John 16:1 ESV

“I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away.

John 15:1–7 ESV

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

Apologetics - PROOF

John 20:25 ESV

So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

LOVE

JOY

John 15:8–11 ESV

By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

John 15:8 ESV

By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

Jesus is saying that fruit of your life proves whether or not you are a true disciple of Jesus.

LOVE

John 15:9 ESV

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.

John 15:10 ESV

If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.

Obedience = Love

John 15:11 ESV

These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

1 Peter 1:3–9 ESV

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Hebrews 12:2 ESV

looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

"Why I said these things..." #1

Pastor Jeremy Vines

I have said these things to keep you from falling away / John 15; John 16:1

 

John 16:1 ESV

“I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away.

John 16:1 ESV

“I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away.

John 15:1–7 ESV

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

Why do we need the church?

Joshua 1:1–9 (ESV)

After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory. No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Romans 4:17 (NKJV)

...God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;

Romans 4:1–3 NLT

Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God? If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God, he would have had something to boast about. But that was not God’s way. For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”

Romans 4:16–17 NLT

So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham’s. For Abraham is the father of all who believe. That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, “I have made you the father of many nations.” This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing.

According to Revival Outside the Walls.com

50% of Christians say they are deeply committed to practicing their faith but only 11% have a biblical worldview.

Only half of America’s pastors (51%) have a biblical worldview.

In 2021, one-third of Americans (35%) said there were more than two genders (male and female), up 8 points in just one year! ˝

54% of U.S. churches allow openly gay or lesbian couples to hold full-fledged memberships, an increase of 70% compared to just twelve years ago.

Less than 10% of sermons preached in Evangelical churches even mentioned Hell, Sin, Salvation, or Heaven.

Bible reading declined by 7% during the first six months of COVID-19.

“The Joy of the Lord is my ___________.”

Nehemiah 8:9–10 ESV

And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Psalm 122:1 ESV

I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!”

Joshua 1:1-9 ESV

After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory. No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

We tend to look at this command to be strong and courageous as a reflection what we already are vs. what we are capable of being.

The command to be strong and courageous can only be given to the weak and afraid.

The Word of God is the seed and you are the soil.

Luke 8:11 (ESV)

“The seed is the word of God.”

Luke 8:12 ESV

The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.

John 12:24 ESV

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.

Weakness is the soil that strength grows in

Fear is the soil that courage grows in.

2 Corinthians 12:9–10 ESV

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Joshua 1:8 ESV

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Matthew 28:16–20 ESV

16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Matthew 28:20 ESV

20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Teaching people to obey Jesus.

Matthew 28:18 ESV

18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

Exousia - Which is also translated as power.

Acts 19:13–16 NLT

13 A group of Jews was traveling from town to town casting out evil spirits. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus in their incantation, saying, “I command you in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, to come out!” 14 Seven sons of Sceva, a leading priest, were doing this. 15 But one time when they tried it, the evil spirit replied, “I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?” 16 Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, overpowered them, and attacked them with such violence that they fled from the house, naked and battered.

GO & Make Disciples

Jeremy Vines

GO Series...

Matthew 28:16–20 ESV

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Go and Make Disciples.

1. What is a Disciple?

What do you think a disciple is? I am serious. If you had to answer that question what would you say?

1 John 1:8 ESV

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

Ecclesiastes 7:20 ESV

Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.

Malachi 3:10 ESV

Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.

James 2:19 NLT

You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God.* Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.

1. The number 1 thing you need to do to make disciples is to be one.

2. GO PUBLIC with your faith.

3. Be an inviter.

Show Up

Jeremy Vines

Series: GO...

Today we starting a new series called “Go”

This passage is what many will recognize as the Great Commission. In fact, it is so familiar that I think most of us don’t stop to really look at it and try to understand it.

According to Barna Research: https://www.barna.com/research/half-churchgoers-not-heard-great-commission/

“51% of church goers do not know what the Great Commission is”

Matthew 28:16 ESV

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them.

So here is the first part of the Great Commission you need to respond to and apply to your life.

#1 - SHOW UP

The first key to following Christ is be in the right place at the right time.

On the CDC website they site a study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM)

https://www.cdc.gov/aging/publications/features/lonely-oldert-adults.html

“More than one-third of adults aged 45 and older feel lonely, and nearly one-fourth of adults aged 65 and older are considered to be socially isolated.”

In an article called, “Young adults hardest hit by loneliness during pandemic” found at the Harvard Gazetta online.

In the recently released results of a study conducted last October by researchers at Making Caring Common,

“36 percent of respondents to a national survey of approximately 950 Americans reported feeling lonely “frequently” or “almost all the time or all the time”.

Luke 10:18–20 ESV

And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Matthew 28:16 ESV

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them.

Luke 9:57 ESV

As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”

Luke 9:59–62 ESV

To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Matthew 28:16–17 ESV

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted.

God does not call the equipped - He equips the called.

Matthew 28:16 ESV

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them.

Spiritual Enlightenment #1

Jeremy Vines

2 Timothy 4:3 ESV

3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,

So lets start today!

1. Read your Bible every day

2. Pray every day

3. Go to church every week

4. Share your faith with others and invite people to church every chance you get

The religion is called “Progressive Christianity”. There is an irony because while the title “Progressive Christianity” sounds like it is Christian + Progress, which sounds good, right? In reality it is neither progress, progressive or certainly not christian. In fact what it is describing is more about what it isn’t than what it is.

When automobiles were coming on to the scene - people didn’t know what to call them. Horse drawn carriages were what people understood. What we know today as simply a “car” was known in the beginning as the “Horseless Carriage”.

“The term (WiFi) was created by a marketing firm because the wireless industry was looking for a user-friendly name to refer to some not so user-friendly technology known as IEEE 802.11. And the name stuck.”

These terms attempt to communicate something unknown by attaching or associating it with something that is already known.

Progressive Christianity does the same thing. It tries to convey the unknown by attaching it self to what is already known.

Progressive Christianity or New-Age Christianity is a religion that seeks spiritual enlightenment by looking within yourself to find the “Christ” or God within you.

Matthew 8:20 ESV

20 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”

John 14:6 ESV

Spiritual Enlightenment

Jeremy Vines

2 Timothy 4:3 ESV

3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,

“God’s Number one in 2021”

“God’s Got YOU in 2022...”

”22 Will See It Through”

Rather than thinking terms of weeks or months and years. Ask yourself what is God doing in your life TODAY? Everyday. No matter what day it is.

We think a new year, a new month or new week is a good time to start better habits - but TODAY is the only time you really have to make better choices.

So lets start today!

1. Read your Bible every day

2. Pray every day

3. Go to church every week

4. Share your faith with others and invite people to church every chance you get

The religion is called “Progressive Christianity”. There is an irony because while the title “Progressive Christianity” sounds like it is Christian + Progress, which sounds good, right? In reality it is neither progress, progressive or certainly not christian. In fact what it is describing is more about what it isn’t than what it is.

When automobiles were coming on to the scene - people didn’t know what to call them. Horse drawn carriages were what people understood. What we know today as simply a “car” was known in the beginning as the “Horseless Carriage”.

According to Verizon.com

“The term (WiFi) was created by a marketing firm because the wireless industry was looking for a user-friendly name to refer to some not so user-friendly technology known as IEEE 802.11. And the name stuck.”

These terms attempt to communicate something unknown by attaching or associating it with something that is already known.

Progressive Christianity does the same thing. It tries to convey the unknown by attaching it self to what is already known.

Progressive Christianity or New-Age Christianity is a religion that seeks spiritual enlightenment by looking within yourself to find the “Christ” or God within you.

Link to video "A Progressive Christian Look at John 3:16"

Matthew 8:20 ESV

20 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”

John 14:6 ESV

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 3:16 ESV

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:17–21 ESV

17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

2 Timothy 4:3–4 ESV

3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

Spiritual Enlightenment is not something you find within yourself.

You can only find it in Jesus, the one true son of God.

This is why you need to make it a priority and a habit in your life to:

1. Read your Bible every day

2. Pray every day

3. Go to church every week

4. Share your faith with others and invite people to church every chance you get