Abiding
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One Analogy:
One Analogy:
Our relationship to Christ is compared to a vine and its branches - John 15:1,5
Our relationship to Christ is compared to a vine and its branches - John 15:1,5
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.
“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.
Jesus is the vine
We are the branches
The Father is the Gardener
Three Important Questions:
Who is in Charge of the Vineyard?
Who Provides Life to the branches?
Who Bears the Fruit?
Two Key Principles
Two Key Principles
The Principle of Fruitfulness
The Principle of Fruitfulness
Emphasis:
Three times in verse 2
Two times in verse 4
Once in verse 5
Once in verse 8
Once in verse 16
We must be fruitful to be useful - John 15:5-6
We must be fruitful to be useful - John 15:5-6
“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.
If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.
We glorify God when we are fruitful - John 15:8
We glorify God when we are fruitful - John 15:8
This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
We identify ourselves as Christ’s disciples
We identify ourselves as Christ’s disciples
What does it mean to be fruitful?
What does it mean to be fruitful?
Many options including leading others to Christ, making disciples, fruit of the Spirit
Best answer is fulfilling God’s will for your life
The Principle of Connection - John 15:4-5
The Principle of Connection - John 15:4-5
Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
“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.
Growth and fruitfulness require a life source
Growth and fruitfulness require a life source
Ex. Broken tree branches from a storm
Ex. Lacked power source while building our house
We are either connected and fruitful or disconnected and unfruitful
We are either connected and fruitful or disconnected and unfruitful
What does connection look like?
What does connection look like?
Three Key processes
Three Key processes
We must experience the process of pruning - John 15:2
We must experience the process of pruning - John 15:2
He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
Pruning is painful but productive - James 1:2-4
Pruning is painful but productive - James 1:2-4
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Pruning removes unfruitful branches
Pruning removes unfruitful branches
God must remove things that will hinder our fruitfulness
Pruning stimulates growth on good branches
Pruning stimulates growth on good branches
God must build character that will support fruitfulness
We must maintain constant communication - John 15:7
We must maintain constant communication - John 15:7
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
Three Conditions:
Remain in Me
My words remain in you
Ask what you wish
One Promise:
It will be done for you
We must remain in His love through obedience - John 15:9-14
We must remain in His love through obedience - John 15:9-14
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.
The emphasis is not on our love but on His love - 1 John 4:10
The emphasis is not on our love but on His love - 1 John 4:10
This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
Love’s evidence is obedience - John 15:10
Love’s evidence is obedience - John 15:10
If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.
This relationship brings complete joy - John 15:11
This relationship brings complete joy - John 15:11
I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
The great command to love - John 15:12-14
The great command to love - John 15:12-14
My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
