Expository Preaching
Biblical
We must be careful that we don’t
seek toThe
equate
Theology
Gospel the
church health with how close
we match
numbers and figures of the ‘super’ churches…
Evangelism
Church Discipline
Conversion
Discipleship
Membership
Leadership
Prayer
Church Math
(Dustin Neeley)
“As kids, I bet most of us reading this post
probably hated math—all the subtracting,
borrowing, and dividing. These are all words
that make pastors nervous. No wonder
teachers called them "problems."
But as we aged and began ministry,
something miraculous happened and we
suddenly fell in love with numbers.
Church Math
(Dustin Neeley)
In fact, we learned the whole new subject
called "church math," like baptisms,
budgets, and Sunday service attendance.
The number of things to count became
almost endless and almost fun—that is, as
long as the numbers were up. But if the
numbers went down, especially the Sunday
attendance number, our spirits would often
go down with them. And that is a problem
indeed.
Church Math
(Dustin Neeley)
I am not against counting things when it
comes to church. The old adage which says,
"We count people because people count"
may be trite, but it is true. We should count
the things that we keep track of. But all of us
will readily admit that there is something
suspicious going on with our relationship
with the attendance figure. I believe it is
because, at times, we look to it to justify
ourselves and our ministries.”
Finale:
Healthy, What Is It?
John 15:1-8
Big Idea
“since Jesus Christ is the one
who builds His church, we must
submit to the process of
becoming healthy as we abide
in Him!”
John 15:1-8
“1“I am the true vine, and my Father is the
gardener. 2He cuts off every branch in me that
bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear
fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
3You are already clean because of the word I have
spoken to you. 4Remain in me, and I will remain in
you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must
remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit
unless you remain in me.
John 15:1-8
5“I
am the vine; you are the branches. If a man
remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit;
apart from me you can do nothing. 6If anyone does
not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown
away and withers; such branches are picked up,
thrown into the fire and burned. 7If you remain in
me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you
wish, and it will be given you. 8This is to my
Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing
yourselves to be my disciples.” (John 15:1–8 NIV)
Background
• Jesus farewell address
– Going away to prepare a place
for them
– He is the only way to the
Father
– Promise of another
comforter:
Holy
Spirit
– Describes
persecution ahead, but
He is the over
comer
– Process the Father
uses to keep His
church healthy.
Jesus wants us to see the two most important
players in this illustration…
VINE AND VINEDRESSER (15:1)
John 15:1-8
“1“I am the true vine, and my Father is the
gardener. 2He cuts off every branch in me that
bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear
fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
3You are already clean because of the word I have
spoken to you. 4Remain in me, and I will remain in
you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must
remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit
unless you remain in me.
Isaiah 5:1-7
“Let me sing for my beloved my love song
concerning his vineyard: My beloved had a
vineyard on a very fertile hill. He dug it and
cleared it of stones, and planted it with
choice vines; he built a watchtower in the
midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it;
and he looked for it to yield grapes, but it
yielded wild grapes.
Isaiah 5:1-7
And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and
men of Judah, judge between me and my
vineyard. What more was there to do for my
vineyard, that I have not done in it? When I
looked for it to yield grapes, why did it yield
wild grapes?
And now I will tell you what I will do to my
vineyard. I will remove its hedge, and it shall
be devoured; I will break down its wall, and it
shall be trampled down.
Isaiah 5:1-7
I will make it a waste; it shall not be pruned
or hoed, and briers and thorns shall grow
up; I will also command the clouds that they
rain no rain upon it.
For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the
house of Israel, and the men of Judah are
his pleasant planting; and he looked for
justice, but behold, bloodshed; for
righteousness, but behold, an outcry!” (Is
5:1–7 ESV)
John 15:1-8
“1“I am the true vine, and my Father is the
gardener. 2He cuts off every branch in me that
bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear
Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God became the true
fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
vine, in which He alone, through His sinless life, His
3You are already clean because of the word I have
substitutionary death, burial, and victorious resurrection
4Remain in me, and I will remain in
spoken
to you.
demonstrated
His power
over sin and death, thus enabling
Him toNo
givebranch
life to Hiscan
vine,bear
the church!
you.
fruit by itself; it must
remain
in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit
The Father is called the vinedresser or gardener, the one
unless
you for
remain
in me.
responsible
the vine.
Jesus now describes for us the…
WORK OF THE VINEDRESSER
(15:2-4,6)
John 15:1-8
“1“I am the true vine, and my Father is the
2He cuts off every branch in me that
gardener.
The Father, the
gardener, performs two tasks; He purges
and
prunes.
bears
no fruit, while every branch that does bear
fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
3You are already clean because of the word I have
4Remain
we know
theremain in
spoken toHow
you. do
in me,which
and I will
willfruit
do?by itself; it must
you. No branchFather
can bear
remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit
unless you remain in me.
Remain
• The word ‘remain’ (meno) = ‘to stay in a
given place’
– Present tense = continual action
– Active voice = the subject is doing the action
– Subjunctive mood = possibility that exists
when the action takes place
Depending on whether the branches continually stay in
place in the vine or not, will determine the outcome of their
survival through the action the vinedresser takes.
Purges
Purges
not processing
true
5“I am professing
the vine; believers
you arewho
the are
branches.
If a man
faith in Christ
remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit;
apart from me you can do nothing. 6If anyone does
not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown
They are lifeless imposters who do not belong to Christ,
away and withers; such branches are picked up,
and therefore fall under the eternal judgment
of God.
7
thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in
me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you
wish, is
and
it willnow
be no
given
you. 8This
to who
my
“There
therefore
condemnation
for is
those
are
in Christ
Jesus.”
ESV)
Father’s
glory,
that(Rom
you8:1
bear
much fruit, showing
yourselves to be my disciples.” (John 15:1–8 NIV)
Imposters?
“Children, it is the last hour, and as you have
heard that antichrist is coming, so now many
antichrists have come. Therefore we know
that it is the last hour. They went out from
us, but they were not of us; for if they had
been of us, they would have continued
with us. But they went out, that it might
become plain that they all are not of us.” (1
John 2:18–19 ESV)
Imposters?
“But false prophets also arose among the
people, just as there will be false teachers
among you, who will secretly bring in
destructive
heresies,
even
the
How
can we tell
whodenying
are
Master who bought
them, bringing upon
the imposters?
themselves swift destruction.” (2 Pet 2:1
ESV)
He cuts off every branch in me that bears
no fruit…
Prunes
“1“I am
the those
true who
vine,
and my
Father
Prunes
are already
bearing
fruit is the
gardener. 2He cuts off every branch in me that
The
process
to Wikipedia)
bearspruning
no fruit,
while (according
every branch
that does entails
bear
targeted
removal so
of that
diseased,
damaged,
dead,
nonfruit he prunes
it will be
even more
fruitful.
productive,
structurally unsound, or otherwise unwanted
3You are already
clean because of the word I have
tissue from the plant
in order to improve or maintain the
4
spoken
to you.
health of the
plant. Remain in me, and I will remain in
you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must
remain
the vine.
Neither
canmeans
you bear
fruit
The
wordin ‘prune’,
kathairo,
simply
to ‘purge,
cleanse,
or expiate’.
unless you
remain in me.
How the Father Prunes…
• The Word…“3You are already clean
because of the word I have spoken to
you.”
•“How
Redirected
through
can a youngfocus
man keep
his waytrials…
pure? By guarding it
according to your word.” (Psa 119:9 ESV)
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of
“Husbands,
loveforyour
Christ
theofchurch
and
various
kinds,
youwives,
knowas
that
the loved
testing
your faith
gave himself
up for her, that
sanctify her,
produces
steadfastness.
And he
let might
steadfastness
havehaving
its full
cleansed
bymay
the washing
water
with thelacking
word, so
effect,
thather
you
be perfectofand
complete,
in
that he might
present
the church to himself in splendor,
nothing.”
(James
1:2–4 ESV)
without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be
holy and without blemish.” (Eph 5:25–27 ESV)
So what is the goal of all this purging and
pruning? Jesus says that these processes exist
in order to bear…
FRUIT FOR THE VINEDRESSER
(15:5,8)
John 15:1-8
5“I
am the vine; you are the branches. If a man
remains in
in me
meand
andI in
I in
him,
him,
he he
will will
bearbear
muchmuch
fruit;
6If anyone
6If anyone
fruit; apart
apart
from me
from
you
mecan
youdo
can
nothing.
do nothing.
does
doesremain
not
not remain
in me,inheme,
is like
he ais branch
like a branch
that is thrown
that is
thrownand
away
away
withers;
and such
withers;
branches
such are
branches
picked are
up,
What
is
the
purpose
of
the
branches?
7
7If you
picked up,
thrown
intothrown
the fireinto
andthe
burned.
fire andIfburned.
you remain
in
remain
me
and in
myme
words
andremain
my words
in you,
remain
ask whatever
in you, you
ask
8This you.
whatever
wish,
andyou
it will
wish,beand
given
it willyou.
be given
is to8This
my
is to my Father’s
Father’s
glory, that
glory,
you that
bearyou
much
bearfruit,
much
showing
fruit,
showing yourselves
yourselves
to be my disciples.”
to be my(John
disciples.”
15:1–8 NIV)
(John
15:1–8 NIV)
What Fruit?
5“I
am the avine;
you are
branches.
If a man
Ultimately,
fruit-bearing
vinethe
glorifies
the vinedresser.
remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit;
The
church
Jesus
is tonothing.
look like 6Jesus
Christ.does
We
apart
fromofme
youChrist
can do
If anyone
are
drink ininthe
nutrition
Hisaword,
submit
to
not to
remain
me,
he is oflike
branch
thatourselves
is thrown
the trials of His pruning so that we bear His fruit of love, joy,
away and withers; such branches are picked up,
peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness,
7
thrown
intoand
the
and burned. If you remain in
gentleness,
selffire
control.
me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you
wish, and it will be given you. 8This is to my
Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing
yourselves to be my disciples.” (John 15:1–8
NIV)
So What?
1. What is it that you want in a church?
Remember big and prosperous does not
necessarily mean healthy. Church health takes
time and is the work of God not man.
2. Why do you come to church?
If you come to church simply out of habit or
needing your emotional tank filled, or any other
reason besides wanting to become like Jesus
Christ, you are here for the wrong reason.
So What?
3. What part will you play in making our
visible, local church a healthy church?
If you are a child of God, you are responsible to
use what He has given you to serve the body.
When you do, you are bearing fruit to the
Father’s glory.
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Psalm 46
PRAISE
Psalm 46
“God is our refuge and strength, a very
present help in trouble. Therefore we will not
fear though the earth gives way, though the
mountains be moved into the heart of the
sea, though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling.
There is a river whose streams make glad
the city of God, the holy habitation of the
Most High.
Psalm 46
God is in the midst of her; she shall not be
moved; God will help her when morning
dawns. The nations rage, the kingdoms
totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts.
The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of
Jacob is our fortress.
Come, behold the works of the LORD, how
he has brought desolations on the earth.
Psalm 46
He makes wars cease to the end of the
earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the
spear; he burns the chariots with fire. “Be
still, and know that I am God. I will be
exalted among the nations, I will be exalted
in the earth!” The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.” (Psalms
46:1–11 ESV)
CONFESSION &
SUPPLICATION
Requests
•
•
•
•
Church Health
Senior Pastor
Fall Programs
Evangelist Outreach