THEME:

Theme:&nbs= p;

“Connected To The Vine”

“I am the vine, ye are the branches.= He that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fru= it; for without me, ye can do nothing.”

St. John 15:5

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TOPIC: “WHAT’S YOUR CONNECTION?”

JOSHUA 1: 6

JOSHUA 6: 1- 5, 20

ST JOHN 15:1 – 7

Joshua 1

⁶ Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto th= eir fathers to give them.

Joshua 6
¹   Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of t= he children of Israel: none went out, and none came in.
²   And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have gi= ven into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.
³   And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of = war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days.
⁴   And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns: and the sev= enth day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.

²⁰ &nbs= p;So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.=

John 15

The Vine and the Branches

¹"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ²⁼He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that do= es bear fruit he prunes^{[1] so
that it will be even more fruitful. ³You are already clean becau=
se
of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴Remain in me, and I will rema=
in
in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Nei=
ther
can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

⁵"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in =
me
and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6}If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and <= st1:PersonName w:st=3D"on">withers; such branches are picked up, thrown i= nto the fire and burned. ⁷If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.

Our theme this year “Connected To The Vine” outlines three conditio= ns of a fruitful life. Cleansing, Abiding and Obedience. 1) Cle= ansing vv 2-3 on Tuesday evening, Superintendent, Elder Anthony Gilmore carved out “We are cleanse through the Word”! On Yesterday, President of the Usher’s, Minister Sharon Hull admonished us to “Stay CONNECTED = TO THE VINE”. (Abiding) And today I want to deal with the third condition of a fruitful life “Obedience” and ask the question… “What is YOUR connectionR= 21;?

Today’s text is coming from two familiar passages of scripture, the first in Joshua. Where the servant of = the Lord was Directed and Encouraged by God!

The second our theme for the week, “Christ the True Vine”.

Joshua Chapter 1 opens up with a “word” from the Lord…= . He said, I know the death of the M= oses has sadden you, But I want you to go over to Jordan you and all the children of Israel and go to the land I will tell yo= u, every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon that I given unto y= ou, as I said unto Moses, from the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the gr= eat river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast (what a promise)<= o:p>

When I looked at Joshua’s call and his encouragement I asked myself, why did God have to encourage him in this manner? Wouldn’t it hav= e been enough to just say, ok, Joshua now you continue the work.=

Let’s review for a moment what happe= ned during the exodus of the children of Israel.

Ø Children of Israel = was in bondage and Moses told pharaoh to let my people go

Ø There were numerous plaques, signs and wonders

Ø Finally they were delivered from bondage in Egypt

Ø God opened up the Red Sea so they could walk across on dry land<= /o:p>

Ø And the LORD went be= fore them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar= of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night

Ø And the children of = Israel = did eat manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabite= d; they did eat manna, until they came un= to the borders of the land of Canaan

So now Moses is dead, and Joshua is the man of the hour, whom the people are l= ooking to and God comforts him and prepares him to take the Children of Israel into the promise land.

The L= ord said unto Joshua, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee, I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee…. BE STRONG AND OF GOOD COURAGE, Don’t turn from the commandments I’ve given Mo= ses, turn not from it to the right hand or to the left hand. Don’t be dismayed wherever you go I am the Lord thy God and I am with thee.

Joshu= a was “Called” by God for an appointed season, he could only be the c= all of God because he had already walked in “obedience” to the Lord. Joshua was already conn= ected to the power source, The True and LIVING GOD!

We fi= nd that not only did God “call” Joshua but he encouraged him! God said “Be Strong, and of = Good Courage” (I don’t care what it looks like, what the majority says,… trust it what I’ve said, don’t sway from it ….. Because I am with thee!

(all of this was in Chapter 1) (In= your leisure time I want you to go home and read Chapters 2-5)=

In Joshua Chapter 6… The Lord told Joshua I’ve given you the city, Jericho, which was shut up… and instructed him exactly how to do it a= nd verse 20 state “ So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when t= he people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down fl= at, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and t= hey took the city.”

How d= id a people who recently come out of bondage, no army, no government in place to overtake a city do this….. Through OBDIENCE!

Let’s look at the text in St. John 15.

St Joh= n 15 there were some major turn of events, which took place…

In Chapter 12; Jesus was anointed at Be= thany, 6 days prior to Passover by Mary W/a very expensive perfume, (this act caused some controversy).

In= the same chapter we find his Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem after which He gave His predi= ction of His death and instruction and guidance regarding the unbelief, which had surrounded Him.

Ch= apter 13 opens up with Jesus exemplifying humility by washing the feet of His disciples followed by anot= her revelation regarding His death, betrayal and denial by peter!

In= Chapter 14 He then “comforts” His followers and gives them the way = to the “Father”, followed by His promise of the comforter… T= he Holy Spirit.

Chapt= er 15 opens with more instruction with a parable of the vine and the branche= s!

Today= ’s message is for both saints and sinner.

When = we are not correctly connected to the vine (Christ Jesus), we will be deficient spiritually!

What = is your connection? <= /span>

Analo= gy : ( Let’s look at)

VINE/= BRANCH AND ROOT CONNECTION

Healt= hy Plant because the strong roots

All of the nutrients and life sustaining supply comes to the branches through the = Vine!

As previously stated this week, you= can disconnect the branch from the vine and it will not live long without the proper connection or nutrition.

However the branches are connected = to the vine and the vine are connected to the roots

Food = and water will are transport thru the VINE to the BRANCHES.

Likewise we are just like plants….. WHAT IS YOUR CONNECTION? &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp;

John 15
¹   I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
²   Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
³   Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
⁴   Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cann= ot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
⁵   I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
⁶   If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as= a branch, and is withered; and m= en gather them, and cast them int= o the fire, and they are burned.
⁷   If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you,= ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

WHAT IS YOUR CONNECTION? ARE YOU H= OOKED UP TO THE POWER SOURCE?

ARE WE CONNECTED TO THE VINE?

à      Christ is the Vine, believers are branches

à      Christ is the Word of God, made flesh and dwelt among us.<= /span>

The r= oot supports and supplies the food needed for the plant/tree ect…

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The father is the husbandman, the land worker, he takes care of the v= ine and the branches. Though the = earth is the Lord’s, it yields him no fruit unless he work it. God has not only a propriety in, b= ut a care of, the vine and all the branches.&nb= sp; He hath planted, and watered, and gives the increase (I Corinthians = 3:9)

       Branc= hes are commanded to be fruitful an unfruitful branch will be barren and disconnected and doomed. He h= as an eye upon all the branches, and prunes them, and watches over them, that nothing hurt them.

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Branc= hes will be pruned in its appointed seasons,&n= bsp;

To re= main fruitful, branches must ABIDE with the VINE!

We mu= st be fruitful. How do we look a= t the fruit on our tree? Our conversation, the company we keep, our life and disposition.

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There= are FATAL consequences for forsaking Christ and resisting to be “Connecte= d to Him”! Some of the fatal consequences are being cast f= orth, plucked off abandoned and rejected !!

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If a branch is broken from its source it can be transplanted. (Thank you Jesus!) (There is HOPE)<= /o:p>

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Some = of us may have to be transplanted or

re-co= nnected today!!

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The Children of Israel could only seize the city of J= ericho by walking in obedience. As t= he body of Christ, we will only siege the promises for our lives as we walk in obedience to the Lord. <= /o:p>

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Time = is OUT for doing things our own way and having our own agenda!

The FATHER is calling us to “Stay Connected”, Know our connection.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> Don’t fake the funk! Be real with who we are and where = we are spiritually.

We are called into Unity and OBDIENCE!

We mu= st have a DIRECT CONNECTION with JESUS! “What is your co= nnection today”?

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Even = in his Incarnation, the Son of God, At Calvary said, Not my well, but thine be done “Father”!

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We mu= st do the same, the Father is calling for obedience and unity today!

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I Am = a Branch

He is the vine, and I’m a branch;

His life through me does flow.

He is my only lifeline

And food to help me grow.

The vine supports the branches;

Their strength he multiplies.

The branches can’t survive alone,

Their needs, the vine supplies.

Oh what a wondrous plan it is;

I am clinging to the vine.

It has the strength to brave the storm,

And through Him it is mine.

I am a part of something great,

Though some might think I’m small.

My vine is rooted into Yah,

The life and light of all.

What = is your connection?   <= /o:p>