City Church of San Francisco

Weekly sermons of the pastoral staff at City Church San Francisco. City Church of San Francisco is a worshiping community that seeks to be the very presence of Christ in word, deed, and lifestyle – through many people in multiple ministries doing one thing – following Christ in mission to a beautiful and broken city, and through the city, the world.

Saturday, January 01, 2005

Change: Superficial or Supernatural?

John 15:1-11
1"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no
fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful.
3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4Remain in me, and I will
remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear
fruit unless you remain in me.
5"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much
fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that
is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7If you
remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8This
is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
9"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10If you obey my
commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain
in his love. 11I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be
complete.