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ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL DIOBU PHC. COVENANT SERVICE SUNDAY 3 RD FEB 2013 TOPIC: “STAY CONNECTED” JOHN 15: 1-8 BY VEN. JOHN C. ADUBASIM. ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL DIOBU PHC. I WANT YOU TO SAY WITH ME, IN 2013 I WILL DWELL IN GOSHEN! I WILL GET CONNECTED I WILL BE CONNECTED
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ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL DIOBU PHC • COVENANT SERVICE • SUNDAY 3RD FEB 2013 • TOPIC: “STAY CONNECTED” • JOHN 15: 1-8 • BY • VEN. JOHN C. ADUBASIM
ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL DIOBU PHC • I WANT YOU TO SAY WITH ME, • IN 2013 I WILL DWELL IN GOSHEN! • I WILL GET CONNECTED • I WILL BE CONNECTED • I WILL STAY CONNECTED • I WILL LIVE CONNECTED TO GOD • AND NOTHING WILL TAKE ME AWAY FROM GOD.
STAY CONNECTED • BETWEEN GOD AND I, THERE WILL BE NO NETWORK FAILURE. • I WILL NOT BE DISCONNECTED OR ALIENATED FROM GOD. • IN MY FLOW WITH GOD THIS YEAR I WILL NOT HAVE ANY CONGESTION. IN JESUS NAME, AMEN.
STAY CONNECTED BIBLICAL TEXT: JOHN 15: 1-8 (CEV) • 1. Jesus said to his disciples: I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. • 2. He cuts away every branch of mine that doesn't produce fruit. But he trims clean every branch that does produce fruit, so that it will produce even more fruit. • 3. You are already clean because of what I have said to you.
STAY CONNECTED • 4. STAY JOINED TO ME, AND I WILL STAY JOINED TO YOU. Just as a branch cannot produce fruit unless it stays joined to the vine, YOU CANNOT PRODUCE FRUIT UNLESS YOU STAY JOINED TO ME. • 5. I am the vine, and you are the branches. If you stay joined to me, and I stay joined to you, THEN YOU WILL PRODUCE LOTS OF FRUIT. BUT YOU CANNOT DO ANYTHING WITHOUT ME.
STAY CONNECTED • 6. If you don't stay joined to me, you will be thrown away. You will be like dry branches that are gathered up and burned in a fire. • 7. STAY JOINED TO ME AND LET MY TEACHINGS BECOME PART OF YOU. THEN YOU CAN PRAY FOR WHATEVER YOU WANT, AND YOUR PRAYER WILL BE ANSWERED. • 8. When you become fruitful disciples of mine, my Father will be honored.
STAY CONNECTED • YOU CAN STAY CONNECTED • THERE ARE MANY TIMES WHEN IT SEEMS YOU HAVE LOST TOUCH WITH GOD. • WHEN THERE IS WORRIES AND STRESS GOING ON IN YOUR LIFE. • THIS OFTEN LEEDS TO FEELING DISCONNECTED FROM GOD. • GOD DOESN’T WANT YOU TO LIVE IN GUILT, FEELING INADEQUATE FOR WHAT YOU ARR NOT ABLE TO MANAGE.
STAY CONNECTED • HE KNOWS OUR HUMAN NATURE, OUR WEAKNESSES AND THE PRESSURES WE FACE IN OUR LIVES. • YOU NEED TO BE SELF-DISCIPLINED, AND KEEP CONNECTED WITH HIM. • NO, GOD DOESN’T CONDEMN YOU, BUT THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES WHEN WE END UP BECOMING DISCONNECTED FROM GOD.
STAY CONNECTED • AS WE CAN SEE FROM JOHN 15, • IF WE LIVE APART FROM GOD WE CANNOT BEAR FRUIT. • WE WITHER, RATHER THAN THRIVE AND GROW. • WE STRUGGLE ON OUR OWN, RATHER THAN SEEKING GOD IN PRAYER AND MISS OUT ON HIS WORKING IN OUR LIVES. • IT'S NOT REALLY DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND JESUS' PICTURE HERE. • WHEN A BRANCH IS CONNECTED TO A TREE, IT GETS THE NUTRIENTS THAT IT NEEDS AND LIVES.
STAY CONNECTED • IF THE BRANCH IS CUT OFF, IT CAN'T GET WHAT IT NEEDS AND QUICKLY DIES. • THE POINT OF COMPARISON IS REALLY PRETTY SIMPLE: • CONNECTED TO JESUS, ONE HAS WHAT IT TAKES TO LIVE SPIRITUALLY AND ETERNALLY. • BUT SEPARATED FROM HIM AND WE'RE LIFELESS AND WORTHLESS, FIT ONLY FOR THE FIRE AND ETERNAL DEATH IN HELL. • SO, JESUS WARNED HIS DISCIPLES TO STAY CONNECTED TO HIM TO SURVIVE.
STAY CONNECTED • YOU MAY HAVE HEARD THE MAXIM, "It's not what you know, but who you know that counts." • IT'S A SAYING THAT REMINDS US OF THE IMPORTANCE OF STAYING CONNECTED TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE. • AND THERE'S A LOT OF TRUTH IN THAT SAYING. • WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR SALVATION, IT'S NOT WHAT YOU KNOW, BUT WHO YOU KNOW―JESUS―THAT REALLY COUNTS.
STAY CONNECTED • THIS MORNING THEN WE HEAR JESUS' WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT TO STAY CONNECTED TO HIM. • BECAUSE THE DIFFERENCE OF BEING CONNECTED TO HIM IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ETERNAL LIFE AND DEATH.
WHY STAY CONNECTED? • I. STAY CONNECTED TO SURVIVE • WHAT COMFORTING WORDS THESE MUST HAVE BEEN FOR THE DISCIPLES TO REMEMBER AS THEY WERE CUT OFF FROM JESUS BY HIS PHYSICAL DEATH AND ASCENSION: • TO KNOW THAT THEY WERE STILL CONNECTED TO HIM. AND HOW COMFORTING THESE WORDS REMAIN FOR US: • "Remain in me, and I will remain in you...”
WHY STAY CONNECTED? • JESUS WARNS US, FRIENDS, • "IF ANYONE DOES NOT REMAIN IN ME, HE IS LIKE A BRANCH THAT IS THROWN AWAY AND WITHERS; SUCH BRANCHES ARE PICKED UP, THROWN INTO THE FIRE AND BURNED." • AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE DESERVE―HELL.
WHY STAY CONNECTED? • BROTHERS AND SISTERS, YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN ETERNAL LIFE IN JESUS, PLANTED BY HIM. • NOW, REMAIN IN HIM. AND CULTIVATE YOUR FAITH. • RECOGNIZE YOUR WEAKNESS, THAT YOU CAN NEVER SURVIVE THIS LIFE ON YOUR OWN, LET ALONE THE JUDGMENT TO COME, AND CLING TO THE VINE THAT IS, JESUS.
WHY STAY CONNECTED? • DRAW LIFE FROM THAT VINE BY STAYING CONNECTED TO HIM IN HIS WORD. • AND AS YOU STAY CONNECTED TO HIM YOU WON'T ONLY SURVIVE, BUT YOU'LL THRIVE, PRODUCING GOOD FRUIT OF FAITH...
WHY STAY CONNECTED? • II. STAY CONNECTED TO THRIVE • JESUS TOLD HIS DISCIPLES, • "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit." • REMAIN IN JESUS AND HIS WORD, AND YOU WILL BEAR FRUIT. • IT'S NOT OPTIONAL. • FRUIT IS A NATURAL RESULT OF A GOOD, HEALTHY BRANCH.
WHY STAY CONNECTED? • IF THERE'S NO LIFE IN THE BRANCH, IT WON'T GIVE FRUIT. • BUT IF THERE'S LIFE, THERE IS FRUIT. • IT MIGHT NOT ALWAYS BE A BUMPER CROP, BUT THERE WILL ALWAYS BE FRUIT. • AND WHAT ARE THE SPIRITUAL FRUITS OF A BELIEVER CONNECTED TO JESUS? • THEY'RE GOOD WORKS. THOSE THINGS DONE ACCORDING TO GOD'S WILL AND MOTIVATED BY FAITH.
WHY STAY CONNECTED? • PAUL TELLS US IN GALATIANS 5:22-23, "THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS AND SELF-CONTROL. • " IN ROMANS 15:28 HE CALLS THE OFFERINGS SENT TO JERUSALEM A FRUIT OF THE MACEDONIANS' FAITH.
STAY CONNECTED. • BUT GOD USES THE PAIN AND THE SUFFERING IN YOUR LIFE TO HELP YOU GROW AND PRODUCE BIGGER AND BETTER FRUIT. • HE CUTS OFF THE DEAD BRANCHES OF YOUR LIFE―A RELATIONSHIP, A JOB, SOME HOBBY OR BLESSING, SO THE VALUABLE NUTRIENTS OF YOUR LIFE―YOUR TIME, YOUR GIFTS AND YOUR ENERGY―AREN'T WASTED IN MEANINGLESS PURSUITS.
STAY CONNECTED. • AND HE MIGHT LET SOME MANURE PILE UP IN YOUR LIFE TO FERTILIZE YOUR FAITH AND TAKE YOUR FOCUS OFF THOSE SELFISH PURSUITS THAT YOU MIGHT PRODUCE MORE FRUIT. • SO WHEN THE PROBLEMS OF LIFE HIT AND GOD PRUNES YOU OR FERTILIZES YOU, REJOICE! • WHAT LOVING CARE THE GARDENER GIVES EACH VINE, EVEN IF IT SOMETIMES SEEMS LIKE TORTURE TO THE PLANT.
STAY CONNECTED. • AND FINALLY, PRAY THAT HE WILL CONTINUE TO PRUNE YOU, AND CUT OUT THOSE THINGS THAT SEPARATE YOU FROM YOUR SAVIOUR. • PRAY THAT YOU'LL ALWAYS REMAIN CONNECTED TO HIM. • PRAY THAT YOU'LL RECOGNIZE AND MAKE USE OF EVERY OPPORTUNITY HE GIVE YOU TO PRODUCE MORE FRUIT.
STAY CONNECTED. • "IF YOU REMAIN IN ME AND MY WORDS REMAIN IN YOU, ASK WHATEVER YOU WISH, AND IT WILL BE GIVEN YOU." • DEAR FRIENDS, REMAIN IN HIM. LET HIS WORDS REMAIN IN YOU. • REJOICE THAT YOU'VE BEEN GRAFTED IN TO THE BRANCH, THAT YOU'RE SECURELY CONNECTED TO HIM, AND THAT YOU LIVE!
STAY CONNECTED. • "IT'S NOT WHAT YOU KNOW, BUT WHO YOU KNOW THAT COUNTS." • YOU KNOW JESUS. • YOU'RE CONNECTED TO HIM. • STAY CONNECTED. AMEN.