Fruits and
Roots
Sermon Notes
Saturday, August 2,
2008 & Sunday, August 3, 2008
Rev. Jim O’Neal, Senior Pastor
(480) 895-8766
John 15:1-8 NRSV
1“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. 2He removes every branch in me that bears no
fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he
prunes to make it bear more fruit. 3You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to
you. 4Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch
cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you
unless you abide in me. 5I am the vine, you are the branches.
Those who abide in me and I in them bear much
fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. 6Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away
like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire,
and burned. 7If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you
wish, and it will be done for you. 8My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become
my disciples.”
A.
Introduction
1. Abusive Author
a.
Back in the early 1980’s the book, HOW TO MAKE LOVE TO A WOMAN,
was a best seller! It was on top of the
charts and the author Michael Morgenstern was a popular speaker all across the
country. The book encouraged men to take
the lead in being sensitive, nurturing, and caring toward women. Then the book suddenly dropped off the charts
when this story broke: Mr. Morgenstern’s
girlfriend a fashion model with the name of Ethel Marie Parks left him. He went over to her apartment to, as he put
it, “to discuss their relationship.” She
evidently did not want to discuss things and told Michael that their
relationship was over. Words were
exchanged and Mr. Morgenstern apparently punched her in the mouth, fracturing
her jaw and breaking a tooth. In court
he confessed, “We got into a heated argument and for one second I lost
control.” Mr. Morgenstern would spend
time in jail, be required to pay all of Ms. Parks’s
medical expenses, and pay $30,000 in punitive damages.
b. I
don’t think that Michael Morgenstern is a very good ambassador for a book
calling men to be nurturing and sensitive to women.
2. Sunday School
Cancelled!
a.
Sometimes we Christians are not very good ambassadors for our
faith in Jesus. A Church in
b. Now an arrest is not a
conviction. However, if Mr. Jones did
steal the money, he’s not a very good spokesman for the Bible teachings he
lifted up each week!
B.
Christians bear good fruit.
1. Calvin Coolidge
a.
One Sunday morning President Calvin Coolidge went to worship by
himself. His wife, Grace was slightly
“under the weather” and stayed home.
After Church the President came back to the White House, plopped into
his favorite chair, and began to read the newspaper. His wife asked, “What did the preacher talk
about?” Coolidge responded, “Sin.” and
went back to his newspaper. After an
agonizing pause, Mrs. Coolidge further asked, “Well, what did the parson
say?” Briefly looking up Coolidge said,
“He’s against it.”
b.
God is against sin. God is
for good. Indeed God is very pro the
idea of humankind being kind and loving to one another.
2. Jesus’ words:
John 15:8 & other verses (Luke 10:25-37, Luke 16:19-31, Matthew 21:18-22)
a.
In today’s Scripture lesson, Jesus is quite direct: “My Father is
glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.” (John
15:8 NRSV) Christians are called to do
good and to live moral lives. Now don’t
misunderstand, we are human, we will mess up and even sin. However a true disciple strives to do the
right thing and tries to be a kind and loving person to their neighbors.
b.
This point is made over and over again by Jesus in the
Gospels. In the GOOD SAMARITAN STORY,
Jesus criticizes the Priest and Levite who refuse to stop and help the injured
man. Jesus praises the Good Samaritan
for stopping and giving aid. In the
Parable of the RICH MAN AND LAZAARUS, Jesus tells of a successful businessman,
who is a “pillar’ of the community.
However, Jesus criticizes the rich man for his refusal to help a
destitute neighbor and implies his selfishness buys him a one way ticket to
eternal punishment. Then, do you
remember the story of the UNFRUITFUL FIG TREE?
Jesus and his disciples were hungry.
They came to a fig tree hoping for some nourishment, but it did not have
any figs. So as an “object lesson” Jesus
causes the tree to wither and die. This
was the Lord’s way of warning his followers to be a fruitful people. We are to bear good fruit.
3. Martin Niemoller
a. And we are to bear good fruit even in
difficult circumstances. Pastor Martin Niemoller was a German who lived during that time when the Nazi’s
ruled his land. He criticized Hitler’s
policies and was thrown into prison. His
captors thought if they broke his spirits and destroyed his faith, they would
deliver a great blow to the dissenters.
So they placed an outspoken atheist in the cell next to his. The two men were given permission to talk and
taken out at the same time each day for their half hour exercise walk. The atheist was a very well educated,
intellectual person, who was a skilled debater.
If he did a good job in harassing the pastor, he would receive favors,
and if he caused the minister to lose faith, he would be released early. For four days the men talked together. On the fifth day they were reading the Bible
together and the “atheist” was on his knees praying! The now former atheist begged to borrow Niemoller’s Bible and read it late into the evening, and
then gave his life to Christ. On the
sixth day the man was moved to a new cell!
b.
Even when it is not easy, when others might persecute us, or
laugh at us we are called to be a faithful witness for Jesus in word and deed.
B.
Christians bear good fruit.. continued
4. Two Retired Lawyers
a. And
you are not too old to serve. Pastor Tom
Carmichael tells about two fellows that attended a Church he once served. As I remember it, this is what he said: “Bob and Don are both retired lawyers, both
in their early 80’s, and both are active in our Church. One Sunday I spoke on discipleship and asked
those who wanted to re-commit their lives to come forward and kneel at the
altar. Neither Bob nor Don came
forward. However, at Sunday brunch they
talked about what I had said, and these two retired lawyers began to volunteer
their time ‘pro bono’ at an inner city law firm. They felt good about helping the poor work
through the legal system. And one day
Don got a check from a man who had failed to pay him years ago. The fellow said, ‘I read about what you’re
doing, and realized a good guy like you did not over charge me.’”
b.
Whatever your age, you can share your talents and be a blessing
to others.
C.
Christians are rooted in Christ.
1. Charlie Brown
a. One
time in the Peanuts Comic Strip, Lucy and Linus are
walking in the park. Lucy says: “Trees have many uses Linus. They prevent erosion, their wood is used to
build beautiful houses, they provide shade from the
sun, protection from the rain….” Then they
come upon Charlie Brown. He is leaning
forward with his hands at his side, and his head propped against a sturdy
tree. Lucy continues her tree discourse: “And when life gets too hard they are very
good to lean against.”
b.
Apparently when life is difficult, Charlie Brown seeks out a
sturdy tree that is firmly rooted to lean into.
Being firmly rooted makes a difference.
2. Counseling people
after there has been a death
a.
Indeed what you’re rooted in makes a difference. I see this when I counsel families after a
loved one has died. Those who have
faith, have hope, and an assurance that other people don’t have. Believers certainly struggle with their loss. However, they know God to whom they can turn
for comfort, and they know that their loved ones are not lost forever. Because of Jesus they have the blessed
assurance of Eternal Life.
b.
It is sad to watch people without faith grieve. They have no faith in God or have never
developed a relationship with the Lord.
They have little knowledge of Heaven, and too many seem to have no clue
that death is a part of human life. With
no faith roots they get stuck in the grief stages of anger and blaming. They never seem to find hope for life beyond
the grave. A loving Christian woman once
asked me, “How do people without faith cope with death?” Not joking and with sadness in my eyes, I
replied, “Very poorly.”
C.
Christians are rooted in Christ….. continued
3. Zig Ziglar
a. In
one of his best selling books Zig Ziglar
talks about a comprehensive and scientifically based study done by the
Connecticut Life Insurance Company over a decade ago. The study revealed that people with deep
religious convictions are the most productive employees. Zig says here’s
why: “Ninety-seven percent of those who
had made strong spiritual commitments carried that feeling of conviction,
commitment and loyalty to their employers with highly productive results.”
b. Ziglar, also, mentions another study involving over
22,000 students qualified for WHO’S WHO IN AMERICAN SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES. Over eighty-five percent of these honor
students said that their faith in God was extremely important to them. Our faith roots do make a difference in all
aspects or our lives.
4. Jesus’ words:
Luke 6:43-45
a.
Indeed, that is what Jesus tells us: A good tree cannot
produce bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot produce good fruit. You can tell what a tree is like by the fruit
it produces. You cannot pick figs or
grapes from thornbushes. Good people do good things because of the
good in their hearts. Bad people do bad
things because of the evil in their hearts.
Your words show what is in your heart. (Luke 6:43-45 CEV)
b.
Thus, Jesus tells us that our roots determine our fruits. My sincere hope is that every one here is
firmly rooted in Christ. May the words
of the old hymn become our own words of affirmation: “My
hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but
wholly lean on Jesus name. On Christ the
solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand; all other ground is
sinking sand.” (MY HOPE IS BUILT #368 UM Hymnal)
D.
Conclusion: Recap
1. Christians bear good fruit.
2. Christians are rooted in Christ.
Fruits and Roots
1. Christians bear good fruit.
2. Christians are rooted in Christ.
John 15:1-8 NRSV
1“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. 2He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to
make it bear more fruit. 3You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to
you. 4Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch
cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you
unless you abide in me. 5I am the vine, you are the branches.
Those who abide in me and I in them bear much
fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. 6Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away
like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire,
and burned. 7If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you
wish, and it will be done for you. 8My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become
my disciples.”