John 15:1-17

Are you a limb or a stick? Phil Ware continues his I AM series from the Gospel of John by talking about the vine and the branches and being fruitful by remaining or abiding or staying connected to Jesus.

"Dear Friend, Before I ascended to the Father, I promised My disciples that I would send the Spirit. I promised I would pour out the Spirit on people...."

"[Jesus continued,] "I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love..."

"[Jesus continued,] "I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn't confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you..."

"[Jesus continued, "The Father] cuts off every branch of mine that doesn't produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will..."

"[Jesus said,] "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. This is to....."

"[Jesus continued,] "I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as..."

"[Jesus continued,] "Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be..."

"[Jesus continued,] "Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be..."

Jesus > You + X (all your dos) + Y (all your dont's)! Jordan Harrell helps us understand what Jesus meant when what matters is in our hearts!

How do we make life among our friends more enjoyable? Friends can help friends if they love them and minister to them.

"[Jesus continued,] "I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener.""

"(Jesus said) "If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love.""

"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit — fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my..."

"How did you begin to bear fruit? It was when you came to Jesus and cast yourselves on his great atonement, and rested on his finished righteousness......"

"As the Father loves the Son, in the same manner Jesus loves his people. What is that divine method? He loved him without beginning, and thus Jesus..."

"Communion with Christ is a certain cure for every ill. Whether it be the wormwood of woe, or the cloying surfeit of earthly delight, close fellowship...."

"[Jesus continued,] "When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.""

Inspirational illustration of John 15:16 -- You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.

e-card of John 15:5 - I am the vine; you are the branches.

Love e-card of John 15:12 - Love One Another.

Inspirational illustration of John 15:10 -- (Jesus said) "If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love."

Inspirational illustration of John 15:13 -- Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

What can make my joy complete? Tom Norvell talks about his son's wedding and how everyone sacrificed to do what the bride and groom wanted and this allowed complete joy to bless everyone.

Do you have an "any weather" friend? Jesus is a friend for all seasons, but so many of our friends are only fair weather friends.

What's growing in your personal flower beds? God is the master gardener and works in our lives to get rid of what is dead and overgrown.

What would you do in your last moments with those you love? Phil Ware continues his series on the unpredictable Savior and reminds us of the upper room discourses where Jesus demonstrates and teaches what is most important to him to those who are most important to him, his disciples, his friends, those he loves.

"Dear Friend, There are many voices that call out to you and seek to win your heart. There are many distractions in your busy and high-tech culture..."

Sometimes what we need most is a friend! Phillip Morrison writes to remind us that the Ferguson tragedy is not new, but a repeated wound or scar, and we need trusted friends to help address the issue, and the same is true with our lives and Jesus our friend.

As followers of Jesus, we are blessed to have forever friends from all over the world! Phil Ware reminds us that in Jesus, we are friends, and our friendships reach around the world, across cultures, and unite us in one family.

How deep is the darkness where you shine your light? Phil Ware continues his dialogue on darkness and light and emphasizes the importance of shining our light in the darkness and

How productive are you going to be in your walk with the Lord? We must remain connected to Jesus if we are going to bear fruit in the Lord.

Jesus said that there is no greater love! Phillip Morrisson reminds us of four men of great courage and compassion who gave all they had to help others find God and survive tragedy.

How can we so easily forget such sacrifice? Phil Ware shares some Scriptures on sacrifice, love, remembering, and friendship.

What would you not do to save the life of a friend? Phil Ware talks about four friends who dig a hole in the roof to get their friend to Jesus so he could be healed; so what would we be willing to do to get our friends to Jesus to be saved?

So who are you based on your living? Danny Sims takes a weird mixture of folks and reminds us that we are what we are, so look at your life and see if that is who you want to be!

When's the last time you welcomed someone in? We have been brought into the circle of God's grace and we must graciously bring others in as well.

Imagine never being picked last! Paul Faulkner reminds us that God chose us, and still chooses us, every time for his team.

Who would you try to make contact with? Russ Lawson emphasizes that we shouldn't be motivated out of fear, but urgency and love, and mend our relationships.

It's not just true of our hair! Jesus words make us clean, squeaky clean just like our hair is when it is clean.

What happened to Jesus' promise? Ron Rose writes about unanswered prayers and letting God find us and us having conversations with our heavenly Father.

How can we move from contingent joy through courageous joy to contagious joy? Max Lucado reminds us that contagious joy is rooted in courageous joy and not contingent joy, and our courageous joy is rooted in Jesus and faith in what God did through Jesus.

What are you connected to the most? We are connected to our iPhones, iPads, iTouch, iTunes, iMac, iChat, but have we lost the connection to the I AM?

How big is God in your daily world? God is so big that he is greater than heart and can help us overcome the daily grind in all its mundane sameness.