Sermon Title: Are you alive, or dead? Do you have the essence of the Vine?
4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you.
No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.
Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches.
If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. (John 15:4-6)
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
Every single human life survives, and thrives, only when connected to Jesus Christ – the giver, and source, of life.
Apart from Christ, we are already dead.
Christ is the Vine; and we are the branches – apart from Him, we perish. (Ref: John 3:16, 15:6, Revelation 20:11-15, 21:8)
In the divine scheme of Creation, the branch must share exactly the same essence as the vine – for both are parts of a single organism.
Just as the branches share the same essence as the Vine, the human life must share the same essence as Jesus Christ in order to live (survive), much more, live fruitfully (thrive) – as one with Him.
The Essence of Christ – our Lord and Saviour - must flow through our lives; and be the very substance of our existence.
The Apostle Paul speaks to the Essence of Christ – His divine substance – that must permeate in, and emanate from, the life of the true believer in Romans 8:9:
“You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you.
And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.
If the Spirit of Christ – the Holy Spirit – does not live in us, we do not belong to Christ -for we would not belong to the Vine.
The Holy Spirit must live in us; for He is the very substance of God that converts, transforms and restores us in His Holiness, to be His Holy Children. (Ref: Leviticus 11:44)
“Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”
“So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.” (Galatians 4:6-7)
In fact, our relationship to the Heavenly Father and to our Lord Jesus Christ is established entirely on the Holy Spirit – “the Spirit of his Son” – living in us; through whom we have been saved and set “free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2).
In life, never, ever, relegate the Holy Spirit to your peripheral, nor as an afterthought in your prayers; nor wickedly believe that He exists only as an appendix through which we frame our theology.
To know God is to know the Father, Son and Holy Spirit; to love God is to love the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Without the Holy Spirit, it is impossible for us to know the Heavenly Father; and impossible for us to receive His Salvation through Christ Jesus, our Vine,
Without the Holy Spirit, no human being would even live; nor experience His Supernatural Work of convicting us of our sins, leading us to repentance, and opening our hearts fully to His gift of eternal life through Christ Jesus, our Lord.
Without the Holy Spirit, we would have no faith, no hope, and no life.
To remain in Christ, His Spirit must remain in you.
Invite the Holy Spirit to be the essence, focus and substance of your life today.
Shalom.
Let us pray.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done; on earth, as it is in heaven.
Lord Jesus, I ask that You daily baptize me in Your Holy Spirit.
I long for Your Holy Presence to saturate my soul; and surround my life – that I may be daily convicted, saved, transformed and restored as a true child of the Most High God.
Make me holy, as You, my heavenly Father, is holy.
And grant that my very essence be that of my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
This is my desire, O Lord, that I remain in Your Son, now and forevermore.
I profess that my body is Your Temple.
Come and fill me, Holy Spirit; saturate me, make me holy; that Your Glory may emanate and shine through me!
I thank You and pray all these in the Name of our King, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you.
No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.
Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches.
If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. (John 15:4-6)
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
Every single human life survives, and thrives, only when connected to Jesus Christ – the giver, and source, of life.
Apart from Christ, we are already dead.
Christ is the Vine; and we are the branches – apart from Him, we perish. (Ref: John 3:16, 15:6, Revelation 20:11-15, 21:8)
In the divine scheme of Creation, the branch must share exactly the same essence as the vine – for both are parts of a single organism.
Just as the branches share the same essence as the Vine, the human life must share the same essence as Jesus Christ in order to live (survive), much more, live fruitfully (thrive) – as one with Him.
The Essence of Christ – our Lord and Saviour - must flow through our lives; and be the very substance of our existence.
The Apostle Paul speaks to the Essence of Christ – His divine substance – that must permeate in, and emanate from, the life of the true believer in Romans 8:9:
“You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you.
And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.
If the Spirit of Christ – the Holy Spirit – does not live in us, we do not belong to Christ -for we would not belong to the Vine.
The Holy Spirit must live in us; for He is the very substance of God that converts, transforms and restores us in His Holiness, to be His Holy Children. (Ref: Leviticus 11:44)
“Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”
“So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.” (Galatians 4:6-7)
In fact, our relationship to the Heavenly Father and to our Lord Jesus Christ is established entirely on the Holy Spirit – “the Spirit of his Son” – living in us; through whom we have been saved and set “free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2).
In life, never, ever, relegate the Holy Spirit to your peripheral, nor as an afterthought in your prayers; nor wickedly believe that He exists only as an appendix through which we frame our theology.
To know God is to know the Father, Son and Holy Spirit; to love God is to love the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Without the Holy Spirit, it is impossible for us to know the Heavenly Father; and impossible for us to receive His Salvation through Christ Jesus, our Vine,
Without the Holy Spirit, no human being would even live; nor experience His Supernatural Work of convicting us of our sins, leading us to repentance, and opening our hearts fully to His gift of eternal life through Christ Jesus, our Lord.
Without the Holy Spirit, we would have no faith, no hope, and no life.
To remain in Christ, His Spirit must remain in you.
Invite the Holy Spirit to be the essence, focus and substance of your life today.
Shalom.
Let us pray.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done; on earth, as it is in heaven.
Lord Jesus, I ask that You daily baptize me in Your Holy Spirit.
I long for Your Holy Presence to saturate my soul; and surround my life – that I may be daily convicted, saved, transformed and restored as a true child of the Most High God.
Make me holy, as You, my heavenly Father, is holy.
And grant that my very essence be that of my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
This is my desire, O Lord, that I remain in Your Son, now and forevermore.
I profess that my body is Your Temple.
Come and fill me, Holy Spirit; saturate me, make me holy; that Your Glory may emanate and shine through me!
I thank You and pray all these in the Name of our King, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.