A Devotional Thought by Pastor Joe Caples
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."
John 15:5
The parable of the vine and the branches is well known by many Christians. And, its message is clear: that Christians must remain connected to Jesus to live life to its fullest. You would be hard pressed to find a Christian who doesn’t believe this, but that doesn’t mean we are all good at following Jesus’ advice.
In the previous chapter, Jesus had just finished telling the disciples He would be leaving them soon. One of the dangers of reading through a book of the Bible in multiple sessions broken up by chapter is that we easily forget to think about it as a single narrative. Most of the time, when this section is highlighted, it is done so in isolation from the chapter immediately before it. But, knowing the context should help us relate to Jesus’ words even better.
Jesus isn’t telling the disciples to stay physically close to him. He is saying that, even in his physical absence, they are to remain spiritually and emotionally connected to him. And, that closeness will be felt if they take his teachings to heart and remember all they have learned from him.
This same message is true for us today. And, even though we all know it's important, it can be easy to forget. This can be especially true when we strive to live "missionally" – on mission in the world around us at all times. We can get so caught up in connecting our lives to the lives of those outside the church that we forget why we are doing it. We can lose our focus and have our Christ-likeness fade away. That is why Jesus gives us this reminder of the importance of reading the Bible regularly, gathering with other believers, and praying regularly.
Jesus tells us that without these things we will lose focus and work toward goals that are not His, possibly goals that even seem good, but are not allowing us to join God in the work He is already doing all around us. In Jesus we have every motivation we could ever need. It would be silly to live on mission without regularly strengthening our connection with Him.
So, how is your connection with the True Vine? Do you give Jesus opportunities to speak into all aspects of the mission you are on for Him? Or, are there a few areas you might have stepped into on your own? If you are going forward in love, you are probably on the right track. But, don’t forget to keep the paths of communication open.
This is an excerpt from Joe's Missional Commentary on the Book of John. You can read the rest of his commentary on John 15 by CLICKING HERE. You can find his previous installments on John chapters 1-14 by CLICKING HERE.
|
|
SHARE CHURCH WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS! |
|
Your neighbors may not be ready to step into our church , nor can they at the moment, but they can explore who we are and participate in our services from our website www.pgcc.church.
We have created a postcard you can use to invite them to check us out online.
You can come by the office (buzz us at the east side door by the fountain) and pick some up, or call and ask for some to be mailed to you. You can take them to your neighbors or mail them. The backside is blank so you can write a personal message.
We have plenty, so be generous in sharing them!
|
|
FALL BIBLE STUDIES
PORTICO BIBLE STUDIES
An in-person, sermon-based discussion Bible study that will dig deeper into the topic from Sunday's message.
4 Tuesdays in September, 9:30 am, starting September 8
Outside under the Portico, with social distance
45-60 minutes long
Facilitated by Pastor Phil
Space is limited. If we have too many people sign-up, we will start a second one on Wednesdays.
|
|
All day, every day, an invisible war rages around you—unseen, unheard, yet felt throughout every aspect of your life. If you're tired of being pushed around and caught with your guard down, this video-based study is for you.
This is an online study being offered through Zoom since our building is still closed. (See details about Zoom below.)
1st & 3rd Tuesday each month
Begins Tuesday, September 15,
Ends Tuesday, December 15
Two time options, 9:30AM or 7:00PM
Cost $18.00 (due when book is picked up the week before)
To signup, please contact Lois Coady by calling 916-771-4447 or emailing lecoadypgcc@gmail.com no later than Monday August 24.
We can help you learn how to use Zoom!
Zoom allows you to see and talk to the other members of the group through your computer, Smartphone or tablet. You will need a webcam, a microphone and an internet connection. We can help you find and purchase these items if your computer doesn't have them built-in (most laptops and all smartphones and tablets do) and we will teach you how to use Zoom.
|
|
WE NEED MORE OF YOUR SHARING!
Please share with us your:
-
Artwork (painting, drawing, photography, craft work)
-
Favorite Recipe (and if there is a story behind it, share that as well)
-
Favorite Quote (and who it's from)
- Favorite Bible Verse
-
Garden Picture (if you do your own gardening)
-
TESTIMONY! (We will help you write it if you would like.)
|
|
If you have a need, don’t keep it a secret! If you need prayer, if there is an emergency, if you need help, if you need groceries, if you are going crazy and just need to chat, call or email us.
Call us at 916-771-4447 (Please leave a message if no one answers.)
Write us at 1730 Pleasant Grove Blvd, Roseville, CA 95747
Blessings, PGCC staff
|
|
HOW TO GIVE TO PGCC
You can GIVE by:
-
Mail addressed to the Church at 1730 Pleasant Grove Blvd, Roseville, CA 95747.
-
Online through our website, www.pgcc.church, or by clicking on the blue button below.
If you need assistance setting up your Online Giving, please call Cyndi at the office, Mon-Thu, 916-771-4447. Leave a message if no one answers.
|
|
If you are not automatically getting these emails... |
|
Pleasant Grove Community Church
1730 Pleasant Grove Blvd., Roseville, CA 95747
(916) 771-4447
www.pgcc.church
Email: 1730pgccoffice@gmail.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
