WEBVTT 00:00:02.319 --> 00:00:05.700 Would you please stand as we read the Word of 00:00:05.700 --> 00:00:08.640 God? This is coming from John chapter 15, verses 00:00:08.640 --> 00:00:13.179 1 through 11. John chapter 15, verses 1 through 00:00:13.179 --> 00:00:18.859 11. I am the true vine, and my Father is the 00:00:18.859 --> 00:00:22.980 vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not 00:00:22.980 --> 00:00:26.280 bear fruit, he takes away. And every branch that 00:00:26.280 --> 00:00:29.760 does bear fruit, he prunes, that it may bear 00:00:29.760 --> 00:00:34.380 more fruit. Already you are clean because of 00:00:34.380 --> 00:00:42.740 the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in 00:00:42.740 --> 00:00:46.100 me and I in you, as the branch cannot bear fruit 00:00:46.100 --> 00:00:49.640 by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither 00:00:49.640 --> 00:00:55.340 can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, 00:00:55.520 --> 00:00:58.539 you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and 00:00:58.539 --> 00:01:02.380 I in him, he it is that bears much fruit. for 00:01:02.380 --> 00:01:06.980 apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does 00:01:06.980 --> 00:01:10.140 not abide in me, he is thrown away like a branch 00:01:10.140 --> 00:01:13.519 and withers, and the branches are gathered, thrown 00:01:13.519 --> 00:01:18.140 into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, 00:01:18.319 --> 00:01:22.659 my words abide in you. Ask whatever you wish, 00:01:22.780 --> 00:01:28.090 and it will be done for you. By this, My father 00:01:28.090 --> 00:01:30.730 is glorified that you bear much fruit and so 00:01:30.730 --> 00:01:35.010 prove to be my disciples. As the father has loved 00:01:35.010 --> 00:01:40.469 me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If 00:01:40.469 --> 00:01:43.390 you keep my commandments, you will abide in my 00:01:43.390 --> 00:01:46.150 love, just as I have kept my father's commandments 00:01:46.150 --> 00:01:50.049 and abide in his love. These things I have spoken 00:01:50.049 --> 00:01:54.329 to you that my joy may be in you and that your 00:01:54.329 --> 00:01:57.319 joy may be full. This is the word of the Lord. 00:01:57.560 --> 00:02:09.800 Thanks be to God. You may be seated. So I could 00:02:09.800 --> 00:02:12.300 hear the disciples talking amongst themselves, 00:02:12.479 --> 00:02:18.199 saying, that triumphal entry really triggered 00:02:18.199 --> 00:02:22.819 something in Jesus. It's almost as if as soon 00:02:22.819 --> 00:02:26.639 as he entered Jerusalem, Jesus was different. 00:02:28.539 --> 00:02:32.900 He's even doing some strange things. First, after 00:02:32.900 --> 00:02:37.379 raising Lazarus from the dead, Jesus' Lazarus 00:02:37.379 --> 00:02:41.620 entourage, they meet him in Jerusalem with palm 00:02:41.620 --> 00:02:44.620 branches and they're giving him a kingly entrance. 00:02:45.500 --> 00:02:50.139 Then instead of hopping on top of a horse as 00:02:50.139 --> 00:02:54.719 a sign of a conquering king, Jesus... The one 00:02:54.719 --> 00:02:58.280 whom all things are made chose to make his way 00:02:58.280 --> 00:03:05.819 through Jerusalem sitting on a baby donkey. The 00:03:05.819 --> 00:03:10.219 optics aren't good, Jesus. Then Jesus is once 00:03:10.219 --> 00:03:17.780 again talking about his soon -to -be death. How 00:03:17.780 --> 00:03:21.840 he has to be lifted up in order to cast out the 00:03:21.840 --> 00:03:26.159 ruler of this world. The crowds who sought to 00:03:26.159 --> 00:03:29.500 crown King Jesus even recognized that Jesus' 00:03:29.699 --> 00:03:32.659 death statements were off because they knew from 00:03:32.659 --> 00:03:37.139 the law that the Christ remains forever. How 00:03:37.139 --> 00:03:41.460 can you, Jesus, say that the Son of Man must 00:03:41.460 --> 00:03:45.259 be lifted up? See, this statement, along with 00:03:45.259 --> 00:03:48.560 the miracles that Jesus performed, really divided, 00:03:48.599 --> 00:03:53.120 well, actually confused his audience. His mission 00:03:53.120 --> 00:03:56.419 is not just to save Israel from the Romans, but 00:03:56.419 --> 00:04:00.939 to save the whole world? And all this happened 00:04:00.939 --> 00:04:04.479 in chapter 12. And I dare not speak of what happened 00:04:04.479 --> 00:04:08.780 in chapter 13. Well, I already started, so I 00:04:08.780 --> 00:04:12.520 guess I might as well. See, Jesus continued to 00:04:12.520 --> 00:04:16.339 go on and on about his hour having come, which, 00:04:16.420 --> 00:04:19.120 as he stated earlier, had something to do about 00:04:19.120 --> 00:04:24.839 his soon -to -be death. Then, at the Passover 00:04:24.839 --> 00:04:28.120 dinner party, Jesus does something else unbecoming 00:04:28.120 --> 00:04:32.699 of a king. Jesus subjects himself to a foot -washing, 00:04:32.699 --> 00:04:36.600 door -tended slave and claims that if he doesn't 00:04:36.600 --> 00:04:39.879 wash his disciples' feet, that they will have 00:04:39.879 --> 00:04:44.180 no share with him when he comes into his kingdom. 00:04:45.839 --> 00:04:49.560 Also at the party, in some... random act of clairvoyance, 00:04:49.639 --> 00:04:51.920 he predicts not only that one of his disciples 00:04:51.920 --> 00:04:55.339 will betray him, but he openly identifies the 00:04:55.339 --> 00:05:00.279 disciple who would do it. He also predicts that 00:05:00.279 --> 00:05:03.519 another one of his disciples will deny him before 00:05:03.519 --> 00:05:07.360 men. In chapter 14, Jesus first stated that he 00:05:07.360 --> 00:05:10.740 was the way, the truth, and the life, and that 00:05:10.740 --> 00:05:12.980 no one comes to the Father except through him. 00:05:13.930 --> 00:05:16.509 Now when one of his disciples longing to see 00:05:16.509 --> 00:05:19.569 the Father asks Jesus to show him the Father, 00:05:19.769 --> 00:05:23.209 then Jesus in some mysterious and confusing way 00:05:23.209 --> 00:05:28.629 said that the Father was in him and that he was 00:05:28.629 --> 00:05:32.389 in the Father? Now the only thing that he said 00:05:32.389 --> 00:05:35.250 that made sense was the new commandment that 00:05:35.250 --> 00:05:37.970 he issued for his disciples to love one another 00:05:37.970 --> 00:05:43.389 just as Jesus had loved them. But even this was 00:05:43.389 --> 00:05:47.610 perplexing because just what was special about 00:05:47.610 --> 00:05:52.470 Jesus' love for his disciples? Or what was the 00:05:52.470 --> 00:05:55.790 nature of the connection that Jesus has with 00:05:55.790 --> 00:05:59.850 God the Father? Or this promised Holy Spirit 00:05:59.850 --> 00:06:03.430 whom the world cannot receive because it neither 00:06:03.430 --> 00:06:08.990 knows him or sees him? Now John... chapter 15 00:06:08.990 --> 00:06:11.529 verses 1 through 11 should help clarify these 00:06:11.529 --> 00:06:14.970 questions and jesus's overall behavior during 00:06:14.970 --> 00:06:19.129 this also special stretch of jesus's time during 00:06:19.129 --> 00:06:23.970 holy week now in these verses jesus in his seventh 00:06:23.970 --> 00:06:28.649 of seven i am statements shows us four aspects 00:06:28.649 --> 00:06:34.009 of him being the true vine and they are the vines 00:06:34.009 --> 00:06:39.529 vine dresser the vine's vitality, the vine's 00:06:39.529 --> 00:06:45.370 victory, and the vine's vicarious love. Now, 00:06:45.389 --> 00:06:49.730 these four aspects of Jesus as our true vine, 00:06:49.889 --> 00:06:56.089 they compel us by faith to call him your sweet 00:06:56.089 --> 00:06:59.970 vine of mine. It's the title of my sermon today, 00:07:00.230 --> 00:07:06.769 Sweet Vine of Mine. Let's look at the vine's 00:07:06.769 --> 00:07:10.970 vine dresser in verses 1 through 3. Now, God 00:07:10.970 --> 00:07:14.649 the Father's inextricable connection with Jesus 00:07:14.649 --> 00:07:19.209 the Son begins to come into focus with the Father's 00:07:19.209 --> 00:07:23.350 role as the vine dresser to Jesus' vine. In verse 00:07:23.350 --> 00:07:27.430 1, Jesus stated, I am the true vine, and my Father 00:07:27.430 --> 00:07:30.480 is the vine dresser. Now, by calling himself 00:07:30.480 --> 00:07:33.720 the true vine, Jesus wasn't saying anything new 00:07:33.720 --> 00:07:36.620 that the apostle John hadn't already said about 00:07:36.620 --> 00:07:43.620 him in chapter 1. In chapter 1, John said that 00:07:43.620 --> 00:07:47.199 in Jesus was life and the life was the light 00:07:47.199 --> 00:07:51.160 of men. See, Jesus' disciples would have recognized 00:07:51.160 --> 00:07:55.319 the agricultural importance of a vine and its 00:07:55.319 --> 00:07:58.480 ability to impart sustaining life and produce 00:07:58.480 --> 00:08:03.439 fruit through branches that it spawned. Now, 00:08:03.439 --> 00:08:07.579 Jesus stated that it wasn't just a vine nor the 00:08:07.579 --> 00:08:13.459 vine, but the true vine. Now, in the phrase the 00:08:13.459 --> 00:08:17.639 true vine, the adjective true is meant to modify 00:08:17.639 --> 00:08:22.279 the noun vine. Jesus is speaking primarily to 00:08:22.279 --> 00:08:25.560 the vine's quality of being the opposite of what 00:08:25.560 --> 00:08:30.600 is fictitious, counterfeit, imaginary, simulated, 00:08:30.779 --> 00:08:35.779 or pretended. Meaning Jesus, like a vine, is 00:08:35.779 --> 00:08:40.019 teeming with life -giving power that sustains 00:08:40.019 --> 00:08:44.639 all that came forth from him, or as we'll see 00:08:44.639 --> 00:08:48.159 later on, that which would by faith attach itself 00:08:48.159 --> 00:08:53.019 to him. Now Jesus says, God the Father is so 00:08:53.019 --> 00:08:56.799 intimately connected to him, the true vine, that 00:08:56.799 --> 00:09:00.360 the Father, in conjunction with the sun, not 00:09:00.360 --> 00:09:04.500 only sustains the branches, but he also preserves 00:09:04.500 --> 00:09:08.240 the vine from supplying its precious life -giving 00:09:08.240 --> 00:09:14.580 power to non -producing branches. Now, as any 00:09:14.580 --> 00:09:18.519 farmer in Jesus' time would know, the vinedresser's 00:09:18.519 --> 00:09:21.480 careful attention to an observation of the vine 00:09:21.480 --> 00:09:26.360 was pivotal to the vine's life -producing capabilities. 00:09:27.440 --> 00:09:30.559 I know we have farmers in our midst, so I want 00:09:30.559 --> 00:09:35.399 to be careful about what I'm saying. Now, Andrew 00:09:35.399 --> 00:09:39.200 Murray, he said that the chief care of the vine 00:09:39.200 --> 00:09:44.559 dresser is the pruning. The pruning is a cleansing 00:09:44.559 --> 00:09:49.159 for the vine. Now, in verse 2, Jesus mentions 00:09:49.159 --> 00:09:53.860 two types of branches in him. One type is a branch 00:09:53.860 --> 00:09:57.940 that does not bear fruit. And the other type 00:09:57.940 --> 00:10:02.440 is a branch that does bear fruit. Now the father 00:10:02.440 --> 00:10:04.919 takes away the non -fruit producing branches 00:10:04.919 --> 00:10:08.740 and he prunes the fruit producing branches that 00:10:08.740 --> 00:10:12.720 they may bear more fruit. Sort of like our liturgy 00:10:12.720 --> 00:10:16.879 just said. Now the pruning process, as Murray 00:10:16.879 --> 00:10:21.539 put it, is not the removal of weeds or thorns 00:10:21.539 --> 00:10:25.179 or things. from without that may hinder the growth 00:10:25.179 --> 00:10:27.820 of the vine it's the cutting off of the long 00:10:27.820 --> 00:10:31.299 shoots of the previous year the removal of something 00:10:31.299 --> 00:10:34.960 that comes from within the vine that has been 00:10:34.960 --> 00:10:39.960 produced by the life of the vine itself we're 00:10:39.960 --> 00:10:42.779 talking about cutting healthy fruit producing 00:10:42.779 --> 00:10:46.620 branches sometimes eight and ten feet long leaving 00:10:46.620 --> 00:10:51.120 just one to two inches coming from the wood which 00:10:51.120 --> 00:10:56.990 is enough to bear The grapes. Here's a real -life 00:10:56.990 --> 00:11:01.009 example of the two types of branches. Judas and 00:11:01.009 --> 00:11:07.590 Peter. See, Jesus, the true vine, he hand -picked 00:11:07.590 --> 00:11:14.889 both Judas and Peter. Judas betrayed Jesus for 00:11:14.889 --> 00:11:21.419 30 shekels. Peter denied Jesus three times. Judas 00:11:21.419 --> 00:11:24.539 was not bearing good fruit at the time of his 00:11:24.539 --> 00:11:27.759 betrayal, and Peter was not bearing good fruit 00:11:27.759 --> 00:11:31.480 at the time of his denial. So what's the difference 00:11:31.480 --> 00:11:36.259 between these two men? In John 13, Jesus, after 00:11:36.259 --> 00:11:39.840 Satan had entered into Judas, told Judas, what 00:11:39.840 --> 00:11:45.519 you are going to do, do it quickly. In Luke 22, 00:11:45.799 --> 00:11:49.580 Jesus told Peter, but I have prayed for you. 00:11:51.720 --> 00:11:55.779 that your faith may not fail, and when you have 00:11:55.779 --> 00:12:00.019 turned again, strengthen your brothers. In other 00:12:00.019 --> 00:12:04.519 words, the vinedresser took away Judas and pruned 00:12:04.519 --> 00:12:10.159 Peter. Well, what does the vinedresser use as 00:12:10.159 --> 00:12:13.980 his pruning tool to cleanse the true vine? Now, 00:12:14.039 --> 00:12:18.580 intuitively, we would think it's primarily affliction 00:12:18.580 --> 00:12:23.450 and adversity. But in verse 3, Jesus says, already 00:12:23.450 --> 00:12:27.610 you are clean because of the word I have spoken 00:12:27.610 --> 00:12:31.649 to you. See, the vine dresser's pruning shears 00:12:31.649 --> 00:12:36.049 and his loppers are his word. For the word of 00:12:36.049 --> 00:12:39.850 God is living and active, sharper than any two 00:12:39.850 --> 00:12:42.889 -edged sword, piercing to the division of soul 00:12:42.889 --> 00:12:47.269 and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning 00:12:47.269 --> 00:12:53.259 the thoughts and intentions. of the heart. And 00:12:53.259 --> 00:12:56.860 when the word of God makes contact with our hearts, 00:12:56.940 --> 00:13:01.279 it either accuses or excuses our consciences. 00:13:01.960 --> 00:13:05.419 So it's only appropriate that Jesus only said 00:13:05.419 --> 00:13:08.279 what his father, the vinedresser, told him to 00:13:08.279 --> 00:13:16.580 say to reveal what type of branches we are. In 00:13:16.580 --> 00:13:20.679 John 12, Jesus said, The one who rejects me and 00:13:20.679 --> 00:13:25.940 does not receive my word has a judge. The word 00:13:25.940 --> 00:13:30.360 I have spoken will judge him on the last day. 00:13:30.600 --> 00:13:34.240 For I have not spoken on my own authority, but 00:13:34.240 --> 00:13:37.860 the Father who has sent me, he has given me a 00:13:37.860 --> 00:13:43.259 commandment what to say and what to speak. It's 00:13:43.259 --> 00:13:47.720 as if Jesus' words are the vine dresser's pruning 00:13:47.720 --> 00:13:52.279 and cleansing tools. See, affliction or adversity 00:13:52.279 --> 00:13:57.500 are merely the means by which the word comes 00:13:57.500 --> 00:14:02.919 to life for us. See, if the word of the gospel 00:14:02.919 --> 00:14:05.960 has no effect on your life, then there is no 00:14:05.960 --> 00:14:09.399 level of affliction or adversity that will bring 00:14:09.399 --> 00:14:13.720 you to saving faith in Jesus Christ. You're just 00:14:13.720 --> 00:14:16.639 going to simply find yourself taking lap after 00:14:16.639 --> 00:14:20.759 lap on the track of hard times, never bearing 00:14:20.759 --> 00:14:25.179 the fruit that you were intended to bear. You, 00:14:25.259 --> 00:14:27.820 my friend, are a branch that the vinedresser 00:14:27.820 --> 00:14:31.840 will take away. However, when you're faced with 00:14:31.840 --> 00:14:35.340 affliction or adversity and the word of the gospel 00:14:35.340 --> 00:14:38.860 penetrates through the coarse cracks of your 00:14:38.860 --> 00:14:41.990 crusty heart, Then the supernatural response 00:14:41.990 --> 00:14:46.129 is a person who finally has a sense of their 00:14:46.129 --> 00:14:50.210 sin and the mercy of God in Christ. And with 00:14:50.210 --> 00:14:53.710 grief and hatred, they turn from their sin and 00:14:53.710 --> 00:14:56.970 they turn to Christ with the full purpose of 00:14:56.970 --> 00:15:03.370 an endeavor after new obedience. If this is you, 00:15:03.610 --> 00:15:06.509 then you, my brother or sister, are a branch 00:15:06.509 --> 00:15:12.399 that the vine dresser is pruning. Now this time 00:15:12.399 --> 00:15:15.960 of pruning, it's good for you because of the 00:15:15.960 --> 00:15:19.940 true vine's vitality that continually supplies 00:15:19.940 --> 00:15:24.220 you with what you need to continue producing 00:15:24.220 --> 00:15:27.759 the fruit. And that's what verses 4 to 6 say 00:15:27.759 --> 00:15:31.960 in regards to my second point, the vine's vitality. 00:15:32.519 --> 00:15:35.559 Now, particularly in verse 4, Jesus showed the 00:15:35.559 --> 00:15:38.299 importance of the continual life -giving power 00:15:38.299 --> 00:15:42.539 of the vine by commanding his disciples to abide 00:15:42.539 --> 00:15:51.379 in me and I in you. Now, by abide, Jesus means 00:15:51.379 --> 00:15:55.460 to stay, and this is in a given place, a state, 00:15:55.600 --> 00:16:00.000 a relation. or expectancy. It also means to continue, 00:16:00.220 --> 00:16:05.279 to dwell, to endure, to be present, to stand, 00:16:05.279 --> 00:16:09.720 and to tarry. More importantly, it means to remain 00:16:09.720 --> 00:16:15.899 as you are, to not become another, or to not 00:16:15.899 --> 00:16:29.750 become different. Abide in Christ. Or die. Now 00:16:29.750 --> 00:16:32.789 after the command, Jesus further illustrated 00:16:32.789 --> 00:16:36.009 the importance of abiding in him in verse 4 with 00:16:36.009 --> 00:16:40.409 an agricultural reality. As the branch cannot 00:16:40.409 --> 00:16:44.370 bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the 00:16:44.370 --> 00:16:48.690 vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. 00:16:50.389 --> 00:16:57.009 Abide in Christ or die. And just when you thought 00:16:57.009 --> 00:17:00.409 the command and the agricultural reality were 00:17:00.409 --> 00:17:03.950 enough, Jesus in verse 5, I'll write, reiterated 00:17:03.950 --> 00:17:07.849 what he said earlier. I am the vine. You are 00:17:07.849 --> 00:17:13.069 the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, 00:17:13.329 --> 00:17:16.690 he it is that bears much fruit. For apart from 00:17:16.690 --> 00:17:24.170 me, you can do nothing. Abide in Christ or die. 00:17:25.200 --> 00:17:28.559 In verse 6, all Jesus did was further elaborate 00:17:28.559 --> 00:17:32.420 on what happens to the non -abiding, non -fruit 00:17:32.420 --> 00:17:35.420 -producing branches. They are thrown away like 00:17:35.420 --> 00:17:38.819 a branch and withers, and the branches are gathered, 00:17:38.960 --> 00:17:45.480 thrown into the fire, and burned. Abide in Christ 00:17:45.480 --> 00:17:51.430 or die. Now, this further look. and to the non 00:17:51.430 --> 00:17:54.470 -abiding branches is no doubt an allusion to 00:17:54.470 --> 00:17:59.069 hell. The place of unquenchable fire, where non 00:17:59.069 --> 00:18:03.369 -abiding branches do not die. They are not consumed. 00:18:03.549 --> 00:18:08.089 They are tormented day and night, forever and 00:18:08.089 --> 00:18:17.710 ever. See, this is eternal defeat. However, this 00:18:17.710 --> 00:18:20.299 is not the destiny. of the abiding branches. 00:18:20.759 --> 00:18:25.400 The abiding branches experience the vine's victory, 00:18:25.519 --> 00:18:30.740 my third point. See, victory in the vine is God 00:18:30.740 --> 00:18:33.859 being glorified in the fruit -bearing prayers, 00:18:34.160 --> 00:18:38.680 words, decisions, and actions of his covenant 00:18:38.680 --> 00:18:43.500 people. In verse 7, Jesus gave his disciples 00:18:43.500 --> 00:18:48.500 some scary assurance. If you abide in me, and 00:18:48.500 --> 00:18:52.720 my words in you, then ask whatever you wish, 00:18:52.880 --> 00:18:58.380 and it will be done for you. See, here Jesus 00:18:58.380 --> 00:19:03.539 writes his disciples and us a blank check to 00:19:03.539 --> 00:19:06.900 ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done 00:19:06.900 --> 00:19:11.519 for you. Now, you're probably thinking, there's 00:19:11.519 --> 00:19:17.619 no way Jesus means what he says. Well, I think 00:19:17.619 --> 00:19:23.480 he does. He means what he says because he said 00:19:23.480 --> 00:19:27.180 it before. Look with me in some of the ask and 00:19:27.180 --> 00:19:31.099 receive verses in the Gospels. Matthew 7, 7. 00:19:31.640 --> 00:19:36.160 Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you 00:19:36.160 --> 00:19:39.960 will find. Knock, and it shall be opened. Matthew 00:19:39.960 --> 00:19:44.180 7, 8. For everyone who asks, receives. And the 00:19:44.180 --> 00:19:47.849 one who seeks... and the one who knocks it will 00:19:47.849 --> 00:19:51.549 be opened. Matthew 18, 19. Again, I say to you, 00:19:51.609 --> 00:19:54.410 if two of you agree on earth about anything that 00:19:54.410 --> 00:19:57.910 they ask, it will be done for them by my Father, 00:19:58.029 --> 00:20:02.450 the vinedresser, in heaven. Matthew 21, 22. And 00:20:02.450 --> 00:20:05.049 whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive 00:20:05.049 --> 00:20:12.369 if you have faith. Well, Jesus, you got me. You 00:20:12.369 --> 00:20:16.299 got me. What's the catch? The catch is that you 00:20:16.299 --> 00:20:22.059 abide in Christ and his words abide in you. Abiding 00:20:22.059 --> 00:20:26.759 in Christ and his words, abiding in you, is the 00:20:26.759 --> 00:20:30.019 only condition standing between you and whatever 00:20:30.019 --> 00:20:34.640 it is that you desire. Now, when I read this, 00:20:34.720 --> 00:20:39.920 when I say this, I get the prosperity gospel 00:20:39.920 --> 00:20:45.039 heebie -jeebies. You know, the health. wealth 00:20:45.039 --> 00:20:48.279 and prosperity gospel, the name it and claim 00:20:48.279 --> 00:20:55.059 it gospel, the blab it and grab it gospel. I 00:20:55.059 --> 00:20:58.960 know and I have seen the damage of this brand 00:20:58.960 --> 00:21:02.500 of gospel, if you want to call it that. I know 00:21:02.500 --> 00:21:08.460 what it can do to a person, to a family, to a 00:21:08.460 --> 00:21:13.140 church. and to a society who's on the outside 00:21:13.140 --> 00:21:17.220 looking in for some kind of hope in this garden 00:21:17.220 --> 00:21:23.480 of Whedon. Yeah, okay, all right, all right. 00:21:23.779 --> 00:21:28.160 So we must hold Jesus' words not only in context, 00:21:28.220 --> 00:21:32.359 but we must hold them in tension. For example, 00:21:32.460 --> 00:21:36.059 if your tendency is to think to ask for wealth, 00:21:36.220 --> 00:21:39.990 fame, or riches, Then you also got to remember 00:21:39.990 --> 00:21:43.529 that the very same Jesus who said, verse 7, also 00:21:43.529 --> 00:21:46.109 said to a rich young ruler who couldn't stand 00:21:46.109 --> 00:21:49.150 the idea of pardon from his stuff, that it's 00:21:49.150 --> 00:21:52.069 easier for a camel to enter the eye of a needle 00:21:52.069 --> 00:21:54.910 than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom 00:21:54.910 --> 00:21:59.950 of heaven. Uh -oh. Or how about the same Jesus 00:21:59.950 --> 00:22:02.769 who in his Sermon on the Mount said, don't lay 00:22:02.769 --> 00:22:05.950 up for yourselves treasures. Here on earth, where 00:22:05.950 --> 00:22:09.049 moth and rust destroy and where thieves break 00:22:09.049 --> 00:22:13.250 in and steal. Or how about this same Jesus who 00:22:13.250 --> 00:22:19.069 says you can't serve God and money? Don't get 00:22:19.069 --> 00:22:21.910 me wrong. I'm not saying that Jesus is saying 00:22:21.910 --> 00:22:26.009 that being rich is bad or somehow it's a sin. 00:22:26.369 --> 00:22:29.769 Rather, Jesus is alluding to how our sin nature 00:22:29.769 --> 00:22:33.430 can turn a good thing like money into an ultimate 00:22:33.430 --> 00:22:38.839 thing. thus making it an idol. So if you who 00:22:38.839 --> 00:22:42.700 are spiritual, if you have Christ's words abiding 00:22:42.700 --> 00:22:45.980 in you, then the things you are praying for, 00:22:46.039 --> 00:22:48.720 which will be granted, are of a spiritual nature. 00:22:52.799 --> 00:22:58.539 Things such as your kingdom come and your will 00:22:58.539 --> 00:23:03.920 be done on earth as it is in heaven. See, these 00:23:03.920 --> 00:23:06.640 types of prayers and the results that they bring, 00:23:06.700 --> 00:23:11.460 as verse 8 says, it serves two purposes. They 00:23:11.460 --> 00:23:15.680 bring God glory and they prove you to be Jesus' 00:23:15.920 --> 00:23:20.279 disciples. In fact, this is the example that 00:23:20.279 --> 00:23:26.299 Jesus gave his disciples to pray. Wanting and 00:23:26.299 --> 00:23:29.559 yearning and praying for the spiritual things 00:23:29.559 --> 00:23:33.599 of Christ are the result of a pruned faith. Christian. 00:23:33.920 --> 00:23:37.559 The true vine is supplying you with his abundant 00:23:37.559 --> 00:23:41.240 life, and through his abundant life, you produce 00:23:41.240 --> 00:23:46.099 the fruit of an abundant life. This, my brothers 00:23:46.099 --> 00:23:50.500 and sisters, is the vine's victory in the Christian's 00:23:50.500 --> 00:23:54.599 life. This is the life that Jesus came to secure 00:23:54.599 --> 00:24:00.079 for you, Christian, both in the life now and 00:24:00.079 --> 00:24:06.730 in the one to come. The only thing I could think 00:24:06.730 --> 00:24:09.190 to call Jesus' act of securing this life for 00:24:09.190 --> 00:24:15.250 you and me now is divine's vicarious love, which 00:24:15.250 --> 00:24:18.410 is my fourth and final point for this text. Now, 00:24:18.410 --> 00:24:22.069 verses 9 through 10, Jesus once again showed 00:24:22.069 --> 00:24:26.509 his disciples the inseparable nature of the eternal 00:24:26.509 --> 00:24:31.309 and qualitatively perfect love between him and 00:24:31.309 --> 00:24:35.359 his Father. of the vine and the vine dresser 00:24:35.359 --> 00:24:38.940 but the eternal love that jesus and his father 00:24:38.940 --> 00:24:41.819 have for one another doesn't terminate between 00:24:41.819 --> 00:24:46.359 the two of them jesus brings his disciples into 00:24:46.359 --> 00:24:51.759 that love look at it in verse 9 as the father 00:24:51.759 --> 00:24:59.579 has loved me so i have loved you see first jesus 00:24:59.579 --> 00:25:03.299 talks of the from before The foundations of the 00:25:03.299 --> 00:25:06.700 world love that his father had him. The entirely 00:25:06.700 --> 00:25:10.880 self -sufficient love that his father had for 00:25:10.880 --> 00:25:13.619 him. The I didn't need to create to know what 00:25:13.619 --> 00:25:16.980 it means to love, love that the father had for 00:25:16.980 --> 00:25:22.799 him. The holy, holy, holy love that the father 00:25:22.799 --> 00:25:26.279 had for him. Then Jesus says, with that same 00:25:26.279 --> 00:25:35.500 measure of love, so have I loved you. Jesus loves 00:25:35.500 --> 00:25:39.640 us with the very same love that his father loved 00:25:39.640 --> 00:25:45.440 him with. Let that sink in for a moment. And 00:25:45.440 --> 00:25:48.779 then think about John 3, 16. For God so loved 00:25:48.779 --> 00:25:51.599 the world that he gave his only begotten son 00:25:51.599 --> 00:25:55.680 so that the believing one should not perish eternally, 00:25:55.680 --> 00:26:00.900 but have everlasting life. See, God's love led 00:26:00.900 --> 00:26:05.380 him to giving his only begotten son. Jesus' love 00:26:05.380 --> 00:26:09.500 for the Father led him to voluntarily lay his 00:26:09.500 --> 00:26:14.839 life down for the sheep. God the Father's love 00:26:14.839 --> 00:26:18.859 and God the Son's love are identical in their 00:26:18.859 --> 00:26:25.759 purpose to seek and save at great cost sinners 00:26:25.759 --> 00:26:29.380 like you and me to the glory of God the Father. 00:26:32.619 --> 00:26:36.079 And the eternal nature of divine and divine dress 00:26:36.079 --> 00:26:40.440 is love. It had no beginning. And guess what? 00:26:42.000 --> 00:26:49.160 It'll have no end. Christian, your only hope 00:26:49.160 --> 00:26:57.900 in life and in death is to, as verse 9 says, 00:26:58.359 --> 00:27:04.500 abide in Jesus' love. Abide in Christ's love 00:27:04.500 --> 00:27:11.599 or die? Those are your options. Now, this love 00:27:11.599 --> 00:27:14.599 that we're talking about, it's not the superficial 00:27:14.599 --> 00:27:17.740 and the fickle and the artificial love that the 00:27:17.740 --> 00:27:20.579 world has to offer. See, the world's idea of 00:27:20.579 --> 00:27:24.369 love... is that it strings us along, and then 00:27:24.369 --> 00:27:27.349 it leaves us high and dry, and it has us afraid 00:27:27.349 --> 00:27:30.690 to risk the vulnerability that God's love would 00:27:30.690 --> 00:27:35.150 have us receive and reflect to one another. See, 00:27:35.230 --> 00:27:38.309 the world's love has given God's love a bad name. 00:27:40.289 --> 00:27:44.130 Well, how do we abide in Jesus' love? Verse 10 00:27:44.130 --> 00:27:48.660 tells us, by commandment keeping. If you keep 00:27:48.660 --> 00:27:51.920 my commandments, you will abide in my love, just 00:27:51.920 --> 00:27:54.559 as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide 00:27:54.559 --> 00:27:59.900 in his love. Earlier in John 14, 15, Jesus said, 00:28:00.059 --> 00:28:05.259 if you love me, keep my commandments. The condition 00:28:05.259 --> 00:28:08.940 of abiding in Jesus' love is that we keep his 00:28:08.940 --> 00:28:16.029 commandments. Commandments. Adam and Eve blew 00:28:16.029 --> 00:28:21.289 it with just one commandment. Just how are we 00:28:21.289 --> 00:28:27.509 to keep commandments? If Jesus expects us to 00:28:27.509 --> 00:28:32.609 keep commandments, we are cooked, baked, fried, 00:28:32.789 --> 00:28:39.890 and filleted. See, Jesus knows this, and he makes 00:28:39.890 --> 00:28:42.569 a way for us to be able to keep his father's 00:28:42.569 --> 00:28:47.339 commandments. He himself fulfills his father's 00:28:47.339 --> 00:28:50.180 commandments. Listen to this. Listen to this. 00:28:51.039 --> 00:28:57.359 Out of the love he has for his father. See, Jesus' 00:28:57.559 --> 00:29:02.160 example of commandment keeping is as verse 11 00:29:02.160 --> 00:29:07.480 says, a joy to him. Jesus received joy from obeying 00:29:07.480 --> 00:29:14.339 his father, and his joy was full. Now, Jesus 00:29:14.339 --> 00:29:17.740 wants to transfer the same eternal joy he felt 00:29:17.740 --> 00:29:21.039 in following the Father's commandment to us in 00:29:21.039 --> 00:29:24.559 the midst of this fallen condition. It's as if 00:29:24.559 --> 00:29:27.940 Jesus is saying the only way for you to experience 00:29:27.940 --> 00:29:31.099 the eternal love and joy he experienced with 00:29:31.099 --> 00:29:34.819 the Father is if you live vicariously through 00:29:34.819 --> 00:29:41.319 him. Abide in Christ or die. Just like a father 00:29:41.319 --> 00:29:43.859 or a mother may live vicariously through their 00:29:43.859 --> 00:29:47.160 children. You've all seen it. They look silly. 00:29:47.599 --> 00:29:54.039 You've seen them on the sidelines. Right? And 00:29:54.039 --> 00:29:55.980 I'm ashamed to admit that I'm one of those parents. 00:29:56.180 --> 00:30:01.799 But the idea of the father or the mother trying 00:30:01.799 --> 00:30:04.660 to live vicariously through their children, you, 00:30:04.839 --> 00:30:07.420 Christian, must live vicariously through Christ 00:30:07.420 --> 00:30:10.750 to make it in this life. And the one to come, 00:30:10.890 --> 00:30:18.549 abide in Christ or die? Well, just how do we 00:30:18.549 --> 00:30:22.869 abide in Christ? This brings me to the centrality 00:30:22.869 --> 00:30:29.650 of Jesus. How do we abide in Christ? It's through 00:30:29.650 --> 00:30:33.309 a theological phrase titled union with Christ. 00:30:35.789 --> 00:30:39.519 Union with Christ means seeing your life. as 00:30:39.519 --> 00:30:45.220 inseparably bound up or united with Christ's 00:30:45.220 --> 00:30:50.599 life, death, burial, resurrection, ascension, 00:30:50.680 --> 00:30:54.140 and intercession, otherwise known as the gospel 00:30:54.140 --> 00:30:58.940 of Jesus Christ. Union with Christ is by faith 00:30:58.940 --> 00:31:01.440 and repentance, living your life through the 00:31:01.440 --> 00:31:04.799 lenses of the gospel to experience and enjoy 00:31:04.799 --> 00:31:08.079 the eternal love that the vine and the vinedresser 00:31:08.079 --> 00:31:11.269 had. from before the foundations of the world. 00:31:12.549 --> 00:31:16.329 Union with Christ is prioritizing Jesus above 00:31:16.329 --> 00:31:20.710 everything, putting Jesus smack dab in the middle 00:31:20.710 --> 00:31:24.589 of everything, and then having Jesus right at 00:31:24.589 --> 00:31:28.529 the end of everything. See, this is the type 00:31:28.529 --> 00:31:31.630 of focus that Jesus had while he was here on 00:31:31.630 --> 00:31:35.509 earth, exemplifying what true humanity is and 00:31:35.509 --> 00:31:39.930 complete and utter devotion to God at all times 00:31:39.930 --> 00:31:44.970 and in all ways. This is God's standard. You 00:31:44.970 --> 00:31:50.549 shall be holy, for I am holy. Now, this type 00:31:50.549 --> 00:31:55.220 of focus is truly supernatural. That for us to 00:31:55.220 --> 00:31:59.279 have it, it's almost as if we at least have to 00:31:59.279 --> 00:32:04.859 die to ourselves and be born again anew. And 00:32:04.859 --> 00:32:08.500 at most, we have to literally be God to do what 00:32:08.500 --> 00:32:11.380 God says. Now, if you're thinking this, you're 00:32:11.380 --> 00:32:16.579 right. This is what Jesus secured for us so that 00:32:16.579 --> 00:32:19.920 we could vicariously experience the fullness 00:32:19.920 --> 00:32:24.119 of the inseparable love and joy that freely flowed 00:32:24.119 --> 00:32:30.579 between the Father and the Son. Are you abiding 00:32:30.579 --> 00:32:36.380 in Christ? Well, I submit to you that we are 00:32:36.380 --> 00:32:42.440 not, at least not as we should be. How do I know? 00:32:44.200 --> 00:32:47.440 Because I heard it through the grapevine. See 00:32:47.440 --> 00:32:52.859 what I did there? Yep. Now, by grapevine, I mean 00:32:52.859 --> 00:32:57.519 Jesus. See, Jesus knows that without the Holy 00:32:57.519 --> 00:33:00.660 Spirit, the Comforter, the one that he promised 00:33:00.660 --> 00:33:04.200 to leave us in John 14, 16, we couldn't and we 00:33:04.200 --> 00:33:07.579 wouldn't be able to stomach the idea of someone 00:33:07.579 --> 00:33:10.460 besides ourselves being in the forefront of our 00:33:10.460 --> 00:33:14.039 lives. And I speak of this in moments of our 00:33:14.039 --> 00:33:20.099 greatest joy and our greatest despair. It's us 00:33:20.099 --> 00:33:24.680 at the center of our universe. In our greatest 00:33:24.680 --> 00:33:29.640 moments of joy, pride creeps in. And it deceives 00:33:29.640 --> 00:33:34.259 us to think how good we are. How fortunate my 00:33:34.259 --> 00:33:41.950 spouse is to have me. How lucky my job is to 00:33:41.950 --> 00:33:50.029 have me. How blessed my church is to have me. 00:33:52.269 --> 00:33:56.150 In our greatest moments of despair, pride creeps 00:33:56.150 --> 00:34:01.809 in and it deceives us, making us think that nobody 00:34:01.809 --> 00:34:10.840 knows the trouble I've seen. Nobody knows my 00:34:10.840 --> 00:34:17.460 sorrows. Have you ever thought to yourself that 00:34:17.460 --> 00:34:19.559 this world would be a better place if you weren't 00:34:19.559 --> 00:34:24.099 in it? That everything and everyone that you 00:34:24.099 --> 00:34:29.300 touch goes to waste? Ever think you can't be 00:34:29.300 --> 00:34:35.420 redeemed? Well, my friend. This could be you 00:34:35.420 --> 00:34:38.800 still being at the center of your universe, and 00:34:38.800 --> 00:34:43.320 you must surrender from this pride. This pride 00:34:43.320 --> 00:34:45.860 is the reason that most of our relationships 00:34:45.860 --> 00:34:50.559 suffer. See, pride is the number one destroyer 00:34:50.559 --> 00:34:54.059 of marriages, thinking that your spouse exists 00:34:54.059 --> 00:34:58.239 to worship you, or even worse, that they exist 00:34:58.239 --> 00:35:06.840 to complete you. Come on. Union with Christ is 00:35:06.840 --> 00:35:10.820 the life -giving source of marriage. For marriage 00:35:10.820 --> 00:35:13.579 is a picture of the saga of redemption between 00:35:13.579 --> 00:35:16.760 Christ the bridegroom for the church his bride. 00:35:17.360 --> 00:35:20.860 Christ's humility and his obedience is where 00:35:20.860 --> 00:35:24.280 we find the security in the traditional vows 00:35:24.280 --> 00:35:29.090 that husband and wife say to one another. See, 00:35:29.110 --> 00:35:31.630 the biblical prescription is husbands loving 00:35:31.630 --> 00:35:33.949 their wives and wives respecting their husbands 00:35:33.949 --> 00:35:37.730 as Christ loved and revered the Father. To all 00:35:37.730 --> 00:35:40.570 my married folks, you ever go back to look at 00:35:40.570 --> 00:35:42.750 your vows? You promise that you'll stay together 00:35:42.750 --> 00:35:45.610 for good times and bad times, sickness and in 00:35:45.610 --> 00:35:48.449 health, richer for poor, to death do you part? 00:35:48.710 --> 00:35:51.530 You know where that comes from? That comes from 00:35:51.530 --> 00:35:55.940 Christ's example to his church. And we are called 00:35:55.940 --> 00:35:58.980 to be little pictures, little micro pictures 00:35:58.980 --> 00:36:02.699 of the macro imagery and reality of what Christ 00:36:02.699 --> 00:36:08.480 is doing with his people. Abide in Christ by 00:36:08.480 --> 00:36:11.039 vicariously living out your marriage through 00:36:11.039 --> 00:36:16.679 the lenses of Christ's example. Pride is the 00:36:16.679 --> 00:36:19.940 number one destroyer of our vocations, our jobs, 00:36:19.960 --> 00:36:23.360 what we do every day. Thinking that you exist 00:36:23.360 --> 00:36:27.360 for your job. Or that you're irreplaceable. The 00:36:27.360 --> 00:36:31.239 constant search for validation from your employer 00:36:31.239 --> 00:36:36.539 or your employees as if that's the justification 00:36:36.539 --> 00:36:41.539 for your existence in this world. Union with 00:36:41.539 --> 00:36:44.880 Christ is the life -giving source of our vocations. 00:36:45.039 --> 00:36:48.519 See, Jesus' validation didn't come from man. 00:36:48.980 --> 00:36:53.019 Jesus' validation came from God the Father. God 00:36:53.019 --> 00:36:56.760 the Father? perpetually and eternally recognize 00:36:56.760 --> 00:37:01.659 Jesus as the employee of the month. Remember 00:37:01.659 --> 00:37:05.159 when he said, this is my beloved son in whom 00:37:05.159 --> 00:37:10.119 I am well pleased. And he exalts him and he gives 00:37:10.119 --> 00:37:13.239 him a name that is above all names so that at 00:37:13.239 --> 00:37:16.900 the name of Jesus, every knee will bow and every 00:37:16.900 --> 00:37:19.860 tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord 00:37:19.860 --> 00:37:25.099 to the glory of God the Father. Now the biblical 00:37:25.099 --> 00:37:28.380 prescription for not feeling validated by your 00:37:28.380 --> 00:37:32.500 employer or your employees is to work heartily 00:37:32.500 --> 00:37:39.280 as for the Lord and not men. Knowing that from 00:37:39.280 --> 00:37:43.639 the Lord you will receive the inheritance as 00:37:43.639 --> 00:37:49.559 your reward. Abide in Christ by vicariously working 00:37:49.559 --> 00:37:53.440 as one serving not man, but ultimately the Lord 00:37:53.440 --> 00:37:57.039 Jesus Christ. Pride is the number one destroyer 00:37:57.039 --> 00:38:01.500 of our children. Thinking that you must model 00:38:01.500 --> 00:38:05.619 strength and infallibility before your children 00:38:05.619 --> 00:38:08.159 to earn the respect that you think you deserve. 00:38:09.239 --> 00:38:13.780 Or even worse, failing to disciple your children 00:38:13.780 --> 00:38:20.059 out of laziness. I've been there. Or failing 00:38:20.059 --> 00:38:23.340 to discipline your children for fear that they 00:38:23.340 --> 00:38:30.920 may not like you. Been there too. Union with 00:38:30.920 --> 00:38:33.880 Christ is the life -giving source of our parenting. 00:38:34.239 --> 00:38:36.780 For parents are to raise their children in the 00:38:36.780 --> 00:38:39.179 fear and admonition of the Lord, and children 00:38:39.179 --> 00:38:43.159 likewise are to obey their parents. See how the 00:38:43.159 --> 00:38:46.400 Bible sets it out for you in those clear terms? 00:38:47.420 --> 00:38:51.500 Abide in Christ by vicariously teaching, admonishing, 00:38:51.539 --> 00:38:55.159 and obeying all that the Father gives you before 00:38:55.159 --> 00:39:01.380 your children. Apologize to your children. Admit 00:39:01.380 --> 00:39:06.019 fault and wrongdoing. And then model faith and 00:39:06.019 --> 00:39:08.539 repentance to your children because of the free 00:39:08.539 --> 00:39:13.280 grace that Christ won for you. It's amazing, 00:39:13.579 --> 00:39:16.469 especially in my generation. I have a lot of 00:39:16.469 --> 00:39:19.349 friends, a lot of my professional colleagues 00:39:19.349 --> 00:39:26.469 who have the bitterness of their mother and their 00:39:26.469 --> 00:39:29.829 father as an impediment that keeps them from 00:39:29.829 --> 00:39:34.969 coming to Christ. This is true. All because you 00:39:34.969 --> 00:39:37.449 can't apologize and say that you were wrong. 00:39:37.650 --> 00:39:40.909 What do you have to lose? Your life is hidden 00:39:40.909 --> 00:39:44.320 in Christ. In him you live, move, and have your 00:39:44.320 --> 00:39:47.539 beings. You're a sinner who's been saved by grace 00:39:47.539 --> 00:39:50.139 that's going to keep making mistakes. Why not 00:39:50.139 --> 00:39:52.480 model that to your children so that when they 00:39:52.480 --> 00:39:54.699 grow up, they don't feel ashamed and prideful 00:39:54.699 --> 00:40:01.639 and admit the same thing? Pride is the number 00:40:01.639 --> 00:40:03.820 one destroyer of our friendships and common bonds, 00:40:04.099 --> 00:40:08.019 especially when you put unrealistic expectations 00:40:08.019 --> 00:40:12.309 of what a friend should be on another. And then 00:40:12.309 --> 00:40:14.449 you get mad when they don't reciprocate what 00:40:14.449 --> 00:40:19.989 you've given them. I've been there. See, union 00:40:19.989 --> 00:40:22.150 with Christ is the life -giving source of our 00:40:22.150 --> 00:40:24.769 friendships and common bonds. For it was Christ 00:40:24.769 --> 00:40:27.889 that said, greater love has no one than this, 00:40:28.030 --> 00:40:32.210 that someone lay down his life for his friends. 00:40:33.210 --> 00:40:36.429 Abiding Christ by vicariously understanding your 00:40:36.429 --> 00:40:40.059 own sinful nature. as well as others, so that 00:40:40.059 --> 00:40:43.139 your expectations are realistic even when your 00:40:43.139 --> 00:40:46.340 close friends let you down. And if you haven't 00:40:46.340 --> 00:40:51.039 been there yet, that day is coming. Your joy 00:40:51.039 --> 00:40:54.139 in this life cannot be conditioned upon other 00:40:54.139 --> 00:40:56.860 people because that, my brothers and sisters, 00:40:57.059 --> 00:41:03.360 is a miserable existence. Believer, allow the 00:41:03.360 --> 00:41:07.059 word of God to prune you. Do you know that the 00:41:07.059 --> 00:41:10.699 word prune is where we get the word catharsis? 00:41:12.539 --> 00:41:15.940 See, a cathartic activity is an activity that 00:41:15.940 --> 00:41:19.480 provides psychological relief through the open 00:41:19.480 --> 00:41:22.659 expression of strong emotions, such as crying 00:41:22.659 --> 00:41:25.900 or screaming or physically exerting oneself. 00:41:26.019 --> 00:41:30.400 And with God, your cries and your tears are not 00:41:30.400 --> 00:41:36.510 in vain. The Father's pruning is cathartic in 00:41:36.510 --> 00:41:39.250 that the whole point of the Christian life is 00:41:39.250 --> 00:41:43.710 to bear fruit. And that bearing fruit is proof 00:41:43.710 --> 00:41:49.789 that you are one of Jesus' disciples. So the 00:41:49.789 --> 00:41:53.289 vine dresser's pruning is good for us. Unbeliever, 00:41:53.369 --> 00:41:56.909 if you're not in union with Christ, you're not 00:41:56.909 --> 00:42:00.889 bearing fruit. If you're not bearing fruit, then 00:42:00.889 --> 00:42:05.110 you're not being pruned. If you're not being 00:42:05.110 --> 00:42:08.570 pruned, then you are being prepared to be fuel 00:42:08.570 --> 00:42:14.329 for the fire. So believer and unbeliever alike, 00:42:14.510 --> 00:42:19.530 turn from your sin and by faith abide in the 00:42:19.530 --> 00:42:27.070 vine. My prayer is that you come to see the sweetness 00:42:27.070 --> 00:42:35.380 of the vine and you sing. He's sweet. I know. 00:42:37.679 --> 00:42:50.119 He's sweet. I know. Storm clouds may rise. Strong 00:42:50.119 --> 00:42:56.380 winds may blow. That's the pruning. But I'll 00:42:56.380 --> 00:43:06.920 tell the world wherever I go. That I found a 00:43:06.920 --> 00:43:14.460 Savior. And he's sweet, I know.