How Does Your Garden Grow
October 11
Think About It …
“A garden is an
• Agree or disagree … awful responsibility.
You never know
what you may be
• In today’s study Jesus explains
aiding to grow in
– how our spiritual gardens should grow and
it.”
– what controls what grows within them.
Listen for the actions God performs as
the “gardener” who tends the vines.
John 15:1-3 "I am the true vine, and my Father is
the gardener. [2] He 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. [3] You are already clean
because of the word I have spoken to you.
Consider the three personalities spoken of in
the passage, God the Father, Jesus, and
believers.
Branches Need Pruning
• How does the gardener tend to the branches
that bear fruit and the branches that do not?
• What is Jesus’ role in this analogy?
• Consider the purposes of pruning actual
plants
– train the plant how to grow.
– maintain the health of the plant
– remove diseased portions.
– improve the quality of the plant
Branches Need Pruning
• What are some common
types of pruning that
Christians need?
• What are some ways
in which God accomplishes
this kind of pruning in our lives?
 Each type of pruning helps to train us to bear
fruit that represents the Gardener.
Listen for results of a genuine relationship
with Christ and the results of not
remaining in Christ.
John 15:4-8 " Remain 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. [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. [6] If anyone
does not remain in me,
Listen for results of a genuine relationship
with Christ and the results of not
remaining in Christ.
he is like a branch that is thrown away and
withers; such branches are picked up, thrown
into the fire and burned. [7] If you remain in
me and my words remain in you, ask whatever
you wish, and it will be given you. [8] This is
to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit,
showing yourselves to be my disciples.
Branches Must Stay Connected
• Let’s identify the various elements of the
analogy and their meaning.
Elements
Vine
Identity
Meaning
Branches
Fruit
• What did Jesus say the branches must do in
order to bear fruit?
Branches Must Stay Connected
• What does it mean to “abide” in Christ, to
remain in Him?
• What results do you see in this passage from a
genuine relationship with Christ?
• Consider the following case study …
Case Study
A young minister had completed his seminary
training and was serving in his first full-time
pastorate. This church was significantly larger
than the two churches he had served as
pastor during his student days. Nevertheless,
the young minister was confident. He had
received good training and believed that he
had all the skills needed to lead a church
effectively.
Case Study
Several months into his new pastorate, the
young minister described his vision for the
congregation. He presented a plan that was
designed to result in a 50% increase in
attendance during the next year. The pastor
also appointed a long-range planning
committee to study the needs for additional
buildings.
Case Study
The pastor’s vision and plan met with little
opposition, a fact that he interpreted as
support. Nine months later, however, the
expected attendance increase had not
materialized; attendance had, in fact,
declined. The young minister became very
discouraged and considered resigning from his
position as pastor.
Branches Must Stay Connected
• Why do some Christians (not only pastors) try
to serve Christ depending only on their own
resources and skills rather than depending on
Christ’s power?
• What kind of fruitfulness does Jesus mean
when He says, “If a man remains in me and I in
him, he will bear much fruit”?
Remain in the Gardner’s Love
• What kind of skill have you learned by
watching someone else repeatedly perform
the skill?
• How was this method of learning more
effective than just reading a book about the
skill?
• Listen for How Christ teaches us by His
example.
Listen for How Christ teaches us by
His example.
John 15:9-11 "As the Father has loved me, so
have I loved you. Now remain in my love. [10]
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. [11] I have
told you this so that my joy may be in you and
that your joy may be complete.
Remain in the Gardner’s Love
• How does Christ teach us by example?
• What evidence does Jesus mention about
abiding in Christ’s love?
• When do you struggle with loving others the
way Jesus has loved you?
• What is the connection between abiding in
Christ’s love and obedience to Christ?
Application
• Be aware of events in your life as part of God's
pruning – both good and “bad” events can be
a part of that growing and improving process
– Look back over recent events
– How has God taught you things, drawn you closer
to Him as a result of these pruning events?
 Thank Him for His loving shaping and molding of
your life to be more like Him
Application
• Ask God to show you ways in which you can
be “abiding in Him” more
– Trust Him to produce fruit in your life
– Ask Him to make that fruit “abundant”
Application
• List ways in which Christ has made your joy
complete.
– provisions
– protection
– blessings
– relationships
• Thank God for the joy He gives
How Does Your Garden Grow
October 11