BUILT to LAST John 15:1-17

What have we BUILT that will LAST?

We have a tendency to rem the things that might have been the silliest, or the unimpt issues -- but what is most impt in life is the purpose we've been made for.

John 15: 16
16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.

1 Cor 3: 12-15
12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. 13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. [1]

14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one.

ARE WE BUILDING THINGS TO LAST?

Gal 5: 22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Two things tt last -- Character, People.

Proverbs 11:30
30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
and whoever captures souls is wise.

How to be fruitful, and how to bring forth fruits that last?

1. Principle of Linkage -- Fruit
2. Principle of Loss -- More Fruit
3. Principle of Love -- Fruit that will last

"fruit" appears 9 times, and to do so... "remain" appears 11 times -- meaning to dwell, choosing not to leave.

1. To have a linkage, a branch cannot exist by itself -- where do we get life? From Jesus! Thus, to be linked to Jesus.

John 15:7
7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

Thus, to be not only deeper in the Word, but deeper in obedience. Only when we're linked to Him, then can we hear Him.

2. It's only when things are pruned, or cut, can it grow better.
When sin is in our lives, it stops God from giving us fruits.

Proverbs 26:2
2 Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying,
a curse that is causeless does not alight.

If we don't sin, there's no reason the Devil can come into our lives. In other words, when we sin, we give the Devil the right to interfere.

Job 11:13-19
13 “If you prepare your heart,
you will stretch out your hands toward him.
14 If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away,
and let not injustice dwell in your tents.
15 Surely then you will lift up your face without blemish;
you will be secure and will not fear.
16 You will forget your misery;
you will remember it as waters that have passed away.
17 And your life will be brighter than the noonday;
its darkness will be like the morning.
18 And you will feel secure, because there is hope;
you will look around and take your rest in security.
19 You will lie down, and none will make you afraid;
many will court your favor.

Clean our sins.
Cut away.

It could be the sense of possession over our belongings, or the people we hold dear.

John 15:12-13
12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends.

John 15:17
17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

Mother Theresa: "We can't do great things, but we can do small things with great love."

1 Corinthians 13:1-3
The Way of Love
13:1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, [1] but have not love, I gain nothing.


Are we willing to love, like God? Are we prepared to be pruned, or cut?