Ron Lutz ~ John 15:1-17

Sermon Quotes

John 15:1-17
¹ “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. ² Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. ³ Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. ⁴ Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. ⁵ I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. ⁷ If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸ By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. ⁹ As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. ¹⁰ If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. ¹¹ These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

¹² “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. ¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command you. ¹⁵ No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. ¹⁶ You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. ¹⁷ These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

“What we are calling for is a rethinking of the Great Commission, to read it so as to see that it is defining the church in the most radical terms.  The missionary mandate is not simply… to send missionaries into the harvest field.  It certainly is that.  But the entire church is a ‘sent church,’ a commissioned body that is itself involved in the harvesting task.”
-Jack Miller

²¹ Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” ²² And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

“Jesus did not give a mission to his church; he formed a church for his mission.”
-Christopher Wright

This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

¹² “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. ¹³ Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.
-John 14:12-14

“Prayer is the coupling of primary and secondary causes.  It is the splicing of our limp wire to the lightning bolt of heaven.  How astonishing it is that God wills to do his work through people.  It is doubly astonishing that he ordains to fulfill his plans by being asked to do so by us.  God loves to bless his people.  But even more he loves to do it in answer to prayer.”
-John Piper

By shying away from suffering, by rejecting God’s will, you may be short-circuiting both your knowledge of God and your growth… Power is being unleashed in history, and it only works through those who deny self, take up their cross, and follow Christ.
-Jack Miller

¹¹ These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

O Lord, far be it from me to think that whatever joy I feel makes me truly happy. For there is a joy that is not given to those who do not love you, but only to those who love you for your own sake.  You yourself are their joy.  Happiness is to rejoice in you and for you and because of you.  This is true happiness and there is no other.
-Augustine

“Sing, O barren one, who did not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, you who have not been in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than the children of her who is married,” says the Lord.
-Isaiah 54:1