You can't produce fruit if you're disconnected from Christ. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 64 Q. But doesn’t this teaching (that our works do not contribute to our salvation) make people indifferent and wicked? A. No. It is impossible for those grafted into Christ by true faith not to produce fruits of gratitude. Summary There are two words the Bible uses to describe how to live a fruitful life. The word used most often to describe successful Christians is the word Jesus uses in the example of a grape plant which bears fruit. This word has a passive feel to it. Jesus explains that as long as a branch remains connected to the vine, it will bear fruit. In other words, the fruit is going to come as long as the connection is maintained, just like a grape branch, when given the proper inputs, can't help but bear fruit. Sadly this isn't the case for every branch. Some grow off as long, wild shoots with lots of stem but no leaves or flowers. Others bury themselves under other branches, hidden from the sunlight. Still others seem to be in just the right condition, getting plenty of water, nutrients and sunlight, but for whatever reason nothing comes out of them. In each of these cases the unfruitful branches are cut of and thrown into the burn pile. In the second half of this passage, Jesus puts 'flesh' on this metaphor so to speak. He is the vine, and you and I are the branches. As long as we remain connected to Him - that is, as long as His Word and Spirit are flowing into our lives - He assures us that we will bear fruit. But some people are not content with this relationship, and shoot off on their own. Many bury themselves in the busyness of life, and although connected to the nutrients, do not absorb them. Apart from me, Jesus says, these people can do nothing, and their unfruitful lives will be cut off and thrown away. Dig Deeper Our instinct is to prefer the other word the Bible uses in regards to fruitfulness. We want to be people who produce fruit in our lives. Produce is a much more active word, and conjures up images of hard work, resourcefulness, and downright determination. Those are all good things, but most of the time the Bible uses the word produce, it does so in a negative way. Pharisees are quite often the people the Bible speaks of in connection with trying to produce fruit. They work super hard to impress their neighbors and appease their own consciences, but their reliance is totally on themselves, disconnected from the nutrients of the the true vine. The result is often like a Red Delicious apple: it looks really good and shiny on the outside, but not very appealing when the skin is peeled back. You've been created to be fruitful - to do and make things that reflect and glorify the image of God that you've been created in. Most of this world, separated from the vine by sin, is either desperately expending energy trying to produce fruit on their own, or they've given up trying and consequentially have very little meaning in their lives. So stay connected to the Vine - Jesus Christ. As you immerse yourself in the nutrients that flow from His Word, your life will naturally bear fruit. NOTE: The English Bible translations often use 'bear' and 'produce' interchangeably (even the Catechism uses the word produce). The contrast is much more noticeable in the Greek. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, the gardner, who cuts away unfruitful branches; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you remain connected to the vine so that your life bears the fruit it was designed for. ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Philippians 2

Faithlife.com Acts 1:1–11 (ESV) 1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. 4 from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5 for John Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 49 Q. How does Christ’s ascension to heaven benefit us? A. Dig Deeper Our Lord in the first part of John 16:7 says, “But very truly I tell you, it is to your

Revelation 1:4–8 (NIV) Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from Moses says that God “created the world”; and John says that “all things were created by the Word,” which not just a story, but the entire history of man's creation, redemption, salvation and consummation - John But John, along with every other New Testament author, tells it as it is.

John 12:10–19 (NASB95) 10 ...the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death also; 11 because on account in the way John slyly tells of the chief priests planning to put Lazarus to death also as he segues raised a man four days dead, many were seeking for Jesus, wondering if He would come to the feast (John Dig Deeper But John, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and writing from a perspective decades after Jesus Is. 31:1–3; 1 Ki. 4:26), which would have whipped the political aspirations of the vast crowds into insurrectionist

forms the basis of the classic hymn Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken, Zion City of our God Isaiah 26:1– 4 (NIV) 26 In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: We have a strong city; God makes keep in perfect peace ( šhālôm šhālôm ) those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. 4  Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Point 5 - Perseverance of the Saints Article 9: The Assurance of This Preservation

Proverbs 1:1–7 (NASB95) 1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel: 2 To know wisdom sayings of understanding, 3 To receive instruction in wise behavior, Righteousness, justice and equity; 4

John 11:47–57 (NASB95) 47 Therefore the chief priests and the Pharisees convened a council, and were For this man is performing many signs. 48 If we let Him go on like this, all men will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” 49 But one of them, Caiaphas, The raising of Lazarus was Jesus' penultimate miracle - or sign as John refers to them (it wasn't His

John 18:33–38 (NASB95) 33 Therefore Pilate entered again into the Praetorium, and summoned Jesus and John doesn't record it, but certainly Pilate must have scoffed as he asked. Conquesting armies weren't sent out with a mandate to encourage people to join the empire, they went Jesus' truth - the gospel - as the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes (Romans 1:

Romans 6:1-4 (NIV) What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 4  We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised

FaithLife.com John 6:43-47 (NIV) CONTEXT: This is the fifth time this year that we've come to this theologically rich sixth chapter of John's gospel, which begins with Jesus miraculously feeding 5,000 men and ends Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Article 16: Regeneration’s Effect However,  just as by the fall  humans Today: 1 Timothy 4