How Disciples Grow

Introduction

Read John 15:1-13 (ESV).

General: Gardening… how do vegetables grow?

Personal: How do Christians grow?

A Christian is a disciple of Christ—someone who is actually following Jesus in life.

You respond when Jesus calls.

Your identity is defined by Jesus.

Your mission in life is to glorify God by sharing Jesus with others and making disciples.

Biblical: How do we grow as disciples?

Practice the spiritual disciplines: read the Bible / pray / worship God / connect with other Christians / share the gospel with unbelievers / serve others / give generously / keep a day of Sabbath rest / fast / take time for silence and solitude.

Big idea from John 15:1-13: Discipleship (spiritual growth) is about abiding, not achieving. Growing in your faith is about relationship, not effort.

That does’t mean we don’t work… It means spiritual growth is the product of a relationship with Jesus, not the result of how much we accomplish.

Ten times in ten verses Jesus said, “Abide.” What does it mean to “abide”? To be at home… to belong… to be in your natural habitat… to make your home in Jesus?

Subject: How do we abide in Christ? How do we make our home in Jesus?

Body

To abide in Christ, let God take control. “Jesus, take the wheel.” —Carrie Underwood

Exposition (John 15:4-6): No matter how hard we try, we can’t make ourselves grow spiritually. We cannot live a spiritually fruitful life on our own.

Illustration: We have cucumbers in our garden…

Application: Jesus, Take the Wheel — Sometimes the Holy Spirit says, “Who’s behind the wheel?”

When you’re on the belt-line and somebody cuts you off. // When your kid throws the 12th temper tantrum of the day.

When you don’t know the answer to the question on the test, but the person next to you does.

When your grouchy neighbor needs help.

When you pray for healing but don’t get better. // For a new job but don’t get the offer.

When God calls you to give to your church. // When God calls you out of your comfort zone.

What do you need to let God take control of in your life?

To abide in Christ, let God’s words be at home in your heart. Think about what God says.

Exposition (John 15:7-8)

Is my life the natural habitat for God’s Word? Is God’s Word at home in my heart and mind? What do I think about? What do I believe is true?

For Jesus’s words to abide in me means I believe them. I accept them. I think about them. I live by them.

How do I know that God’s words are abiding in me?

John 15:7… When the prayers you pray start to become the prayers Jesus would pray, his words are abiding in you.

Luke 6:45 (NIV)… “For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”

Illustration: This often is revealed when you’re squeezed… like a tube of toothpaste (not diaper rash ointment).

Application: When you’re squeezed, what comes out of you? What are you putting in? Read the Bible, not just to learn about God but to spend time with God. Spiritual growth is about abiding, not achieving.

To abide in Christ, love one another.

Exposition (John 15:9-13)

Verses 9-10 — Not, “If you keep my commandments, THEN I will love you,” but, “I have loved you, SO make yourself at home in my love by keeping my commandments.”

Illustration: The natural habitat of a whale is the ocean. If it stays in the ocean, it’s good. If it beaches itself, it’s landed outside of its natural habitat.

Verse 11 — Obeying God’s commandments leads to joy. God’s rules don’t keep us away from fun things—they keep us away from things that will hurt us.

Verses 12-13 — Love is devoting yourself to the highest good of another person.

Illustration: This is what Jesus did for us.

Application: You can’t give what you haven’t received. Will you receive God’s love for you in Jesus? And will you devote yourself to the highest good of those around you?

Conclusion

Discipleship (spiritual growth) is about abiding, not achieving. To abide in Christ:

Let God take control.

Let God’s words be at home in your heart.

Love one another.