mgpcpastor's blog

An excerpt from Bill Giovannetti on Why I Preach Grace-Filled Sermons:

When Jesus presented himself as the vine and his people as the branches, he left the enduring secret of fruitful living: “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). There are two sides in this equation: 1. Abide in Christ, and 2. Bear much fruit. Which side do you preach most?
I blush to think of the thousands of sermons I have preached, lashing God’s servants to produce more fruit, while ignoring the roots and vine. My hunch is not one in a thousand Christians can effectively explain what it means to abide in Christ. No wonder the fruit is so sparse. If you wish to see much fruit, quit preaching fruit. Instead, preach the cross of Christ, our identity in Christ, and our riches in Christ. Fill the gas tank with the glory of his matchless grace. You can’t flog the fruit out of a branch barely connected to the vine. A little less preaching on fruit, and a little more on what it means to abide in Christ—no matter your particular theology on how that looks—will change the face of your church.

Read the whole post here.