Abiding in the Vine III - Living Grace Fellowship

Wednesday 05/20/15

Series: Abiding in the Vine III

Message – Abiding in the Vine III.mp3

This series on Abiding in the Vine (Jesus) is supplemental to our Sunday services on The Power to Bear Fruit unto Godliness.

Abiding is to be and remain united with Him, one with Him in heart, mind, and will.
Three recurring themes in the verses we are looking at are…
1. Obey His commands
2. Love the brethren
3. Sensitivity and submission to the Holy Spirit
The words in Jn 15: 1 very likely mean “lift up” – why?
What does the pruning (cleaning) of the vines? The Word
No cause of stumbling – if we love the brethren.

Wrapping up loving the brethren from last week

I Jn. 2: 8-10,

(8) Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.

(9) He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now.

(10) He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.

In the “loving the brethren” there is…

Assurance of salvation (vs. 14)
That we know and are known of Him (vs. 15)
How to love the brethren (Examples of Christ’s love – HOW did He love the disciples, His family and the world)
It effects our earthly abilities and possessions. (v.17-18)
1. All of our abilities, all of our talents all of our personal provisions, gifts and comforts are for the body. – 1 Cor. 8:1-16.
Notice that The power to stumble is given by us. IF we stumble it is due to our lack of love.
1. A little on the word “stumble”…

Skándalon always denotes an enticement to conduct which could ruin the person in question.

In the NT skándalon is used figuratively in a moral sense. It is concerned mainly with the fact that it produces certain behavior which can lead to ruin

The key is to spend yourself on your brother.

The stumbling block to giving yourself is your motive. Below is simply an example, but perhaps one of the best to use since motherhood is so often represented in larger than life terms. This in NO way diminishes the role, importance nor reality of the selfless nature of motherhood. However, if all the mothers out there actually lived all that is said about them, the world would be a much different place than it is now. To be clear, so that no one fails to walk in love with me after reading this – the principles apply to us all and perhaps especially to fathers,, but traditionally, when people talk about fathers they talk in terms of what they “should” be doing – not what all fathers actually do – which makes it unnecessary to use as a point.

EX: PERSONAL HORN TOOTERS – I know many mothers who have claimed that they make is all about their children and their husbands, but in reality they are doing that for themselves. They where their “humble servitude” as a merit badge of honor. They tell everyone who will listen about how much they sacrifice – and many of them DO sacrifice – but they do it to be seen and praised my men – THAT is their reward which is what makes it NOT loving their brothers but loving themselves. – Matt. 6:1-36; Mk. 23:1-12.

Abiding by obedience to correction

We spent a a while working through this scripture as a GREAT example of HOW to abide in Christ THROUGH times of spiritual discipline unto obedience. This point could NOT be more important!

Hebrews 12:1-11,

(1) Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
(2) looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
(3) For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.
(4) You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.
(5) And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “MY SON, DO NOT DESPISE THE CHASTENING OF THE LORD, NOR BE DISCOURAGED WHEN YOU ARE REBUKED BY HIM;
(6) FOR WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE CHASTENS, AND SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES.”
(7) If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?
(8) But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.
(9) Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?
(10) For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness.
(11) Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

This is where we ended this week…however, there is much more in the recording, so we hope you will listen.

I hope this teaching will challenge you and encourage you to place your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

You have a special place in God’s family & kingdom. If you do not know Him, please use our ‘Contact Us‘ page and reach out so we may have the privilege to introduce you to the Lord. Attendance at our church will NOT even be mentioned nor will money.

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Blessings!

Pastor Mark

View posts by Pastor Mark

Hi my name is Mark and though I am opposed to titles, I am currently the only Pastor (shepherd/elder) serving our assembly right now.

I have been Pastoring in one capacity or another for nearly 30 years now, though never quite like I am today.

Early in 2009 the Lord revealed to me that the way we had structured our assembly (church) was not scriptural in that it was out of sync with what Paul modeled for us in the New Testament. In truth, I (like many pastors I am sure) never even gave this fundamental issue of church structure the first thought. I had always assumed that church structure was largely the same everywhere and had been so from the beginning. While I knew Paul had some very stringent things to say about the local assembly of believers, the point of our gatherings together and who may or may not lead, I never even considered studying these issues but assumed we were all pretty much doing it right...safety in numbers right?! Boy, I couldn't have been more wrong!

So needless to say, my discovery that we had been doing it wrong for nearly two decades was a bit of a shock to me! Now, this "revelation" did not come about all at once but over the course of a few weeks. We were a traditional single pastor led congregation. It was a top-bottom model of ministry which is in part biblical, but not in the form of a monarchy.

The needed change did not come into focus until following 9 very intense months of study and discussions with those who were leaders in our church at the time.

We now understand and believe that the Bible teaches co-leadership with equal authority in each local assembly. Having multiple shepherds with God's heart and equal authority protects both Shepherds and sheep. Equal accountability keeps authority and doctrine in check. Multiple shepherds also provide teaching with various styles and giftings with leadership skills which are both different and complementary.

For a while we had two co-pastors (elders) (myself and one other man) who led the church with equal authority, but different giftings. We both taught in our own ways and styles, and our leadership skills were quite different, but complimentary. We were in complete submission to each other and worked side-by-side in the labor of shepherding the flock.

Our other Pastor has since moved on to other ministry which has left us with just myself. While we currently only have one Pastor/Elder, it is our desire that God, in His faithfulness and timing, may bring us more as we grow in maturity and even in numbers.

As to my home, I have been married since 1995 to my wonderful wife Terissa Woodson who is my closest friend and most trusted ally.

As far as my education goes, I grew up in a Christian home, but questioned everything I was ever taught.

I graduated from Bible college in 1990 and continued to question everything I was ever taught (I do not mention my college in order to avoid being labeled).

Perhaps my greatest preparation for ministry has been life and ministry itself. To quote an author I have come to enjoy namely Fredrick Buechner in his writing entitled, Now and Then, "If God speaks to us at all other than through such official channels as the Bible and the church, then I think that He speaks to us largely through what happens to us...if we keep our hearts open as well as our ears, if we listen with patience and hope, if we remember at all deeply and honestly, then I think we come to recognize beyond all doubt, that, however faintly we may hear Him, He is indeed speaking to us, and that, however little we may understand of it, His word to each of us is both recoverable and precious beyond telling." ~ Fredrick Buechner

Well that is about all there is of interest to tell you about me.

I hope our ministry here is a blessing to you and your family. I also hope that it is only a supplement to a local church where you are committed to other believers in a community of grace.

~God Bless!