Introduction

2
“Every branch in Me that does not
bearWhen
fruit Heatakes
branch
away;bears
and every
branch
nothat bears
fruit, fruitdoes
what He prunes, that
it may bear more fruit. 4Abide in Me,
the vinedresser do?
and I in you. As the branch cannot bear
fruit of itself, unless it abides in the
vine, neither can you, unless you abide
in Me. 6If anyone does not abide in
Me, he is cast out as a branch and is
withered; and they gather them and
throw them into the fire, and they are
 
burned.” John 15:2, 4, 6
 I. The Passage

2
“Every branch in Me that does not bear
fruit He takes away.” John 15:2a
JESUS.
A. “Every branch in Me” is a believer in
_______
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a
17

new creation; old things have passed

away; behold,
B. “Does not bearall things have
fruit” is become
a
new. 2 Corinthians
CURRENTLY
believer not bearing 5:17
. ____________
fruit
  2
“Every branch in Me that does not
 I. The Passage

C.“He takes away” is God’s parallel

PRODUCTIVI
response to poor ______________
2 TY. branch in Me that does not
“Every
bear fruit (present active) He takes
away (present active).” John 15:2a

 
 II. The Pitfall

II.The Pitfall: Does God do anything

to you when you are not bearing
fruit?
The Misconception: God does not
intervene when you are not
bearing fruit.
The Truth: God intervenes regularly to
stimulate you to bear fruit again.
2
“Every branch in Me that does not bear
fruit He takes away.” John 15:2a
 
 II. The Pitfall

A. Your fruitfulness is hindered if

you choose
SIN.
to ____
21
What fruit did you have then in the
things of which you are now ashamed?
22
But now having been set free from
sin, and having become slaves of God,
you have your fruit to holiness, and
the end, everlasting life.
Romans 6:21a, 22
 
 II. The Pitfall

B. Your fruitfulness is hindered if

WORLD.
you focus on riches and this _______
22
“Now he who received seed among
the thorns is he who hears the word,
and the cares of this world and the
deceitfulness of riches choke the word,
and he becomes unfruitful.” Matthew
13:22
14
“Now the ones that fell among thorns
are those who, when they have heard,
  go out and are choked with cares,
 II. The Pitfall

3
You therefore must endure hardship
as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4No
one engaged in warfare entangles
himself with the affairs of this life, that
he may please him who enlisted him as
a soldier. 2 Timothy 2:3-4

 
 II. The Pitfall

C.Your fruitfulness is hindered if you

giveAPATHY
in to
. ________
And let our people also learn to
14

maintain good works, to meet urgent

needs, that they may not be unfruitful.
Titus 3:14
1
Remind them to be subject to rulers
Rev.
and3:16-19
authorities, to obey, to be ready
for every good work. Titus 3:1
 
Rev 3:16-19
16
So, because you are lukewarm--
neither hot nor cold-- I am about
to spit you out of my mouth.
17
You say, 'I am rich; I have
acquired wealth and do not need
a thing.' But you do not realize
that you are wretched, pitiful,
poor, blind and naked … 19Those
whom
 
I love I rebuke and
discipline. So be earnest, and
 Principle #1

The Discipline Principle #1

God gets involved with believers
CHOICE.
making fruitlessness their ongoing
_______
“Every branch in Me that does not bear
fruit (present active).”

 
 Principle #1

A. “Take away” (Greek: airo) does

notLIFT
mean “cut off” but ____ ___
5
HeUP.
said to the paralytic, “Arise, take
up your bed, and go to your house.”
Matthew 9:6b
20
So they all ate and were filled, and
they took up twelve baskets full of the
fragments that remained.
Matthew 14:20
UP.
B. “Lift Up” in the vineyard means
 
to clean off and tie back ___
 Principle #1

C.“Lift Up” for believers means God

seeksCONTINUAL
to
restore
LY._____________
“He takes away (present active)”

How does God restore a

believer who is not
bearing fruit?

 
 Principle #2

The Discipline Principle #2

God intervenes in the life of the
“noDISCIPLI
fruit branch” with ___________
A. NE.
God disciplines every single
FAMILY.
member of
His _______
8
But if you are without chastening,
of which all have become
partakers, then you are illegitimate
 
and not sons. Hebrews 12:8
 Principle #2

B. God disciplines as a kind and

loving FATHER
Heavenly
. ________
9
Furthermore, we have had human
fathers who corrected us, and we paid
them respect. Shall we not much more
readily be in subjection to the Father
of spirits and live? Hebrews 12:9

 
 Principle #2

C.God disciplines when we need it,

for PROFIT.
our holiness and _______
For they indeed for a few days
10

chastened us as seemed best to them,

but He for our profit, that we may be
partakers of His holiness. Hebrews
12:10

 
 Principle #3

The Discipline Principle #3

God disciplines progressively
through the
STAGES
Three
. ________
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; 6for whom the Lord loves He
 
chastens, and scourges every son
 Principle #3

Stage #1: God’s light discipline

REBUKE
is
called ________ .
16
All Scripture is given by inspiration of
God, and is profitable for doctrine, for
reproof, for correction, for instruction
in righteousness, 17that the man of God
may be complete, thoroughly equipped
for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-
17
8
And when He (Holy Spirit) has come,
  He will convict the world of sin, and of
 Principle #3

Stage #2: God’s medium discipline

is CHASTENIN
G._____________
called
9
Furthermore, we have had human
fathers who corrected us, and we paid
them respect. Shall we not much more
readily be in subjection to the Father
of spirits and live? 10For they indeed
for a few days chastened us as seemed
best to them, but He for our profit,
  that we may be partakers of His
 Principle #3

Stage #3: God’s heavy discipline is

calledSCOURGIN
____________
1 G. Pilate took Jesus and
So then
scourged Him. 2And the soldiers
twisted a crown of thorns and put it on
His head, and they put on Him a purple
robe. John 19:1-2
17
But beware of men, for they will
deliver you up to councils and scourge
you in their synagogues.” Matthew
  10:17
 Principle #3

Light Discipline MediumDiscipline Heavy D

iscipline

Rebuke Chastening Scourging

VERBAL EMOTIO PAINFU

NAL L

Discom
fort Distress Desperation
0-9 10-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60-69 70-79 80-89 90-100
 
 Conclusion

1
Now let me sing to my Well-beloved a
song of my Beloved regarding His
vineyard:My Well-beloved has a vineyard
on
a very fruitful hill. 2He dug it up and
cleared out its stones, and planted it
with the choicest vine. He built a tower
in
3 its midst,
“And now, Oand also made
inhabitants ofaJerusalem
winepress
in
andit;men
so He
of expected it to please,
Judah, judge, bring forth
good
betweengrapes, butMy
Me and it brought
vineyard.forth
4 wild
What
grapes.
more could have been done to My
vineyard that I have not done in it? Why
then,
  when I expected it to bring forth
 
 
 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 we would judge ourselves, we
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
 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