The Characteristics Of Not Abiding

Temple Baptist Church - 8-24-2008

John 15:1-17

Introduction:

A. Our Lord said, “I am the true vine.” The implication is this: If there is a True Vine, there must also be “False Vines!” There Are Worldly Vines that you can get your life from:

B. The Vine of Worldly Music – It can be Rock Music, Country Music, Contemporary Christian Music, New Age Music, or even just music in general. Music opens the “gate of the soul.” Don Robertson, whom I do not endorse, studied music and the effect that it has upon people spiritually, said this:

“Music has a definite effect on people, animals, and plants. In fact it can have a powerful influence on our body, mind, and emotions. Music with a ‘beat’ can stimulate your body; music with powerful melodies and harmonies performed with feeling can make you weep or cry out with joy; and music like the fugues of Bach and Mozart can be mentally invigorating. Every Hollywood movie producer is aware of the power of music, and that is why it plays such a key role in motion pictures. The music that accompanies movies grabs our feelings.”

C. Music can destroy the soul. Jimmy Hendrix, Janice Joplin, Beatles, and many others have died early deaths because of the effects of their music coupled with alcohol and drugs.

D. The Vine of Alcohol and Drugs – As a general rule, alcohol and drug abuse will end in premature death and or destruction of life.

E. The Vine of Sex and Perversion – Perveresion leads to more perversion because it does not satisfy. Many pedophiles and murders got their start in pornography and sexual captivation. Sex is a wonderful fulfillment of marriage but when indulged in outside of marriage will destroy your mind and body. Aids and other Sexually Transmitted Diseases have destroyed both the health and future happiness of many.

F. The Vine of Worldly Pleasure – Pleasure is a gift from God when it is found in the right things. Our world is pleasure mad. Lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God is the biblical description and such pleasure leaves you both unfulfilled and empty!

G. Your Vine Gives You Your Characteristics! Being Attached To The Right Vine:
1. Gives us purpose – vs. 1
2. Gives us productivity – vs. 2, 4, 8
3. Gives us purity – vs. 3
4. Gives us power – vs. 7

HERE ARE SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF ONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE IN THE TRUE VINE

1. Lives A Life That Harms The Cause Of Christ - vs 2 “taketh away” (I know that the proper interpretation of this is the Husbandman pruning the vine but I want to give an application) - Luke 11:23 He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth. (We are either “gathering” or we are “scattering.”)

2. Lives A Life That Is Unclean - vs 2-3 “purgeth ... clean” - 2 Corinthians 12:21 [And] lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and [that] I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.

2 Timothy 2:21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, [and] prepared unto every good work.

3. Lives A Life That Fails To Produce Fruit - vs 4 “no more can ye” - Galatians 5:22-24 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (Without producing spiritual fruit, we cannot produce physical fruit and one is dependent upon the other.)

4. Lives A Life Void Of God’s Power - vs 5 – “ye can do nothing” - John 9:33 If this man were not of God, he could do nothing. (Speaking of Christ.)
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. (Do all things verses do nothing and the key is abiding.)

5. Lives A Life Of Total Spiritual Defeat - vs 6 “withered…burned” - 2 Timothy 2:24-26 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all [men], apt to teach, patient, 25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

6. Lives A Life That Does Not Contain The Blessings Of God - vs 7 “ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” - Psalms 37:4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. (I am not preaching a “Prosperity Gospel,” but I am saying that God will bless you for your faithfulness to Him.)

7. Lives A Life That Does Not Bring Glory To God - vs 8 “Herein is my Father glorified” - 1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to [give] the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

8. Lives A Life That Is Void Of Spiritual Joy - vs 11 “my joy…remain…your joy…full” - 1 Peter 1:8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see [him] not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

1 John 1:4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

9. Lives A Life Of Unfriendliness Towards God - vs 14 “Ye are my friends, if” - James 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

John 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. (The Lord is always our Friend! We need to be His friend!)