The Bridge Church
Make Room - Make Room for Christ
December 8, 2024
Locations & Times
Englewood SKY Academy
871 S River Rd, Englewood, FL 34223, USA
Sunday 8:00 AM
Sunday 9:15 AM
Sunday 10:45 AM
- Who's the Gardener? God
- Who's the Vine? Jesus
- Who are the branches? Followers of Jesus
- Who's the Vine? Jesus
- Who are the branches? Followers of Jesus
1. Abide in God's pruning process
2. Abiding in Christ produces fruit
Bearing fruit = Growing in the inward and outward character of Jesus
3. Abide in God's love
MY NEXT STEP TODAY IS:
I need to receive Jesus Christ as my personal Savior for the first time.
https://thebridgevenice.churchcenter.com/people/forms/500390
I need to be baptized.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/baptism
I need to attend Starting Point.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/starting-point
I need to join a serve team.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/serve
I need to join a small group.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/bridge-groups
I need to receive Jesus Christ as my personal Savior for the first time.
https://thebridgevenice.churchcenter.com/people/forms/500390
I need to be baptized.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/baptism
I need to attend Starting Point.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/starting-point
I need to join a serve team.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/serve
I need to join a small group.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/bridge-groups
Dig Deeper:
1. What’s your favorite Christmas tradition? Describe how it began and how it became a tradition.
2. How is Christmastime today very different from the time when Jesus was born?
3. Read Luke 2:7. How familiar are you with the story about the birth of Jesus? Is it easy to rush past the fact that there was no guest room for Mary and Joseph? Why is this an important part of the story?
4. How do you make room for Jesus in your day-to-day life?
5. Read John 15:1. What is the definition of a vinedresser? How does this description describe God?
6. Why does Jesus include the word “true” when describing the vine? Why is this image of a “true vine” very pertinent to the original hearers?
7. Read John 15:2-3. Who is a branch in this scenario? Who is a “branch that does not bear fruit”? Why is it taken away?
8. Why does a branch not bear fruit? Where does it get its fruit bearing ability from?
9. Can a dead branch affect a healthy one? If so, how?
10. Why does a vinedresser, or gardener, prune fruit bearing branches in addition to taking the non-bearing branches away?
11. Read Hebrews 12:11. Why would God ever want to prune us? What is the purpose of God producing fruit in our lives?
12. Have you ever known someone who tends a garden? What work goes into a successful garden?
13. What are some examples of something God might cut away that hinders our growth to becoming more like Jesus?
14. Read John 15:4-5. What does it mean to abide in Jesus? What, then, does Jesus mean when He says, “and I in you”?
15. What is your response to knowing that we cannot bear fruit by ourselves; that it only occurs if we abide in Jesus?
16. Read Galatians 5:22-23. What is produced when one abides in Jesus? Why is it important to note that it is “fruit of the Spirit”?
17. How is abiding different than a spiritual checklist?
18. Read John 15:5. What does “nothing” mean in passage?
19. Read John 15:7-8. Does this passage mean that we can get whatever we want, like possessions or a "wish list," if we just abide in Jesus? Instead, what is Jesus saying here?
20. Have you ever spent so much time with someone that you began to resemble each other in speech, mannerisms, or even appearance? How, then, are we to act when spending much time with Jesus?
21. Why is it important that our abiding results in us being able to prove to be Jesus’s disciples?
22. Read Ephesians 3:20-21. Describe ways in which you can see God’s faithfulness to you this past year.
23. Read John 15:9-10. How is love connected to everything that has been described previously in this passage, including abiding, pruning, and bearing fruit.
24. Looking back on question four, what is another way in which you can make room for Jesus this Christmas season, and into the new year?
Live It Out:
When we abide in Jesus, we find significance.
Abide in God’s pruning process. Is there anything in your life that God needs to prune; to remove so you can produce more fruit? Share that with God. He wants to prune anything in your life that doesn’t draw you closer to Him. God doesn’t prune to hurt you – He prunes you so that you can bear more fruit. Allow Him to do a work in you.
Abide in Christ so He can produce fruit. Are you abiding in God's Word, and through prayer? For renewal to take place, we must abide in Jesus, and through His power, we obey and see transformation! This week, read Galatians 5:22-23. Find examples from scripture in how Jesus exemplified each fruit of the Spirit. Did Jesus accomplish this through a spiritual checklist or through a relationship with God? Pray to God, asking for Him to produce fruit in you.
Abide in God’s love. Do you ever forget how much God loves you, whether He is pruning you or producing fruit in you? As a follower of Jesus, you are loved eternally and unconditionally by a perfect Heavenly Father. Rest in the Father’s love today and every day. Spend time with Him, thanking Him for all the ways in which He shows His love for, and to, you.
1. What’s your favorite Christmas tradition? Describe how it began and how it became a tradition.
2. How is Christmastime today very different from the time when Jesus was born?
3. Read Luke 2:7. How familiar are you with the story about the birth of Jesus? Is it easy to rush past the fact that there was no guest room for Mary and Joseph? Why is this an important part of the story?
4. How do you make room for Jesus in your day-to-day life?
5. Read John 15:1. What is the definition of a vinedresser? How does this description describe God?
6. Why does Jesus include the word “true” when describing the vine? Why is this image of a “true vine” very pertinent to the original hearers?
7. Read John 15:2-3. Who is a branch in this scenario? Who is a “branch that does not bear fruit”? Why is it taken away?
8. Why does a branch not bear fruit? Where does it get its fruit bearing ability from?
9. Can a dead branch affect a healthy one? If so, how?
10. Why does a vinedresser, or gardener, prune fruit bearing branches in addition to taking the non-bearing branches away?
11. Read Hebrews 12:11. Why would God ever want to prune us? What is the purpose of God producing fruit in our lives?
12. Have you ever known someone who tends a garden? What work goes into a successful garden?
13. What are some examples of something God might cut away that hinders our growth to becoming more like Jesus?
14. Read John 15:4-5. What does it mean to abide in Jesus? What, then, does Jesus mean when He says, “and I in you”?
15. What is your response to knowing that we cannot bear fruit by ourselves; that it only occurs if we abide in Jesus?
16. Read Galatians 5:22-23. What is produced when one abides in Jesus? Why is it important to note that it is “fruit of the Spirit”?
17. How is abiding different than a spiritual checklist?
18. Read John 15:5. What does “nothing” mean in passage?
19. Read John 15:7-8. Does this passage mean that we can get whatever we want, like possessions or a "wish list," if we just abide in Jesus? Instead, what is Jesus saying here?
20. Have you ever spent so much time with someone that you began to resemble each other in speech, mannerisms, or even appearance? How, then, are we to act when spending much time with Jesus?
21. Why is it important that our abiding results in us being able to prove to be Jesus’s disciples?
22. Read Ephesians 3:20-21. Describe ways in which you can see God’s faithfulness to you this past year.
23. Read John 15:9-10. How is love connected to everything that has been described previously in this passage, including abiding, pruning, and bearing fruit.
24. Looking back on question four, what is another way in which you can make room for Jesus this Christmas season, and into the new year?
Live It Out:
When we abide in Jesus, we find significance.
Abide in God’s pruning process. Is there anything in your life that God needs to prune; to remove so you can produce more fruit? Share that with God. He wants to prune anything in your life that doesn’t draw you closer to Him. God doesn’t prune to hurt you – He prunes you so that you can bear more fruit. Allow Him to do a work in you.
Abide in Christ so He can produce fruit. Are you abiding in God's Word, and through prayer? For renewal to take place, we must abide in Jesus, and through His power, we obey and see transformation! This week, read Galatians 5:22-23. Find examples from scripture in how Jesus exemplified each fruit of the Spirit. Did Jesus accomplish this through a spiritual checklist or through a relationship with God? Pray to God, asking for Him to produce fruit in you.
Abide in God’s love. Do you ever forget how much God loves you, whether He is pruning you or producing fruit in you? As a follower of Jesus, you are loved eternally and unconditionally by a perfect Heavenly Father. Rest in the Father’s love today and every day. Spend time with Him, thanking Him for all the ways in which He shows His love for, and to, you.
Reading Plan:
Monday: Luke 2:7, John 15:1-3
Tuesday: Hebrews 12:11
Wednesday: John 15:4-5
Thursday: Galatians 5:22-23
Friday: John 15:7-10
Saturday: Ephesians 3:20-21
Monday: Luke 2:7, John 15:1-3
Tuesday: Hebrews 12:11
Wednesday: John 15:4-5
Thursday: Galatians 5:22-23
Friday: John 15:7-10
Saturday: Ephesians 3:20-21