IF/THEN-Week 4: If You Remain in Me

IF/THEN

Week 4: If You Remain in Me

Main idea: For a Christian, living a life connected to Christ is of utmost importance. It’s because of Him and through Him that we can experience abundance, fruitfulness, purpose, and joy. The truth is, as the scripture says, “apart from Him you can do nothing.”

Prayer: “Lord, thank You for the reminder that we need to remain in You to experience true life and fruitfulness. Help us to stay connected to You, the true vine, and to live lives that bring glory to Your name. Strengthen us, Lord, and guide us in our daily walk with You.”

Introduction

We made it church!

Today’s the last week in our IF/THEN sermon series.

This has been a series about the practical and logical way that Jesus shares the deep truths of the kingdom with us.

He speaks in story, parable, and even uses an ancient tool of logic called the IF/THEN statement.

So far in our series we’ve learned:

IF you know Jesus, THEN you know life.

IF you love Jesus, THEN you will obey and listen to His commands.

IF the world hates you, (THEN) keep in mind that it hated me first.

And to wrap things up today we’re going to finish with one of the most important truths that a believer can ever know comes from John 15:5.

John 15:5 (ESV)

5 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.

Did you hear it?

“IF you remain in me and I in you, (THEN) you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

Main Teaching

To be a “disciple” is to be a committed and devoted follower of a teacher.

For Christians, that means following Christ.

And it makes perfect sense that it’s only by “remaining in Him,” or as some translations say, “abiding in Him,” that we would be able to produce the kind of fruit that brings glory and honor to God.

Let’s read the entire passage together for more context;

John 15:1–8 (ESV)

1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.

2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.

4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.

5 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.

6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.

7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

Remaining in Christ

Obviously, remaining in Christ is a central theme in this passage, but what exactly does it mean?

To remain in Christ is to be deeply connected to Him, to be rooted in His love, and to draw our life and strength from Him.

It is a picture of a relationship that is so intimate and so vital that it becomes the very source of our spiritual life and growth.

Jesus uses the metaphor of a vine and its branches to illustrate the kind of relationship He desires with His followers.

He says, "I am the vine; you are the branches.”

This is a powerful image that speaks to the absolute necessity of staying connected to Jesus.

Just as a branch cannot survive or produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, so too, we cannot experience true spiritual life and growth if we are disconnected to Christ.

To ‘remain’ is not a passive or one-time event; it is an ongoing, active relationship that requires consistent attention and effort.

It involves seeking Him daily through prayer, reading and meditating on His Word, and walking in obedience to His commands.

It also involves cultivating an attitude of dependence on Him, recognizing that we cannot live the Christian life in our own strength, but only through the power of His Spirit working in and through us.

As I shared from my own life earlier, you can try to do it on your own, but you’ll quickly learn just how difficult and discouraging it can be.

As Jesus says, “No branch can bear fruit by itself…Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” (John 15:4)

Bearing fruit

You may have heard the phrases, “spiritual fruit” or “fruit of the Spirit” before and I imagine that it didn’t make tons of sense at first.

The truth is, most of us want to live abundant and fruitful lives - in whatever capacity God has given us.

And the interesting thing about spiritual fruit is that as we stick close to Jesus and remain in Him, we will begin to see it growing in and through our lives.

This fruit is the natural outgrowth of a healthy, vibrant relationship with Jesus, and it serves as evidence that we are truly connected to Him.

In the context of this passage, fruit refers to the character and conduct that flow from a life that is rooted in Christ.

This includes the fruit of the Spirit, such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23, as well as the fruit of our service to others and our witness for Christ.

It’s also imperative to know that bearing fruit is not something we can manufacture or produce on our own.

It is the result of the life-giving “sap” of the Holy Spirit flowing through us as we remain connected to the vine… Connected to Jesus.

Our role, then, is not to try to produce fruit through our own efforts, but to remain in Christ and allow Him to produce His fruit through us.

If we’re with Him, it will be evident, and if not, then there may need to be some “pruning”

This isn’t a popular topic, but Jesus says, "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" (John 15:2).

Pruning is the process of cutting away dead or unproductive branches so that the plant can devote more energy to producing fruit.

In our spiritual lives, pruning often involves the removal of things that hinder our growth or distract us from our relationship with Christ.

This can include sinful habits, unhealthy relationships, or even good things that have become idols in our hearts.

This can and will be a painful process, as it often involves letting go of things that we hold dear or that have become a part of our identity.

However, it is a necessary part of our spiritual growth and fruitfulness.

As we submit to the pruning process and allow the Lord to remove anything that hinders our connection to Him, we will experience greater intimacy with Christ and increased fruitfulness in our lives.

We’ve got to trust the process, trust the divine gardener, and trust that He knows better than we do what things need to be removed from our lives so that we can have true life in Him.

True Life in Jesus

True life, abundant life, is found when we remain in Christ, as He is the source of our spiritual nourishment, growth, and fruitfulness. He even says in John 10:10, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full”

So, just as a branch cannot bear fruit if it is disconnected from the vine, we cannot experience the fullness of life that God intends for us if we are disconnected from Jesus.

Our connection to Jesus is the key to living the abundant life that He promises.

This means that we are continually drawing our strength, wisdom, and guidance from Him.

It involves a daily surrender of our will to His, as we seek to live in obedience to His commands and follow His leading.

More of Him and less of Me…This is an intentional pursuit of a deeper relationship with Christ through prayer, studying His Word, and engaging in fellowship with other believers.

True life in Jesus involves a deep sense of intimacy and communion with Him.

As we remain in Christ, we become more aware of His presence in our lives and His love for us.

This intimacy with Jesus brings a sense of peace, joy, and contentment that transcends our circumstances and enables us to face the challenges of life with confidence and hope.

In John 15:7, Jesus promises that “if we remain in Him and His words remain in us, we can ask whatever we wish, and it will be done for us.”

This is not a promise of unlimited material blessings, but rather an assurance that as we abide in Christ and align our desires with His, He will provide for our needs and fulfill the deepest longings of our hearts…

This process, He says, “is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”

Conclusion

As I re-read that last line from John 15:8 again, I’m struck by the thought that this is to show that we’re His disciples.

We’re no longer citizens of the world, no longer captives to darkness, we’re redeemed sons and daughters of the most high King.

We’re ambassadors of a greater kingdom. We’re called to be salt and light, witnesses to Christ, and proclaimers of the gospel message.

“IF you remain in me and I in you, (THEN) you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

Jesus really didn’t waste any time mincing words or dancing around topics with His disciples.

He taught directly at times, through story and parable at others, and as we’ve seen in this series He even shared deep truths using simple conditional statements.

IF “THIS”, THEN “THAT”

Which brings me to one of my favorite statements in all of the bible from John 8:36; “IF the Son sets you free, (THEN) you will be free indeed.”

Let’s Pray Together.