding in Christ is the
37:42
Speaker 1: key to spiritual life, why do so many people struggle
37:45
Speaker 1: to stay connected? Why do some start off strong in
37:49
Speaker 1: faith but slowly drift away. Why do others remain attached
37:54
Speaker 1: in name but bear no real fruit. The truth is,
37:58
Speaker 1: many distractions, temptations, and spiritual battles pull people away from
38:04
Speaker 1: abiding in Christ. Jesus himself warned that not everyone who
38:08
Speaker 1: hears the word will remain in it. Some will be
38:11
Speaker 1: choked by worries, others will be lured away by wealth
38:14
Speaker 1: and pleasures, and some will fall away in times of hardship.
38:19
Speaker 1: One of the biggest reasons people struggled to stay connected
38:23
Speaker 1: to the vine is busyness. Life is full of responsibilities, work, family, commitments, goals.
38:33
Speaker 1: These things aren't bad, but when they take priority over
38:37
Speaker 1: our relationship with Christ, they become obstacles. Martha was busy
38:42
Speaker 1: serving while Mary sat at Jesus's feet. Martha was distracted, anxious,
38:48
Speaker 1: and overwhelmed, while Mary was abiding. Jesus didn't tell Martha
38:53
Speaker 1: that serving was wrong, but he said Mary had chosen
38:56
Speaker 1: the better thing, being with him. Some people think they
39:00
Speaker 1: are too busy to pray, too busy to read scripture,
39:03
Speaker 1: too busy to spend time with God. But the truth
39:07
Speaker 1: is we are never too busy for what matters most
39:10
Speaker 1: to us. The real question is is Jesus your priority
39:17
Speaker 1: or just a part of your routine. Sin is another
39:21
Speaker 1: reason people struggle to stay connected to the vine. Sin
39:26
Speaker 1: doesn't just affect our actions. It affects our relationship with God.
39:31
Speaker 1: Adam and Eve walked with God in the garden, but
39:34
Speaker 1: the moment sin entered, they hid. They were still his creation,
39:38
Speaker 1: but their intimacy with him was broken. Sin creates distance.
39:43
Speaker 1: It dulls our sensitivity to the spirit, weakens our hunger
39:47
Speaker 1: for God's word, and replaces our love for Christ with
39:50
Speaker 1: a love for temporary pleasures. That's why Jesus said, if
39:54
Speaker 1: you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love.
39:59
Speaker 1: Abiding in Christ isn't just about feeling close to him,
40:02
Speaker 1: it's about obeying him. Those who abide in Christ don't
40:06
Speaker 1: just acknowledge him as savior. They submit to him as Lord.
40:11
Speaker 1: But what about those who start off strong and slowly
40:14
Speaker 1: drift away. This happens when people rely on their own
40:18
Speaker 1: strength rather than remaining dependent on Christ. Peter loved Jesus,
40:24
Speaker 1: but he relied too much on himself. He was confident
40:28
Speaker 1: that he would never deny Jesus, but the moment pressure came,
40:32
Speaker 1: he fell. Why because he was operating in self reliance
40:36
Speaker 1: rather than abiding. And after he failed, what did he do?
40:41
Speaker 1: He went back to fishing. The thing Jesus had called
40:45
Speaker 1: him away from. That's what happens when we don't abide.
40:49
Speaker 1: We go back to our old ways, We return to
40:52
Speaker 1: old habits. We try to sustain ourselves rather than remaining
40:57
Speaker 1: in Christ's strength. Then there are those who remain attached
41:00
Speaker 1: to the church but not to Christ. They are surrounded
41:04
Speaker 1: by Christian activity but lack true spiritual life. They know
41:09
Speaker 1: how to speak the right words, but their hearts are
41:12
Speaker 1: far from God. This was the problem with the Pharisees.
41:16
Speaker 1: They looked godly, but Jesus said they were like whitewashed tombs,
41:21
Speaker 1: beautiful on the outside but dead on the inside. They
41:25
Speaker 1: were attached to religion but not to the Vine, and
41:29
Speaker 1: there are many today who do the same. They assume
41:32
Speaker 1: that because they go to church, they must be spiritually alive.
41:36
Speaker 1: But church attendants doesn't mean connection. Serving in ministry doesn't
41:40
Speaker 1: mean intimacy. Being around Jesus doesn't mean abiding in him.
41:45
Speaker 1: So how do we remain in Christ despite life's challenges. First,
41:50
Speaker 1: we must recognize that staying connected is not about our ability.
41:55
Speaker 1: It's about our surrender. Jesus didn't say strive to remain
42:00
Speaker 1: in me, He said abide in me. That means resting
42:04
Speaker 1: in Him, depending on him, drawing life from him. Second,
42:08
Speaker 1: we must remove anything that competes for our devotion. If
42:12
Speaker 1: something is pulling us away from Christ, it must be pruned.
42:15
Speaker 1: Whether it's sin, busyness, or self reliance, it cannot remain
42:20
Speaker 1: if we want to grow. Third, we must continually return
42:25
Speaker 1: to the vine, even when we struggle, even when we
42:28
Speaker 1: fall short, even when we feel distant. We must return
42:33
Speaker 1: because as long as we are connected to Him, we
42:36
Speaker 1: will bear fruit. It may take time, it may require pruning,
42:41
Speaker 1: but in the end, abiding in Christ is the only
42:44
Speaker 1: way to experience true, lasting, spiritual life. When you truly
42:49
Speaker 1: abide in Christ, everything changes. Your relationship with God is
42:54
Speaker 1: no longer just belief. It becomes a source of life.
42:57
Speaker 1: Your prayers are no longer just words. They carry power.
43:02
Speaker 1: Your joy is no longer based on circumstances. It is
43:06
Speaker 1: rooted in something unshakable. Jesus gave a powerful promise in
43:10
Speaker 1: John fifteen seven. If you abide in Me and my
43:15
Speaker 1: words abide in you, Ask whatever you wish, and it
43:19
Speaker 1: will be done for you. Many people misunderstand this verse.
43:24
Speaker 1: It is not saying that abiding in Christ gives us
43:27
Speaker 1: whatever we want. It is saying that when we abide
43:31
Speaker 1: in Him, our desires change. We begin to want what
43:35
Speaker 1: he wants. Our prayers aligne with his will, and when
43:40
Speaker 1: we pray according to his will, we see his power
43:43
Speaker 1: at work. Abiding in Christ also brings stability, even in suffering.
43:49
Speaker 1: Jesus told his disciples that abiding in Him would make
43:52
Speaker 1: them bear much fruit, but he also warned that the
43:56
Speaker 1: world would hate them because of him. Following Christ it
44:00
Speaker 1: does not mean a life without hardship. It means having
44:02
Speaker 1: an unshakable foundation in the middle of hardship. Look at Paul.
44:08
Speaker 1: He was beaten, imprisoned, shipwrecked, and persecuted, but he remained
44:14
Speaker 1: in Christ. And because of that he could say, I
44:19
Speaker 1: have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am
44:22
Speaker 1: in Philippians four eleven. That is the power of abiding.
44:28
Speaker 1: It is not about avoiding storms, it is about standing
44:32
Speaker 1: strong in them. It is why Peter and John could
44:35
Speaker 1: rejoice after being arrested for preaching the Gospel. It is
44:38
Speaker 1: why the early Church could endure persecution with boldness. They
44:43
Speaker 1: were not just following Jesus, they were abiding in Him,
44:47
Speaker 1: drawing their strength from him. When you abide in Christ,
44:51
Speaker 1: your life produces eternal fruit. Jesus said in John fifteen eight.
44:57
Speaker 1: By this, my Father is glorified that you bear much
45:01
Speaker 1: fruit and so prove to be my disciples. True disciples
45:07
Speaker 1: are not just those who claim the name of Jesus,
45:09
Speaker 1: but those whose lives reflect his nature. Abiding in Christ
45:13
Speaker 1: does not just change what you do. It changes who
45:16
Speaker 1: you are. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,
45:24
Speaker 1: and self control become evident in your life. These are
45:27
Speaker 1: not just qualities you try to display. They are the
45:30
Speaker 1: fruit of the Spirit working through you. The more you abide,
45:35
Speaker 1: the more your life becomes a testimony of God's power.
45:39
Speaker 1: But perhaps one of the most beautiful promises of abiding
45:43
Speaker 1: in Christ is the peace that comes with it. Jesus
45:46
Speaker 1: said these things I have spoken to you, that my
45:50
Speaker 1: joy may be in you, and that your joy may
45:54
Speaker 1: be full John fifteen eleven. The world searches for joy
45:59
Speaker 1: in success, in relationships, in material things, but those things fade.
46:05
Speaker 1: The joy that comes from abiding in Christ is different.
46:09
Speaker 1: It is lasting, It is supernatural, It remains even when
46:13
Speaker 1: life is difficult. It is the kind of joy that
46:16
Speaker 1: allowed Paul to sing in prison, that allowed Stephen to
46:20
Speaker 1: forgive his killers that allowed persecuted Christians throughout history to
46:25
Speaker 1: stand firm even in the face of death. Abiding in
46:29
Speaker 1: Christ means living a life that matters. It means waking
46:33
Speaker 1: up every day knowing that your life has purpose. It
46:37
Speaker 1: means seeing God's hand at work in ways you never imagined.
46:41
Speaker 1: It means being able to face anything with confidence because
46:44
Speaker 1: you are not standing on your own strength. You are
46:48
Speaker 1: rooted in the one who never fails. So the question
46:53
Speaker 1: is are you abiding in Christ or are you just
46:58
Speaker 1: near him? Because only those who abide will experience the
47:02
Speaker 1: full measure of His promises. If everything we have discussed
47:06
Speaker 1: so far is true, then the most important question you
47:10
Speaker 1: can ask yourself right now is this, Are you truly
47:14
Speaker 1: connected to Christ or are you just close to him?
47:18
Speaker 1: There's a difference. Many people attend church, read the Bible,
47:23
Speaker 1: and even serve in ministry, but they are not actually
47:26
Speaker 1: abiding in Jesus. They are near him, but they are
47:30
Speaker 1: not in him. And this is exactly what Jesus warned about.
47:35
Speaker 1: He didn't say that every branch in the vineyard would
47:38
Speaker 1: bear fruit. He said that only those who remain in
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Speaker 1: Him will. So the question is are you bearing fruit
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Speaker 1: or are you just blending in. It is possible to
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Speaker 1: look like you a part of the vine while being
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Speaker 1: completely disconnected from the source of life. Just like a
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Speaker 1: branch that is cut off from a tree may still
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Speaker 1: look healthy for a short time. A person can look spiritual,
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Speaker 1: say the right things, and even do good works while
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Speaker 1: being spiritually dead inside. But over time, a branch that
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Speaker 1: is disconnected withers. And Jesus made it clear branches that
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Speaker 1: do not abide in him will be cut off and
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Speaker 1: thrown into the fire. This is not a light statement,
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Speaker 1: it is a sobering reality. The scary thing is that
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Speaker 1: many people think they are safe because they are in
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Speaker 1: the vineyard, But being near Jesus is not the same
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Speaker 1: as being in him. Judas walked with Jesus for three years,
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Speaker 1: saw miracles, heard his teaching, and yet he was not abiding.
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Speaker 1: When the testing came, he fell away. He was near Jesus,
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Speaker 1: but he was not connected to him. On the other hand,
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Speaker 1: look at Peter. He also failed. He denied maide Jesus
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Speaker 1: three times, but the difference he remained. He repented. He
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Speaker 1: ran back to Jesus, and because of that he was
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Speaker 1: restored and became one of the most powerful voices in
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Speaker 1: the Early Church. Abiding does not mean you never struggle.
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Speaker 1: It means you never let go. It means that even
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Speaker 1: when you fail, you stay connected. It means that even
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Speaker 1: when life is hard, you trust that the vine is
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Speaker 1: your source of strength. It means that when God prunes you,
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Speaker 1: you allow the process to refine you instead of resisting it.
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Speaker 1: So let me ask you. Is your faith dependent on
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Speaker 1: circumstances or is it rooted in Christ? Do you only
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Speaker 1: feel close to God when things are going well, or
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Speaker 1: do you remain in Him no matter what? Is your
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Speaker 1: relationship with Jesus something you run to when you need help,
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Speaker 1: or is it your daily source of life? Because only
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Speaker 1: those who abide in Christ will bear fruit, and only
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Speaker 1: those who bear fruit prove to be His true disciples.
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Speaker 1: If this video has challenged you, don't keep it to yourself,
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Speaker 1: like and share so that others can examine their own
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Speaker 1: relationship with Christ. Because the truth is, we all need
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Speaker 1: this reminder. We all need to stay connected, and we
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Speaker 1: all need to abide. Let's pray together. Father. We come
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Speaker 1: before you with humble hearts, recognizing that apart from You
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Speaker 1: we can do nothing. We have spent so much of
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Speaker 1: our lives trying to bear fruit in our own strength,
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Speaker 1: trying to live a life that looks good on the
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Speaker 1: outside but is disconnected from the true source of life.
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Speaker 1: But to day Lord, we surrender. We don't just want
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Speaker 1: to be near you, we want to abide in you.
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Speaker 1: We don't just want to appear strong. We want to
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Speaker 1: draw our strength from You alone. Forgive us, Lord for
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Speaker 1: the time we have tried to live independently of you.
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Speaker 1: Forgive us for the times we have been so busy
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Speaker 1: with life, with responsibilities, with our own plans and desires,
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Speaker 1: that we have neglected the most important thing, our connection
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Speaker 1: to you. Your word says, remain in me, as I
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Speaker 1: also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself.
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Speaker 1: It must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear
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Speaker 1: fruit unless you remain in me John fifteen four. Help
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Speaker 1: us to remain. Teach us how to abide, show us
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Speaker 1: what it truly means to walk with you daily, to
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Speaker 1: trust in you completely, and to rely on your strength
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Speaker 1: instead of our own. Father. We ask you to remove
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Speaker 1: anything in our lives that is keeping us from truly
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Speaker 1: abiding in You. If there are distractions, remove them. If
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Speaker 1: there are sins, we have not surrendered, Convict us and
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Speaker 1: lead us to repentance. If there are relationships pulling us
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Speaker 1: away from You, give us the courage to set boundaries.
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Speaker 1: If there are mindsets that are keeping us from trusting You,
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Speaker 1: fully renew our minds with your truth. And Lord. If
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Speaker 1: we are in a season of pruning, give us the
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Speaker 1: faith to endure. Help us not to resist your hand,
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Speaker 1: but to submit to the process, knowing that you only
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Speaker 1: prune those you love, and you only cut back what
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Speaker 1: is necessary so that we can bear more fruit. We
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Speaker 1: don't want to be like the branches that wither and
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Speaker 1: are throne into the fire. We don't want to be
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Speaker 1: like those who only appear connected but are not truly abiding.
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Speaker 1: We want to be the ones who bear fruit, the
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Speaker 1: kind of fruit that lasts. We want to be the
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Speaker 1: ones who remain in You, no matter the season, no
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Speaker 1: matter the trial, no matter the cost. Lord, fill us
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Speaker 1: with your spirit, Strengthen us with your grace, Keep us
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Speaker 1: connected to the true vine, so that our lives will
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Speaker 1: be a testimony of your power and love. And Father.
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Speaker 1: As we abide in you, we ask that our lives
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Speaker 1: would bring glory to You. Let the fruit of the
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Speaker 1: Spirit be evident in us. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,
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Speaker 1: and self control. Let the world see that we are different,
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Speaker 1: not because of anything we have done, but because of
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Speaker 1: what You are doing in us. Let our lives be
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Speaker 1: a reflection of Jesus, so that when people look at us,
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Speaker 1: they don't see us, they see You. Lord. We thank
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Speaker 1: you for your faithfulness. Even when we wonder, You call
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Speaker 1: us back. Even when we're weak, You sustain us. Even
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Speaker 1: when we fail, you restore us. So to day, we
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Speaker 1: choose to remain in You. We choose to trust you.
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Speaker 1: We choose to abide in Jesus name. We pray, Amen,
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Speaker 1: if this video has opened your eyes to something new,
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Speaker 1: like and share so more people can understand what it
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Speaker 1: means to truly abide in Christ. Because this message is
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Speaker 1: too important to keep to ourselves. May we all remain
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Speaker 1: in Him now and forever, Stay blessed.