Embedded Files
The Story
The Story
Imagine holding your dad's hand while walking through a crowded amusement park.
Imagine holding your dad's hand while walking through a crowded amusement park.
Your dad is strong, loving, and will never let go of you on his own. You are completely safe as long as you hold on! But what if you decide to pull your hand away, turn around, and deliberately run out the front gates into the dark street all by yourself? Your dad didn't push you away or stop loving you—you chose to walk away.
Your dad is strong, loving, and will never let go of you on his own. You are completely safe as long as you hold on! But what if you decide to pull your hand away, turn around, and deliberately run out the front gates into the dark street all by yourself? Your dad didn't push you away or stop loving you—you chose to walk away.
┌─────────────────────────┐
┌─────────────────────────┐
│ JESUS THE VINE │
│ JESUS THE VINE │
│ (Strong, Faithful, │
│ (Strong, Faithful, │
│ Never Lets Go) │
│ Never Lets Go) │
└────────────┬────────────┘
└────────────┬────────────┘
│
│
┌─────────────────┴─────────────────┐
┌─────────────────┴─────────────────┐
▼ ▼
▼ ▼
[ STAYING CONNECTED ] [ WALKING AWAY ]
[ STAYING CONNECTED ] [ WALKING AWAY ]
Abiding in His love, Pulling our hand away,
Abiding in His love, Pulling our hand away,
asking for forgiveness, choosing big sins,
asking for forgiveness, choosing big sins,
& bearing good fruit. & turning our back.
& bearing good fruit. & turning our back.
That is how our relationship with Jesus works:
That is how our relationship with Jesus works:
He is Always Faithful: Jesus promises to never leave us or forsake us. His grace and love are constant, like a giant vine holding up all its green branches.
He is Always Faithful: Jesus promises to never leave us or forsake us. His grace and love are constant, like a giant vine holding up all its green branches.
We Keep Our Free Will: God loves us so much that He never forces us to stay against our will. He gives us the real choice to keep holding His hand or to walk away.
We Keep Our Free Will: God loves us so much that He never forces us to stay against our will. He gives us the real choice to keep holding His hand or to walk away.
Perseverance Means Staying Close: Being saved isn't just a fast pass ticket we put in our pocket years ago and forget about. It's like staying attached to the vine! When we mess up, we say "I'm sorry," grab His hand tightly again, and keep walking together until we reach our home in Heaven.
Perseverance Means Staying Close: Being saved isn't just a fast pass ticket we put in our pocket years ago and forget about. It's like staying attached to the vine! When we mess up, we say "I'm sorry," grab His hand tightly again, and keep walking together until we reach our home in Heaven.
💬 Talk About It
💬 Talk About It
Why do you think Jesus wants us to choose to stay close to Him every day instead of forcing us?
Why do you think Jesus wants us to choose to stay close to Him every day instead of forcing us?
What can we do when we realize we've made a bad choice and started to wander away from Jesus?
What can we do when we realize we've made a bad choice and started to wander away from Jesus?
📜 Memory Verse
📜 Memory Verse
"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit." — John 15:5
"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit." — John 15:5
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