Sermon: The Way of Renewal
Scripture Text: John 15:1-17
Quotes for Reflection
Oaks Parish Vision
Oaks Parish pursues gospel-centered renewal through parish ministry, walking alongside our city, region, and world. This renewal is embodied in the beauty of liturgical worship, mission rooted in people and place among the least and lost, and relational discipleship that forms us into the image of Christ.
Thomas Merton, New Seeds of Contemplation
He abides in us by His love, and we in Him by our faith. The secret of the life of the soul is not activity but union: not achievement but grace, not a program but a Person.
John Calvin, Commentary on the Gospel of John
The vigor of the branches depends on the root, so that it is only by the communication of the root that the branches live. In the same way, the life of the soul depends on Christ alone, so that without him men are like withered and useless sticks
D.A. Carson, The Gospel of John
Jesus insists that his own obedience to the Father is the ground of his joy; and he promises that those who obey him will share the same joy–indeed, that his very purpose in laying down such demands is that their joy may be complete (cf. 1 Jn. 1:4). What is presupposed is that human joy in a fallen world will at best be ephemeral, shallow, incomplete, until human existence is overtaken by an experience of the love of God in Christ Jesus, the love for which we were created, a mutual love that issues in obedience without reserve. The Son does not give his disciples his joy as a discrete package; he shares his joy insofar as they share his obedience, the obedience that willingly faces death to self-interest.
Application Questions
1. Looking back on your walk with Jesus, how have relationships—whether mentors, friends, or community—helped you abide in Christ and bear fruit?
2. Think of a season when your faith felt dry or withered. How did that experience reveal your need to remain connected to Jesus as the true vine?
3. Where do you sense resistance to Jesus in your life right now? How might remembering that he has chosen and loved you free you to trust and follow him more fully?