The Christ Tree (series)
John 15:1-11 | Christmas 2017
Joy Over Jesus
December 31, 2017 • Matt Jones
The Christ Tree, Part 5 of 5. Over and over again in the Bible, we are commanded to be joyful, to rejoice. Yet we often hold a misunderstanding of the Christian life that we have to give up all the fun things; we don't properly understand the interplay of delight and duty. Today we learn that God made humans built for joy, that sin misguides its fulfillment, and that God desires that our joy by fulfilled in Him. That's why He sent Jesus to us.
The Love of the Vinedresser
December 24, 2017 • Matt Jones
The Christ Tree, Part 4 of 5. Continuing our Christmas series on John 15:1-11, we learn that the definition of love is "a commitment of the will to the true good of another." This is how God loves us. He sent His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to be our Messiah or Savior. Jesus willingly took on this mission in order to seek and save the lost. In response, we not only love God, but we also love our fellow human beings.
Pruning from the Vinedresser
December 17, 2017 • Matt Jones
The Christ Tree, Part 3 of 5. One of the most thought-provoking questions in Christianity is: can one lose one's salvation? To answer, Pastor Matt makes three points. There is security for those who abide in the vine, Jesus the Messiah. There is no security for the fruitless, because they have chosen to abide outside the vine and hence will be pruned. There is false security that many have, which Jesus and His gospel aim to expose.
Fruit by Jesus
December 10, 2017 • Matt Jones
The Christ Tree, Part 2 of 5. Jesus says, "He who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit." What does it mean to bear fruit? Pastor Matt continues his Christmas series by explaining that bearing good fruit is to do good, following the commands of the Bible. Proving to be disciples of Jesus means that we love one another (John 15:8 and 13:34-35), and exhibit the fruit of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal. 5:22-23).
Abiding in Jesus
December 3, 2017 • Matt Jones
The Christ Tree, Part 1 of 5. In this Christmas series, Pastor Matt shows us from John 15:1-11 that Jesus (God the Son) is the true vine, that God the Father is the vine-keeper, and that believers in Jesus are the branches. Abiding in, or remaining in, the true vine is how we branches can bear fruit for God's glory, for others' good, and for our joy.