Success

Jesus has set the backdrop. God is the Master Vineyard Keeper. Jesus is the Vine. We are the branches. Authentic lives produce fruit. Fake lives get thrown out. Our lives must not only look good, but also taste good. There must be a tangible difference to our lives.

But how?

"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" (John 15:4)

How do we have an authentic, successful life in God's Kingdom?

Abide, reside, dwell, remain, make a permanent residence in Jesus.

Our temptation is to visit Jesus. Show up at his house. Drink coffee. Sit on his couch. Talk for a while. Leave. Live however you want.

Jesus calls us to make him your permanent home.

Then Jesus says that if we abide in him, he will abide in us. He will take up a permanent dwelling place with us. This is an amazing promise of Jesus. It is from this promise that our entire life flows.

For Jesus, everything flowed from dwelling with the Father and the Father dwelling with him. His Father's will was all that mattered. The only way for him to know God's will was to dwell in him. He did things that made no sense and it was because his relationship with the Father. For example, his ministry was going really well in one area. After a time of prayer with his Father, Jesus told his disciples it was time to move to another area. Man's wisdom would say, "Stay here, ride out the wave." Even his disciples gave him that advice. God said, "It's time to move." Jesus knew when to move because of dwelling in his Father (Mark 1:35-39).

This has to be the success we are chasing. The success of remaining in Christ. Where everyday we get up and have one job description on our mind, "Make my permanent residence in Christ today." Let our fruit flow out of that. This truth is designed to set us free. Our culture says it is all about success. To be somebody, we must produce. If we are not producing, we are not worthy. It isn't about being worthy or producing. Our success is dwelling with God himself.

Jesus says that if you're dwelling in him, fruit will naturally be produced. He even says it will be produced in abundance. But what happens when you are in the middle of a fruit drought? Doubts start to set in. You might think that you aren't a part of the Vine. The temptation is to struggle and fight to show your worth.

Let this be a freeing reminder. Jesus told us that there will be times of pruning.

What if you find yourself in the middle of a pruning time?

Lean into it. Remember that our success is found in taking up permanent residence in Jesus, not producing fruit. Every person who finds success in God's Kingdom will go through pruning. If you see someone going through a time of fruit production, ask them about their pruning. 9 out of 10 times, they will have a pruning story. Use their story to remind you that Jesus' promised a day where fruit would be abundant. Use that as motivation for perseverance. Get up everyday seeking to make your dwelling place with Jesus, not figuring out how you can produce fruit.

Because in the end, 15:5 tells us the importance of leaning into a time of pruning.

"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" (John 15:5).

A branches' success is only in staying on the vine. You will never see a branch lie on the ground ten feet from the vine and start sprouting grapes. Everything essential to the branch flows through the vine. The vine keeper makes the conditions right. The vine is the conduit by which all the nutrients for life flow. The branch sits there and produces fruit because of the relationship it has with the vine.

When we have success, we can start to think that we are the ones producing fruit. God in his infinite wisdom takes us through a time where the only thing we can do is remain in Jesus. It isn't until we see Jesus as our everything that we will remain in him. We may visit, but we won't remain.

We all can trade knowing Jesus for appearing to know him. Jesus was tempted to trade knowing God and his will for appearing to know God. Every one of us will have this same temptation. Living a fake life may fool everyone around us. It won't fool the Master Vineyard Keeper.

"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" (15:6)

Jesus keeps coming back to warn us of the temptation of appearing to know him, but not truly knowing him. No disciple, even Judas thought he was Jesus' betrayer. This reminder keeps us honest. Instead of assuming we are okay, we must take this into consideration. We have to wrestle with this reality. Some people look good and aren't. Is that me?

Imagine living each and every day with one job description. It isn't how much fruit you produce. It isn't if you are worthy to be with God. Our job description is simple. Permanently reside in Jesus. Through this, everything we need in life flows.

We are only a few days into our #N90T reading. What is God showing you through the life of Jesus?

John 1:1-15

A Visible Difference

God has given us opportunity, but what does opportunity have anything to do with success?

You could say that success is finding opportunities and taking advantage of them.

Or, more simply.

Success is seeing and seizing opportunities.

Okay, but what's the opportunity?

"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. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you" (John 15:2-3).

Do you see it? The opportunity is to be a branch on the Vine in the vineyard of the Master Vineyard Keeper.

Okay, so, unless you live around a vineyard, maybe that isn't so appealing.

Let me put it another way.

We can have a life where everything we need for growth is given through a perfect conduit. On top of that, we are taken care of by Someone who creates the perfect conditions and knows exactly what they're doing.

But first, we do have to look at a reality of a vineyard. There are branches who do not produce fruit. These branches get cut off from the vine. In today's world, success is such a god that if we can do anything to achieve. You see this all the time in sports. Steroids in baseball (okay, more than baseball, but they got most of the headlines). Firing coaches because they don't win immediately. You see this in schools. The pressure to succeed is so great that course work is piled on. In business, if results are not found immediately, heads will roll.

We expect this from our culture, but to see Jesus himself saying that we will be cut off if we don't produce, well, it may be a little hard to handle. Just remember the backdrop to the illustration. God is the Master Vineyard Keeper. He created an environment growth should have been easy. In the past, the people did not take the opportunity presented to them and they ended up looking good on the outside, but the inside was sour. Branches that get cut off are those that look good. They look like they should produce fruit, but they don't.

The disciples saw this in action one day. Jesus went up to a fig tree that looked like it should have figs. He was hungry and wanted figs. The fig tree had no figs. He cursed the fig tree. The next day, when they walked passed the fig tree, the disciples were amazed that the fig tree was all withered. What is this about? Is Jesus just a hungry, cranky man? No. He had just dealt with the Pharisees. People who tried hard to look good on the outside, but were in reality fruitless. Then he met this poor fig tree that had the same problem. Looked good on the outside, but fruitless in reality. I'm sure he would have loved to do that same thing to the Pharisees, but the fig tree got it instead (Matthew 21:18-22; Mark 11:12-14, 20-25).

People who get cut off think they are fine because of their blood line, heritage, upbringing, church background, ministry or the prayer they prayed. It is all about what they do. Them sitting there and looking pretty is their job description. The religious leaders of Jesus' day is the prime example of this. Also, Judas is a good example too. He looked good--followed Jesus around for three years. He had an important job--kept Jesus' money. And he could make things look spiritual--he suggested money should be given to the poor. In the end, the inside was sour and he betrayed Jesus.

On the other hand, we have people who do produce fruit. These people are authentic. The disciples are examples of this type of life. But notice where Jesus decides to put his focus. He says that because they produce fruit they will be pruned. The disciples' lives were about ready to go through a pruning. They had found early fruit, but things were getting difficult. In a matter of hours, they would all run away and one would outright deny that he knew Jesus.

Pruning is cleansing to a vine. It gets rid of the stuff that gets in the way of producing fruit. The same with spiritual pruning. It is the words of Jesus that prunes or cleanses us. When we compare ourselves to his words, we find ourselves lacking and in need of spiritual surgery. The Christian life is not always an upward trending life. It has dips, valleys, even CLIFFS! There will be serious set backs. In fact, when you are a branch, pruning feels like being cut off.

Pruning is hard for a vine. I've been through a recent pruning process. God is removing the stuff that gets in the way of fruit production. It has been a long process. It has been a hard process. It has been a necessary process. I know that one day, fruit will again be produced. It will be produced in a greater amount than before.

How do you know if you're being pruned or cut off? We will look at more ways to tell, but the first, easiest way...is there any glimmer of fruit in your life?

Jesus wants to make it clear that the conditions are perfect. Jesus wants his disciples to be left wondering, "How do we not end up being fake? How do we take the opportunity and be authentic? We don't want to be like those who claim to know God, but don't. We want it all to make a visible difference in our lives."

How about you? Do you want success in God's Kingdom? Do you want your life to have a visible difference?

We are starting our #N90T reading this week. It is not too late to join in!

John 1:1-15

Opportunities

Imagine you have just sat down with your spouse. The kids are in bed. You worked hard all day. Putting your feet up and sipping your favorite late night beverage (mine is coffee) is relaxing. A big bunch of grapes were bought today at the store. Pandora, with your favorite soothing channel, is playing in the background. You grab the first plump, perfect grape. Pop it into your mouth.

Then...

Your lips pucker. Not because you're going to kiss your spouse, but that perfect looking grape was completely rotten and sour. The fruit looked good, but it was really worthless.

This is the image God uses often in the Old Testament for his people, Israel. He planted them in a land. He cleared away everything that would choke them out. He made everything perfect for them to flourish. Instead of flourishing, they withered. He was the Master Vineyard Keeper. He cared for the vines. He gave them the perfect conditions for success. They failed to take advantage of what God gave to them.

Fast forward to Jesus' day. Jesus used the image of a vine and vineyard a lot. Including the last time he was with his disciples. He and his disciples had just ate the Last Supper. Judas was dismissed to go betray Jesus. Jesus and the other 11 disciples left the room to go to the Garden where Jesus would be arrested. While on the way, Jesus took the opportunity to give one last teaching to them. This was the most important stuff. The stuff they had to understand.

Right at the climax of this teaching (John 13-17) is John 15, Jesus' Parable of the Vine. He starts off saying, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser" (15:1). He ties himself and his Father to the Old Testament image of vineyard. The Father still is the Master Vineyard Keeper. Instead of planting a nation, the Father planted a Person. The Father planted his Son, Jesus, as the Vine. The conditions are perfect. The Vine is perfect. The opportunity is great. What would they do with the opportunity?

Jesus wanted the disciples to learn from their forefathers. He wanted them to learn from those who looked good, but are really sour on the inside. Not only were these people in history, but they were making history by getting ready to arrest Jesus. He had already told these fakers they were missing the opportunity of a lifetime by telling a different parable about a vineyard (Matthew 21:33-46). In this story, a man created a great vineyard. He then sent messengers to tell the people who were supposed to recognize great opportunities when they see it. Instead of seeing the opportunity, they seized the messengers. All of them. Beat them. Killed them. Including the vineyard owner's son. The fakers got it. They got mad.

God has given us an opportunity. He has a vineyard. The conditions are perfect. The Vine that he has planted is perfect. Will we take the opportunity? John 15 is about finding and taking the opportunity.

We are starting our #N90T reading this week. It is not too late to join in!

John 1:1-15

Week Recap

Jesus As King

A King For All

Religion or a King?

A King For the Powerful

Four Stories. One Outcome.

Jesus, before birth, as a newborn, and as a toddler was seen as King.

What kind of king do you have for your life?

Four Stories. One Outcome

(download)

4 different types of people worshiped the baby Jesus as King.

Elizabeth, Zechariah and John the Baptist. Ministers and people who were well respected in society. They had everything they need and a good life. Things were so good, they wouldn't need a King.
Shepherds. The low people on the totem pole. Dirty, smelly, homeless, religiously unclean. These were the first people God told about his own birth (outside of Mary's family). The shepherds would be seen as impossible as people that God would allow to worship him.
Simeon and Anna. Very devout people. Filled with and led by the Holy Spirit. Maybe even seen as religious weirdos. People who were so religious that they wouldn't need a king.
Wise Men. These men were brillant, rich and commonly held court with kings (they got immediate access to Herod). These men were also Gentiles, so Jews would find it difficult that these guys would be allowed by God to worship him. These men certainly were too high up to want to worship and too far away to get the chance to.

4 different people. 4 different stories. One outcome. Worship.

Read the birth of Jesus this week in Matthew 1-2 and Luke 1-2.

This week's focal passages: Matthew 2:1-12; Luke 1:39-45; 2:8-21; 2:22-38

"Joy to the World" by Derrick Henslee. Produced by LifeChurch.tv.

A King For the Powerful

(download)

This one really had to happen in one take...so I hope it turns out okay!

Jesus was a toddler when the Magi or Wise Men showed up at their house (yes, despite what your expensive nativity set depicts!). Imagine this enterage of men who are used to keeping court with kings, wearing an amazing array of regalia, showing up at a common house to worship what everyone thought to be just an ordinary toddler inside an ordianary home.

Everyone needs a King...even those who have everything and knows everyone. We need someone who knows more than us guiding us. We need the Giver of Life to give us Life. We need the All-Powerful to give us Power. If you are someone who thinks they have everything they need in life, what happens when it all runs out?

Read the birth of Jesus this week in Matthew 1-2 and Luke 1-2.

This week's focal passages: Matthew 2:1-12; Luke 1:39-45; 2:8-21; 2:22-38

"Joy to the World" by Derrick Henslee. Produced by LifeChurch.tv.

Religion or a King?

(download)

When Jesus' parents took him into the temple to dedicate him to the Lord, two people, well advanced in years, said amazing things about his life and ministry. They were very religious and devout. They had lived full lives. But they saw they needed a King.

We can be good a playing religious games. It can be intentional--we want to fool people. Or it can be unintentional--we think God wants us to jump through hoops. These two people were led by the Holy Spirit. To them, it wasn't about doing religion. It was about knowing God. When they knew God, they knew Jesus as King.

Read the birth of Jesus this week in Matthew 1-2 and Luke 1-2.

This week's focal passages: Matthew 2:1-12; Luke 1:39-45; 2:8-21; 2:22-38

"Joy to the World" by Derrick Henslee. Produced by LifeChurch.tv.

A King For All

(download)

The shepherds were first on the scene after Jesus was born. God sent his angels to announce to them first. These lowest on the totem pole people. These people who smelled like sheep. These people who were practically homeless. They were the first ones to see Jesus and worship him after he was born.

They brought no gifts, just themselves.

To those of us who wonder if God could ever accept our worship, the story of the shepherds show us that his Son is for all people.

Read the birth of Jesus this week in Matthew 1-2 and Luke 1-2.

This week's focal passages: Matthew 2:1-12; Luke 1:39-45; 2:8-21; 2:22-38

"Joy to the World" by Derrick Henslee. Produced by LifeChurch.tv.