Introduction

2
“Every branch in Me that does not
bearWhen
fruit Heatakes
branch
away;bears
and every
branch
nothat bears
fruit, fruitdoes
what He prunes, that
it may bear more fruit. 4Abide in Me,
the vinedresser do?
and I in you. As the branch cannot bear
fruit of itself, unless it abides in the
vine, neither can you, unless you abide
in Me. 6If anyone does not abide in
Me, he is cast out as a branch and is
withered; and they gather them and
throw them into the fire, and they are
 
burned.” John 15:2, 4, 6
 I. The Passage

2
“Every branch in Me that does not bear
fruit He takes away.” John 15:2a
JESUS.
A. “Every branch in Me” is a believer in
_______
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a
17

new creation; old things have passed

away; behold,
B. “Does not bearall things have
fruit” is become
a
new. 2 Corinthians
CURRENTLY
believer not bearing 5:17
. ____________
fruit
  2
“Every branch in Me that does not
 I. The Passage

C.“He takes away” is God’s parallel

PRODUCTIVI
response to poor ______________
2 TY. branch in Me that does not
“Every
bear fruit (present active) He takes
away (present active).” John 15:2a

 
 II. The Pitfall

II.The Pitfall: Does God do anything

to you when you are not bearing
fruit?
The Misconception: God does not
intervene when you are not
bearing fruit.
The Truth: God intervenes regularly to
stimulate you to bear fruit again.
2
“Every branch in Me that does not bear
fruit He takes away.” John 15:2a
 
 II. The Pitfall

A. Your fruitfulness is hindered if

you choose
SIN.
to ____
21
What fruit did you have then in the
things of which you are now ashamed?
22
But now having been set free from
sin, and having become slaves of God,
you have your fruit to holiness, and
the end, everlasting life.
Romans 6:21a, 22
 
 II. The Pitfall

B. Your fruitfulness is hindered if

WORLD.
you focus on riches and this _______
22
“Now he who received seed among
the thorns is he who hears the word,
and the cares of this world and the
deceitfulness of riches choke the word,
and he becomes unfruitful.” Matthew
13:22
14
“Now the ones that fell among thorns
are those who, when they have heard,
  go out and are choked with cares,
 II. The Pitfall

3
You therefore must endure hardship
as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4No
one engaged in warfare entangles
himself with the affairs of this life, that
he may please him who enlisted him as
a soldier. 2 Timothy 2:3-4

 
 II. The Pitfall

C.Your fruitfulness is hindered if you

giveAPATHY
in to
. ________
And let our people also learn to
14

maintain good works, to meet urgent

needs, that they may not be unfruitful.
Titus 3:14
1
Remind them to be subject to rulers
Rev.
and3:16-19
authorities, to obey, to be ready
for every good work. Titus 3:1
 
Rev 3:16-19
16
So, because you are lukewarm--
neither hot nor cold-- I am about
to spit you out of my mouth.
17
You say, 'I am rich; I have
acquired wealth and do not need
a thing.' But you do not realize
that you are wretched, pitiful,
poor, blind and naked … 19Those
whom
 
I love I rebuke and
discipline. So be earnest, and
 Principle #1

The Discipline Principle #1

God gets involved with believers
CHOICE.
making fruitlessness their ongoing
_______
“Every branch in Me that does not bear
fruit (present active).”

 
 Principle #1

A. “Take away” (Greek: airo) does

notLIFT
mean “cut off” but ____ ___
5
HeUP.
said to the paralytic, “Arise, take
up your bed, and go to your house.”
Matthew 9:6b
20
So they all ate and were filled, and
they took up twelve baskets full of the
fragments that remained.
Matthew 14:20
UP.
B. “Lift Up” in the vineyard means
 
to clean off and tie back ___
 Principle #1

C.“Lift Up” for believers means God

seeksCONTINUAL
to
restore
LY._____________
“He takes away (present active)”

How does God restore a

believer who is not
bearing fruit?

 
 Principle #2

The Discipline Principle #2

God intervenes in the life of the
“noDISCIPLI
fruit branch” with ___________
A. NE.
God disciplines every single
FAMILY.
member of
His _______
8
But if you are without chastening,
of which all have become
partakers, then you are illegitimate
 
and not sons. Hebrews 12:8
 Principle #2

B. God disciplines as a kind and

loving FATHER
Heavenly
. ________
9
Furthermore, we have had human
fathers who corrected us, and we paid
them respect. Shall we not much more
readily be in subjection to the Father
of spirits and live? Hebrews 12:9

 
 Principle #2

C.God disciplines when we need it,

for PROFIT.
our holiness and _______
For they indeed for a few days
10

chastened us as seemed best to them,

but He for our profit, that we may be
partakers of His holiness. Hebrews
12:10

 
 Principle #3

The Discipline Principle #3

God disciplines progressively
through the
STAGES
Three
. ________
5
And you have forgotten the
exhortation which speaks to you as to
sons: “My son, do not despise the
chastening of the Lord, nor be
discouraged when you are rebuked by
Him; 6for whom the Lord loves He
 
chastens, and scourges every son
 Principle #3

Stage #1: God’s light discipline

REBUKE
is
called ________ .
16
All Scripture is given by inspiration of
God, and is profitable for doctrine, for
reproof, for correction, for instruction
in righteousness, 17that the man of God
may be complete, thoroughly equipped
for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-
17
8
And when He (Holy Spirit) has come,
  He will convict the world of sin, and of
 Principle #3

Stage #2: God’s medium discipline

is CHASTENIN
G._____________
called
9
Furthermore, we have had human
fathers who corrected us, and we paid
them respect. Shall we not much more
readily be in subjection to the Father
of spirits and live? 10For they indeed
for a few days chastened us as seemed
best to them, but He for our profit,
  that we may be partakers of His
 Principle #3

Stage #3: God’s heavy discipline is

calledSCOURGIN
____________
1 G. Pilate took Jesus and
So then
scourged Him. 2And the soldiers
twisted a crown of thorns and put it on
His head, and they put on Him a purple
robe. John 19:1-2
17
But beware of men, for they will
deliver you up to councils and scourge
you in their synagogues.” Matthew
  10:17
 Principle #3

Light Discipline MediumDiscipline Heavy D

iscipline

Rebuke Chastening Scourging

VERBAL EMOTIO PAINFU

NAL L

Discom
fort Distress Desperation
0-9 10-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60-69 70-79 80-89 90-100
 
 Conclusion

1
Now let me sing to my Well-beloved a
song of my Beloved regarding His
vineyard:My Well-beloved has a vineyard
on
a very fruitful hill. 2He dug it up and
cleared out its stones, and planted it
with the choicest vine. He built a tower
in
3 its midst,
“And now, Oand also made
inhabitants ofaJerusalem
winepress
in
andit;men
so He
of expected it to please,
Judah, judge, bring forth
good
betweengrapes, butMy
Me and it brought
vineyard.forth
4 wild
What
grapes.
more could have been done to My
vineyard that I have not done in it? Why
then,
  when I expected it to bring forth