¤¤
00:00:00.20\00:00:06.80
>> Sing with us as we lift up
our king and lift Him up higher
00:00:09.44\00:00:12.97
and higher. [
"Hosanna (Be Lifted Higher)"
00:00:12.97\00:00:17.05
begins ]
00:00:17.05\00:00:20.18
>> ¤ Be lifted ¤
00:01:44.07\00:01:45.93
>> Amen. [ "Your Grace
Still Amazes me" begins ]
00:03:47.56\00:03:49.79
>> Please stand.
00:05:12.04\00:05:13.94
>> This morning I want to
share with you what may be...
00:09:03.34\00:09:09.44
an idea... a concept, a truth...
00:09:09.44\00:09:16.75
you've never heard before.
Or it could be we simply haven't
00:09:16.75\00:09:21.89
learned about it before. I
want to talk to Jesus and then
00:09:21.89\00:09:29.86
plunge into this
with you. So, let's pray.
00:09:29.86\00:09:33.60
Oh, God, we're not in a hurry.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
That's how we live six out of
00:09:33.77\00:09:40.48
the seven days of every week.
Hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry. But
here we are in Your house.
00:09:40.48\00:09:48.42
We've been much in worship
already. You're on the throne,
00:09:48.42\00:09:52.82
leaning over and receiving it
with such joy. It's our honor.
00:09:52.82\00:09:58.33
You're still here. Your Word's
about to get opened. Dear God,
make it clear, please.
00:09:58.33\00:10:03.83
This is new for us. Don't let
us push it away. There must be
00:10:03.83\00:10:09.60
something here for everyone. I
pray in Jesus' name. Amen. So,
the title of tale number 3
00:10:09.60\00:10:15.24
in this little miniseries we're
calling "Tales from a Vineyard"
00:10:15.24\00:10:18.91
-- the title of this one is
"Making Love in a Vineyard -- An
00:10:18.91\00:10:25.09
Old Song." I have one finger.
You can see only one finger on
00:10:25.09\00:10:30.13
my hand right now. That's how
many times I have ever dared to
quote from this book that we're
00:10:30.13\00:10:36.50
going to take a look at in
worship in church. And the
reason is because when you read
00:10:36.50\00:10:45.91
this book... it's embarrassing.
And the speaker has to do a
whole lot of editing.
00:10:45.91\00:10:50.28
"Blank, blank, blackout,
blackout, blackout, blackout."
They're words you're not
00:10:50.28\00:10:53.18
supposed to see. Now, it's true
when I'm at a wedding, marital
00:10:53.18\00:10:59.85
sex is a big deal. It's pretty
much what everybody thinks about
00:10:59.85\00:11:02.32
when they go to a wedding.
And why shouldn't we? It's this
00:11:02.32\00:11:07.76
wonderful gift of marriage that
God has given, and wrapped up in
that gift is marital sex.
00:11:07.76\00:11:11.90
The big question is, what does
marital sex have to do with a
00:11:11.90\00:11:15.97
vineyard? I want you to open
this book and take a look for
yourself. It's called Song of
00:11:15.97\00:11:20.31
Solomon. Your Bible may call it
Song of Songs. Doesn't matter.
00:11:20.31\00:11:23.31
Open your Bible to Song of
Solomon. You got to find the
00:11:23.31\00:11:26.75
psalms, and then it's Proverbs,
then it's Ecclesiastes, then
it's Song of Solomon.
00:11:26.75\00:11:30.89
If you didn't bring your own
Bible, grab the pew Bible. It's
page 455 in the pew Bible.
00:11:30.89\00:11:36.86
And I need to tell you that this
particular edition of the NIV
that I have -- every book has a
00:11:36.86\00:11:40.83
one-sentence summary at the top,
so here's the one-sentence
summary for Song of Songs.
00:11:40.83\00:11:45.60
"Song of Songs is a collection
of love poems between a lover
00:11:45.60\00:11:50.21
and his beloved. It beautifully
celebrates romantic and physical
love." That would be sexual
00:11:50.21\00:11:57.08
love. And because it's a love
song, the song has a "she" in it
and it has a "he" in it and it
00:11:57.08\00:12:02.28
has friends in it, in my
particular rendition, so
everybody is becoming a part of
00:12:02.28\00:12:08.62
the music. And now your Bible
may call "her" "Shulamite." And
all "Shulamite" means is
00:12:08.62\00:12:12.99
"Mrs. Solomon." So, Solomon's
the lover, the male lover.
00:12:12.99\00:12:16.70
Mrs. Solomon -- she's going to
become Mrs. Solomon in this book
-- she's the female lover,
00:12:16.70\00:12:21.24
and the friends are their
friends, all right? So, she's
00:12:21.24\00:12:25.14
speaking first. This is verse 6.
I'm not going to put this on the
00:12:25.14\00:12:27.68
screen for you. That way nobody
can prove that we actually were
00:12:27.68\00:12:32.35
here. All right. Song of Solomon
1:6. "Do not stare at me." This
00:12:32.35\00:12:36.95
is she. She is speaking now. "Do
not stare at me because I am
dark, because I am darkened by
00:12:36.95\00:12:41.92
the sun. My mother's sons" --
those would be her brothers --
00:12:41.92\00:12:45.99
"were angry with me, and they
made me take care of the
vineyards." Oh, we're looking
00:12:45.99\00:12:50.20
for vineyards. Here we go. "They
made me take care of the
vineyards; my own vineyard I had
00:12:50.20\00:12:54.57
to neglect." "That's why I'm all
tanned and, you know, sunburned.
00:12:54.57\00:13:00.24
I've been doing their work.
I forgot to take care of my own
00:13:00.24\00:13:04.15
vineyard." He comes along. In
verse 9, he says, "Oh, I liken
you, my darling, to a
00:13:04.15\00:13:09.95
mare." Well, back in those
days, romance was expressed in
00:13:09.95\00:13:14.16
different ways. [ Laughter ]
You know, "You remind me of a
00:13:14.16\00:13:17.53
mare." The old gray mare,
she ain't what she used to be.
00:13:17.53\00:13:21.03
That's probably what he
was thinking. Not really.
00:13:21.03\00:13:22.93
You got to read the next line.
"I liken you to a mare." That's
a female horse, by the
00:13:22.93\00:13:26.43
way. "I liken you to a mare
among Pharaoh's chariot horses."
00:13:26.43\00:13:31.11
So, you got 100 steeds. Boy,
they are ripping and ready to
go, and there's one girl in
00:13:31.11\00:13:37.08
that whole crowd, and she's the
beautiful one, and who's going
00:13:37.08\00:13:40.95
to get her? And he says, "You're
my mare." And, by the way, she
probably was a daughter of
00:13:40.95\00:13:48.82
Pharaoh. And then she speaks
back. Oh, this is verse 13. "My
beloved is to me a sachet of
00:13:48.82\00:13:52.96
myrrh resting between my
breasts. My beloved is to me a
00:13:52.96\00:13:57.23
cluster of henna blossoms from
the vineyards of En Gedi." So
now we've got vineyards
00:13:57.23\00:14:02.04
again. This is a
love song from a vineyard.
00:14:02.04\00:14:04.64
Now he speaks. "How
beautiful you are, my darling!"
00:14:04.64\00:14:07.18
This is verse 15. "How
beautiful you are, my darling!
00:14:07.18\00:14:09.74
Oh, how beautiful! Your eyes
are doves." Whatever that is.
00:14:09.74\00:14:16.62
She responds now. This is so
important, I want you to see it
00:14:16.62\00:14:19.85
on the screen. She responds in
verse 16, "How handsome you are,
my beloved! Oh, how charming!
00:14:19.85\00:14:26.33
And our bed is verdant."
"Verdant" is just another word
00:14:26.33\00:14:31.73
for "green." Some of your
translations have "green." "Our
00:14:31.73\00:14:34.80
bed is green." What's she
talking about? She's talking
about making love in a vineyard.
00:14:34.80\00:14:38.77
I'm serious -- green, rolling
aisles of a vineyard. You say,
"Dwight, you're just
00:14:38.77\00:14:43.24
making that up." No, I'm not.
Go to the end of the love song,
00:14:43.24\00:14:45.95
all right? Chapter 7.
This is near the ending
00:14:45.95\00:14:49.25
of the song.
Chapter 7, verse 12.
00:14:49.25\00:14:51.32
She again is speaking.
00:14:51.49\00:14:53.39
That's exactly
what she's saying.
00:15:05.53\00:15:07.87
"Our bed is green."
00:15:07.87\00:15:11.17
Go to chapter 8. One more time,
she sings -- this is verse 11 --
00:15:11.34\00:15:16.95
she. "Solomon had a vineyard in
Baal Hamon; he let out his
vineyard," he leased out his
00:15:16.95\00:15:22.32
vineyard, "to tenants." Each was
to bring for its fruit a
thousand shekels of silver."
00:15:22.32\00:15:26.59
Listen, nobody grows a vineyard
without -- without praying for
00:15:26.59\00:15:31.26
fruit. That's the whole point of
a vineyard. Nobody has a
vineyard just for a
00:15:31.26\00:15:34.46
beautiful piece of growth. You
want fruit. Solomon says, "I'll
00:15:34.46\00:15:38.53
sell you this fruit for 1,000
pieces of silver." Now she comes
00:15:38.53\00:15:42.70
on. "But my own
vineyard is mine to give."
00:15:42.87\00:15:46.78
Very interesting, ladies.
Keep that in mind, by the way.
00:15:46.78\00:15:50.25
Your own vineyard is yours
to give and not his to take.
00:15:50.25\00:15:54.68
It's your vineyard.
"My own vineyard is mine to
00:15:54.68\00:15:59.32
give."
00:15:59.32\00:16:01.22
A love song from a vineyard.
What's the big deal? The big
deal is vineyards have
00:16:01.39\00:16:08.80
to produce fruit. If they don't
produce fruit, what's the point
00:16:08.80\00:16:13.37
of a vineyard? And, in fact,
some people read this and they
say, "Well, is this really just
00:16:13.37\00:16:16.74
Solomon and his wife?" No, it
really is about romantic, sexual
love, and the whole book
00:16:16.74\00:16:19.94
is devoted to that, and my
friend Dick Davidson has written
a book this thick on
00:16:19.94\00:16:23.35
Song of Solomon called "The
Flame of Yahweh." It is a big
deal, and God says,
00:16:23.35\00:16:28.38
"Marital sex is a part of
my beautiful gift of marriage."
00:16:28.38\00:16:33.52
Come on. But it's not
surprising, maybe, to discover
that if you turn five pages over
00:16:33.52\00:16:39.16
so you're into the Book of
Isaiah now -- maybe only three
pages -- Isaiah chapter 5 --
00:16:39.16\00:16:42.96
the vineyard is also a symbol of
God and His people. Watch this.
00:16:42.96\00:16:47.50
Isaiah 5:1. "I will sing for
the one I love a song about his
00:16:47.50\00:16:54.41
vineyard." So here's -- The love
song's going on. But the
vineyard now is the
00:16:54.41\00:16:57.38
focus of the love song, not the
he and the she so much as the
00:16:57.38\00:17:00.95
vineyard. "I will sing a love
song about his vineyard." "My
loved one had a vineyard on
00:17:00.95\00:17:05.45
a fertile hillside." "And he
built a wall around it. He dug a
00:17:05.45\00:17:10.63
winepress in it. He put a tower
in front of it." But here comes
00:17:10.63\00:17:14.36
God -- verse 4. "This is bad
news. I planted this vineyard to
grow fruit, and I'm getting
00:17:22.00\00:17:26.88
nothing but thistles and poison.
What's the big deal, God?
00:17:26.88\00:17:31.48
Relax." No, it's a big deal. If
you plant a vineyard, you want
00:17:31.48\00:17:37.75
fruit, right? Yeah. Drop down to
verse 7. "The vineyard of the
Lord Almighty is the nation of
00:17:37.75\00:17:41.79
Israel." Ah, this is
about God and His chosen people.
00:17:41.79\00:17:45.83
"The vineyard of the Lord
Almighty is the nation of
Israel, and the people of Judah
00:17:45.83\00:17:48.90
are the vines He delighted in.
00:17:48.90\00:17:50.43
The big deal is you got to
have fruit. That's the deal of
00:17:56.07\00:18:00.68
vineyards. You have to have
fruit. If you have no fruit,
adiós. Get rid of that vineyard,
00:18:00.68\00:18:07.22
right? Now, what's amazing is
that Jesus, just four days
before they execute Him -- four
00:18:07.22\00:18:13.52
days -- He takes this love song
from Isaiah and the vineyard and
He weaves it into a story, into
00:18:13.52\00:18:19.59
a parable. Take a look at this.
Come on. Three short stories in
00:18:19.59\00:18:23.20
a row. Let's go to Matthew
chapter 21. Jesus is thinking
about Isaiah 5 when he tells
00:18:23.20\00:18:30.04
this story just days, hours,
before he'll be dead, okay? So,
this is Matthew 21.
00:18:30.04\00:18:34.94
Red letters. My,
my. Yep. Matthew 21.
00:18:34.94\00:18:40.15
Drop down to verse 33.
00:18:40.15\00:18:41.22
Jesus says, "I want you
to listen to another parable.
00:18:41.38\00:18:43.92
I need you to hear this."
"There was a landowner who
00:18:43.92\00:18:46.72
planted a
vineyard." There it is again.
00:18:46.72\00:18:48.89
"He put a wall around it" --
well, that was in Isaiah 5 --
00:18:48.89\00:18:52.09
"he dug a winepress in
it" -- that was in Isaiah 5.
00:18:52.09\00:18:55.40
"and he built a watchtower."
That also was in Isaiah 5.
00:18:55.40\00:18:59.20
Now, notice what Jesus -- he now
turns that song, that love song,
00:18:59.20\00:19:02.30
into a parable.
00:19:02.30\00:19:04.07
Now, after the
owner did all that...
00:19:04.24\00:19:08.81
Vineyards are all about fruit,
and so the servants come, and
they say, "Yo, we're here now to
00:19:18.69\00:19:23.02
pick up our fruit." "Fruit?!
This is not your vineyard."
00:19:23.02\00:19:26.39
And they stoned them, killed
them, drove them out. Everything
00:19:26.39\00:19:31.60
that the owner sent -- gone. The
owner said, "Okay, okay. I don't
know what's going on
00:19:31.60\00:19:37.37
with the crazy vineyard tenants,
but here's what let's do. I'm
00:19:37.37\00:19:43.08
sending my son. They'll surely
respect him, and now I get the
fruit I've been living for."
00:19:43.08\00:19:48.95
This story has Jesus'
crucifixion written all over it.
Ah! And here comes the son.
00:19:48.95\00:19:55.72
Drop down to verse 38.
00:19:55.72\00:19:57.63
"So they took him and threw him
out of the vineyard," outside
Jerusalem, "and they killed
00:20:03.37\00:20:07.94
him." Four days
later, this comes true.
00:20:07.94\00:20:10.07
Now Jesus turns to his
listeners, who have no idea
where he's going with this, and
00:20:10.07\00:20:13.98
he asks them the punchline
question. "Therefore" -- verse
00:20:13.98\00:20:17.48
40 -- "when the owner of the
vineyard finally shows up, what
will he do with those tenants?"
00:20:17.48\00:20:21.68
What would you do with them? And
everybody instinctively,
including the Pharisees and
00:20:21.68\00:20:26.39
Sadducees, just cried out,
because every community just
loves a good story.
00:20:26.39\00:20:31.06
They just cried out, verse 41...
00:20:31.06\00:20:33.16
"Aha!" Jesus said.
"You got it." Verse 43.
00:20:41.74\00:20:47.11
A love song... making love in
a vineyard... God's song of the
00:20:56.79\00:21:03.26
vineyard, Jesus' parable of
the vineyard -- I'm telling you
00:21:03.26\00:21:05.63
what. This may feel a little
crass. Is this too materialistic
to keep driving for this bottom
00:21:05.63\00:21:10.87
line? The point is
you got to have fruit.
00:21:10.87\00:21:14.30
You have to have fruit. There is
no purpose for a vineyard that
00:21:14.30\00:21:19.81
does not have fruit. I mean,
that's the point. Do you
understand that vineyards
00:21:19.81\00:21:24.68
are big business right now
-- agribusiness? It's huge.
00:21:24.68\00:21:28.52
Who do you suppose -- which
nation on Earth -- is the
greatest fruit-growing nation,
00:21:28.52\00:21:34.09
the most grapes in the
world? Which nation? China.
00:21:34.09\00:21:40.53
Unbelievable. China. What's the
number there? 9.6 million metric
tons a year. Number 2 -- it
00:21:40.53\00:21:48.10
would be in Europe and starts
with an "I." Italy. Of course it
00:21:48.10\00:21:51.57
would be Italy. Isn't that
right? Got the whole Bacchiocchi
tribe right there -- that
00:21:51.57\00:21:55.21
beautiful baptism. Isabella,
we're proud of you. Of course
00:21:55.21\00:21:59.01
Italy is number 2. Number 3
would be France. Number 4, the
U.S. of A. Here it is, our
00:21:59.01\00:22:03.39
homeland. The United States
grows and sells 6,206,228 metric
tons of grapes a year, and I
00:22:03.39\00:22:11.53
went online and I found out that
in 2017, one metric ton sold for
$877.00, just -- pshht! -- $877.
00:22:11.53\00:22:21.60
So you multiply $877 times the
6.2 million tons, and you come
00:22:21.60\00:22:29.91
up with a number. This is
agribusiness in the United
States. Vineyards in the United
00:22:29.91\00:22:32.98
States produce $5,442,861,956
every year, and that's not
saying a word about the
00:22:32.98\00:22:42.79
businesses that take the grapes,
turn them into juice and
everything else you can imagine.
00:22:42.79\00:22:46.43
$5.4 billion. Agribusiness
-- come on. Is it a sin to make
00:22:46.43\00:22:52.63
profits? Are you kidding? I
don't even have an M.B.A., but
00:22:52.63\00:22:56.30
this much I know. I would never
invest in a business that's not
00:22:56.30\00:22:59.41
making a profit. I wouldn't! It
is wrong to long for fruit? Are
00:22:59.41\00:23:03.68
you kidding? That's the whole
point of a vineyard. And that's
00:23:03.68\00:23:07.65
the whole point of these three
short stories. You've got to
have fruit. If you don't have
00:23:07.65\00:23:11.95
fruit, something's gone wrong,
right? Our own vineyard -- we're
calling it God's Vineyard --
00:23:11.95\00:23:18.53
4 miles up the road -- Yesterday
I went back to where we shot
these videos, and, for
00:23:18.53\00:23:22.90
me, it was like a hallowed
moment because it's still there.
The vines are still growing.
00:23:22.90\00:23:29.94
And I stood around and clipped
those children's-story grapes.
88 acres -- that's it.
00:23:29.94\00:23:36.48
88 acres of beautiful
Southwestern Michigan vineyards,
rolling aisles, green and
00:23:36.48\00:23:42.98
verdant! Are you kidding?!
I've been standing in that
00:23:42.98\00:23:47.32
vineyard aisle with my friends
Robin and José several Sabbaths
00:23:47.32\00:23:53.63
now in a row. We go back to that
vineyard... because there's
something important we need to
00:23:53.63\00:23:58.60
get about vineyards. It may be
something you've never even
thought of in your life
00:23:58.60\00:24:01.87
before, but you'll never be the
same again for hearing it right
00:24:01.87\00:24:06.07
now. Let's roll that
-- Let's roll that video.
00:24:06.07\00:24:09.08
¤¤ ¤¤ >> We're
coming back one more
00:24:11.18\00:24:26.13
time to what we're calling God's
Vineyard. And, actually, we've
00:24:26.13\00:24:31.67
saved the best part till last,
because what's a vineyard about?
I've been reminded by these two
00:24:31.67\00:24:37.44
professionals, José and Robin,
that, of course, the vineyard's
all about fruit -- fruit, fruit,
00:24:37.44\00:24:42.94
fruit, fruit, fruit. So, I want
to move to the pruning process.
00:24:42.94\00:24:46.85
Robin, take us up close. Let's
look at one of these branches.
00:24:46.85\00:24:49.98
>> So, the way you would prune
it is you would want to prune it
very close to the branch
00:24:49.98\00:24:54.82
itself... >> Okay. >>
...so the branch will protect
00:24:54.82\00:24:57.16
it and survive it. >> Yes.
>> And you leave two or three
00:24:57.16\00:25:00.63
buds on it because that becomes
the next season's crop. >> But,
Robin, when you say,
00:25:00.63\00:25:05.40
"Branch," you're actually
talking about the vine, this
knotty, woody stuff.
00:25:05.40\00:25:09.10
>> The vine. >> The branch
eventually becomes a vine...
00:25:09.10\00:25:12.01
>> Yes. >> ...and then these new
shoots, so you have to cut it
00:25:12.01\00:25:15.64
right down near that old wood...
>> That's exactly right. >>
...and then go all winter in
00:25:15.64\00:25:20.35
the cold... >> Oh, sure.
>> ...and be ready to come.
00:25:20.35\00:25:23.15
>> You bet, even through these
cold Michigan winters we have.
>> If you didn't prune it, what
00:25:23.15\00:25:26.92
would happen? >> You wouldn't
get fruit. It would eventually
00:25:26.92\00:25:30.59
wither away, and you'd have to
throw it in the fire. >> So,
theoretically, what is
00:25:30.59\00:25:34.46
painful to a vine -- If a vine
could cry out, it would be in
December, when José
00:25:34.46\00:25:39.20
and his team are going up and
down these rows, cut, cut, cut.
So, pruning is painful.
00:25:39.20\00:25:45.34
>> It is. >> But you
can't have growth without it.
00:25:45.34\00:25:47.88
>> You can't have growth without
it. >> Would it be all right if
00:25:47.88\00:25:50.25
we just pull off one of these
clusters? >> Yeah, right here.
00:25:50.25\00:25:53.38
>> Oh, my, my, my, my. Look
at this. It's a work of art.
00:25:53.38\00:25:56.38
>> It may be a little more sour
'cause they're still four weeks
out, but they're still good.
00:25:56.38\00:26:01.76
>> Mm-hmm. >> They're
good. >> These are not seedless.
00:26:01.76\00:26:06.49
>> No, they're not. >> [
Chuckles ] So, the seeds are
00:26:06.49\00:26:10.23
just for throwing out? >>
Yeah, yeah, yeah. >> That's it?
00:26:10.23\00:26:12.53
>> That's it. >> A branch has
to come from an existing vine.
00:26:12.53\00:26:16.54
>> Yeah, you're right. Yeah.
That is the only way. >> You
guys have been real
00:26:16.54\00:26:20.51
troopers to be out here in the
middle of the day, under a
beautiful sky in Michigan.
00:26:20.51\00:26:26.21
But your lives, invested as they
are in the growing of fruit,
have helped us capture what
00:26:26.21\00:26:34.39
Jesus is trying to tell us.
"Come on, guys. Stay connected
00:26:34.39\00:26:40.03
to me, and I'll grow the fruit."
Branch can't grow the fruit on
00:26:40.03\00:26:42.80
its own. >> No. >> The vine
grows the fruit. And you will be
00:26:42.80\00:26:47.64
tasty to an entire planet. ¤¤
00:26:47.64\00:26:55.08
>> You know, I need to say I am
so proud of Gaddiel and Richard
and Michael, our media team, who
00:26:58.35\00:27:05.95
produced this whole thing --
have just done a masterful job.
00:27:05.95\00:27:11.76
And at the risk of overemphasis
-- I've got to say it again --
the whole point of a vineyard is
00:27:11.76\00:27:17.77
you gotta have fruit. You have
to have fruit. In fact, when we
00:27:17.77\00:27:22.10
come to these familiar words of
Jesus in John 15 -- this has
kind of been our home base
00:27:22.10\00:27:26.01
through this little series
"Tales from a Vineyard." Go to
00:27:26.01\00:27:29.11
John 15. When you get to Jesus'
words here, do you know seven
times in the Greek, He mentions
00:27:29.11\00:27:35.85
fruit, the Greek word for
"fruit"? It's a big deal. Take a
00:27:35.85\00:27:39.92
look at this. Let's just read
this. 24 hours from now, He's
00:27:39.92\00:27:45.73
dead and buried. He's in a hole
in the ground. This is Passover.
00:27:45.73\00:27:50.17
Full moon. He's walking to
Gethsemane with his disciples,
but He sees a trellis.
00:27:50.17\00:27:54.60
He says, "Hey, guys, come, come,
come, come. Come over here.
00:27:54.60\00:27:56.71
Get up close. I want to teach
you something." And, boy, what
00:27:56.71\00:28:00.71
He is teaching is what we have
got to learn. All right. John
00:28:00.71\00:28:04.45
15:1. "You are already clean,"
or pruned -- it's the same word
-- "because of the word I have
00:28:14.69\00:28:19.43
spoken to you."
00:28:19.43\00:28:20.33
Now look. Verse 4.
"Remain," or abide, "in me, as I
00:28:20.50\00:28:24.30
also remain in you." No
branch can bear fruit by
00:28:24.30\00:28:27.64
itself; it must
remain in the vine.
00:28:27.64\00:28:29.84
Neither can you bear
fruit unless you remain in me.
00:28:29.84\00:28:32.21
I am the vine;
you are the branches.
00:28:32.21\00:28:34.34
If you remain," if you abide,
"in me and I in you, you will
00:28:34.34\00:28:37.55
bear much fruit; for apart
from me you can do nothing."
00:28:37.55\00:28:40.15
Now look. "If you do
not remain in me, you
00:28:40.15\00:28:42.02
are like a branch" -- we
saw it just a moment ago in the
00:28:42.02\00:28:44.42
children's story -- "that will
be thrown away and it withers;
00:28:44.42\00:28:46.99
such branches are picked
up, thrown into the fire and
00:28:46.99\00:28:49.69
burned." Drop down to verse 8.
00:28:49.69\00:28:51.16
Drop down to verse 16.
"You did not choose me, but I
00:28:57.73\00:29:01.47
chose you and appointed you
so that you might go and bear
00:29:01.47\00:29:05.37
fruit" -- the seventh time that
word appears -- "fruit that will
00:29:05.37\00:29:08.48
last -- and so that whatever you
ask in my name the Father will
00:29:08.48\00:29:12.01
give you." Unbelievable.
00:29:12.01\00:29:15.28
What's the big deal? What's
the big deal of the fruit on the
00:29:15.45\00:29:21.49
branches? Listen. Listen.
People, when they taste the
fruit, they don't celebrate the
00:29:21.49\00:29:27.36
branch. They celebrate the vine.
The whole point of the fruit of
00:29:27.36\00:29:31.83
the branch is to validate the
vine. People come from all over
00:29:31.83\00:29:36.71
the world to Slovenia. Slovenia
-- it's a little country in
00:29:36.71\00:29:41.08
Eastern Europe. Is that --
Oh, we got the picture. Look at
00:29:41.08\00:29:43.18
this. These guys scrambled
between services and found a
picture. That's a vineyard.
00:29:43.18\00:29:46.51
That's between 400 and 500 years
of age. It only produces between
00:29:46.51\00:29:50.92
30 to 40 kilograms of grapes a
year, but they put it into
little tiny bottles, and they
00:29:50.92\00:29:55.62
won't even sell it. They
just give it to dignitaries.
00:29:55.62\00:29:58.53
Why? People are celebrating not
the grape, they're celebrating
00:29:58.69\00:30:02.60
the vine. That
vine is what counts.
00:30:02.60\00:30:05.77
Jesus says, "Listen, this is
my commandment -- that you love
00:30:05.77\00:30:08.00
each other. Come
on, come on, come on."
00:30:08.00\00:30:09.57
The fruit of love demonstrated
among us becomes a shining
00:30:09.57\00:30:13.34
testimony to the world outside
of Andrews University and the
00:30:13.34\00:30:16.41
Pioneer Memorial Church that,
"Wow, these people are something
00:30:16.41\00:30:19.18
else!" In fact, Jesus says...
00:30:19.18\00:30:21.92
"By this the whole world
will know you are my people.
00:30:21.92\00:30:25.95
When they see the fruit,
they're drawn to the vine."
00:30:25.95\00:30:28.79
That's the whole point.
There's a lot of vineyards.
00:30:28.79\00:30:31.73
You got to have
fruit. What kind of fruit?
00:30:31.73\00:30:34.23
Craig Keener, New Testament
scholar -- on the screen, his
00:30:34.23\00:30:36.87
commentary on John. "In
Palestine, the grapes ripen
00:30:36.87\00:30:40.67
in late summer as the
shoots stop growing and the bark
00:30:40.67\00:30:44.54
changes from green to darker
shortly before the vintage," or
00:30:44.54\00:30:48.31
harvest, "of
August or September.
00:30:48.31\00:30:50.18
Yet John writes figuratively" --
he's not talking about grapes --
00:30:50.18\00:30:53.68
"of what sort of fruit
does the passage speak?"
00:30:53.68\00:30:56.32
Keener concludes, "The immediate
context suggests" -- jot it down
00:30:56.32\00:30:59.49
in your study guide.
It's in your worship bulletin
00:30:59.49\00:31:02.09
right now. "It
suggests moral fruit."
00:31:02.09\00:31:06.86
Moral fruit. What are you
talking about when you say,
00:31:07.03\00:31:10.90
'Moral fruit'?" Paul says,
"Excuse me! Excuse me!" "Yes,
back of the class. Paul?"
00:31:10.90\00:31:13.84
Paul says, "How 'bout Galatians
5:22-23?" Put that on the
00:31:13.84\00:31:17.37
screen, please. "For the fruit
of the" what? "The fruit of the
Spirit is love, joy, peace,
00:31:17.37\00:31:22.81
patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and
00:31:22.81\00:31:27.18
self-control." Moral fruit
indeed. You see those qualities
00:31:27.18\00:31:31.59
there, that fruit? When you see
any one of those berries, those
grapes, in somebody, you are
00:31:31.59\00:31:37.06
drawn to that person. When you
see a kind person, what do you
00:31:37.06\00:31:39.66
think of? "Man, I wish I could
be that kind." When you see a
00:31:39.66\00:31:42.46
gentle person, when you see a
faithful person, a person that
has joy and peace, "Man,
00:31:42.46\00:31:46.84
whatever that girl has, I want
that for me!" That's the deal.
The Spirit inside of us produces
00:31:46.84\00:31:52.57
moral fruit. I love the way
Jesus puts it right here -- John
00:31:52.57\00:31:58.31
15:5. In "Desire of Ages" -- You
can't beat this. Oh, you're
going to love this.
00:32:05.72\00:32:08.49
You got it in your study guide.
Take it home. "Desire of Ages,"
00:32:08.49\00:32:11.63
on the screen. "The life of
Christ in you produces the same
00:32:11.63\00:32:16.33
fruits as in Him. Living in
Christ, adhering to Christ,
supported by Christ, drawing
00:32:16.33\00:32:20.74
nourishment from Christ, you
bear fruit after the
similitude," or the likeness,
00:32:20.74\00:32:25.71
"of Christ." That fruit that
grows in you is just like Jesus,
and when people see that fruit
00:32:25.71\00:32:30.28
in the business world or in the
academic world or in the
athletic world, when people see
00:32:30.28\00:32:34.25
that fruit in the neighborhood
world, they say, "What she has,
what he has, how did he get
00:32:34.25\00:32:39.35
that? How does he have that calm
under fire... calm and peace
00:32:39.35\00:32:46.80
under pressure? How does he do
that?" Oh, when they see the
fruit, they think of the vine.
00:32:46.80\00:32:51.60
You'll tell them about the vine.
A friend of mine named Lucas
Jurek dropped by the
00:32:51.60\00:32:58.37
office the other day. He's from
British Columbia. He has four
00:32:58.37\00:33:01.11
girls, four daughters, and
they're all students at Andrews
University. Four daughters.
00:33:01.11\00:33:04.58
They sang for us in first
service. Absolutely beautiful.
00:33:04.58\00:33:09.02
He said, "Hey, Dwight, have you
ever seen this quotation?" I
hadn't seen it before.
00:33:09.02\00:33:12.19
Put it on the screen for you.
"Acts of the Apostles." "The sap
of the vine, ascending
00:33:12.19\00:33:16.22
from the root, is diffused to
the branches" -- that's how it
works in a vineyard --
00:33:16.22\00:33:20.90
"sustaining growth and producing
blossoms that become fruit. So"
-- here it comes -- "the
00:33:20.90\00:33:25.67
life-giving power of the
Holy Spirit" -- write that down,
00:33:25.67\00:33:29.14
please. "The life-giving power
of the Holy Spirit" -- He's the
divine sap -- "proceeding from
00:33:29.14\00:33:33.01
the Saviour, pervades the
soul, renews my motives and my
00:33:33.01\00:33:37.08
affections. It even brings my
thoughts into conformity to what
God's will is for my life," last
00:33:37.08\00:33:43.72
line, "enabling me and you to
bear the precious fruit of holy
deeds." Don't let those two
00:33:43.72\00:33:49.79
words, "holy deeds," blow you
away. Come on. Holy deeds are
00:33:49.79\00:33:53.56
Jesus deeds. They're God deeds.
It's the way God lives. It's the
00:33:53.56\00:33:56.60
way Jesus lived. That's all.
The fruit that's in Him, the sap
00:33:56.60\00:34:00.84
comes into you. Hey, listen,
how does that sap come? Through
00:34:00.84\00:34:04.71
what? Holy Spirit. Through the
Holy Spirit. Isn't that right?
00:34:04.71\00:34:08.14
Why would I not every day be
praying for a daily baptism of
00:34:08.14\00:34:12.45
the Holy Spirit? Why wouldn't I
every day say, "God, today just
give me that life-giving sap"?
00:34:12.45\00:34:15.85
"Just come in to me. I want
my fruit, the fruit of my words,
00:34:15.85\00:34:19.12
the fruit of my lifestyle --
I want it to reflect you. Jesus,
00:34:19.12\00:34:23.86
Your fruit in me, please." Why
wouldn't I every day ask for the
baptism of the Holy Spirit?
00:34:23.86\00:34:29.46
But of course we would. Wow.
Well, I repeat the law of the
00:34:29.46\00:34:37.07
vineyard, plain and simple --
you gotta have fruit, which is
why verse 2 is there,
00:34:37.07\00:34:42.51
by the way. We skipped verse
2 all the way through, and, at
00:34:42.51\00:34:45.55
first, I didn't realize how
significant verse 2 is. So, when
this series began, I
00:34:45.55\00:34:48.15
just said, "Oh, you know,
come on. It's a little negative.
00:34:48.15\00:34:50.45
Let's just leave it out." Big
mistake, Preacher. You better do
00:34:50.45\00:34:57.33
more studying. Verse 1 again.
00:34:57.49\00:34:59.39
I need to observe that this
teaching of pruning in order to
advance the maturing, deepening
00:35:11.41\00:35:17.35
life of Christ's followers --
it's the most obvious point in
John 15, and guess what.
00:35:17.35\00:35:22.28
It's the most overlooked
point of John 15. [ Chuckles ]
00:35:22.28\00:35:26.55
We don't like it. You know why?
Because nobody likes the word
00:35:26.55\00:35:30.53
"Ouch." Why don't I like
the word "ouch"? Because when I
00:35:30.53\00:35:34.00
experience "ouch," guess
what happens to me. I hurt.
00:35:34.00\00:35:37.50
And nobody wants to hurt. So,
this idea of somebody coming
along with those green pruning
00:35:37.50\00:35:44.17
shears -- ow, ow, ow! Who wants
"ouch"? So we just say, "Hey, I
00:35:44.17\00:35:49.81
don't need that. I got verse
3." Something's going on here.
00:35:49.81\00:35:54.72
Could this be the one major
truth you either have never
heard about because nobody
00:35:54.72\00:36:00.32
preaches about this or... you've
known about but just said...
00:36:00.32\00:36:06.33
"Not for me. Mañana." Well,
mañana has come. I'm going to
00:36:06.33\00:36:13.03
slow down right now. This is the
final wrap to this. I need you
00:36:13.03\00:36:17.41
to hear. I need the Holy Spirit
to give you ears to hear what He
is saying inside of you, because
00:36:17.41\00:36:22.94
the profound witness of the New
Testament is a running
commentary and testimony to the
00:36:22.94\00:36:28.85
purpose of divine pruning...
beginning with the life of our
Lord Jesus Himself.
00:36:28.85\00:36:35.99
Guess what. Prune,
prune, prune for Jesus.
00:36:35.99\00:36:42.16
Hebrews chapter 5 on the screen.
Jot this down in your study
00:36:42.33\00:36:45.70
guide. Verses 7-8.
00:36:45.70\00:36:48.10
"And He was heard because of His
reverent submission." Here it
00:36:54.88\00:36:59.68
comes now. Write that down.
Suffering was intentional in His
life for pruning purposes, for
00:37:04.99\00:37:11.86
training purposes. He had
to suffer in order to get it.
00:37:11.86\00:37:17.87
Oh, my. Some of you --
Listen to me carefully.
00:37:17.87\00:37:23.54
Some of you are suffering
right now. I know your stories.
00:37:23.54\00:37:28.98
I pray for you by name. You're
suffering right now, and you
have pleaded with God to
00:37:28.98\00:37:35.68
please remove this, this painful
burden. You have promised God
00:37:35.68\00:37:41.89
that if He would take this away,
you would serve Him all the more
gladly. You would be more
00:37:41.89\00:37:46.96
faithful. You would go anywhere
God would send you. Just take
this suffering away.
00:37:46.96\00:37:51.27
"The 'ouch,' the pain,
is killing me. Take it away,
00:37:51.27\00:37:56.77
please." But it feels like
you're praying into the wind.
Nothing comes back.
00:37:56.77\00:38:03.41
Just like Jesus, just like Paul,
they kept praying into the wind,
and it felt like nothing was
00:38:03.41\00:38:10.49
coming back. Let's go to
Paul. Take a look at this.
00:38:10.49\00:38:13.86
2 Corinthians chapter 12
on the screen, verses 8-10.
00:38:14.02\00:38:16.96
"Three times I pleaded with the
Lord to take my suffering away
00:38:16.96\00:38:21.26
from me. But He
said to me, "My grace
00:38:21.26\00:38:24.10
is... sufficient for you."
00:38:24.10\00:38:27.70
I want you to just stare
at that screen for a moment.
00:38:27.70\00:38:30.01
Please notice that is not past
tense and that is not future
00:38:30.01\00:38:32.91
tense. That is present tense.
00:38:32.91\00:38:35.01
"I am who I am. I am in
your life right now, and
00:38:35.01\00:38:38.31
My grace right now
is sufficient for you.
00:38:38.31\00:38:41.35
I'm not worried about tomorrow.
I'm not worried about yesterday.
00:38:41.52\00:38:47.09
I am who I am. And My grace, My
love" -- you read it "My love"
-- "is sufficient for you."
00:38:47.09\00:38:53.93
For as the Bible says, "When you
are afflicted, I'm afflicted."
As the Bible promises, "I will
00:38:53.93\00:38:59.23
never leave you or forsake you.
My grace is sufficient for you."
00:38:59.23\00:39:04.41
When that finally dawned on
Paul, he goes on to write...
00:39:04.57\00:39:08.81
"I delight in my prunings. I
delight in my prunings, for when
I am weak, something
00:39:17.12\00:39:22.99
happens to me, and I'm made
strong." Isn't that amazing?
00:39:22.99\00:39:27.66
How come we've never seen this
before? How come nobody preaches
00:39:27.66\00:39:31.23
about suffering anymore? Because
we're a septic society, that's
why, and we can't stand
00:39:31.23\00:39:36.17
the thought of having to suffer.
We have everything to relieve us
00:39:36.17\00:39:43.14
of suffering. Paul eventually
would exclaim, from prison, by
the way, subsequently to this,
00:39:43.14\00:39:47.82
this line in 2 Corinthians. I'll
put it on the screen. This is
00:39:47.82\00:39:51.62
Philippians 3:10. Ahh. "I want
to know Christ divine, and I
want to know the power of
00:39:51.62\00:39:55.49
His resurrection," and we
usually stop it right there. We
stop reading right there, but
00:39:55.49\00:39:59.66
he goes on. "And the fellowship
of sharing in His sufferings, so
00:39:59.66\00:40:03.93
that I might become like Him in
His suffering death." "I want to
00:40:03.93\00:40:08.50
be like Jesus. Bring the pruning
on." That's what he's saying.
Unbelie-- In prison.
00:40:08.50\00:40:16.75
"Ah, come on, Dwight. There's
got to be a better way. We don't
have to go the way of
00:40:16.75\00:40:20.52
Jesus. We don't have
to go the way of Paul.
00:40:20.52\00:40:22.72
Have you studied the Bible and
found anything else?" I tried.
00:40:22.72\00:40:27.19
I tried. But you keep running
in to this all over the New
00:40:27.19\00:40:31.33
Testament. Let me put Hebrews
chapter 12 on the screen.
00:40:31.33\00:40:33.46
"Why am I going through this?
Isn't there an easier path?"
00:40:33.63\00:40:35.76
Let's go. Verse 10 -- 10 and 11.
"Our fathers" -- that would be
00:40:35.76\00:40:39.30
our Earthly fathers --
"disciplined us for a little
00:40:39.30\00:40:41.64
while as they thought
best." Remember your dad's belt?
00:40:41.64\00:40:45.97
You have to be a Baby Boomer
or older to remember that.
00:40:45.97\00:40:50.15
They changed the discipline
methods, thanks to Dr. Spock.
00:40:50.15\00:40:56.38
"Our fathers disciplined
us," our Earthly fathers, "for a
00:40:56.38\00:40:59.09
little while as they thought
best; but God discipline--" Ooh!
00:40:59.09\00:41:03.19
"'God
disciplines us for our good'?
00:41:03.19\00:41:05.63
Are you kidding?! The
pain is for our good that we
00:41:05.63\00:41:07.73
may share in His
holiness." What's holiness?
00:41:07.73\00:41:09.60
"Become like Me. Come on.
00:41:09.60\00:41:10.83
I want you to be like
Me. We're getting there.
00:41:10.83\00:41:12.80
We're getting
there. Don't give up!"
00:41:12.80\00:41:14.90
Keep reading. Hebrews goes on.
00:41:14.90\00:41:16.91
"No discipline seems pleasant
at the time, but painful."
00:41:16.91\00:41:20.54
Tell us. "Later on,
however, it produces
00:41:20.54\00:41:23.78
the fruit." Right in
that word, that's the
00:41:23.78\00:41:26.58
key word. "It
produces the fruit of
00:41:26.58\00:41:28.88
righteousness and peace."
00:41:28.88\00:41:30.32
Pruning produces fruit.
Pain produces fruit. Suffering
00:41:30.49\00:41:36.09
produces fruit. You and I are
always scrambling. "Get me out
of this! Get me out of this!
00:41:36.09\00:41:40.50
Get me out of it now!" And God
says, "Shh. Slow down. No, I'm
not going to get you out
00:41:40.50\00:41:46.47
of it, Paul. My grace will
be enough for you. My grace is
00:41:46.47\00:41:53.31
sufficient. I'm staying with
you. I'll never leave you. You
know I love you, don't you?
00:41:53.31\00:41:58.51
I do. Then don't ask Me
again to take this away.
00:41:58.51\00:42:03.49
I could have taken it away
long ago. Obviously, it's for a
00:42:03.49\00:42:06.72
reason that you're experiencing
this. Just grow with Me. Grow
00:42:06.72\00:42:14.30
with Me." Wow. Fruit is
produced by pain, by pruning, by
00:42:14.30\00:42:19.60
suffering. It is everywhere. 2
Timothy 3:12 on the screen.
"Everyone who wants to live a
00:42:19.60\00:42:25.64
godly life connected to the
Vine, Jesus Christ" -- You want
to live a godly life?
00:42:25.64\00:42:29.11
Yeah, me, too. Be like God. Why
not? "Everyone who wants to live
00:42:29.11\00:42:32.75
a godly life in Christ Jesus
will be persecuted." [ Chuckles
00:42:32.75\00:42:37.19
] Guys, I'm telling you, you can
try to get out of this and say,
"Well, that's really not in
00:42:37.19\00:42:40.46
there. It's not in my version."
No, it's in your version.
00:42:40.46\00:42:43.16
It's in your version. Because
persecution is pruning. And you
know where the source of
00:42:43.16\00:42:50.07
persecution is? It's not
God. God doesn't persecute you.
00:42:50.07\00:42:53.67
You know where the source
is? Jesus once said, in Matthew
00:42:53.67\00:42:57.71
13:44, "An enemy has done this."
Listen, because you're connected
to Jesus as you are, lookit --
00:42:57.71\00:43:02.81
you're like this. You
and Jesus are just like this.
00:43:02.81\00:43:04.88
Because you are, you have
alerted all the forces of Hell,
'Heavy artillery on him, heavy
00:43:04.88\00:43:11.62
artillery on her,
until... she... lets go of her
00:43:11.62\00:43:17.96
connection. Keep that fire
withering. Get her to let go.
Get him to let go."
00:43:17.96\00:43:22.80
That's the whole deal. Break the
connection. Become like a little
00:43:22.80\00:43:27.80
shriveled-up branch. That's
all Satan lives for. "Break him!
00:43:27.80\00:43:33.14
Break her so that she releases!"
Job says, "No, even though He
slays me, I will trust Him."
00:43:33.14\00:43:42.52
You just have to hang on, guys.
The devil is going to try every
trick in the book to convince
00:43:42.52\00:43:46.99
you it's not worth it. "This
Christ life, it's a bunch of
00:43:46.99\00:43:51.36
hooey! Look at this! If you are
a friend of Jesus, why are you
going through this?
00:43:51.36\00:43:54.60
Explain that me. And I'll stand
at the foot of Calvary and say,
00:43:54.60\00:43:58.20
'If you're Jesus, why are You
going through this?'" Because
suffering in this fallen
00:43:58.20\00:44:04.87
world is God's way to victory,
growth, and eternal life. That's
00:44:04.87\00:44:12.91
it. Calvary is because God said,
"There is no other way. Stay
00:44:12.91\00:44:20.72
with Me." Wow. Jesus comes
along in Mark 10:30, and this is
00:44:20.72\00:44:24.96
incredible. "He promises all who
give up all to follow Him" --
fill this in in your study guide
00:44:24.96\00:44:30.50
-- "you will be rewarded in this
life," because Peter said, "Hey,
I've given up everything for
00:44:30.50\00:44:33.23
you." Jesus said, "I got great
news for you, Pete. You're going
00:44:33.23\00:44:36.04
to be rewarded in this life a
hundred times as much because of
what you've given up, and it
00:44:36.04\00:44:40.44
will come with persecutions."
Write that down. "It will come
00:44:40.44\00:44:43.18
with persecutions." Why?
Snip, snip, snip, snip, snip.
00:44:43.18\00:44:46.35
Pruning will go on, and the more
successful you are, the more the
need you have to be pruned,
00:44:46.35\00:44:51.29
because you know what happens if
we get successful? God says,
"Hey, hey, hey, yo,
00:44:51.29\00:44:55.46
yo, yo, yo! Did you think you
did all this? Did you think you
00:44:55.46\00:45:01.00
did all this? Let me remind you,
Nebuchadnezzar, I'm going to
give you seven years of insanity
00:45:01.00\00:45:05.53
so that that pride will be
driven from your life for good."
The more successful you are, the
00:45:05.53\00:45:14.68
more likely you will be pruned.
Count on it. If you have not
00:45:14.68\00:45:20.28
pruned mu-- If you have not
suffered much yet... That's the
00:45:20.28\00:45:23.75
next line, by the way. Fill
it in. If you have not suff--
00:45:23.75\00:45:25.89
I've hung around this planet a
few times, and here's the point.
00:45:25.89\00:45:29.29
Just write that down. Take it to
the bank and cash it. Because if
you've not suffered
00:45:31.86\00:45:37.00
yet, you've got suffering
coming. I'm not trying to scare
00:45:37.00\00:45:39.97
you. I'm not trying to talk you
out of letting go with Jesus.
00:45:39.97\00:45:42.80
Are you kidding? Thank God for
the sunshine you're living in
right now. But you better be
00:45:42.80\00:45:46.81
tight. Just hang on to him. This
roller coaster goes over a hump,
and then it'll feel like
00:45:46.81\00:45:51.85
the bottom has fallen out. You
can't avoid it. You will suffer.
00:45:51.85\00:45:58.15
Why has nobody taught us this?
Why did I just discover this?
It's been here for 2,000 years.
00:45:58.15\00:46:06.36
You and I will suffer. Why?
Snip, snip, snip. Snip, snip,
00:46:06.36\00:46:10.90
snip. "Desire of Ages" very
gently but beautifully comments
on John 15:2, and I'm not going
00:46:10.90\00:46:16.57
to read 15:2 now. I'm going to
go straight to "Desire of Ages,"
00:46:16.57\00:46:20.81
because Jesus is saying, "You're
going to be pruned." Look at
this on the screen.
00:46:20.81\00:46:25.15
"The pruning will cause pain."
Lookit. I'm looking at a bunch
of athletes in here -- big,
00:46:25.15\00:46:29.12
young, tough, you know,
sculptured athletes. Every
athlete knows this --
00:46:29.12\00:46:35.26
no pain... no gain. [ Chuckles ]
00:46:35.26\00:46:39.26
You cannot have gain unless you
have pain. God says, "That's the
00:46:39.26\00:46:45.30
point. No pain, no gain. You got
to have it." "The pruning will
00:46:45.30\00:46:50.57
cause pain, but it is the Father
who applies the knife." God
00:46:50.57\00:46:54.44
loves you. 1 John 3:1 -- "See
how the Father has lavished His
00:46:54.44\00:46:59.18
love upon you." Your suffering
is not an indication that God is
not near. Jesus said, "In this
00:46:59.18\00:47:03.92
life, you will suffer many
tribulations, but be of good
cheer. I have overcome the
00:47:03.92\00:47:08.76
world. Just hold on to Me. Hold
on to Me." "He works with no
00:47:08.76\00:47:14.66
wanton hand or
indifferent heart."
00:47:14.66\00:47:15.93
Now, I put the three
little reasons for the pruning.
00:47:16.10\00:47:18.73
One, "There are branches
trailing upon the ground."
00:47:18.73\00:47:20.80
"Dwight, you're
going the wrong way.
00:47:20.80\00:47:22.34
You're getting
hooked up with this world.
00:47:22.34\00:47:24.07
You are hanging on to the world.
That is going to kill you,
00:47:24.07\00:47:27.01
my friend. You
don't understand that.
00:47:27.01\00:47:28.74
I'm going to have
to cut these tendrils.
00:47:28.74\00:47:30.51
This is going to
hurt. Snip, snip!"
00:47:30.51\00:47:32.58
"Ouch, ouch, ouch!"
"That's why I'm setting you free
00:47:32.58\00:47:35.72
to get the direction
going this way again.
00:47:35.72\00:47:38.35
It's not down, but it's up."
That's what she's saying right
00:47:38.35\00:47:41.86
here.
00:47:41.86\00:47:43.76
"They are to reach heavenward,
and find their support in God."
00:47:48.43\00:47:51.37
Number two, "The excessive
foliage that grows around the
00:47:51.37\00:47:54.07
cluster of grapes draws
away the life current" --
00:47:54.07\00:47:57.31
I put here "sap"
-- "from the fruit.
00:47:57.31\00:48:00.51
That all must be pruned off."
00:48:00.51\00:48:03.51
"It's just because it's
divergent. This is really not
00:48:03.68\00:48:06.55
what your life was made for. You
are diverted right now, sir. You
are investing yourself in
00:48:06.55\00:48:10.49
ways that you should not be
investing yourself,
professionally, personally,
00:48:10.49\00:48:14.26
socially, whatever. Madame, I'm
cutting these off. I'm cutting
00:48:14.26\00:48:18.79
your ties to this. This foliage
is sucking up sap that you need
for Me and My fruit."
00:48:18.79\00:48:25.30
Snap, cut."
"Ouch!" And number three.
00:48:25.30\00:48:30.11
"The gardener prunes away the
harmful growth, that the fruit
may be richer and more
00:48:36.04\00:48:41.75
abundant." We must trust the
Father, folks. We must trust the
00:48:41.75\00:48:46.79
Father. He's not taking the
suffering away. As long as we're
00:48:46.79\00:48:50.69
in this veil of tears, we will
suffer. It's okay. You'll
survive. "God, even though He
00:48:50.69\00:49:00.40
slays me -- I'm hanging on
to Him." Good for you. Good for
00:49:00.40\00:49:06.78
you, Job. "Even though He slays
me." "Trust me," He says. Now,
Andrew Murray, the great
00:49:06.78\00:49:14.08
South African divine of the 19th
century, in his book "Abiding in
00:49:14.08\00:49:17.65
Christ" -- By the way, you just
type in in Google "Andrew
Murray, 'Abiding in Christ,'"
00:49:17.65\00:49:21.49
the book, Jerry was just telling
me, Wasmer, was just telling me
this between services.
00:49:21.49\00:49:24.56
The book is all over the
Internet. You can get a PDF.
00:49:24.56\00:49:26.76
You can get an electronic copy.
You can get the book. You'll be
00:49:26.76\00:49:29.66
blessed. Andrew Murray, in his
book "Abiding in Christ" -- I
love the way he puts it.
00:49:29.66\00:49:33.07
Last quotation on the screen.
"Christian, pray for grace to
see in every trouble, small or
00:49:33.07\00:49:38.27
great, the Father's finger
pointing to Jesus and saying,
00:49:38.27\00:49:42.58
"Yo, yo, yo! Got your attention
now. Abide in Him!" Abide in
00:49:42.58\00:49:48.78
Jesus. "A believer may pass
through much affliction and yet
00:49:48.95\00:49:51.52
secure but little
blessing from it all."
00:49:51.52\00:49:53.62
My friends, let's not waste
a crisis. Have you just been
00:49:53.79\00:49:56.46
through a crisis? Don't
waste it. Don't waste a crisis.
00:49:56.46\00:49:59.36
If you just learn nothing from
this -- good night -- what's the
00:49:59.36\00:50:03.30
point? There's no pruning that
can -- The pruning's happening,
but you're not learning.
00:50:03.30\00:50:06.67
You're still -- You're still
-- You're anxious. You're teary.
00:50:06.67\00:50:10.94
You're pleading with God. God
says, "Listen, girl. "My peace I
00:50:10.94\00:50:21.48
leave with you; my peace I give
to you. Not as the world gives
00:50:21.48\00:50:25.39
do I give to you. Let not your
heart be troubled, neither let
it be afraid." "You trust me.
00:50:25.39\00:50:31.36
Just trust Me." And I love this
last line. "'Abiding in Christ'
00:50:31.53\00:50:35.46
is the secret of securing
all that the Father meant the
00:50:35.46\00:50:40.34
pruning to bring us." I'd
love to tell you I found a
00:50:40.34\00:50:44.11
way, folks, where we
don't have to suffer.
00:50:44.11\00:50:46.14
I'm sorry. On the
eve of His own brutal
00:50:46.14\00:50:50.58
slaying, Jesus said, "The Father
has pruning shears, and He wants
00:50:50.58\00:50:56.95
more fruit from your life.
He wants more fruit from you.
00:50:56.95\00:51:01.09
He wants more
fruit from you." "Chk!"
00:51:01.09\00:51:05.33
"Ouch!" Stay by Him.
00:51:05.33\00:51:10.07
You gotta have fruit.
It's the law of the vineyard.
00:51:10.07\00:51:14.80
"I'll grow that fruit" is the
promise of the gardener. "Do you
00:51:14.97\00:51:20.34
want to have that fruit?" is the
question of Jesus, and how
should we respond today?
00:51:20.34\00:51:24.81
I would like to suggest that we
pray together a simple prayer on
00:51:24.81\00:51:29.18
the screen. That's a gutsy
prayer. It'll take a little bit
of courage to pray it.
00:51:42.23\00:51:49.77
I just started praying it. But
there will be a peace that will
steal over you, because
00:51:49.77\00:51:57.61
you'll know, "No matter what
happens to me, I'm in the hollow
of his nail-scarred hand.
00:51:57.61\00:52:07.22
I'm connected to the Vine, and
nobody -- nobody -- can cut me
00:52:07.22\00:52:14.63
free." What's not to like
about that offer? "Prune me.
00:52:14.63\00:52:22.74
Prune me, oh, Father, so that
my life... might bring glory...
00:52:22.74\00:52:30.98
to You. Amen." >> Amen.
00:52:30.98\00:52:34.88
[ "Nearer, My
God, to Thee" begins ]
00:52:34.88\00:52:38.79
>> And so, Father, we mean that.
Even those woes... if they will
00:56:17.51\00:56:25.41
nudge us, if they will draw us
nearer to You... then prune us.
Hold us close while You do it.
00:56:25.41\00:56:33.86
We can't make it alone. We have
to have You. We have each other.
00:56:33.86\00:56:40.53
Keep our arms around one another
as, together, we head for the
heavenly Vineyard, and the Lord
00:56:40.53\00:56:48.24
of the Vineyard, in whose
name we pray, amen. >> Amen.
00:56:48.24\00:56:54.28
[ Organ plays ]
00:56:54.28\00:56:57.08
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00:57:42.09\00:57:46.43
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Thank you. And
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¤¤ ¤¤
00:58:00.34\00:58:20.36
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00:58:20.36\00:58:28.07