The 5 Habits of a Christian Life: Building a Life of Devotion to God

Praise the Lord.So we encourage you, uh, throughout the week, be in prayer for our church.If you need another one of those flyers, it’s also on the webpage, uh, but we can also get you that out there in the welcome center.This morning, I’m starting a new series, The 5 Habits of the Christian Life, 5 Habits of the Christian Life: Building a Life of Devotion to God.You know, devotion is powerful.It- it’s- it’s powerful.Uh, and I wonder, what are you devoted to?They say it takes about 2 weeks to form a habit.And really, if you just look at your habits in your life, that’s probably what you’re devoted to.Uh, y- you think, “Well, I’m devoted “Right?Or, “I’m devoted to fishing.”I mean, just think, just think for a minute, what are youWhat are your habits?What do you do all the time?That’s actually what you’re devoted to.I- I love Acts chapter 2, verse 42.Uh, this was the first century church.It- it’s- it describes what they were devoted to.It says, “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to the fellowship, and to the breaking of bread, and to prayers.”And- and the Greek word means to attend to, right?So this idea of being devoted to something is to attend to it or to continue in it.Like, you’re always focused on it.A- and isn’t that true?I mean, Jesus taught us that where our- our heart, is, or where our treasure, that’s where our heart will be.Like, there’s a connection.So whatever you’re devoted to, that’s where your energies are gonna be.That’s probably where you’re gonna put your resources.Like, that’s why we need budget- budgets, right?’Cause we have to be careful.Sometimes we’re so devoted to a hobby that then we put all of our money towards that hobby and we forget that, wait a minute, I gotta pay the lights.Right?Because whatever we’re devoted to, it just- it just takes all of our passion, all of our energy and- and we start forming up habits, it’s how we spend our time, because we’re devoted.And the early church, they were devoted.They were constantly attending to the things of God.The early church, they were devoted to building a relationship with God.They were devoted to glorifying God.I love the Westminster Shorter Catechism.You’ve heard me, uh, share this before, but one part of it asks the question, “What is the chief end of mankind?”I mean, why- why are we here?And I think it’s a good question to ask in 2 the beginning of 2026.And the answer to that in the Westminster Shor-, uh, Catechism is, “We’re here to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.”That’s what God has for you in 2026.He wants you to glorify Him with your life, with your talents, with your abilities, with your choices, with your resources, and then to enjoy Him forever.That’s why we’re here.We’re here to build up a relationship with God that glorifies God, but also brings us benefit, that- that brings satisfaction and contentment and joy into our lives.What are you devoted to?I wanna be devoted to glorifying God.I wanna be devoted to enjoying God in my life and- and seeing that relationship with God, uh, be built up.You know, there’s lots of us and people around the world as 2026 begins and we’ll come up with new resolutions.But all the statistics tell us that by the end of January, most of those new resolutions are not being acted out on.You know, resolutions to lose weight or to join the fitness club or, you know, to budget our finances.But- but sadly, byyou get a little bit into the year and then those things aren’t happening.I want to present to us 5 resolutions that if we really built a habit around them, in other words, not just got motivated and got inspired and got excited on the first Sunday of the year, but we actually built a habit around these 5 resolutions, that we would see our lives glorifying God and enjoying Him forever.The first one is just cultivating a prayer life, and we’ll- we’ll talk more about that next Sunday.But Lord, if I could just cultivate a prayer life, if I could just learn to talk with you and walk with you and hear from you, that would glorify God and I would learn to enjoy Him in my life.If- if I could cultivate living in the Word, if- if I could learn, and I purposely here just didn’t write Bible study, because I think there’s really a difference for us who are walking with the Lord and just saying, “Well, I had a Bible study,” but actually learning to live in the truth of God’s Word.See, there’s a difference.I can go to 3 Bible studies a week, but if I never apply that to my life so that error and deception is being pushed out and the truth of God’s Word is being filled up in my mind and in my heart and in my life.So that’s why I said it that way.What if this year you really began to form a habit in your life where you were living in the truth of God’s Word?That everything happening in our lives, you were taking through the filter of, is it true?Does it line up with God’s Word?Does it line up with God’s nature?Does it line up with God’s will?Does it line up with God’s promises for me in His Word?A third resolution would just be to serve and share hope.What if I began to form habits in my life where, on a regular basis, I was serving other people?I was serving in the church, I was serving at home.I- I- I was sharing hope by sharing my story of how Jesus has changed my life.What if I actually had habits that supported those decisions in my life?A fourth would be investing in church life.The Christian faith is designed to be lived in community and the Church is a family, it’s community.We come together and we support one another, we encourage one another, we hold one another accountable, and all of that helps us grow.What if, in 2026, you made the decision, “We’re gonna be in church.We’re gonna come to church and invest in our church.We’re not just gonna come and say, ‘What has the church done for me lately?’ But we’re gonna come to our church and we’re gonna invest in our church.We’re gonna serve, we’re gonna participate, we’re gonna engage.”What if that became a habit in your life?It would glorify God and you would enjoy it as well.There’d be benefits for you.And then a fifth resolution would be, “Lord, help us to enjoy generosity and live with stewardship.”And we’llEach week we’ll look at 1 one of these resolutions of how we can build a devotional life with God, how we can build a relationship with the Lord.Here’s what I know 100%.There’s a lot of resolutions that are good and worthwhile, but the- the resolution that says, “I want to have a better relationship with the Lord, Jesus Christ,” that will revolutionize your life.Yeah.That will change your 2026.And so wherever you are in that journey, maybe you’ve been walking with the Lord for decades or maybe you’re just beginning to learn what it’s like to have a faith, to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, to have your sins forgiven, to live new life, to experience breakthroughs and- and- and change and transfor- more transformation in your life.Maybe that’s all brand new for you.Whether you’ve been walking with the Lord for decades or your faith is brand new, I want to invite you into a 2026 where you make some decisions and then form habits around them to build a relationship with God.Amen.And, uh, to glorify Him through that relationship and to enjoy Him forever through that relationship.1 Corinthians 10:31, one of my favorite scriptures.They’re all good.Paul- Paul says, it’s, you know, p- pastor says, “One of my favorites,” like, well, he says that every week.Uh, 1 Corinthians 10:31, “Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”And Paul, there, of course, in that chapter, he’s talking specifically about food offered to idols, it’s a very specific context.But the principle works, right?The principle’s still true today.It- it doesn’t matter what area of your life, whatever you’re doing, career, marriage, family, parenting, wh- whatever stage, grandparenting.We just had a wonderful time getting to see our grandkids.Wow.Such a fun time.And I’ll tell you, it doesn’t matter if they’re sick or not, you wanna hug ’em.They’re just so much fun.And, uh, so whetherMaybe you’re at that stage, you’re at the grandparenting stage and- and so Lord help us who are at the grandparenting stage look for ways to glorify God, look for ways to enjoy the Lord as we invite Him into that stage of our lives.This morning, we’re gonna look in John chapter 15 as we introduce the 5 habits of the Christian life, and we’re gonna look at the allegory of the vine.So if you’ll turn with me to John chapter 15, and I would like you to stand with me.We’re gonna read the first fif- uh, first, uh, 8 verses of chapter 15.John chapter 15, verses 1 through 8.And this is, uh, the teaching of Jesus in the Gospel of John, and it’s the allegory of the vine.”I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener.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.You are already clean because of the w- of the word I have spoken to you.Remain in me, and I alsoas I also remain in you.No branch can bear fruit by itself.It must remain in the vine.Neither can, uh, you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”Verse 5.”I am the vine.You are the branches.If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit.Apart from me, you can do nothing.If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers.Such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire, and burned.If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and y- it will be done for you.This is to my father’s glory that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”Lord, we pray this morning as we begin a new year together as a church, as individual Christians, as households.Lord, we pray in 2026 that you would be glorified in our lives.Lord, we wanna glorify you in everything we do, and we wanna build a relationship with you, Lord, that lasts.Lord, I pray that you’d help us to be fruitful.As a church, help us to bebear fruit.As individual Christians, Lord, help us to bear fruit.Help us not to be satisfied when we are fruitless.But Lord, help us to have fruit in our life, we pray, in Jesus’ name.Amen.You may be seated.God bless you.Thethe first part of the allegory is Jesus.He is the life-giving source.Look with me again at verse one, John Chapter 15, verse one.Jesus says, “I am the true vine.”Now, as I read that, it’s interesting to me that Jesus doesn’t just say, “I’m the vine.”He’s been talking about the Holy Spirit in John 14, John Chapter 16.But now in John Chapter 15, he says, “I am the true vine.”When he says, “I’m the true vine,” there is an immediate thought that, “Well, he must be comparing himself to Old Testament Israel,” because you can go to many places in the Old Testament.I’m gonna turn in my Bible to Psalms 80, verse 8 through 6, but there’s many, many places that God refers to his people as a vineyard.God refers to his people in the Old Testament as a vine.Let me just read from Psalms Chapter 80.I’m gonna start in verse 8.”Hear me, my people, and I will warn you.If you would only listen to me, Israel”That’s ver-that’s Chapter 81.I apologize.Trying it again.Chapter 80, verse 8.”You transplanted a vine from Egypt.You drove out the nations and planted it.You cleared the ground for it and it took root and filled the land.The mountains were covered with its shade, the mighty cedars with its branches.Its branches reached as far as the sea, its shoots as far as the river.”And so s- the psalmist, and that’s the Psalm of Asaph, the psalmist is talking about Israel and comparing God’s people, Israel, to a vineyard or to a vine.God brought that vineyard out of Egypt, God planted that vineyard, and then that vineyard began to grow and spread and prosper.And now in John 15, Jesus once again is, is pointing to himself and saying, “I’m the true vine.”But his audience, his disciples, must have certainly been thinking that Israel was the vine.Right?Uh, uh, because Israel was the vine in the Old Testament.But now Jesus is saying, “I’m the fulfillment of everything that God was doing in the Old Testament.”What this reminds me today is Israel without God is just another nation.What this reminds me today is that the church without God, the church, your church, my church, this church right here, without Jesus, we’re just another gathering of people.Jesus didn’t say, “I’m a vine.”He said, “I’m the true vine.”He’s saying, “I’m the fulfillment of everything God was doing in the Old Testament.It has been fulfilled in me.I’m the life-giving source.”And from our study in, in the Gospel of John, we know how often Jesus pointed to himself saying, “I’m the living water.I’m the bread of life.I’m the only doorway.”Every time Jesus taught and had an opportunity to point people to God, he pointed people to himself.Jesus is your life source.He’s the source of your daily life.He’s your daily bread.Jesus is the source of eternal life.He’s the source of your ticket to get to heaven.That’s right.Jesus is the true vine.And so we don’twe don’t look anywhere else.We look to Jesus.He is the source that produces the life in our daily walk with the Lord.Secondly, there’s the father.There’s really 3 characters, right?There’s, there’s, uh, the vine, there’s the gardener, and then there’s the branches.And so, uh, Jesus goes on in verse, uh, one and 2 to tell us that the father is the gardener.Look with me here, uh, onI’ve got it on the screen, verse one and 2.”I am thethe true vine and my father is the gardener.”Or the vine dresser, right?”He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit.While every branch that be- does bear fruit, he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”Now in verse 2 there, we can see how important being fruitful for the Lord is to the Lord, because we have no fruit, fruit.like, m- more fruit and much fruit.You know, weI- i- it’s like being fruitful is at the center of this allegory.Jesus wants those who are walking with him in relationship, Jesus wants us to be fruitful.I remember growing up as a kid, and part of my time growing up was in Lafayette, Indiana.Uh, for a few of those years, we lived at a house called 917 Robinson Street in, in West Lafayette, and it was kind of an old house in the university side of town next to Purdue University, and it had some really cool vines all over this brick house.Really neat vines.ButAnd they had these little berries, and my parents told me not to try to eat them, but one time I did and they tasted horrible.But, um, the interesting thing about it is the vines were beautiful, but the fruit wasn’t.I want you to think about that.In other wordsAnd you’ve seen those kind of vines, right?They’re, they’re, they’re not grapevines.They’re just these decorative vines that grow over things and they get real green in the summer.But then the little fruit that’s not even fruit, it’s just these little berry things that are, like, hard and you can’t really eat them.They taste horrible.And I share that because I don’t think God is as concerned about all of the, the vine, the greenery of our lives as He is are you really producing fruit.You see, there’s alwaysThere’s always gonna be a vine.There’s always gonna be some greenery.There’s always gonna be some other things in your Christianity that God is doing and, and things are happening in your relationship with the Lord, but what the Lord Jesus is really concerned with is what kind of fruit is growing.Is there an inner character transformation?Is the fruit of the Spirit, Galatians 5:22, growing from the inside out?Are you producing the good works according to Ephesians Chapter 2 Verse 10 where the Bible reminds us that we are God’s handiwork?We’ve been created in advance to do good works.And so, are weare we producing fruit?The role of the Father, He’s the gardener.He’s the one who comes and He prunes and He snips and He, He, He brings correction and He brings discipline.I’m gonna turn over to Hebrews Chapter 12 and just read a little bit about the discipline that a loving God gives to His children.I’m gonna start reading, and thisthis is a few verses.I’m gonna start reading in Verse 4.Hebrews Chapter 12 talks about the discipline of God for His children.Verse 4, Hebrews 12.”In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son?”It says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one He loves.”I’m so thankful.So that means when I’m receiving discipline, correction, redirection from the Lord, I know He loves me.He loves me.And He chastens everyone He accepts as His son.So when I’m receiving redirection from the Lord, a rebuke, discipline, I know I’m His child.I know He loves me.I know I- I’m His child.Verse 7.”Endure hardship as discipline.”Look at that.Sometimes, friends, in your life as a Christian, you’re going to face hardship, trouble, trial, tribulation, and Hebrews is saying to us, receive that as discipline, correction, guidance.A lot of different words we could use there.I wanna pause to say this as we begin 2026.I wanna live life with more a sense of, “God, I’m”wanna live life with more a sense of, “God, I’m”or less a sense of, “God, I’m, I’m serving you and living for you, so here’s what you need to do for me.”Yeah.I wanna live with less of that.Yes.I’ve lived some years like that.It’s like, “Lord, I’m doing everything I can to serve you.And I gave my life to you, and so come on, God.”Yes.And I wanna live more like a child with a sense of wonder when my parent comes to me and says, “No, no, no, no.We’re gonna redirect you over here.”I wanna be able just to trust God and live with a sense of wonder, “Okay, God, I know you’re good.I know you love me, and I know I’m your child, so I’m just gonna follow you and accept what you’re doing in my life.”Hmm.I wanna live a year like that, with just more sense of wonder, “God, what are you up to in my life?How are you gonna direct me?How are you gonna guide me?How are you gonna correct me?How are you gonna discipline me?Lord, if hardship comes into my life,” chapter 12, verse 7, “how are you gonna use that to grow me spiritually?”Come on, church.You see, we don’t like toAnd I think sometimes in church, we’ve not done well with our theology of suffering.We justIt’s like we don’t wanna talk about it.But the reality is God uses hardship, right?God uses struggle, and I’m so thankful that He promises us He has overcome.There’s always hope in the Christian life, no matter what struggle you’re going through, no matter what difficulty you’re facing.But friends, God’ll take you through it.God’ll take you through it because He wants you to grow.Hebrews chapter 12, verse 7, “Endure hardship as discipline.God is treating you as His children.”Wow.”For which- what children are not disciplined by their father?If you are not disciplined, and everyone undergoes discipline, then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all.Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them for it.How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live?They disciplined us for a little while, as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good in order that we may share in His holiness.No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”Praise God.Isn’t that so true?When you’re going through the hardship, it’s like, “I’m not liking this at all.This is not what I signed up for, Lord.”Yes.”I didn’t want this on my resume.I didn’t wanna put this a part of my story.I realize tests turn into testimonies, but Lord, if I could choose, I wouldn’t put this here.”You see, in the short term, we look at it and say, “Uh-uh.”But God has the long term.God’s looking at your life and what you’re going through, and He’s saying, “I’m gonna form athe character of Jesus in you.I’m gonna transform you from the inside out.I’m gonna grow some faith.I’m gonna grow some trust.I’m gonna grow some honesty.I’m gonna grow some character, some perseverance, some follow-through.”That’s what God is up to.You see, the Father, He’s like a gardener.Remember, an allegory is a, it’s an extended simile, right?So an allegory is just an illus- it’s an illustrative story that is comparing something to something else.And so Jesus is using this kind of word picture, this metaphor, if you will, of a vineyard or a vine, but He’s using it to help us understand how God wants to work in your life.And Jesus says, “I’m your life source, so connect with me.”Make sure in 2026 you are connecting with Jesus on a regular basis.But then He goes on and says, “And my Father is the gardener.”So in 2026, please submit to the pruning shears of the gardener.You say, “Well, Pastor, how do I do that?”I, I’ll tell you how I do it.ISometimes I just get upset and get all upset, and then I have to take a deep breath.And then I have to remember, hey, I need to pray about this.And then I realize, okay, Lord, this tension point, this, this area that’s frustrating me, this rough edge, or whatever, this situation, okay, this is an opportunity for me to invite you into what’s going on in my life, and then say, “Lord, I’m gonna submit to whatever you want, and I’m gonna trust you.I’m gonna give it to you.I’m gonna let go a little bit.I’m gonna, I’m gonna let go, and I’m gonna let you be in charge of that area of my life.”That’s how I do it.And– and I wish could– s– as your pastor, I wish I could say that, “Oh, yeah, you know, every time I run into hardship, I just immediately submit-” “to the Lord.Thank you, Jesus.”No.We’re all– we’re all in this together.That’s the joy of being a pastor’s wife.Jenny knows.Ask her.No, she– she knows the times where I get frustrated and I’m like, “Lord, what are you doing?”And, “I don’t understand this.”And, “I prayed and prayed and prayed, God, and I don’t understand.”I mean, and Joseph’s not my message this morning, but can you imagine how many times Joseph must have had to resubmit himself to the gardener?Yes.As he would’ve for sure been saying, “God, you promised.God, you gave a vision.God, you”And God was at work.Yes.God wasn’t done.Yes.God was working his plan.But Joseph must, on many occasions, in order to keep his attitude right, to live life with, uh, hands like this rather than hands like this, just say, “Lord, I’m trusting you.I’m submitting to you.”So friends, it’s a process.Sometimes you’re gonna have to take a deep breath and just be reminded, “Lord, I need to pray about this.”Mm-hmm.But as you do that, will you submit yourself to the Lord?Submit yourself to the work of the gardener, the work of Father God in your life?Because when you do that, you’re gonna grow.When you do that, you’re gonna glorify God.When you do that, you’re gonna begin to enjoy God more.You see, seasons of my life where there’s been no fruit, just been that really bitter little thing that’s shriveled up on those– thoseAnd there’s no joy in life, those are the seasons when you’re still just kind of, you’re wres– you’re wrestling with God.You’reAnd– and we– and we do that.In fact, the New Testament says, “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.”And we do.J– Jacob wrestled with God, and we’re all gonna wrestle with God.But at some point in that wrestling, if you want the blessing of the Lord, you’ve gotta submit to what the gardener is wanting to produce in your life.And of course, the third, uh, role, or the third character in this, uh, allegory is the branches.That’s you and me.We’re– we’re the branches.Look with me on verse, uh, in verse three and four.”You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.Remain in me and I also– as I also 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.”Now, as I was studying, uh, John 15, I was impressed that the word for devotion in, uh, Lu– Acts chapter two, and of course it’s in many other places throughout Acts, uh, helping us understand what the early disciples were devoted to, I was impressed that the word, the Greek word for devoted is very close to the– closely connected in meaning to this Greek word minos, which means to remain or to abide or to continue.So I like this idea that what Jesus is really telling us is, “You’re already in me.”You see, at least in 2 places when you look through this allegory, it is clear Jesus is talking to people not who are going to become his disciples, but they’re already his disciples.They’re already God’s children.They’re already in a relationship with Jesus.And so the allegory is not for the unsaved, the allegory is for the saved.The allegory is for that person who’s already walking with Jesus and you’re following Jesus, and now Jesus is reminding you that he is your life source, not all of the other things that would tempt us and try us and lead us astray thinking, “That will give me life.That over there will give me satisfaction and happiness and joy.”Jesus is saying, “No, I am the only source of spiritual life in your journey of faith, in your relationship with God.”And then he says, “And the Father has a role.He disciplines you.He prunes you.He, He cuts away those parts of your life that are gonna get in the way of producing the fruit that glorifies God.”But then here again in verse 3, this is an important part of the allegory.Jesus says, “You’re already clean.”In other words, “You’re my disciples.You’re already in relationship with me.”But now he u- e- e- in, in John, as he records the words of Jesus, we get this word meno in Greek, which is this idea you’ve got to continue in Jesus.You’ve got to abide in Jesus.You’ve got to remain in Jesus.And so there’s 3 important truths from that part of this allegory that I wanna wrap up with, that’ll help us produce fruit.And this is really the application part of the message, right?So how do we applyWe see in this allegory Jesus wants you to be fruitful in 2026.And all of us have things we wanna change about our lives.Maybe, uh, we wanna lose a little weight.Maybe you wanna gain a little weight.Uh, maybe you want to join a fitness club.Maybe you wanna do better with your finances.There are some of you out there that need to gain a little weight.I, I want you to know that.No takers?Um, but what are, what are theWhat are the habits in our life that could really bring lasting change?Well, this month, we’re gonna be talking about these 5.But as we wrap up this morning, I want us to continue.We’re gonna focus on this allegory and think about 3 important truths to really be fruitful.How can I be fruitful?And, and the first is to recognize that you are in Christ.If you’ve given your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ, if you’ve experienced the forgiveness of sins, if you’ve come to the cross and rece- ex- received salvation, your mantra should be every morning when you get up, every night when you go to bed, “Me and Jesus, we got a good thing going.”Amen.”I am in the Lord.”Amen.Don’t live with doubt.Don’t live with a lack of confidence, uh, going back and forth of like, “Well, I, I messed up today and I may mess up tomorrow, so I’m not sure about my relationship with the Lord.”No.What Jesus is saying to us here in this allegory is that if you’re His disciple, if you’ve come to Christ, you’re in Jesus.And you need to live with that sense of confidence.”I’m His child.I’m in Christ.”Look at verse 3.”You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.”Are you a Christian today?Then live like the Christian you are.Amen.Get up every morning and s- say, “Praise God.I’m gonna walk with Jesus today.”Other epistles of Paul, he loves this phra-in Christ, through Jesus Christ and His cross and His re-you to feel a new life.You are secure in Christ.Amen.You’re in Christ.That’s really, I believe, what Jesus is teaching here.”You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.”But here’s where we come in, as the Holy Spirit helps us.Here’s our role.If you wanna produce fruit, you’ve gotta continue in Christ.When I was a, a teenager, I had the opportunity to train a horse for a few years, about 2 or 3 years.I was able to take a horse from being weaned off his mom to actually riding.See, IThat’s back when I could do a lot more.But that was so much fun, and I remember, his name was Shadow.His registeredHe was an American Saddlebred.His registered name was Vanity’s Black Shadow.And he was a pretty big horse and enjoyed him a lot.But I, I remember, some days you’d go out, even before you had gotten on his back and you were just trying to lunge him around or do things.And there’d be things like, “Man, we did that for 3 weeks.Why doesn’t he wanna do that?”It’d be like he forgot everything you taught him for the last 3 weeks.And then you’d have a week where you’d make 2 or 3 steps forward and he’d learn new things.And then you’d go to the next week, it’s like he, he just forgot that.But then over time, you would begin to see this change.And so the years go by and now you’re riding him and you can’t even remember all those struggles.Friends, that’s how it is with God in your life.There’s gonna be days when you have some setbacks.And you’re like, “I thought I was a child of God and a person of faith.Then why am I struggling this week with so much fear or so much discouragement?”Friends, just keep going.Continue in Christ.Because you’re gonna have setbacks.There’s gonna be days when you take 2 steps forward and you take one step back, and you’re gonna think, “I’m not getting anywhere.”Oh, but you are.You’re growing.The Holy Spirit’s working.God’s word that has been planted in your heart and in your life is working and producing a transformation in you.You may have some issues in your relationships, your family, your finances, where you feel like it’s never gonna change.Just keep going.Continue in Christ.And so I wanna have– as I read verse 4, I’m just gonna use continue rather th- than remain.Is that okay?This is the NIV.I think maybe the ESV has abide.I know the King James Version says abide.So there’s gonna be different words, but I’m gonna say continue.”Continue in me as I also continue in you.No branch can bear fruit by itself.It must continue in the vine.”It’s gotta continue to be connected.”Neither can you bear fruit unless you continue in me.”And so how do we produce fruit in 2026 for the Lord?We, we connect with Jesus.Every morning, every night, every opportunity you can.In your thoughts, in your heart, in your m- in your Bible study, and e- every, every time you get an opportunity, connect with the life-giving source, which is Jesus.He’s the way, he’s the truth, he’s the life, and he’ll give you life.He’ll help you glorify God.He’ll, he’ll help you enjoy the Lord.But as you connect with him, you’ve gotta continue in him.And then thirdAnd now I’m gonna have to look at my notes ’cause I don’t think I changed, umI was supposed to know this.The third truth comes from verse five, and it’s supposed to read, “You can produce nothing spiritual outside of Jesus.”Now, you can produce a lot of things.You can.I, I don’t think this allegory is teaching us that you can’t build buildings.You can.That you can’t build roads.You can.There- there are, there are people who don’t know Jesus, aren’t connected to Jesus, they can do beautiful works of art.They can build roads.They can do all kinds of things.We, as human beings, because of the image of God that has been put in us and because of what theologians call common grace, God has just given grace to the human being that we can do all types of wonderful things.We, in some ways, represent Him and reflect Him, and man, we’re in- we’re creative, we’re productive, we, we invent things.We can do all thank- kinds of things that we can produce in life.That- Jesus isn’t talking about that.What Jesus is saying is that if you wanna live a life that truly glorifies God and produces fruit that lastsLook at verse 16.John chapter 15, verse 16.If you wanna produce fruit that lasts, you’ve got to stay connected.You’ve gotta stay in Jesus.John chapter 15, verse 16.”You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit.”Fruit that will last.Fruit that will last.I guess we could say the only thing that’s gonna last forever, the only thing that’s gonna last to heaven, is spiritual fruit.Yeah.We can build beautiful edifices.I don’t know if you’ve everYou know, when we got to drive to see our grandkids, you drive through Nashville, you drive through Atlanta, you drive through all these different places.I don’t think we actually went through Atlanta.It was Nashville.But you, you drive through these beautiful cities and you look at the buildings and you’re like, “Wow.I wonder what it would be like to be an engineer or to be a construction guy building that kind of building.”I have no experience in that, so it just kinda makes me just go, “Wow, that is amazing.”But friend, you can do all kinds of amazing things in your life, in your career, but you could still end up in heaven and have no fruit that would last.That’s what Jesus is teaching about.Produce fruit that will last.Spiritual fruit.How do you do that?You gotta get with Jesus.You’ve gotta connect with the Lord Jesus Christ.You’ve gotta let the Father prune your life.You’ve gotta submit to Father God in your life so that he is at the driver’s wheel.He’s directing and guiding your life.And then as you submit to the Father, you just say, “Lord, I’m just gonna keep in- I’m just gonna continue.I’m gonna remain.I’m gonna abide.I’m just gonna stick with Jesus.”And over time, you’re gonna begin to see a relationship growing that is gonna glorify God and you’re gonna enjoy it.I, I know that, I believe that.I, I’ve experienced that.Yeah.You see, in 2026, God wants us to glorify Him and enjoy Him forever.God wants us to build a relationship with Him.God wants us to get devoted to Him.And as you do that, you’re gonna begin to produce spiritual fruit.You’re gonna see a difference in your relationships, you’re gonna see a difference in your character.You’re gonna see even job promotions because of what God is doing in your life.I believe that.But what really matters is the spiritual fruit that lasts.It starts on the inside, but it begins to show.It begins to show.Will you stand with me this morning?Worship team, would you come?And we’re gonna close.I’m looking forward to this series.I’m looking forward to 2026.I can’t wait for the vision banquet that we’re gonna have.It’s a Sunday, January 18th.Uh, our men’s breakfast is a Saturday, January 17th, but the vision banquet is January 18th.It’s a Sunday.It’s at 5:00 in the evening.We would like you to RSVP so we, we’re gonna have the meal prepared.We want you to come, hear about our vision, our goals for 2026, all that God wants to do in the church.And I’m so thankful for what God is doing at Columbia first Assembly, and what He’s doing in your life.You’re a part of it.Thank you for being a part of our church.Thank you for being a part of what God wants to do in your life and in our families and in our church family in 2026.I wanna lead us in prayer as we, as we close this morning.And then we’ll, then we’ll sing a chorus.But I, I’m praying the Lord would help us to take time each and every day, this week, this month, this year, to just connect with Jesus.I know, I know that can seem like an oversimplification, but I promise you it’s not.The more time you spend just building a relationship with the Lord and saying, “Lord, You can have Your way in my life,” the more joy you’re gonna find, the more joy you’re gonna experience in your life.Let me pray for you.Father God, we’re so thankful that You are the gardener.You prune our lives, You cut away those branches that are not producing fruit.And Lord, we pray that You’d have Your way.Have Your way in our lives, Lord.Lord, we pray that You would help each and every person here today to connect with Jesus.If there’s anyone, Lord, who has not put their faith and their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray today would be that day for them.But Lord, for all of us, may we trust You enough to submit to Your work in our lives to build up that relationship.Lord, we give You all the glory and we wanna live for Your glory.We wanna live to honor You.In Jesus’ name.Amen.Praise the Lord.Let’s worship the Lord.I’m Pastor Tom Ragsdale.I’m Pastor Elvis Bennis.And we’re from Columbia first Assembly.We are a church that’s on mission with Jesus.Our vision is simple.We wanna make Jesus famous in your heart and in our community.Absolutely.Thank you so much for connecting with us online.We would also love to connect with you in person.We are located at 1100 North 7th Street, right in the heart of Columbia, Missouri, right across the street from Hickman High School.So if you’re in the Central Missouri area and you’re looking for a home church, come hang out with us.If you’re just connecting online and you’re nowhere near us, then please connect with us in the comments.If you have a prayer request, if you have a question, if you’re, if you’re wondering anything about the Lord or Christianity, please let us know and we would be happy to engage with you in the comments.We believe God’s doing something special at our church and we want you to be a part of it.We’re a multi-generational church.We have people from all different backgrounds.We’re, we’re a Church of the Word, we’re a Church of the Spirit.We believe Jesus can transform your life.That’s why we’re on mission with Him.And we wanna help you know God, we wanna help you grow in God, and we wanna share hope in our community.So connect with us, and we wanna connect with you.Awesome.Have a wonderful and a blessed day.