Abide In Him

SERMON SERIES: INTIMACY WITH GOD

SERMON TITLE: ABIDE IN HIM

SERMON TEXT: 1 JOHN 2:28-29

SERMON INTRODUCTION

A. Many people wear crosses, but have no connection to the One to whom the cross refers.

B. Many people want to be spiritual, but they want to be spiritual on their own terms

1. They claim to have fellowship with God, but they walk in darkness, that is, they live in continual, unconfused and unrepentant sin.

2. They claim to know God, but they live they way they want, that is, they refuse to keep His commandments.

3. They claim to abide in Him, that is, they claim to have a close walk with Him, but they refuse to live as He lived.

4. They claim that they love God, but the love of the world and the things of the world holds a stronghold in their lives.

5. They claim to have the truth, but they deny that Jesus is the Christ.

C. True spirituality depends on a relation with the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ..

1. What one thinks about Jesus Christ determines the relationship one has with God.

2. One’s dependence on Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord determines the relationship that one has with God.

3. True spiritual growth depends on abiding in Christ, that at is, remaining consistently in fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

SERMON LESSON: TRUE, GENUINE, BIBLICAL SPIRITUALITY IS BASED ON CONSISTENT, PERSONAL FELLOWSHIP WITH THE LIVING LORD JESUS CHRIST.

SERMON OUTLINE: TWO KEY FEATURES MAKE THIS TRUE

I. COMMAND: ABIDE IN HIM

A. THE MEANING OF THE COMMAND TO “ABIDE IN HIM”

1. Some important cross-references

a. John 15:3-4: “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.”

b. John 15:7: “ If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.”

c. John 15:9,10: “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

2. The command to “abide in Him” means to maintain a continual, unbroken, unhindered, and active fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

a. It is a life marked by a living faith that is continually dependent on the Lord

b. It is a life marked by a living faith in the Lord that is continually growing and being cultivated.

c. It is a life marked by a living faith that is reflected in loving obedience to the commandments of the Lord.

d. It is a life marked by a living faith that is reflected in a godly life, a godly life that refuses to be controlled by a life of sinfulness.

3. Note carefully: Only a true believer can abide in the Lord!!

a. Reason #1: A believer is already clean because of the word which had been spoken to him.

b. Reason #2: Only believers are commanded to abide in the Lord, not the unsaved.

c. Reason #3: An unsaved person needs to receive Christ before he can abide in Christ.

d. Note carefully: The text did not say seek the Lord, it said abide in Him.

4. The problem with abiding in Him.

a. Many who are Christians are either indifferent to spiritual things or distracted by worldly things.

b. Many who are not Christians think they can live like the devil all week and on Saturday night, then come to somebody’s church service on Sunday and attempt to serve the Lord--it doesn’t work that way

B. THE REASON FOR THE COMMAND TO “ABIDE IN HIM”

1. Reason #1: That when He appears, we may have confidence before Him at His coming.

2. Reason #2: That when He appears we may not be ashamed before Him at His coming.

3. Problem: Many of us who are Christians do not take the appearing of Christ seriously!!

a. Fact:Jesus Christ will appear to receive His saints unto Himself

b. Fact: The appearance of Jesus Christ is the incentive for a Christian to live a godly , devoted life that is expressed in a close walk with the Lord.

c. Fact: Some Christians will have confidence before Christ at His coming

(1.) Why? Because they stood firm and true to the gospel message and sound biblical teaching.

(2.) Why? Because they were faithful and committed to Christian fellowship.

(3.) Why? Because they did not love the world or the things in the world.

(4.) Why? Because they loved their Christian brethren

(5.) Why? Because they keep the commandment of Christ

(6.) Why? Because they walk as Christ walked (lived a godly life)

d. Fact: Some Christians will be ashamed before Him at His coming

II. CONVICTION: EVERYONE WHO PRACTICE RIGHTEOUSNESS IS BORN OF HIM

A. FACT #1: IF YOU KNOW THAT HE IS RIGHTEOUS

1. Remember: God is Light and in Him is no darkness at all.

a. Light is used metaphorically to represent moral goodness, truth, righteousness, and holiness.

b. God is holy, righteous, just, and good in all His thoughts, words, attitudes, and emotions; in all His ways, His actions, and His reactions; in all His judgments, counsels, and plans; in what He determines and in what He permits.

c. There is no moral imperfection in God at all.

(1.) God did not one day become holy, He was always holy from eternity past, and will always be holy in eternity present.

(2.) God does not become more holy, He is infinitely and eternally holy.

(3.) God does not, nor will not, ever decrease in holiness, He does not nor can He ever get unholy.

d. Point: God in His very nature and character is the standard of holiness.

2. Remember: The Lord Jesus Christ is the true Light of the world.

a. He is of the very essence of God

b. He reveals the very person of God to man

c. He is therefore holy, righteous, just, and good in His nature and character

3. Problem: Many people admit that God is holy, righteous, just, good, faithful, and true, but they live their lives in ungodliness!!!

B. FACT #2: (THEN) YOU KNOW THAT EVERYONE WHO PRACTICES RIGHTEOUSNESS IS BORN OF HIM

1. Implication #1: Those who practice unrighteousness are NOT born of God!

a. Just because they know a lot of facts ABOUT God does not mean they KNOW God.

b. Just because they are associated with the people of God does not mean they are in the family of God.

2. Implication #2: Those who are born of God practice righteousness.

a. Fact: Those who received Him (Christ) by faith have become the children of God.

b. Fact: The children of God are born, not of blood, nor the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but are born of God.

c. Fact: Those who are children of God are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.

d. Fact: Those who are born of God, who is light and in Him is no darkness at all, do not live their lives as the unsaved people of the world.

(1.) They walk in the light, as He is in the light

(2.) They keep His commandments: (1) to love God (2) to love one another

(3.) They do not live for the world or the things of the world

(4.) They continue in the truths of the Word of God.

3. Problem: Many people want to claim that they are born of God, that they belong to God, that they are God’s people, but show by the way that they live that they do not belong to God at all, nor are they a part of His family!!

SERMON CONCLUSION: Are you in consistent fellowship with the living Lord Jesus Christ?

A