Are You Connected to the Vine?

June 23, 2023

Jesus says that being spiritually connected, it’s like being attached

to a vine. It’s interesting that Jesus, right before he goes to the

cross, he says this in John 14, 15, 16. He’s giving his last minute

instructions to the people following him. Of all the things he could

tell them, here’s what he says.

John 15:4 Remain

in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if

it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you

remain in me.

He’s saying you’re not going to have any fruitfulness, any

productivity in your life if you’re out there on your own. You’ve got to

stay connected.

Romans 8:16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit [that’s that connection. He joins himself to our spirit] to affirm that we are God’s children.

I’ve been a friend with Jesus Christ now for decades. Nothing could

sway me from that. Why? Because I have a connection. It’s not just about

what the Bible says. It’s not just about what happens in the church. I

have a connection to Christ. That connection is so real. 

I want you to have that kind of connection to God. It is the deepest

prayer of my heart as your pastor and as somebody who loves you that you

will have that connection that you go, “There’s no way I could not

believe in God. I’m connected to him all the time. I talk to him and he

speaks to me and I hear him. I hear his voice.”  He’s saying, “I want

you to be connected and I want you to be joined to me.”

ON PLANTS, a disconnected branch can’t BEAR FRUIT

You not only don’t have the support, you not only start to wither and

die, but you don’t have any productivity in your life if you’re not

spiritually connected. He says you’ve got to be connected to have fruit.

What kind of fruit?  

“The fruit of the Spirit is this love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.”  

I don’t know about you, but I’d like to have those nine things in my

life. I’d like to be more loving. I’d like to be more joyful. I’d like

to be more at peace no matter what happens to the economy. I’d like to

be more kind to people who are mean to me. He says that’s called the

fruit of the Spirit.

Here’s the point. The evidence that you are spiritually connected is

you see those nine things in your life. If you are not seeing yourself

grow in love and more joy and more peace and more patience and kindness

and more self control and more all these things, guess what? It means

you’re not spiritually connected. Because, he says, when you’re

connected you’re going to bear fruit.