Introduction

5
You should know in your heart that as
a man chastens his son, so the Lord
your God chastens you. 6“Therefore
you shall keep the commandments of
the Lord your God, to walk in His ways
2
“Every
and branch
to fear in Me
Him. that does not 8:5-6
Deuteronomy bear
fruit He takes away.” John 15:2a

 
 Process #1

Process #1
God’s discipline can affect us in all
areas PHYSIC
including AL.
the __________
27
Therefore whoever eats this bread or
drinks this cup of the Lord in an
unworthy manner will be guilty of the
body and blood of the Lord. 28But let a
man examine himself, and so let him eat
of the bread and drink of the cup. 29For
  he who eats and drinks in an unworthy
 Process #1

WEAKNE
A. God may discipline you with
___________ SS.
14
Now we exhort you, brethren, warn
those who are unruly, comfort the
fainthearted, uphold the weak, be
patient with all. 1 Thessalonians 5:14
16
Also a multitude gathered from the
surrounding cities to Jerusalem,
bringing sick people and those who
were tormented by unclean spirits, and
  they were all healed. Acts 5:16
 Process #1

B. God may discipline

SICKNES
you with
__________ S.
14
And when Jesus went out He saw a
great multitude; and He was moved
with compassion for them, and healed
their sick. Matthew 14:14
9
So the anger of the Lord was aroused
against them, and He departed. 10And
when the cloud departed from above
the tabernacle, suddenly Miriam
  became leprous, as white as snow.
 Process #1

C.God may discipline you withDEAT

premature _______ H.
4
Why have you conceived this thing in
your heart? You have not lied to men
but to God.” 5Then Ananias, hearing
these words, fell down and breathed
his last. So great fear came upon all
those who heard these things. Acts
5:4b-5
10
The fear of the Lord is the beginning
  of wisdom, and the knowledge of the
 Process #2

Process #2
God disciplines appropriately but
some sins
SEVEREL
are dealt with __________
Y.

 
 Process #2

A. God disciplines severely the sin

ofUNFORGIVENE
_________________
32 SS.
“Then his master, after he had called
him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I
forgave you all that debt because you
begged me. 33Should you not also have
had compassion on your fellow
servant, just as I had pity on you?’
34
And his master was angry, and
delivered him to the torturers
 
(torturers use the rack) until he should
pay all that was due to him. 35So My
 Process #2

23
“And being in torments in Hades, he
lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham
afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
27
Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore,
father, that you would send him to my
father’s house, 28for I have five
brothers, that he may testify to them,
lest they also come to this place of
torment.’” Luke 16:23, 27-28

 
 Process #2

B. God disciplines severely the sin

of IMMORAL
sexual ____________
ITY.
4
Marriage is honorable among all, and
the bed undefiled; but fornicators and
adulterers God will judge.
Hebrews 13:4

 
 Process #2

3
For this is the will of God, your
sanctification: that you should abstain
from sexual immorality; 4that each of
you should know how to possess his
own vessel in sanctification and honor,
5
not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles
who do not know God; 6that no one
should take advantage of and defraud
his brother in this matter, because the
Lord is the avenger (to take vengeance
on behalf of) of all such, as we also
 
forewarned you and testified. 1
 Process #3

Process #3
God’s discipline is not necessary if
we OURSELV
ES.
judge ____________
31
For if
if we
we would
would judge
judge ourselves,
ourselves, wewe
would not be judged. 32But when we
are judged, we are chastened by the
Lord, that we may not be condemned
with the world. 33Therefore, my
brethren, when you come together to
 
eat, wait for one another. 34But if
another. 34 But if
 Process #3

A. Judge yourself
REPENTAN
by _____________
27 CE.
“Because your heart was tender, and
you humbled yourself before God when
you heard His words against this place
and against its inhabitants, and you
humbled yourself before Me, and you
tore your clothes and wept before Me,
I also have heard you,” says the Lord.
28
“Surely I will gather you to your
fathers, and you shall be gathered to
 
your grave in peace; and your eyes
shall not see all the calamity which I
 Process #3

B. RESTORATI
Judge yourself by _____________
8 ON.stood and said to the
Then Zacchaeus
Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my
goods to the poor; and if I have taken
anything from anyone by false
accusation, I restore fourfold.” Luke
19:8

 
 Process #3

C.Judge yourself RECONCILIAT

by ________________
23
“Therefore, ifION.
you are offering your
gift at the altar and there remember
that your brother has something
against you, 24leave your gift there in
front of the altar. First go and be
reconciled to your brother; then come
and offer your gift.” Matthew 5:23-24

 
 The Precept

God disciplines believers who are

not bearing fruit in order to
restore them to fellowship and
fruitful productivity.

 
 Conclusion

FORGE
A. Do not ________ the exhortation
aboutTGod’s discipline.
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.” Hebrews 12:5

 
 Conclusion

TRAIN
B. Dedicate yourself to be ________
ED
by God’s discipline.
11
Now no chastening seems to be joyful
for the present, but painful;
nevertheless, afterward it yields the
peaceable fruit of righteousness to
those who have been trained by it.
Hebrews 12:11

 
 
   
 Introduction

1
“I am the true vine, and My Father is
the vinedresser. 2Every branch in Me
that does not bear fruit He takes away;
and every branch that bears fruit He
prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
3
You are already clean because of the
word which I have spoken to you.”
John 15:1-3

 
 I.  The Passage

2
“Every branch that bears fruit He
prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”
John 15:2b
A. “EveryBELIEVER
branch that bears
fruit” describes
. a fruit-bearing
B._________
“He prunes” specifies the
“EveryFATHER.
branch that
pruning-agent bearsthe
as God fruit”
________
“My Father is the vinedresser . . .
  He prunes”
 I.  The Passage

C.“Prune” is an act by the

vinedresser
MORE. to cut back to bear
______
“1.
That it mayis
Pruning bear
themore fruit”method
primary
to makePRODUCTI
branches ____________
2. PruningVE.
redirects the sap from
the woodFRUIT.
and leaves to the
______
SEASON.
3. Pruning occurs numerous times
 
throughout the ________
 I.  The Passage

D. “Bear more fruit” reveals God’s

goalWORKS.
as increasing good _______
“That it may bear more fruit”

 
 II. The Pitfall

II. The Pitfall: The more you live for

God, the less pain you will
experience.
Misconception: God brings pain
into your life only because you’ve
done wrong.
Truth: God brings pruning pain
into your life because you are
bearing fruit.

 
 II. The Pitfall

A. Pruning can be confused with

PAINFUL.
discipline as both are ________
11
Now no chastening seems to be joyful
for the present, but painful (lupe);
nevertheless, afterward it yields the
peaceable fruit of righteousness to
those who have been trained by it.
Hebrews 12:11
6
In this you greatly rejoice, though now
for a little while, if need be, you have
 
been grieved (lupe) by various trials.
1 Peter 1:6
 II. The Pitfall

B. Pruning can lead people to

GOD.angry
become
with _____
C.Pruning often causes sin in
believers
MATURE. who
are ________
5
"Job says, `I am innocent, but God
denies me justice. 6 Although I am
right, I am considered a liar;
although I am guiltless, his arrow
inflicts an incurable wound.' (Job 34:5-6)
 
 II. The Pitfall

ISSUE DISCIPLINE PRUNING

Initial sign Pain and Distress Pain

and Distress
Why did it start? You are
You are seeking
displeasing God to
please God FRUIT MORE
What is your No Fruit FRUIT
Fruit
level of fruitfulness?
What does the
Vinedresser
  want?