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Experiencing God
In The Church
Pastor John Isaacs
Kingsway Community Church
June 12, 2011
³It¶s Like Being
Part of A Vine´
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Meaning of Church
Dictionary
1. A building used for
Christian worship.2. A religious service.
3. A Christian denomination.
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The Church Doesn¶t
Have A Name
Ekklesia (Greek)Translated church and
used 115 times in NewTestament.
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Meaning of Ekklesia
A Gathering of the
Called Out
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Metaphors Used To
Describe The Church
1. Body2. Bride
3. Army4.Vine
5. Sheep Fold6. Family
7. Temple
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Being Connected
To Gods People Is
Like Being Part of
A Vine
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Isaiah 5:1-21 Now I will sing for the one I lovea song about his vineyard: My
beloved had a vineyard on a richand fertile hill.2
He plowed the land, cleared itsstones, and planted it with the
best vines.
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In the middle he built a
watchtower and carved awinepress in the nearby rocks.
Then he waited for a harvest ofsweet grapes, but the grapes
that grew were bitter.
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Jeremiah 2:21But I was the one who plantedyou, choosing a vine of the
purest stockthe very best.How did you grow into this
corrupt wild vine?
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Ezekiel 19:10-1410 Your mother was like a vineplanted by the waters edge. It
had lush, green foliage becauseof the abundant water.11
Its branches became strong -strong enough to be a rulers
scepter. It grew very tall,
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towering above all others. It
stood out because of its heightand its many lush branches.12 B
ut the vine was uprooted infury and thrown down to the
ground. The desert wind dried up
its fruit and tore off its strongbranches, so that it withered and
was destroyed by fire.
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Hosea 10:1How prosperous Israel is a luxuriant vine loaded with fruit.
But the richer the people get, themore pagan altars they build.
The more bountiful their harvests, the more beautiful
their sacred pillars.
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Psalm 80:8-138 You brought us from Egypt likea grapevine; you drove away the
pagan nations and transplantedus into your land.9 Y
ou cleared the ground for us,and we took root and filled the
land.
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10 Our shade covered the
mountains; our branchescovered the mighty cedars.11
We spread our branches westto the Mediterranean Sea; our
shoots spread east to the
Euphrates River.12 But now, why have you broken
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down our walls so that all who
pass by may steal our fruit?13 The wild boar from the forest
devours it, and the wild animalsfeed on it.
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John 15:1-171 I am the true grapevine, and myFather is the gardener.
2 He cuts off every branch ofmine that doesnt produce fruit,
and he prunes the branches thatdo bear fruit so they will produce
even more.
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3 You have already been pruned
and purified by the message Ihave given you.4
Remain in me, and I will remainin you. For a branch cannot
produce fruit if it is severed from
the vine, and you cannot be
fruitful unless you remain in me.
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5 Yes, I am the vine; you are the
branches. Those who remain inme, and I in them, will produce
much fruit. For apart from meyou can do nothing.6 Anyone who does not remain in
me is thrown away like a useless
branch and withers. Such
branches are athered into a
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pile to be burned.
7 But if you remain in me and mywords remain in you, you may
ask for anything you want, and itwill be granted!8 When you produce much fruit,
you are my true disciples. This
brings great glory to my Father.
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9 I have loved you even as the
Father has loved me. Remain inmy love.10
When you obey mycommandments, you remain in
my love, just as I obey my
Fathers commandments and
remain in his love.
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11 I have told you these things so
that you will be filled with myjoy. Yes, your joy will overflow!12
This is my commandment: Loveeach other in the same way I
have loved you.13 There is no greater love than to
lay down ones life for ones
friends.
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14You are my friends if you do
what I command.15 I no longer call you slaves,
because a master doesntconfide in his slaves. Now you
are my friends, since I have told
you everything the Father told
me.
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16 You didnt choose me. I chose
you. I appointed you to go andproduce lasting fruit, so that the
Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.17 This is my command: Love each
other.
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The Vine Metaphor
Reveals «
1. Jesus is the True Vine
2. Father is Gardener
3. Believers are Branches4. Purpose is Fruit
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Four Degrees of
Fruit Bearing
1. No Fruit
John 15:2
He cuts off every branch of
mine that doesnt produce
fruit.
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Four Degrees of
Fruit Bearing
2. Bears Fruit
John 15:2
He prunes the branches that
do bear fruit.
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Four Degrees of
Fruit Bearing
3. Bears More Fruit
John 15:2
He prunes the branches that
do bear fruit so they will
produce even more fruit.
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Four Degrees of
Fruit Bearing
4. Bears Much Fruit
John 15:5
Those who remain in me,
and I in them, will produce
much fruit.
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Four Degrees of
Fruit Bearing
4. Bears Much Fruit
John 15:8
When you produce much fruit,
you are my true disciples. This
brings great glory to my Father.
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Four Degrees of
Fruit Bearing
1. No Fruit
2. Bears Fruit
3. Bears More Fruit4.Bears Much Fruit
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What Is The Fruit We
Are To Produce?
1. Numeric Growth?
2. New Converts?
3. Fruit of the Spirit?4. Agape Love
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What Is The Process To
Bearing Much Fruit?
1. Pruning?
2. Abiding
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John 15:4-54 Remain in me, and I will remainin you. For a branch cannot
produce fruit if it is severed fromthe vine, and you cannot be
fruitful unless you remain in me.5 Yes, I am the vine; you are the
branches. Those who remain in
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me, and I in them, will produce
much fruit. For apart from meyou can do nothing.
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What Does It Mean To
Abide In Jesus?
1. Active PartW e are to work at remaining
in Him. This is something we
do.
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What Does It Mean To
Abide In Jesus?
1. Active Part� Study The Bible
� Prayer
� Fellowship
� Obedience
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What Does It Mean To
Abide In Jesus?
2. Passive PartW e are to allow Him to
remain in us. This is
something He does.
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What Does It Mean To
Abide In Jesus?
2. Passive Part� Y ielded
� Submissive
� Surrendered
� Resting In Him