Apr 14, 2022
Our fast paced lives can often leave us feeling empty and drained. We do our best to fit everything we can into 24 hours to avoid fearing that we are missing out on something important and ultimately end up exhausted and depleted. In the sixth sermon of our, "I AM" series, Pastor Clayton reminds us that in order to be fruitful and productive, we must stay connected to our power source: God. Much like our beloved electronics, we need to be plugged into a source of power in order to produce.
Jesus calls us to prune the things in our lives that keep us from being connected with God. When we remove the nonessential aspects of our lives and instead focus on our faith, family, and friends, we find the strength to bear the tough times and be fruitful.
Jesus shows us what bearing fruit means in John 15:12, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” Sharing God’s love in the world is the ultimate way to be fruitful. The cross is a symbol that represents and demonstrates the depth of love with which God loves us. The self-emptying love that seeks to connect with our soul and be our source of life. This is who Jesus is and what he does for us. He is the vine and as we stay connected to him, we receive strength for our life and hope for tomorrow. As the Lenten season draws to a close, we hope that you reflect on John 15 1-5 and let God prune the nonessential parts of your life so that you may be strong and fruitful.