Date:   01/04/09

Text;   John 15:1-17

Title:   Connect

Theme: Since God has already cleansed his children with His word, our life-style is to reflect this truth.

Introduction:

  We are familiar with this commercial: Can you hear me? Can you hear me? We want to make sure that there is a signal, connection in the most far out places. The moment the plane touches down, cell phones are turned on. We want to make sure we are once again connected with whomever is out there. Or when we bring our laptops to a new place, we check if the internet is connected. Last week the church's computer server crashed. The computer screen displayed ‘Disconnected', and we felt isolated from the world around us, as if the world stood still. Technically speaking, getting connected has become an essential part of daily living in this 21 st century society.

Do you notice that when individuals come up to the podium, the first thing they do is usually touch the microphone? They want to make sure they are connected and are being heard. You have heard me spoke many times about the reunion I had in October in California . Some had travelled from Australia and HK. What prompted so many of us to come to this reunion? The desire to connect with friends that we haven't seen for some 45 years. After the reunion, we received emails and phone calls from a college friend that we have lost contact with since 1967. He was so excited that we are connected again. He shared that all these years he had been trying to get in touch with his college friends. We have read about how adopted children want to get connected with their birth parents. A daughter who for personal reasons had not talked with her mother for 3 years decided to call her. There is this innate desire in us for wanting to be connected to people around us, especially those that we consider important.

Connect is the in word in recent years. There is the Connect Church in Arlington , Tx , the Church Connect in Seattle , Wa . In an Atlanta church, the bookstore is named: Connect. A local Presbyterian church has a caring ministry called Connect. Our own children ministry is called Kidnection and the theme for the Youth Retreat 3 years ago was: Reconnect.

Besides the desire to connect with people around us, there is a desire within us to connect with someone or something higher and beyond us. Most of the world's religions are man's attempt to get connected with the higher being. Actor Will Smith in an interview stated, “I choose when and whom I want to connect with…” For our church, we have also chosen Connect to be our theme for 2009.

  In order to help us with a greater understanding and appreciation of connecting to God and each other, throughout the first part of this year, we'll be studying Paul's letter to the Colossians. But today, we'll look at John's passage to understand the meaning of the word Connect.

I •  God's children are already connected to Him.

In order to understand the first 17 verses of John 15, we need to understand the OT . We learn from Isaiah that in God's heart, the people of Israel were the original vine. Their branches, meaning God's kingdom and influences were to spread to every corner of the world. However, because of their disobedience, they failed to be the vine. And now in 15:1, Jesus said, “ I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.” Jesus had replaced the Israelites to be God's true vine.” Now, who are the branches of this Vine? The disciples. Vs.3-5, “Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you." 4 "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."” The disciples are already connected to him, how? They were cleansed by Jesus' word, implying its entirety. They heard and believed that Jesus is the son of God, God himself. They also recognized that he had come to save his people from sin; and he is the light, the bread of life and the only way to God the father, the creator. You see, because of their faith in Jesus, the disciples were already connected with Jesus. They don't have to be good and do good first. They simply responded to Jesus' call, they came and followed him.

What does it mean to us today? When we accept and believe Jesus' teaching, that he is God and our savior, being our light and our only way to God, like the disciples, we are connected to him. It's like the moment a child is conceived in the mother's womb, a bond is formed. The mother and child is connected. Likewise, when we put our faith in Jesus, we are connected with him. This is not something we feel, if so, then this would not be faith anymore.

II •  God's children had obligations resulting in being connected to Him.

Being connected to God, then what? In this passage, there are several ‘if's'. Some have taken this to mean a condition. That is, if we do our part, then we'll remain connected to God. If not, then we'll be cut off, being disconnected from Him. This is really not consistent with the rest of the teaching in the bible. Therefore, the proper meaning is: Since you are connected to me, or abide in me, this is what you will do. Not a condition, or contract, but a covenant. Jesus is saying, now, having connected to me, this is what some of your obligations are, this is what you want to do.

A father bought a very nice gift for his son in 2008. The father's original intent was to give this to the son if his grades are good in 2009. During the holiday season, he had a change of heart. He mentioned to the son about the present. Then he asked, ‘Do you want me to do it the contract way or covenant way? The contract way is: if you get good grades, then I'll give the present to you. The covenant way is: I'll give you the present now. And because you have already received the present, then you will work hard to achieve good grades in 2009. Which one do your prefer?” After hesitating a little, the son picked the covenant way. By doing it the covenant manner, the father is taking a risk. This is what Jesus is saying here. When you put your faith in me, you are connected to me, we have entered into a covenant relationship. In this relationship, I promise to love you, guide you, protect you and provide you with what you need. And now, being connected, this is what I expect of you. So, what are some of the expectations?

First, we are to obey him. In vs.9, “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.” As we abide in him, being connected with him, we will want to keep his commandments. This include the 10 commandments and Jesus' teaching in its entirety. His commandments are summarized this way: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." 38 "This is the first and greatest commandment." 39 "And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Jesus is saying, because I am in my father, I want to listen to him and keep His commandments. Likewise, because we are connected with Jesus, we will want to keep his commandments.

Isn't this how we need to communicate to our children? Our parents may have said this to us: if you are good, then daddy and mommy will love you. And very often, such children feel they are never good enough to gain the parents' love. I have seen adult children, even in their 40's and 50's, with their own family, still trying hard to gain their parents' love. Meanwhile, their siblings, being better looking, with better grades and behaviors, or with more prestigious jobs, without much effort gained the parents' love. This is not right. We need to communicate to our children that because they belong to us, because we are connected by blood, we love them very much. Because we love them, they're to try their best to be good and listen to the parents.

The same is true in our relationship with God. Since he had already cleansed us and connected us to him through the blood of Jesus, we will want to obey his commandments: to love God and to love men.

This does not mean that we are able to obey his command absolutely. John, later in his letters wrote that when we failed, we are to come to God and confess our sins to him. He understands our weaknesses and will forgive us.

As we begin a new year, we may need to reflect and see if there are certain commandments we are not keeping. We want to resolve to ask God to enable us to obey and keep his commandments.

Second, we are to rejoice. Vs.11, “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” When we are connected with him, he'll fill us with his joy. Please also note that this joy is given to us when we are connected with him. Our joy is not based on what we have or don't have, or how others are treating us, fairly or unfairly. Instead, we can be joyful because we are connected to his creator, faithful and loving God. Three Sundays ago we discussed in great detail that this joy also needs to be maintained. Financial uncertainties, difficult people and uncontrolled worries can swipe our joy away. As we begin a new year, we all need to ask ourselves who, what events or situations are we most susceptible to in our joy being robbed? We can resolve that in 2009, with God's help, we'll guard our hearts so that we'll not allow external circumstances affect this inner joy.

Thirdly, we are to love one another. Vs.12-13, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." 13 "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends." We have heard this so many times: we are to love one another. Later, John in his letters repeatedly wrote about loving one another. Yet it is difficult, right? It is easy to love our good friends, plus those we like. How about those who are very different from us? There are also those, for whatever reason, we just dislike. We don't hate them, nor are they our enemies. They're just hard to love. We don't even need to mention those who may have hurt us or treated us very unfairly. Yet, Jesus did not give us too much leeway. You are to love one another. Because this is difficult, the scripture is full of instructions on how to love one another.

Again, in his letters, John reminded the believers that we don't just talk about loving one another. We have to show our love through behavior. Is there someone we are having problem loving? This could be a brother or sister in the church or in the fellowship group. Could it be a colleague or a class mate? How about start praying for this person? Think of something you can do for this person. Cook a meal, write a note, offer to baby sit. Jesus did not say that when you share the gospel with others then they will know that you are my followers. Instead, he said, when you love one another, the world will know that you are my disciples. Francis Schaeffer said, Love is the final Apology. When we begin this new year, can we think of one relationship that is strained and broken? Shall we ask God to help us take the initiative to restore this relationship?

Fourth and lastly, to bear fruit. Vs.16, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.” Since we are connected to him, we are to obey his commandments, be joyful, love one another, and now we are to bear fruit. Jesus set the stage here. not that we have chosen him. Will Smith can say, “I'll choose whom to connect and when.” But Jesus says, no, you don't choose me. I am the one who has first chosen you and connect you to me. Now, having chosen you, I am also sending you out to bear fruit. In the context of the vine, especially in light of the OT, this fruit, most likely, is a reference to witness for Christ. Because we are connected to him, we are to share the gospel, the good news with others. There is no boundary to this. We share the good news with our neighbors, our friends. We share this good news locally, or in a different country. On a regular basis, there are some of us would visit the various cargo ships that came to the Houston port and share the gospel with the sailors and sometimes bring them to this and other Chinese churches in Houston. Is there someone you know who is not a believer yet? You may want to resolve that in 2009, you will share the gospel with this person.

Also one more comment on prayer and answered prayers. In this passage, Jesus mentioned twice that he would give us what he asked for. Vs.7 and 16, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you…… You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you." This means that when we are keeping his commandments and obeying Him, when we pray, God would grant us what we ask for.

Conclusion:

  About two weeks ago, I saw a young man in a local mall wearing a T-shirt with these words: Connecting……… I was not quick enough to read the rest of the words on that shirt. Does this describe you; connecting……? Are you thinking about connecting with God? The fact that you are pondering on this, is a sign that God has been sending some signals to you. Like the signal bars on our cell phones, it is 5 bars now. It is really not that you have chosen God, rather He's the one who chose you in the first place. You see, the best resolution you can make on the 4 th day of 2009 is to respond to God and come to Him as you are. Recognizing and accepting his teaching is the only way to be connected to Him.

  Many of us, through faith, are already connected with Christ. Because we are in him, we want to obey his commands, to be joyful in daily living, to love and share the gospel with those God has brought into our lives. But we also know that by our own strength, we cannot do it. For this reason, Jesus teaches us to pray and ask God to help us. When we pray for his assistance to obey, rejoice, love and witness, He will grant us what we ask for.

  Throughout this year, in our pulpit ministry, we'll study and grow together to better understand the meaning of connecting to God. We'll also help you in your fellowship and small groups to understand and express this connection. It is our conviction that when we are connected with God, with a proper relationship with him, we'll also begin to experience connections with those around us.