May 7, 2025 • 30 mins
Ever wondered about the difference between a fruit and a vegetable? Beyond the culinary distinction, there's a profound spiritual lesson—fruits contain seeds that spread life, while vegetables are merely structural. This botanical truth launches us into Jesus' powerful teaching that He is the Vine and we are the branches.
When you disconnect a branch from its life source, it withers rapidly. Many of us have seen this in our gardens—cut a stalk, and everything attached to it dies. This vivid imagery perfectly captures what happens in our spiritual lives when we're disconnected from Christ. The difference is stark: permanent withering versus abundant growth.
Abiding in Christ isn't a casual visit; it's taking up permanent residence. Think about the difference between staying at someone else's house versus being in your own home. At home, you experience comfort, safety, and belonging. Too many Christians want to "visit Jesus' house" occasionally rather than making Him their permanent dwelling place. True discipleship means Christ is your address, not your destination.
The purpose of this abiding relationship becomes clear—bearing fruit that glorifies God and proves our discipleship is genuine. This fruit isn't just good works but encompasses the entirety of the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. And just as fruit contains seeds, our spiritual fruitfulness spreads faith to others.
Perhaps most profound is Jesus' promise that abiding in Him produces joy—not mere happiness that fluctuates with circumstances, but deep, untouchable joy that persists even through trials. As James tells us, we can "count it all joy" during difficulties because our joy isn't dependent on external conditions but on our connection to the Vine.
Are you merely visiting Christ occasionally, or have you taken up permanent residence in Him? The difference isn't just semantic—it's the difference between life and death, between withering and flourishing, between temporary happiness and lasting joy.
Listen now and discover how staying connected to Jesus as the true Vine transforms everything about how you live and grow.
Learn More at 109.church
We invite you to join us in this journey of faith. If you would like to learn more about a deeper relationship with God or need someone to pray with, please reach out to us at hello@109.church. We are here to support and encourage you in your spiritual growth.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
Hello, friends, and welcome to the Rooted and
Grounded podcast.
Thanks for being with us, mattand Wayne.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
How are you Good?
How about you Good?
Speaker 1 (00:14):
All right.
So, guys, a very simplequestion to get us started today
, but one that should be commonknowledge for us, at least by
the end of the answer.
What is the difference betweena fruit and a vegetable?
Oh man, really Do we know?
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Well, when this question gets asked to me, it
reminds me of this one Is itpotato or butt-ato?
Because I've heard kids saybutt-ato.
I'm not good at determiningwhat's vegetable or what's fruit
.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Yeah, me either.
And I'll say that I really likeeither one of them.
He's a meat-only guy.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Dessert.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
I think the practical answer is would you put it in?
Speaker 3 (01:04):
a fruit salad.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
I think that's a practical answer.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
I like that.
I like that.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
Man, that's good, but the real answer is that fruit
contains the seed and theveggies are the structural parts
of the plant.
So vegetables are the roots,stem and leaves, but the fruits
are how the plants spread theirseed.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Love it, the fruit is Spread their seed.
Love it.
The fruit is spread their seeds.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
Yes, and so, with that thought in mind, that takes
us to John 15.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
And a little foreshadow.
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
And Jesus saying that he is the vine, and a big part
of what we are going to look attoday is the command that Jesus
has for us to produce much fruitis the command that Jesus has
for us to produce much fruit,and so, if you think back almost
a year ago, one of the firsttwo or three episodes that we
did was on John 15, and I amdivine.
Now go back and listen to it ifyou want to, but I guarantee
(01:58):
you that this will be a betterepisode than what we did when we
first started, not that it
Speaker 2 (02:04):
was bad, but this one will probably be a little
better.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
And it'll be different for sure.
Yes, I didn't go back and lookat notes.
I didn't re-listen to it, sothis is a fresh take on John 15.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Some freestyle baby, yes, all right, so let's.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
On the cruise of life .
Speaker 1 (02:21):
Let's read the first eight verses of John 15.
Jesus says you are cleanbecause of the word that I have
(02:41):
spoken to you.
Abide in me and I in you.
As the branch cannot bear fruitby itself unless it abides in
the vine, neither can you unlessyou abide in me.
I am the vine, you are thebranches.
Whoever abides in me and I inhim, he it is that bears much
fruit, For apart from me, youcan do nothing.
If anyone does not abide in me,he is thrown away like a branch
(03:03):
and withers and the branchesare gathered, thrown into the
fire and burns.
If you abide in me and my wordsabide in you, ask whatever you
wish and it will be done for you.
By this my father is glorifiedthat you bear much fruit and so
prove to be my disciples.
So there's two overarchingthemes, I think, from this
(03:26):
passage and this teaching, andthose are number one, to abide
in the vine, and then number two, like we said, to produce much
fruit.
And so I want us to developboth of these themes.
So, Matt, walk us through whatit means when Jesus tells us to
abide in the vine.
How does someone do that?
What do those two things?
Speaker 3 (03:43):
mean.
So I think the abiding in thevine means to be connected to it
.
Right, it's the connection tothat vine for your source of
life.
He's saying here we go again.
It's just so ironic that wealways have to talk about life.
When we talk about Jesus, right, it's not about death, it's
(04:07):
always about life with him.
He's always a life guy, he'sthe life provider.
And so you think about, I think, just the very simple meaning
for abiding is abiding in thevine means to be connected to it
.
But what it produces issomething incredible, because
(04:27):
now, all of a sudden, thatbranch, it starts producing
things, it starts producingleaves and it starts producing
fruit.
One of the verses that came tomy mind and me and Wayne had
talked about this before wasProverbs 35.
Every word of God proves true.
(04:47):
He is a shield to those whotake refuge in him.
So, all of the sudden, if I'mconnected to that vine, I'm not
connected to anything else.
So what's coming out of thatvine is we talked about it last
time the way, the truth and thelife and all of those things.
(05:09):
Now I can break down and startfiguring out what is the way.
Okay, is this the right way, oris that the right way?
Is that the truth, or is thisthe truth?
Is this going to lead me tolife abundantly here, or is it
going to draw me into some typeof trap?
Right, and am I living my lifefor the one who's going to crown
(05:30):
me one day for being a well, uh, a good, and and doing well,
well, well done, my good andfaithful servant right.
Um, I think that really abidingin the vine is a life of
obedience, yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Because when you're connected to that vine, you talk
about what it means.
That's the life-giving sourceof it.
Yeah, because you look at ahealthy vine, what it's doing is
continue to produce, and youlook at the leaves, you look at
the fruit of it.
It's also healthy.
And because it's thelife-giving source, it's the
life-giving means to be able tosustain that life and that
(06:10):
healthiness.
And the same thing is true forus spiritually.
If we're going to bespiritually healthy, okay, then
as a vine, you don't need, youmust stay connected, because you
know if you disconnect from thevine, what happens, and we've
seen it pruning trees yeah youprune trees, you prune a shrub.
What happens as soon as youdisconnect it?
(06:32):
Within a matter of moments, oran hour or so, whatever, you go
back out and you go and thatthing was green and vibrant, had
health, and now, what is it?
Speaker 3 (06:41):
yeah it's dried up, there's no substance to it,
there's no life in it yeah, thewe got weeds everywhere in the
fields and I spray those weedsand you know, uh, they die off
for just a little bit but thenthey come back and I think about
I can't remember the exact nameof this weed right now, but
(07:03):
when I look at it, I mean it is,the stalk is just thick, and I
mean those branches that comeoff of it, I mean they are just
so alive and I mean the leavesjust keep.
And I've thought about that asI've drove through the field and
looked at that weed and I thinkif I just cut that stalk off, I
(07:24):
don't even have to pull one ofthose branches out.
It just is, it'll just die.
And I think about, you know, thepower of the vine and the power
and of of that source of lifethat comes from it, when I stay
attached to it and I can tell inmy life if I'm not, if I'm have
(07:44):
moved kind of, you know, awayfrom the lord, a little bit
distant from him, or haven'tprayed to him, or like I had
been, or you know you, you findyour moments where you're not
like what am I doing?
Like if I'm aware of that, Ican see and sense this, you know
, feeling of, I don't feel aswell, but when I'm attached to
(08:05):
him now, all of a sudden I'm,I'm back to where I need to be,
because I'm dealing with myproblems.
You know a lot better than ifI'm just barely hanging on.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
You know I can remember talking about that life
source.
I must have been four or fiveyears old, so you like 40 years
ago.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
Wow, yeah man, just a little bit of time ago.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
My dad told me to go out in the garden and we was
going to hoe the Johnson grassout of the, you know, get the
weeds out of the corn.
Well, I didn't know thedifference in corn and Johnson
grass because it was prettysmall corn.
Well, he just said I'll be outthere in a minute.
You go ahead and start hoeing.
Well, I'll just tell you thisif you cut the live source off
(08:51):
of corn, it'll die too.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
And I thought I was going to die as a result of it.
I thought my life story wouldbe taken away because I think I
did some johnson grass.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
I'm going to tell you guys, I did a lot of corn and
the results were the same youcut it off from the live source,
it's gone.
Yep, it's gone, that's right.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
Well, and I think about abiding is kind of the
difference between being at yourhouse versus either visiting
someone else or going onvacation.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
It's just different.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
That's right.
You can have a good time atsomeone's house.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
It can be nice.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
You can be comfortable, but you are not at
home at someone else's house,and when you're at home you are
comfortable.
You feel safe, you feel atsomeone else's house, and when
you're at home, you arecomfortable, you feel safe, you
feel peace, you feel love, youfeel all those things, and I
think that's a big part ofabiding in the vine is the
difference between going tosomeone's house.
Like I said it's nice, but youdon't live there, and I think a
(09:44):
lot of people want to visitJesus's house.
They want a little Jesus.
Oh, it's nice, it was good tosee you but they don't want
Jesus to live in them.
They don't want to live in him.
And so I think for us a bigchallenge and a big thought is
how comfortable are we in Christ?
Are we truly abiding in thevine, or are we just there for
(10:08):
an afternoon?
Speaker 3 (10:09):
Yeah, I think that's a I mean great point.
Yeah, am I just visiting, orhey, this is where I live.
You know, I'm excited to livehere you need to come and live
here too take up residence.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
Yeah, yeah, I'm gonna take up residence.
Take up residence in christ,that's right.
You know, yeah all right, so.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
So that's the abiding in the vine part Now.
Wayne talk to us about theproducing fruit aspect.
I mean obviously abiding inChrist.
The results are very evident.
But also not abiding in Christhas very pronounced produce as
well.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Yeah, that's exactly right, you know.
Look again with me to verse 8,guys, by this my Father is
glorified.
You know we have talked aboutthis so many times in the seven
I am statements of jesus.
His whole life ministry wastrying to bring and bringing
glory to the father in heaven.
And he starts out here withthis I am saying by this my
(11:04):
father is glorified.
Well, how is that christ talkingto his disciples, talking to us
as followers of Jesus, talkingto us as the branches?
Because we've alreadyestablished who the vine is.
We want to take up residencethere, we want to abide there.
So when we do that, not only isGod, the Father, glorified, but
that you bear much fruit and soprove I don't want us to miss
(11:28):
that and so prove that you aremy disciples.
So when you look at verse 8,god is telling us, if we're
going to be a follower of god,if we're going to stay connected
when we are connected to to thevine of life, then there's
going to be some things thathappen.
Number one is that you're goingto have a proof here.
(11:48):
That's right.
It's going to be evident.
You know, when you, when you'rehome, it's evidence that you're
by your comfort.
A proof here.
That's right, it's going to beevident.
You know, when you're home.
It's evidence that you're byyour comfort and the peace that
you were talking about a fewmoments ago.
So Jesus says it is proof ofsomething.
What does it prove?
I'm connected to the vine, I'ma follower of Christ.
But he also goes ahead and saysback in verse 6, he kindly
(12:09):
establishes a contrast.
As I said In verse 6, he kindlyestablishes a contrast.
As I said In verse 6, if anyonedoes not abide, you don't take
up residence.
It's not your home.
Okay, maybe you're justvisiting.
Okay.
In verse 6, he said if you'rejust visiting me and you're not
abiding in me, guess what?
Thrown away and like a and itwithers, and the end result are
(12:34):
the branches are gathered andthrown into the fire and the
result is not good.
They're burned, just like thatthing I was telling you a few
moments ago, chopping down thecorn and the Johnson grass.
You know what happened to themboth and we gathered them up
after I, after a few otheractions after a timeout after a
(12:56):
timeout and I could barely walk,but limping along.
I helped pull those out of thegarden and guess what we did
with them?
We set them on fire.
After I was set on fire okay,and so we say that laughing.
But there's a serious side ofthat, guys, because he says if
you don't bear that fruit, thenit's evidence that you're not
(13:18):
abiding in me, that you haven'ttaken up residence and and you
know there's such a contrast.
Uh, matt and I were talkingearlier about the galatians 5.
Yeah, the the fruit of thespirit.
You know, a lot of times wehear people say the fruits of
the Spirit, no, singular, it'sexactly right, matt, it's
singular, it is a fruit.
Then what happens to that isthat fruit is the Lord's way,
(13:42):
and the Lord's way is it isgoing to continue to bear fruit.
In other words you said itearlier that's how the seed is
spread, right.
Isn't that what you saidearlier?
That's how the seed is spread,right?
You know what you said.
The seed is spread.
Well, there's all kind of seedto be spread.
I mean seed is the word of god.
Luke 8, 11.
Yeah, so we want to sow thatseed in in hearts and lives.
Um, that will produce morefruit.
(14:03):
Yeah, you know, it's likewhat's second emphathy 2, 2, you
, you plant the word of god andfaithful people, and they'll
plant it again and otherfaithful people.
So there's an aspect of thefruit of the Spirit is we share,
we evangelize, we share theWord of God because of what it
means to us, of how it'sproduced in our life, what it
produces, that fruit of theSpirit is that joy and that love
(14:26):
and that meekness, et cetera,that we read about in Galatians,
chapter 5.
Meekness, et cetera, that weread about in Galatians 5.
So we have the blessing ofdwelling in and taking up
residence and living in Christand then we get to share that
and pass that along to othersbecause of the result.
It's the Lord's way and whenwe've looked at the seven I am
statements, we've just seen overand over what that means to
(14:49):
followers of Christ, peopleabiding in the vine, where
there's life and vitality andhappiness and joyful living and
healthy, not only life here butthen a healthy spiritual life
that results in a beautifulplace called heaven.
But you got to stay connected.
Speaker 3 (15:13):
So the last lesson that we did in 2024 was on the
last we did a two-parter.
It was on Psalm 22.
And it was talking about that.
You know the struggles thatDavid had, for sure.
But then it talked about thisidea of you know the, the
(15:33):
prophesied messiah, and thestruggle that he would have on
the cross.
Well, I think that there's abig component in here that you
know is worthy of ourunderstanding too.
In verse two, he every branchin me that does not bear fruit
he takes away, and every branchthat bears fruit he prunes that
(15:56):
it may bear more fruit.
And the reason why I bring upPsalm 22 is because Wayne said
it my father is glorified whenyou bear much fruit.
Well, the way that I'm going tobear that fruit is sometimes
having to consider it all.
Joy when I face various trials,knowing what's going to be
(16:17):
produced in me, patience so thatwhen I talk to somebody else,
the fruit that I give them isgoing to be something very
different.
And I think you know a lot oftimes people, I mean think about
Paul, 2 Corinthians 12,.
Paul says I asked three timesfor this thorn of flesh to be
(16:38):
removed and Jesus said back tohim my grace is good enough.
Okay, so if I'm going to be ableto bear fruit correctly, I'm
going to have to boast in myaffliction.
I'm going to have to boast inmy affliction.
I'm going to have to boast inmy persecution.
So that pruning process hurtsin the moment because it's
(16:59):
cutting away something that wedon't need.
But what it's doing is what wedon't understand maybe in the
moment is it's allowing us togrow something that's going to
produce a fruit that is full ofseeds, man.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
Exactly why we prune our trees, yes, and our shrubs.
I mean, you know, you cut thoserose bushes down so that it'll
grow and it'll be even morebeautiful.
You do it so it'll be thick.
What do you say?
It's thicker and it's.
Speaker 3 (17:26):
You know.
Looks, the bush is more full.
Let me trim over here because Iknow next year it'll come back.
And the bush is more full.
Let me trim over here because Iknow next year it'll come back.
And that's how it always does,isn't it just crazy?
It may just be a coincidencethat Jesus always uses
illustrations that you could seeand that you know.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
Oh well, man that actually is true.
They're not abstract.
Yeah, it's not like a crazyillustration, it's not something
you've never seen or never doneyeah, but when you look at the
fruit of the Spirit, it's notlike a crazy illustration or
never done.
Yeah, but when you look at thefruit of the Spirit, it doesn't
say it could be, it might be.
It's just like we were talkingin the last episode when he says
the way the truth.
He says the fruit of the Spiritis Is it is.
It's absolute.
Yeah, it's absolute.
(18:05):
This is what it should beproducing in life.
Speaker 1 (18:07):
Yeah.
So I want us to talk a littlebit more about how to produce
that fruit.
So let me read verses 9 through11 of John 15.
As the Father has loved me, sohave 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'scommandments and abide in his
love, these things.
(18:28):
I have spoken to you that myjoy may be in you and that your
joy may be full.
And so, guys, while Jesus lovesall, there are certain
conditions that we have touphold to truly know and abide
in the love of God, and one ofthose, jesus says, is that we
have to keep his commandments.
(18:49):
And so what does Jesus have inmind when he says keep my
commandments.
Speaker 3 (18:54):
I mean, I think that you know.
The one thing that we talkedabout was 1 John.
I want to just read this 1 John, chapter 5.
I just love this idea.
This is a great setup.
It says verse three, for thisis the love of God that we keep
(19:16):
his commandments, and hiscommandments are not burdensome,
whatever it is.
Forgive, have a heart thatmourns, be a peacemaker.
We talked about this before.
Consider it joy.
When you're persecuted for mynamesake, go the extra mile,
(19:38):
turn the other cheek.
We can go on and on about youknow forgive, love your neighbor
like I love you.
You know all of thecommandments that Jesus gave and
tried to promote and push.
Some of those commandments arehard to do because we get in the
(20:02):
way and when we allow ourselves.
I mean that is the call for theChristian.
If anybody desires to follow me, they must first deny their
self.
And if I can deny myself, thenI look at those commandments as
not rules.
I look at those commandments aswhat I do.
(20:26):
Where I reside, where I live at, I live on the vine, and when I
live on that vine, what comesout is just what he says.
That's why Paul and all themboys would say you know Paul,
slave of Jesus Christ or bondservant of Jesus Christ, I'm
willing to do whatever he saysand I'm okay.
(20:49):
Even if I don't want to do it,I'm doing it anyway, right.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
Yeah, and then even following up on verse 3, you
know, so many people look at theWord of God as being so
restrictive and taking away ourjoy and we can't enjoy life.
Listen, the best life to enjoyis life in Christ.
That's right.
Okay, Because of what it gives,the fruit that it produces.
But look at verse 4.
For everyone who has been bornof God overcomes the world.
That doesn't sound burdensometo me.
(21:14):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:15):
And this is the victory that doesn't sound
burdensome.
That doesn't sound burdensometo me.
I mean this victory that hasovercome the world.
What is it?
Our faith?
It's our faith, man, ourfollowing, our trust, staying
connected.
You know, back in verse uh,john 15 and verse 10, if you
keep my commandments, you willabide in my love.
And then he says just as I'vekept my father's we've all said
(21:37):
it before, guys jesus has neverasked us to do something he
wasn't willing to do himself.
He kept the commandments and heasked us to do the same thing.
Just again, back to our laststep.
He's the way.
He didn't just speak of the way, he showed the way.
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (21:53):
The law of Moses, remember.
He says I didn't come todestroy it, I came to fulfill it
.
So in his mind, in his mindthis is kind of taking it into
another thought really but inhis mind, keeping those
commandments were not a burdento him.
Keeping those commandments, Imean, what was the reason for
the law?
It was to elevate the sin, nodoubt.
(22:14):
So he knew that, because I meanfor lack of a better term he's
the one who created those right.
But he knows exactly what thelaw was going to do.
It was going to elevate, tokeep you away from sinning.
And he kept that thing not as aburden but as a victory,
(22:35):
because he knew if he did themthey would be, he would be
victorious in his life.
Man, that's incredible to me,because now the law of liberty
is a very blessed thing, becauseI don't receive that stoning
when I sin.
But I say you know what?
The reason why I don't receivethat stoning when I sin is
because Jesus' grace issufficient and I need to respect
(22:58):
that man.
That kind of gets me in, justkind of in awe of what you said
just a second ago.
Jesus was never asking us to dosomething that he wasn't
willing to do himself and he didit with all effort.
And sometimes I find myselflike man, I don't really want to
(23:22):
do that.
Speaker 2 (23:23):
But you know, we've said it so many times in our
various episodes Jesus talkedthe talk, walked the walk.
Guys, he talked the talk.
He told us what we needed to dofor our benefit.
Commandments are not personal.
But then he went right alongand he did it himself.
He kept the commandments of theFather.
He came to do his will, not hisown.
(23:44):
And if I can just learn to walkin those steps, not only be a
blessing in my life, it'llproduce so much fruit well, he
says in verse 14 you are myfriends if you do whatever I
command you.
Speaker 3 (23:57):
No longer do I call you servants, for servant
doesn't know what his master'sdoing, but I call you friends
For all things that I heard frommy father.
I'm making known to you.
Like what king is going to giveall the things out, like I'm
going to withhold someinformation.
I'll just tell you what I needto do, and the reason why is
(24:17):
because there's selfishmotivation in it.
Well, jesus was selfless and hewants you to elevate as much as
you can.
And he's saying the only waythat that's happening is if you
abide in the vine.
Speaker 1 (24:30):
Well, and I think too , it's important to remember
that this is the last time Jesusis going to be with his
apostles before the cross, andso this is part of the four
chapters or so parting messagethat he is giving and he's
saying abide in me even though.
I'm not going to be here.
Abide in me and throughoutthese kind of teen chapters of
(24:51):
John Jesus talks a lot about theHoly Spirit as being the helper
as being the gift as the.
I'm not leaving you alone, I'mgiving you a helper and when we
look at verse 11, kind of withthat Holy Spirit mindset of I am
not leaving you alone.
Jesus says I have spoken thesethings to you so that my joy may
be in you and that your joy maybe full.
(25:13):
Even though I'm not going to behere physically.
I've given you my joy, and Iwant your joy to be full too.
So, as Jesus imparts his joy tous and as we wrap up this
series on the I am, I want us tothink about the difference
between joy and happiness inkind of a biblical spiritual
(25:35):
context, because Jesus promisesthat we will have his joy and
that it will be full, but thatjoy doesn't necessarily equate
to happiness.
So, guys, what is Jesus gettingat and what's the takeaway for
us from verse 11?
Speaker 2 (25:52):
Oh man, how many hours do we have?
Speaker 1 (25:57):
We've got four minutes left.
Speaker 3 (26:04):
Look, there is no way I'll just say it like this
there is no way that JesusChrist was happy when they
smacked them nails in his hand.
There is no way that he washappy when he got those nails
just pierced through his feet,but there was joy.
Well, we've said it, there wasjoy, man.
You know we preached throughthe last two months of the year.
Well, we've said it, there wasjoy, man.
Speaker 2 (26:24):
You know we preached through the last two months of
the year.
We preached on the Beatitudesand one of the things we kept
stressing happiness comes andgoes, joy abides, yep.
And joy that God gives usthrough his son, jesus, by his
commandments, us abiding in himis something never leaves us
(26:44):
because, as Jesus by hiscommandments, us abiding in him
is something that never leavesus.
Because, as we've said morethan once, joy is untouchable.
It's not dependent on thechanges of life.
Speaker 1 (26:53):
Happiness is Well, and I think about how James
starts.
He doesn't say count it allhappiness.
Speaker 3 (26:58):
That's right.
Speaker 1 (26:59):
Count it.
All joy, that's right.
Whenever those trials?
Speaker 3 (27:02):
come.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
All right guys.
So, as we bring this episodeand this series on the IM
statements, to a close.
I think it's been a reallystrong series, especially as we
did this to kick off 2025.
But what else do we need toconclude with on the IMs and
(27:24):
this can either be your make itreal or just kind of closing
thoughts on this episode in thisseries.
Speaker 3 (27:30):
I think that there it was no coincidence that Jesus
used the phrase I am.
It takes us all the way back tothe burning bush.
And you think about what Godtold Moses when he said what do
I tell those elders of Israel?
And he said you tell them, I amsince you, I am that, I am, I'm
(27:55):
all things to you.
I'm the resurrection, I'm yourtruth, I'm your bread.
I mean, name them, I am allthese things for you.
And I did want to just say realquick you think about this joy
and happiness.
Happiness will always say youknow, and end with I don't know
(28:18):
what I'm going to do.
I don't know what I'm going todo, don't know what I'm going to
do, I don't know what I'm goingto do.
But joy always ends with butGod, every time I got this
struggle and I got this thing.
But God, happiness is, I justdidn't get my way and I just
(28:39):
don't know what's going tohappen.
But for me, thinking aboutthese I am's, it just draws me
closer to Jesus and it makes melove him so much more and I'm so
thankful that I get to be apart of his family.
I mean really.
Speaker 2 (28:52):
I'll just say the commandments of Jesus.
Going back for this episode,the commandments of Jesus are
not burdensome, they're joygiving.
Speaker 3 (29:00):
Verse 11.
Speaker 1 (29:01):
Yep, they're joy giving.
Yep, they're joy given verse 11.
Speaker 2 (29:02):
Yep, they're joy given, yep.
Speaker 1 (29:05):
And I want to read John 15, 15.
It says no longer do I call youservants for the servant does
not know what his master isdoing but, I, have called you
friends.
For all that I have heard frommy father I have made known to
you.
And I think Jesus has given usall of himself and all that we
need for this life and the lifeto come.
There are a lot of competingvoices and vices for what life
(29:27):
should be, but the ultimateanswer is always the great I am.
Speaker 2 (29:31):
Amen, I love that, guys.
Well said bro.
Speaker 1 (29:35):
Great series.
It really enjoyed this with youand I think I think after this
we're going to kind oftransition into the church We've
established Jesus as the I amand to kind of transition into
the church.
We've established Jesus as theI Am and now, after Christ is
gone, he has his church to carryout his work and his mission.
So I think we'll spend a fewepisodes on that in the coming
episodes and look forward tothat.
If you all continue to join us.
(29:56):
Feel free to share this episodewith people you come across as
we continue to spread the wordof God.
Thank you so much.
See you.
Hello, friends, and welcome to the Rooted and
Grounded podcast.
Thanks for being with us, mattand Wayne.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
How are you Good?
How about you Good?
Speaker 1 (00:14):
All right.
So, guys, a very simplequestion to get us started today
, but one that should be commonknowledge for us, at least by
the end of the answer.
What is the difference betweena fruit and a vegetable?
Oh man, really Do we know?
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Well, when this question gets asked to me, it
reminds me of this one Is itpotato or butt-ato?
Because I've heard kids saybutt-ato.
I'm not good at determiningwhat's vegetable or what's fruit
.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Yeah, me either.
And I'll say that I really likeeither one of them.
He's a meat-only guy.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Dessert.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
I think the practical answer is would you put it in?
Speaker 3 (01:04):
a fruit salad.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
I think that's a practical answer.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
I like that.
I like that.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
Man, that's good, but the real answer is that fruit
contains the seed and theveggies are the structural parts
of the plant.
So vegetables are the roots,stem and leaves, but the fruits
are how the plants spread theirseed.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Love it, the fruit is Spread their seed.
Love it.
The fruit is spread their seeds.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
Yes, and so, with that thought in mind, that takes
us to John 15.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
And a little foreshadow.
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
And Jesus saying that he is the vine, and a big part
of what we are going to look attoday is the command that Jesus
has for us to produce much fruitis the command that Jesus has
for us to produce much fruit,and so, if you think back almost
a year ago, one of the firsttwo or three episodes that we
did was on John 15, and I amdivine.
Now go back and listen to it ifyou want to, but I guarantee
(01:58):
you that this will be a betterepisode than what we did when we
first started, not that it
Speaker 2 (02:04):
was bad, but this one will probably be a little
better.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
And it'll be different for sure.
Yes, I didn't go back and lookat notes.
I didn't re-listen to it, sothis is a fresh take on John 15.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Some freestyle baby, yes, all right, so let's.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
On the cruise of life .
Speaker 1 (02:21):
Let's read the first eight verses of John 15.
Jesus says you are cleanbecause of the word that I have
(02:41):
spoken to you.
Abide in me and I in you.
As the branch cannot bear fruitby itself unless it abides in
the vine, neither can you unlessyou abide in me.
I am the vine, you are thebranches.
Whoever abides in me and I inhim, he it is that bears much
fruit, For apart from me, youcan do nothing.
If anyone does not abide in me,he is thrown away like a branch
(03:03):
and withers and the branchesare gathered, thrown into the
fire and burns.
If you abide in me and my wordsabide in you, ask whatever you
wish and it will be done for you.
By this my father is glorifiedthat you bear much fruit and so
prove to be my disciples.
So there's two overarchingthemes, I think, from this
(03:26):
passage and this teaching, andthose are number one, to abide
in the vine, and then number two, like we said, to produce much
fruit.
And so I want us to developboth of these themes.
So, Matt, walk us through whatit means when Jesus tells us to
abide in the vine.
How does someone do that?
What do those two things?
Speaker 3 (03:43):
mean.
So I think the abiding in thevine means to be connected to it
.
Right, it's the connection tothat vine for your source of
life.
He's saying here we go again.
It's just so ironic that wealways have to talk about life.
When we talk about Jesus, right, it's not about death, it's
(04:07):
always about life with him.
He's always a life guy, he'sthe life provider.
And so you think about, I think, just the very simple meaning
for abiding is abiding in thevine means to be connected to it
.
But what it produces issomething incredible, because
(04:27):
now, all of a sudden, thatbranch, it starts producing
things, it starts producingleaves and it starts producing
fruit.
One of the verses that came tomy mind and me and Wayne had
talked about this before wasProverbs 35.
Every word of God proves true.
(04:47):
He is a shield to those whotake refuge in him.
So, all of the sudden, if I'mconnected to that vine, I'm not
connected to anything else.
So what's coming out of thatvine is we talked about it last
time the way, the truth and thelife and all of those things.
(05:09):
Now I can break down and startfiguring out what is the way.
Okay, is this the right way, oris that the right way?
Is that the truth, or is thisthe truth?
Is this going to lead me tolife abundantly here, or is it
going to draw me into some typeof trap?
Right, and am I living my lifefor the one who's going to crown
(05:30):
me one day for being a well, uh, a good, and and doing well,
well, well done, my good andfaithful servant right.
Um, I think that really abidingin the vine is a life of
obedience, yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Because when you're connected to that vine, you talk
about what it means.
That's the life-giving sourceof it.
Yeah, because you look at ahealthy vine, what it's doing is
continue to produce, and youlook at the leaves, you look at
the fruit of it.
It's also healthy.
And because it's thelife-giving source, it's the
life-giving means to be able tosustain that life and that
(06:10):
healthiness.
And the same thing is true forus spiritually.
If we're going to bespiritually healthy, okay, then
as a vine, you don't need, youmust stay connected, because you
know if you disconnect from thevine, what happens, and we've
seen it pruning trees yeah youprune trees, you prune a shrub.
What happens as soon as youdisconnect it?
(06:32):
Within a matter of moments, oran hour or so, whatever, you go
back out and you go and thatthing was green and vibrant, had
health, and now, what is it?
Speaker 3 (06:41):
yeah it's dried up, there's no substance to it,
there's no life in it yeah, thewe got weeds everywhere in the
fields and I spray those weedsand you know, uh, they die off
for just a little bit but thenthey come back and I think about
I can't remember the exact nameof this weed right now, but
(07:03):
when I look at it, I mean it is,the stalk is just thick, and I
mean those branches that comeoff of it, I mean they are just
so alive and I mean the leavesjust keep.
And I've thought about that asI've drove through the field and
looked at that weed and I thinkif I just cut that stalk off, I
(07:24):
don't even have to pull one ofthose branches out.
It just is, it'll just die.
And I think about, you know, thepower of the vine and the power
and of of that source of lifethat comes from it, when I stay
attached to it and I can tell inmy life if I'm not, if I'm have
(07:44):
moved kind of, you know, awayfrom the lord, a little bit
distant from him, or haven'tprayed to him, or like I had
been, or you know you, you findyour moments where you're not
like what am I doing?
Like if I'm aware of that, Ican see and sense this, you know
, feeling of, I don't feel aswell, but when I'm attached to
(08:05):
him now, all of a sudden I'm,I'm back to where I need to be,
because I'm dealing with myproblems.
You know a lot better than ifI'm just barely hanging on.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
You know I can remember talking about that life
source.
I must have been four or fiveyears old, so you like 40 years
ago.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
Wow, yeah man, just a little bit of time ago.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
My dad told me to go out in the garden and we was
going to hoe the Johnson grassout of the, you know, get the
weeds out of the corn.
Well, I didn't know thedifference in corn and Johnson
grass because it was prettysmall corn.
Well, he just said I'll be outthere in a minute.
You go ahead and start hoeing.
Well, I'll just tell you thisif you cut the live source off
(08:51):
of corn, it'll die too.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
And I thought I was going to die as a result of it.
I thought my life story wouldbe taken away because I think I
did some johnson grass.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
I'm going to tell you guys, I did a lot of corn and
the results were the same youcut it off from the live source,
it's gone.
Yep, it's gone, that's right.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
Well, and I think about abiding is kind of the
difference between being at yourhouse versus either visiting
someone else or going onvacation.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
It's just different.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
That's right.
You can have a good time atsomeone's house.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
It can be nice.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
You can be comfortable, but you are not at
home at someone else's house,and when you're at home you are
comfortable.
You feel safe, you feel atsomeone else's house, and when
you're at home, you arecomfortable, you feel safe, you
feel peace, you feel love, youfeel all those things, and I
think that's a big part ofabiding in the vine is the
difference between going tosomeone's house.
Like I said it's nice, but youdon't live there, and I think a
(09:44):
lot of people want to visitJesus's house.
They want a little Jesus.
Oh, it's nice, it was good tosee you but they don't want
Jesus to live in them.
They don't want to live in him.
And so I think for us a bigchallenge and a big thought is
how comfortable are we in Christ?
Are we truly abiding in thevine, or are we just there for
(10:08):
an afternoon?
Speaker 3 (10:09):
Yeah, I think that's a I mean great point.
Yeah, am I just visiting, orhey, this is where I live.
You know, I'm excited to livehere you need to come and live
here too take up residence.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
Yeah, yeah, I'm gonna take up residence.
Take up residence in christ,that's right.
You know, yeah all right, so.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
So that's the abiding in the vine part Now.
Wayne talk to us about theproducing fruit aspect.
I mean obviously abiding inChrist.
The results are very evident.
But also not abiding in Christhas very pronounced produce as
well.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Yeah, that's exactly right, you know.
Look again with me to verse 8,guys, by this my Father is
glorified.
You know we have talked aboutthis so many times in the seven
I am statements of jesus.
His whole life ministry wastrying to bring and bringing
glory to the father in heaven.
And he starts out here withthis I am saying by this my
(11:04):
father is glorified.
Well, how is that christ talkingto his disciples, talking to us
as followers of Jesus, talkingto us as the branches?
Because we've alreadyestablished who the vine is.
We want to take up residencethere, we want to abide there.
So when we do that, not only isGod, the Father, glorified, but
that you bear much fruit and soprove I don't want us to miss
(11:28):
that and so prove that you aremy disciples.
So when you look at verse 8,god is telling us, if we're
going to be a follower of god,if we're going to stay connected
when we are connected to to thevine of life, then there's
going to be some things thathappen.
Number one is that you're goingto have a proof here.
(11:48):
That's right.
It's going to be evident.
You know, when you, when you'rehome, it's evidence that you're
by your comfort.
A proof here.
That's right, it's going to beevident.
You know, when you're home.
It's evidence that you're byyour comfort and the peace that
you were talking about a fewmoments ago.
So Jesus says it is proof ofsomething.
What does it prove?
I'm connected to the vine, I'ma follower of Christ.
But he also goes ahead and saysback in verse 6, he kindly
(12:09):
establishes a contrast.
As I said In verse 6, he kindlyestablishes a contrast.
As I said In verse 6, if anyonedoes not abide, you don't take
up residence.
It's not your home.
Okay, maybe you're justvisiting.
Okay.
In verse 6, he said if you'rejust visiting me and you're not
abiding in me, guess what?
Thrown away and like a and itwithers, and the end result are
(12:34):
the branches are gathered andthrown into the fire and the
result is not good.
They're burned, just like thatthing I was telling you a few
moments ago, chopping down thecorn and the Johnson grass.
You know what happened to themboth and we gathered them up
after I, after a few otheractions after a timeout after a
(12:56):
timeout and I could barely walk,but limping along.
I helped pull those out of thegarden and guess what we did
with them?
We set them on fire.
After I was set on fire okay,and so we say that laughing.
But there's a serious side ofthat, guys, because he says if
you don't bear that fruit, thenit's evidence that you're not
(13:18):
abiding in me, that you haven'ttaken up residence and and you
know there's such a contrast.
Uh, matt and I were talkingearlier about the galatians 5.
Yeah, the the fruit of thespirit.
You know, a lot of times wehear people say the fruits of
the Spirit, no, singular, it'sexactly right, matt, it's
singular, it is a fruit.
Then what happens to that isthat fruit is the Lord's way,
(13:42):
and the Lord's way is it isgoing to continue to bear fruit.
In other words you said itearlier that's how the seed is
spread, right.
Isn't that what you saidearlier?
That's how the seed is spread,right?
You know what you said.
The seed is spread.
Well, there's all kind of seedto be spread.
I mean seed is the word of god.
Luke 8, 11.
Yeah, so we want to sow thatseed in in hearts and lives.
Um, that will produce morefruit.
(14:03):
Yeah, you know, it's likewhat's second emphathy 2, 2, you
, you plant the word of god andfaithful people, and they'll
plant it again and otherfaithful people.
So there's an aspect of thefruit of the Spirit is we share,
we evangelize, we share theWord of God because of what it
means to us, of how it'sproduced in our life, what it
produces, that fruit of theSpirit is that joy and that love
(14:26):
and that meekness, et cetera,that we read about in Galatians,
chapter 5.
Meekness, et cetera, that weread about in Galatians 5.
So we have the blessing ofdwelling in and taking up
residence and living in Christand then we get to share that
and pass that along to othersbecause of the result.
It's the Lord's way and whenwe've looked at the seven I am
statements, we've just seen overand over what that means to
(14:49):
followers of Christ, peopleabiding in the vine, where
there's life and vitality andhappiness and joyful living and
healthy, not only life here butthen a healthy spiritual life
that results in a beautifulplace called heaven.
But you got to stay connected.
Speaker 3 (15:13):
So the last lesson that we did in 2024 was on the
last we did a two-parter.
It was on Psalm 22.
And it was talking about that.
You know the struggles thatDavid had, for sure.
But then it talked about thisidea of you know the, the
(15:33):
prophesied messiah, and thestruggle that he would have on
the cross.
Well, I think that there's abig component in here that you
know is worthy of ourunderstanding too.
In verse two, he every branchin me that does not bear fruit
he takes away, and every branchthat bears fruit he prunes that
(15:56):
it may bear more fruit.
And the reason why I bring upPsalm 22 is because Wayne said
it my father is glorified whenyou bear much fruit.
Well, the way that I'm going tobear that fruit is sometimes
having to consider it all.
Joy when I face various trials,knowing what's going to be
(16:17):
produced in me, patience so thatwhen I talk to somebody else,
the fruit that I give them isgoing to be something very
different.
And I think you know a lot oftimes people, I mean think about
Paul, 2 Corinthians 12,.
Paul says I asked three timesfor this thorn of flesh to be
(16:38):
removed and Jesus said back tohim my grace is good enough.
Okay, so if I'm going to be ableto bear fruit correctly, I'm
going to have to boast in myaffliction.
I'm going to have to boast inmy affliction.
I'm going to have to boast inmy persecution.
So that pruning process hurtsin the moment because it's
(16:59):
cutting away something that wedon't need.
But what it's doing is what wedon't understand maybe in the
moment is it's allowing us togrow something that's going to
produce a fruit that is full ofseeds, man.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
Exactly why we prune our trees, yes, and our shrubs.
I mean, you know, you cut thoserose bushes down so that it'll
grow and it'll be even morebeautiful.
You do it so it'll be thick.
What do you say?
It's thicker and it's.
Speaker 3 (17:26):
You know.
Looks, the bush is more full.
Let me trim over here because Iknow next year it'll come back.
And the bush is more full.
Let me trim over here because Iknow next year it'll come back.
And that's how it always does,isn't it just crazy?
It may just be a coincidencethat Jesus always uses
illustrations that you could seeand that you know.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
Oh well, man that actually is true.
They're not abstract.
Yeah, it's not like a crazyillustration, it's not something
you've never seen or never doneyeah, but when you look at the
fruit of the Spirit, it's notlike a crazy illustration or
never done.
Yeah, but when you look at thefruit of the Spirit, it doesn't
say it could be, it might be.
It's just like we were talkingin the last episode when he says
the way the truth.
He says the fruit of the Spiritis Is it is.
It's absolute.
Yeah, it's absolute.
(18:05):
This is what it should beproducing in life.
Speaker 1 (18:07):
Yeah.
So I want us to talk a littlebit more about how to produce
that fruit.
So let me read verses 9 through11 of John 15.
As the Father has loved me, sohave 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'scommandments and abide in his
love, these things.
(18:28):
I have spoken to you that myjoy may be in you and that your
joy may be full.
And so, guys, while Jesus lovesall, there are certain
conditions that we have touphold to truly know and abide
in the love of God, and one ofthose, jesus says, is that we
have to keep his commandments.
(18:49):
And so what does Jesus have inmind when he says keep my
commandments.
Speaker 3 (18:54):
I mean, I think that you know.
The one thing that we talkedabout was 1 John.
I want to just read this 1 John, chapter 5.
I just love this idea.
This is a great setup.
It says verse three, for thisis the love of God that we keep
(19:16):
his commandments, and hiscommandments are not burdensome,
whatever it is.
Forgive, have a heart thatmourns, be a peacemaker.
We talked about this before.
Consider it joy.
When you're persecuted for mynamesake, go the extra mile,
(19:38):
turn the other cheek.
We can go on and on about youknow forgive, love your neighbor
like I love you.
You know all of thecommandments that Jesus gave and
tried to promote and push.
Some of those commandments arehard to do because we get in the
(20:02):
way and when we allow ourselves.
I mean that is the call for theChristian.
If anybody desires to follow me, they must first deny their
self.
And if I can deny myself, thenI look at those commandments as
not rules.
I look at those commandments aswhat I do.
(20:26):
Where I reside, where I live at, I live on the vine, and when I
live on that vine, what comesout is just what he says.
That's why Paul and all themboys would say you know Paul,
slave of Jesus Christ or bondservant of Jesus Christ, I'm
willing to do whatever he saysand I'm okay.
(20:49):
Even if I don't want to do it,I'm doing it anyway, right.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
Yeah, and then even following up on verse 3, you
know, so many people look at theWord of God as being so
restrictive and taking away ourjoy and we can't enjoy life.
Listen, the best life to enjoyis life in Christ.
That's right.
Okay, Because of what it gives,the fruit that it produces.
But look at verse 4.
For everyone who has been bornof God overcomes the world.
That doesn't sound burdensometo me.
(21:14):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:15):
And this is the victory that doesn't sound
burdensome.
That doesn't sound burdensometo me.
I mean this victory that hasovercome the world.
What is it?
Our faith?
It's our faith, man, ourfollowing, our trust, staying
connected.
You know, back in verse uh,john 15 and verse 10, if you
keep my commandments, you willabide in my love.
And then he says just as I'vekept my father's we've all said
(21:37):
it before, guys jesus has neverasked us to do something he
wasn't willing to do himself.
He kept the commandments and heasked us to do the same thing.
Just again, back to our laststep.
He's the way.
He didn't just speak of the way, he showed the way.
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (21:53):
The law of Moses, remember.
He says I didn't come todestroy it, I came to fulfill it
.
So in his mind, in his mindthis is kind of taking it into
another thought really but inhis mind, keeping those
commandments were not a burdento him.
Keeping those commandments, Imean, what was the reason for
the law?
It was to elevate the sin, nodoubt.
(22:14):
So he knew that, because I meanfor lack of a better term he's
the one who created those right.
But he knows exactly what thelaw was going to do.
It was going to elevate, tokeep you away from sinning.
And he kept that thing not as aburden but as a victory,
(22:35):
because he knew if he did themthey would be, he would be
victorious in his life.
Man, that's incredible to me,because now the law of liberty
is a very blessed thing, becauseI don't receive that stoning
when I sin.
But I say you know what?
The reason why I don't receivethat stoning when I sin is
because Jesus' grace issufficient and I need to respect
(22:58):
that man.
That kind of gets me in, justkind of in awe of what you said
just a second ago.
Jesus was never asking us to dosomething that he wasn't
willing to do himself and he didit with all effort.
And sometimes I find myselflike man, I don't really want to
(23:22):
do that.
Speaker 2 (23:23):
But you know, we've said it so many times in our
various episodes Jesus talkedthe talk, walked the walk.
Guys, he talked the talk.
He told us what we needed to dofor our benefit.
Commandments are not personal.
But then he went right alongand he did it himself.
He kept the commandments of theFather.
He came to do his will, not hisown.
(23:44):
And if I can just learn to walkin those steps, not only be a
blessing in my life, it'llproduce so much fruit well, he
says in verse 14 you are myfriends if you do whatever I
command you.
Speaker 3 (23:57):
No longer do I call you servants, for servant
doesn't know what his master'sdoing, but I call you friends
For all things that I heard frommy father.
I'm making known to you.
Like what king is going to giveall the things out, like I'm
going to withhold someinformation.
I'll just tell you what I needto do, and the reason why is
(24:17):
because there's selfishmotivation in it.
Well, jesus was selfless and hewants you to elevate as much as
you can.
And he's saying the only waythat that's happening is if you
abide in the vine.
Speaker 1 (24:30):
Well, and I think too , it's important to remember
that this is the last time Jesusis going to be with his
apostles before the cross, andso this is part of the four
chapters or so parting messagethat he is giving and he's
saying abide in me even though.
I'm not going to be here.
Abide in me and throughoutthese kind of teen chapters of
(24:51):
John Jesus talks a lot about theHoly Spirit as being the helper
as being the gift as the.
I'm not leaving you alone, I'mgiving you a helper and when we
look at verse 11, kind of withthat Holy Spirit mindset of I am
not leaving you alone.
Jesus says I have spoken thesethings to you so that my joy may
be in you and that your joy maybe full.
(25:13):
Even though I'm not going to behere physically.
I've given you my joy, and Iwant your joy to be full too.
So, as Jesus imparts his joy tous and as we wrap up this
series on the I am, I want us tothink about the difference
between joy and happiness inkind of a biblical spiritual
(25:35):
context, because Jesus promisesthat we will have his joy and
that it will be full, but thatjoy doesn't necessarily equate
to happiness.
So, guys, what is Jesus gettingat and what's the takeaway for
us from verse 11?
Speaker 2 (25:52):
Oh man, how many hours do we have?
Speaker 1 (25:57):
We've got four minutes left.
Speaker 3 (26:04):
Look, there is no way I'll just say it like this
there is no way that JesusChrist was happy when they
smacked them nails in his hand.
There is no way that he washappy when he got those nails
just pierced through his feet,but there was joy.
Well, we've said it, there wasjoy, man.
You know we preached throughthe last two months of the year.
Well, we've said it, there wasjoy, man.
Speaker 2 (26:24):
You know we preached through the last two months of
the year.
We preached on the Beatitudesand one of the things we kept
stressing happiness comes andgoes, joy abides, yep.
And joy that God gives usthrough his son, jesus, by his
commandments, us abiding in himis something never leaves us
(26:44):
because, as Jesus by hiscommandments, us abiding in him
is something that never leavesus.
Because, as we've said morethan once, joy is untouchable.
It's not dependent on thechanges of life.
Speaker 1 (26:53):
Happiness is Well, and I think about how James
starts.
He doesn't say count it allhappiness.
Speaker 3 (26:58):
That's right.
Speaker 1 (26:59):
Count it.
All joy, that's right.
Whenever those trials?
Speaker 3 (27:02):
come.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
All right guys.
So, as we bring this episodeand this series on the IM
statements, to a close.
I think it's been a reallystrong series, especially as we
did this to kick off 2025.
But what else do we need toconclude with on the IMs and
(27:24):
this can either be your make itreal or just kind of closing
thoughts on this episode in thisseries.
Speaker 3 (27:30):
I think that there it was no coincidence that Jesus
used the phrase I am.
It takes us all the way back tothe burning bush.
And you think about what Godtold Moses when he said what do
I tell those elders of Israel?
And he said you tell them, I amsince you, I am that, I am, I'm
(27:55):
all things to you.
I'm the resurrection, I'm yourtruth, I'm your bread.
I mean, name them, I am allthese things for you.
And I did want to just say realquick you think about this joy
and happiness.
Happiness will always say youknow, and end with I don't know
(28:18):
what I'm going to do.
I don't know what I'm going todo, don't know what I'm going to
do, I don't know what I'm goingto do.
But joy always ends with butGod, every time I got this
struggle and I got this thing.
But God, happiness is, I justdidn't get my way and I just
(28:39):
don't know what's going tohappen.
But for me, thinking aboutthese I am's, it just draws me
closer to Jesus and it makes melove him so much more and I'm so
thankful that I get to be apart of his family.
I mean really.
Speaker 2 (28:52):
I'll just say the commandments of Jesus.
Going back for this episode,the commandments of Jesus are
not burdensome, they're joygiving.
Speaker 3 (29:00):
Verse 11.
Speaker 1 (29:01):
Yep, they're joy giving.
Yep, they're joy given verse 11.
Speaker 2 (29:02):
Yep, they're joy given, yep.
Speaker 1 (29:05):
And I want to read John 15, 15.
It says no longer do I call youservants for the servant does
not know what his master isdoing but, I, have called you
friends.
For all that I have heard frommy father I have made known to
you.
And I think Jesus has given usall of himself and all that we
need for this life and the lifeto come.
There are a lot of competingvoices and vices for what life
(29:27):
should be, but the ultimateanswer is always the great I am.
Speaker 2 (29:31):
Amen, I love that, guys.
Well said bro.
Speaker 1 (29:35):
Great series.
It really enjoyed this with youand I think I think after this
we're going to kind oftransition into the church We've
established Jesus as the I amand to kind of transition into
the church.
We've established Jesus as theI Am and now, after Christ is
gone, he has his church to carryout his work and his mission.
So I think we'll spend a fewepisodes on that in the coming
episodes and look forward tothat.
If you all continue to join us.
(29:56):
Feel free to share this episodewith people you come across as
we continue to spread the wordof God.
Thank you so much.
See you.
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