The Word Made Plain

Guest (Male): Welcome to the word made playing with senior pastor Tony Clark of Calvary Chapel Newport News in Virginia. Currently, pastor Tony is teaching in the book of John. Please open your Bible to John chapter 15 verses 1 through 8.

Tony Clark: Turn with me in your Bibles to John chapter 15. We're going to be looking at verses 1 through 8. Well, I can't I couldn't wait to get to this message. Great message. Father, thank you so much for your precious word that you have given to us. And Lord, we pray that we will have ears to hear what your word is saying to us today. Lord, give us understanding. Help us to understand your heart, your will to us. And Lord, give us ears to hear your word in Jesus name. Amen. John 15, looking at verses 1 through 5, the title of this message is it's pruning time.

It's pruning time. Now, pruning is the process of selectively removing parts of a plant such as branches, buds, or roots. The purpose of pruning is to encourage healthy growth as well as good looks. For most shrubs and trees, it helps to prune at the right time. And and some are best pruned in winter, some right after flowering. However, when it comes to our spiritual lives, the question is is the pruning process the same? And I believe that Jesus will answer this question in these verses before us. Now, we left off in chapter 14 verse 31 with Jesus saying to his disciples, arise, let us go from here.

And they left the upper room on their way to the garden of Gethsemane. And as they were walking, Jesus used this time to teach them about the grape vine. Oh, let's listen in as Jesus is teaching this important lesson. Look what he says there in verse 1. I am the true vine, and my father is the vine dresser. I want to draw your attention to the first phrase, I am the true vine. Uh no doubt as they were passing by the temple, uh they see the golden vine engraved in the doors of the temple. And Jesus used this to teach them a lesson about himself.

Oh, the vine historically has been a sign of the nation of Israel according to Isaiah chapter 5 and Ezekiel chapter 19 and Psalm 80 just to name a few. And notice how Jesus says, I am the true vine. Oh, this is the seventh and final I am statement Jesus makes in the Gospel of John. Here he is saying, I am the true vine. Oh, that Greek word for true is alethinos, and it refers to that which is real as distinct from a type, uh perfect as distinct from imperfect, genuine rather than what is counterfeit. Oh, this same adjective is used by Jesus in John 6 verse 32 when he said that he was the true bread from heaven.

In other words, Jesus is saying that there will be people who will come on the scene claiming to connect people to God. And this is why he said that he was the true vine as opposed to those who will come who are false. And then the second part of verse 1, notice he says, my father is divine dresser. Vine dresser comes from the Greek word georgos and which is a general term for farmer or gardener. And as I was studying this, I was about to move on uh to the very next verse to get into chapter 2 because chapter 2 is a key verse, but the Lord wouldn't let me leave chap uh verse 1 yet.

He wouldn't let me leave this portion. I had to address this issue. And here it is. My question is can you like Jesus call God your father? Can you use the personal pronoun my father? Or is he just a big guy in the sky or the big man upstairs? Can you say what David said in Psalm 23 verse 1, the Lord is my shepherd? Oh, this is an important question for us to consider because when we use this personal pronoun my, it it has all kinds of implications. When we say that God the father is my vine dresser, then we are given him personal permission and authority to do his farming and to do his gardening duties in our lives.

Oh, this is why we have to search our hearts and say, can we use the personal pronoun my? He's my father. He's my vine dresser. If that's the case, if he is your vine dresser, then you giving him authority and permission to do his gardening in your life. Oh, this is this is what we have to look at. So, let's see in the following verses we're going to see what that gardening looks like that we're giving him permission. If he is your father and your vine dresser, we giving him permission to do his gardening in our lives, what does that look like?

Oh, that takes us to verse 2. It says, every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away. And every branch that bears fruit he prunes that it may bear more fruit. Now, Jesus says, every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away. What does that mean? What does it mean? I ask because if you have been a Christian for any length of time, you've heard messages on these verses that go something like this. If you aren't bearing fruit, if things aren't going well in your life, Jesus is just pruning you.

And the pruning process is a painful process. And the purpose of the cutting is so that you can bear more fruit. Oh, I've been around Christianity 30 plus years now, and I've heard many messages that went exactly like that. I don't know about you, but with this in mind, who wants to be pruned by the Lord? Who wants to go through this brutal cutting painful process? Oh, now don't get me wrong that there are times that we must go through crushing situations like the church of Smyrna did in Revelation 2 and verses 8 through 11.

But is this what this verse is talking about? I don't think so. Oh, watch this. This is this is good stuff. Watch this. I want to draw your attention to the phrase, he takes away. Every branch that does not bear fruit he takes away. I believe this phrase takes away needs our careful consideration. The Greek word for takes away is airo or aero. A a word that has three to four definitions that means number one, lifting up. Number two, raising up. Number three, pulling up. Oh, yes. The fourth definition in the Greek lexicon, it does say takes away.

But the three definitions before it gives it a clearer understanding of what this word really means. Airo is used in John 11 verse 41 where Jesus lifts up his eyes towards heaven. Or it's used again. Airo is used again in Luke 17 and verse 13 where the 10 lepers lifted up their voices to cry out to Jesus. So, the idea here is not takes away, but of lifting up. Now, the Greek word for prunes is a katharizo from which we get our English word catharsis, which refers to a cleansing process. Katharizo is used in John 13 verse 5 to describe when Jesus cleansed or washed his disciples' feet.

You remember when we were in chapter 13 we talked about how Jesus washed the disciples' feet. Katharizo is the word Greek word that is used. As a matter of fact, almost every reference in the New Testament where katharizo is used, it is translated cleansed and not pruned. Now, why did I go into all of this and spend so much time in this particular verse? It's because when you put it all together, it's a beautiful picture that Jesus is uh a painting for us in these verses. And the meaning of these verses doesn't scare us, but it comforts us.

Oh, please keep in mind the context. You remember in chapter 14 in verse 1 Jesus said, let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. So, the disciples' hearts were troubled. Why? Because in chapter 13 he told them he was about to leave them. So, their hearts were troubled. We spent the whole time in chapter 14 how God is the one who comforts our troubles heart our troubled heart. Okay, that's the context. So, that means that what he is saying in chapter 15 is should comfort us and not scare us.

So, what is Jesus saying? Jesus is saying this. Watch this. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit I lift up. And every branch that bears fruit, watch this, I cleanse that it might bring forth more fruit. See, in the vineyards it wasn't uncommon for branches to be so heavy with fruit that it sagged to the ground leaving the fruit vulnerable to dirt, to dust, and the mud from the rainy seasons. So, seeing the branch in the mud, watch this, the vine dresser will lift up the branch and wash the mud off of the fruit lovingly, carefully, and tenderly.

So, this is not a picture of the Lord chopping and cutting us up, but the Lord washing us off, lifting us up to cleanse us. Oh, how do I know this is the interpretation of this particular verse? Look at verse 3. For you already clean because of the word which I've spoken to you. Jesus said that you're already clean because of the word which I've spoken unto you. We know the Greek word for word is logos. It refers to his teachings, the teachings of the Lord. He didn't say you are bloody by the clippers I used to chop on you.

He didn't say that. No, we're clean by lifting us up when we're down and out, lifting us up when we are depressed. Jesus lifts us up when we're going through troublesome times, which is the context. And the instrument he uses to lift us up and washes us off is the word of God, the logos, his teaching. So, how is it that we bear more fruit? It's not by the Lord chopping and cutting on us. It's by us being in the word of God, studying, meditating, obeying the word. This is exactly what David said in Psalm 119 verse 9.

He says, how can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed or obeying the word of God. Oh, even though Apostle Paul picked up on this idea in Ephesians 5 26 when he says, washing her by the water of the word. And this refers to us as husbands washing our wives with the water of the word of God, the Bible. What Jesus is telling us today is so very important. He says, I am the true vine. You are the branches. And when you are downcast and dirty, Jesus is saying, I will come and pick you up and wash you off by the word the Bible.

I will do it when you daily read the word, when you come to church on Sundays and Wednesdays. So, whenever we place ourselves under the teaching of the word of God, a washing and cleansing takes place in our lives. This is what he is referring to. You're being washed and cleansed right now. Many you came here down and depressed. Many you came here dirty from the world. The Bible says, keep yourselves unspotted from the world meaning that the world seeks to put its spots on us to get us dirty. And as you chose to come here today, Jesus Christ is washing you, lifting you up and washing you with the water of his word.

Beautiful picture takes place, not a cutting chopping brutal bloody mess. No. He lifts us up and he washes us by the word of God. Look what he says there in verse 4. Abide in me and I in you as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. Oh, the central theme of these verses is found in the word abide. This verb is used 10 times in the first 11 verses of this chapter alone. Oh, the Greek word is meno, and it means to remain, to stay, or to abide.

And Jesus said, a branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine. In other words, we cannot bear fruit unless we stay close to remain or abide in Christ. If we don't, we will not see any fruit come forth from our lives. So, the next question we have to ask ourselves is what is fruit? Yeah, you bear fruit, bear much fruit, bear what what is fruit? We going to wake up next morning, we got an apple laying next to us, a a banana on our pillow. What what is fruit? What what how do we know whether we're bearing this kind of fruit?

Oh, the Bible lets us know. For you know takers in Romans 1 verse 13 as well as John 4 36, it says that winning lost souls to Christ is fruit. That is fruit. In Romans 6 22 it defines holiness as fruit. In Romans 15 verse 22 it calls financial giving fruit. So, whenever you give financially, that's fruit that's being added to your spiritual account. In Colossians 1 10 it says helping people out practically is fruit. Hebrews 13 15, when we worship God with the fruit of our lips, worship is fruit unto the Lord. And ultimately and most importantly, Galatians 5 22 says the fruit of the spirit is love.

That's agape love, God's love. It love that gives and expects nothing in return. It's a love that just keeps giving, keeps giving. It's a love that is unconditional love. It's what is defined as. So, when we are filled with God's love, watch this, we will be sharing our faith, giving financially, praising God in worship, doing good things for other people. We will be joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, long-suffering, and having and exercising self-control. Oh, these are the things that constitute fruit. So, the next question we have to ask ourselves is do we see this fruit in our lives?

Oh, this is the real test as to whether you are in Christ or whether you are growing in Christ. Are you bearing this kind of fruit in your life? Now, this is a this is a question we have to ask because many people use other ways by which they um measure their spirituality. This is how you measure it. Do you see this fruit? Are you more kind today than you were yesterday? Are you more patient with your spouse this year than you were last year? Are you exercising more self-control this month than you did last month?

Oh, see, we can easily measure ourselves by how many times we come to church oh two times, three times a month and whoa, we doing good if we did that. That's fine and dandy, but this is the real way you measure whether you're growing in the Lord or whether you're truly in Christ. Do you see this fruit in your life? Or does your family see this fruit in your life? You can easily deceive yourself. The Bible says, be doers of the word, not hearers only deceiving yourself. So, we can deceive ourselves. So, does other people see you being more patient, more kind?

See, that's how you know whether you're growing. Oh, you can easily snow us when you come here. You can easily well put put the mask on when you come here and and act holier than thou and all that kind of stuff. Oh, the the real test is when you get home. The real test is those at the job. Do they see these things in your life? That's the real acid test. Now, just in case you think that bearing this kind of fruit is totally left up to you, look at verse 5. I am the vine and you are the branches.

He who abides in me and I in him bears much fruit, for without me you can do nothing. In this verse Jesus summarizes what he said in verses 1 through 4. He is divine and we are the branches. If we abide in him and he in us, we will bear much fruit. I just want to know that you catch the progression in these verses. In verse 2 he says that we will bear fruit. At the end of verse 2 he said we will bear more fruit. Now, in verse 5 he is saying we shall bear much fruit.

There's a progression that's there meaning that there is a growth a maturation taking place. There's growth that's happening in our lives. We bear fruit, then we bear more fruit, then we bear much fruit. The more we are in Christ, the more fruit we should be bearing. It's what he is saying. And we bear much fruit by abiding in Christ. And when we become cut off or distant from the Lord, we will not bear fruit. Do you remember what happened to Peter? In Matthew 26 verse 58 it says that Peter followed the Lord at a distance.

Oh, he he can still see the Lord, you know. He see the Lord way up there. You know, but but it's at a distance no longer was he close to the Lord. We know what end up happening. He ended up denying that he even knew the Lord not once, not twice, but three times. And see, the same thing can be asked of us is how close are you to the Lord? Can you are you close enough to touching? Or is he somebody that that's way up there? Or do you just use God just to as a as a as a a cosmic Santa Claus in the sky, that someone to give you some gifts every now and then or a genie in a lamp that you rub and out pop God and say, what are your three wishes?

Or are you close to him where you can touch him? Like the woman with the issue of blood, she said if I can just get close enough to touch him, I know I shall be made well. And she touched him and was made well. How can you touch the Lord? Or is he somebody that's far away and you just way I still Is that Is that the Lord way up there? I still I I think I can see him. Is that you? Oh, when you follow the Lord at a distance, let me tell you something, you're going to end up denying that you even know him.

And I know you're going to protest, I will never do that. Isn't that what Peter said? Involved and not I. Don't forget you named me Rock. I'm I'm Rock, Peter. I'm the Rock of this group, this motley crew. I'm the strong one. And end up denying the Lord three times that he even knew him. Oh, don't think that can't happen to you. Oh, it sure can. If you follow the Lord at a distance, it definitely can happen to you. And this is why it is so important that we stay close to that we remain, that we abide in Christ.

Why? The last part of verse 5 says for without me you can do nothing. Oh, let us not lose sight of this particular fact. We can do nothing without Christ. We cannot bear fruit uh without him. We cannot pray, read, witness, worship, or give generously without Christ. Oh, the balance to this is Philippians 4 13 which says, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Oh, there's a God man relationship in our walk with Jesus Christ. He tells us to abide in him in verse 4, but without him we can do nothing in verse 5.

We see it in Philippians 4 13. I can do all things, but it's through Christ who strengthens me. There's a God man relationship that is in our relationship with the Lord. But what happens if we refuse to abide in Christ because the choice is ours? Choice is yours. If you choose to abide or not, what happens if we refuse to abide in Christ? So, is pruning time? Yes, it is. But I'm so thankful that the pruning process that takes place with trees and plants is not the same in our spiritual lives. When Jesus prunes us, he lifts us up and cleanses us.

And the instrument that he uses is his word. And so don't forget every time we expose ourselves to the teaching of the Bible personally and here at church, the word of God is cleansing us from the dirt and mud of this world. He lifts us up out of the mud of depression and out of the dirt of sin. Why? So, we can bear much fruit. Do you see God's fruit in your life? If not, then maybe you stopped abiding in Christ. Maybe you following the Lord at a distance. And this is the If this is the case, then you need to repent and come back to Jesus Christ.

He is waiting to lift you up and cleanse you from the dirt of sin. Question is will you come? The choice is yours. But what if we don't want to abide in Christ? If we choose not to abide, verse 6 says, if anyone does not abide in me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered. And they gather them and throw them into the fire and they are burned. What a powerful verse. I mean, this verse alone has caused many Bible scholars and teachers to have heartaches and sleepless nights. Just what does Jesus mean by if anyone does not abide in me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered?

And then he goes on to say that they will be gathered and thrown into the fire and they are burned. Is Jesus talking about a believer losing his salvation? Is he saying that if we don't abide, we will we will be thrown into the fires of hell and burned? No, just relax. He is not saying this at all. Keep in mind in order for you to correctly interpret the scriptures, the one thing you have to always remember is the context. Context, context, context.

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