Prepare your heart for this Sunday’s morning message by reading the below Family Discipleship Plan, Discussion Questions & Action Steps, Sermon Slides & Songs.
Family Study page John 15:5; Haggai 1:5-6 August 23, 2026
VITAL SIGN - There are moments, by God’s grace, when the chaotic pace of life suddenly pauses. A rare moment of sanity and awareness breaks through the noise and the schedule. For a moment you can see the fog that surrounds you. Suddenly, a fresh barrage of questions enter your mind. “What am I doing?” “How did I get here?” “Is all of this activity moving me, my marriage, our family, where we intended?” “How do I get out from under the “good things” that have dog-piled on me so I can catch my breath?”
Life’s moments, decisions, and obligations are not something you can just put on “auto pilot”. Either you are managing the various elements of your life, or they are controlling you. Suddenly you realize that your “self-driving-life” has put you in the back seat, and is taking you in a direction you do not want to go. In that moment, what vital sign do you check to assess your health and identify your critical next steps.
In the hours just before He would be arrested, beaten, and nailed to a wooden crossbeam, Jesus identified a critical assessment for human life. Three statements, only 31 words, provide our assessment of a critical vital sign for life - “how is your connection with Jesus. For centuries since that evening conversation, disciples of Jesus across the globe have found healing clarity and a pathway to a life of thriving fruitfulness. Today, Jesus’ words will diagnose the symptoms of disillusionment, disconnection, and disappointment that are resulting in your failure to thrive.
Discussion Questions and Action Steps for you and your family
With your family or a group of friends, have one person tell a story of having only half attention to a task. What frequently is your current cause of distraction.
Read John 15:1-5 and 2 Kings 17:33. What do you learn about God’s desire to have an essential and exclusive relationship with you? What insight or phrase captured your attention? Why do you imagine that the Holy Spirit drew your attention there? What do you discover about God/Jesus? What do you discover about humans/yourself?
How would you rate the status of your current connection as a branch to the Vine/Jesus? What happened to your connection with Jeus that most impacted the quality of your fruit? Share your insights with someone this week!
O Love That Will Not Let Me Go - George Matheson
O Love that will not let me go, I rest my weary soul in Thee; I give Thee back the Life I owe, That in Thine ocean depths Its flow may richer, fuller be.
O Light that follows all my way, I yield my flickering torch to Thee; My heart restores its borrowed ray that in Thy sunshine’s blaze Its day may brighter, fairer be.
O Joy that seeks me through pain, I cannot close my heart to Thee; I trace the rainbow through the rain, and feel the promise is not vain That morn shall tearless be.
O Cross that li-fts up my head, I dare not ask to stray from Thee; I lay in dust life’s glory dead, and from the ground there blossoms red, Life that shall endless be.
A prayer response: (Lord, Set a fire down in my soul, That I can't contain and I can't control; I want more of you God; I want more of you God!)
“I am the vine. You are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in Him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
John 15:5
Great Is Thy Faithfulness - William Runyon
Great is Thy faithfulness, O Go my Father! There is no shadow of turning with Thee; Thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not: As Thou hast been, Thou forever shall be.
Great is thy faithfulness, Great is Thy faithfulness, Morning by morning new mercies I see; All I have needed Thy hand hath provided!
Great is Thy Faithfulness, Lord unto me.
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth, Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide, Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow – Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside.
Turn Your Eyes - Natalie Grant
O soul are you weary and troubled, No light in the darkness you see; But just one look at the Savior Is life more abundant and free. So just look up, your help is on the way.
Turn, turn your eyes upon Jesus; Look full, look full, look full in His wonderful face; And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, When you turn, turn your eyes upon him.
His Word forever unfailing, His promise an anchor to hold; Here in the midst of your sorrow, His presence is healing your soul. So just look up, your help is on the way!
In the light of his glory and grace, There is freedom, healing filling this place. In the light of his glory and grace, There’s revival, it’s stirring, shaking this place. In the light of his glory and grace, Hear the chains hit the ground all over this place
“Now, therefore, thus says the LORD of Hosts: Consider your ways. You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but never have enough; You drink, but never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And He who earns wages, Does so to put them into a bag with holes!”
Haggai 1:5-6
Give Me Jesus - Fernando Ortega
In the Morning when I rise; In the morning when I rise. In the morning when I rise, Give me Jesus!
Give Me Jesus. Give me Jesus. You can have all this world, just give me Jesus!
And when I am alone; Oh, when I am alone; And when I am alone, Give me Jesus.
And when I come to die; oh, when I come to die; When I come to die, Give me Jesus!
VITAL SIGN August 23, 2026
Diagnosis of our failure to … THRIVE!
Week 2, The Deception of PARTIAL CONNECTION!
Slide #1 John 15:1-5
Slide #2 Deuteronomy 4:39
Slide #3 2 Kings 17:33
Slide #4 John 15:5
Slide #5 A full and intentional connection with Jesus produces Life that abounds in fruitfulness.
A partial connection to Jesus results in a failure to thrive.
Slide #6 Diagnosing a partial connection.
- Do you live a “Jesus … AND” life?
- Do you live a “Jesus … WITH” life?
- Do you live a “Jesus … LITE” life?
- Do you live a “Jesus … SHELF” life?
- Do you live a “Jesus … EXCLUDED” life?
Slide #7 You can have a “Jesus COMPLETELY” life.
Slide #8 Matthew 6:33








