“Abide Until He Comes: “Don’t Take Christ Out”

INTRODUCTION

Every December you start seeing it: X-mas.

Some say it’s shorthand. Some say it’s harmless.

But for many, it has become a subtle way to take Christ out of Christmas.

And church, that is not accidental—it is a reflection of a culture more comfortable with holiday cheer than holy conviction.

When you take Christ out, all you’re left with is mas—motion, madness, materialism, and money—but no Messiah.

Now historically, “X” comes from the Greek letter Chi, the first letter of “Christos.”

But our culture isn’t thinking Greek—they’re thinking God-less.

We’ve gone from “O Come Let Us Adore Him” to “O come let us ignore Him.”

But here’s the deeper truth:

The world isn’t only removing Christ from Christmas…

Satan is trying to remove Christ from the Christian.

And that’s exactly what John addresses in 1 John 2:26

1 John 2:26 NASB95

26 These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you.

John is writing to a church under spiritual attack—

False teachers twisting the gospel.

False doctrine confusing the saints.

False brethren pretending to be believers but denying Christ.

Their goal?

The same goal the enemy has today:

to pull the believer away from the truth of Jesus Christ.

So John gives the church one command, one anchor, one survival strategy:

μένω — remain.

Remain in the truth.

Remain in the gospel.

Remain in Christ.

Remain until He comes.

Because when culture removes Christ from Christmas, and when false teaching tries to remove Christ from your heart, there must be something in the believer that says:

“No—I’m remaining.”

Transition to Outline:

So this Christmas, as the world shortens Christmas and Satan distorts Christ, John calls us to a deeper commitment:

Remain in the Message that came at Christmas.

Receive the anointing that remain in you.

Remain for the Moment when Christ returns.

Let’s walk through the text and hear John’s Christmas call to Abide Until He Comes be our Christmas commitment.

“And that’s where John meets us in 1 John 2:24–29

1 John 2:24–29 NASB95

24 As for you, let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25 This is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life. 26 These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. 27 As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him. 28 Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming. 29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him.

1. Remain in the MESSAGE that Came at Christmas (v.24)

1 John 2:24 NASB95

24 As for you, let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.

1 John 2:24 —

John uses μενέτω, a present active imperative, which conveys a continual, ongoing command—“let it keep on remaining.”

This is not passive suggestion; it is a divine directive that the original apostolic message must stay, continue, dwell, remain within the believer.

According to the semantic range of μένω (LN 85.55), the word carries the idea of

remaining in place over time

staying put

not departing from a location or position

continuing without fleeing or drifting

Mark 6:10 NASB95

10 And He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave town.

Acts 27:31 NASB95

31 Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, “Unless these men remain in the ship, you yourselves cannot be saved.”

To remain in the Message is to take on the the idea that the message is a place :

So John’s command means:

“Let the original gospel truth stay put in you—don’t let it move, don’t let it be replaced, don’t let it be pushed out by false doctrine.”

The grammar makes it clear:

This is not seasonal, sentimental, or occasional—

Remaining is continual. Constant. Unbroken. Ongoing.

Why, because false teachers are actively trying to move the church off her message!

Note: The people were denying Jesus as the Son of God. they were denying the Gospel.

1 Corinthians 15:1–4 NASB95

1 Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

Titus 2:11–14 NASB95

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, 14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.

Explanation

“From the beginning” refers to the original gospel message—Christ came in the flesh.

Christmas is the incarnate truth of God entering the world.

John says: Don’t just celebrate the message—remain in it.

Christmas Emphasis

The message of Christmas is not seasonal—it is foundational.

Don’t let the manger be a memory. Let it be your dwelling place.

Illustration

Like a house that protects you from winter storms, the message of Christ’s coming shields your mind from false doctrine and spiritual drift.

Christmas is not just a day; it is a dwelling.

Psalm 61:2 KJV 1900

2 From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

Hezekiah Walker tells us:

When my heart is overwhelmed When my heart is overwhelmed Lead me to that rock Lead me to that rock That is higher than I For Thou has been For Thou has been A shelter for me A mighty strong tower From the enemy

Don’t run away from Christ this season run to Him. When you remain in the Message you remain in Christ ! When you remain in Christ, you have the Father also!

Application

Stay anchored in the truth:

Christ came as God in Flesh.

Christ is the Righteousness of God.

Christ is the gift of God to us as our Savior.

Christ is the only way.Immerse your family, your heart, and your habits in the message, not the merchandise of Christmas.

Transition: Remaining in the message leads naturally to remaining in the God of the message.

2. Receive the Anointing that remains in you

1 John 2:27 NASB95

27 As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.

Explanation

John shifts from the message to the Anointing—the Holy Spirit given to every believer.

This anointing abides (μένει) in us.

The Spirit is God’s ongoing Christmas gift—because Christ came to dwell with us, the Spirit now comes to dwell in us.

John’s point: The Spirit guards you from deception, grounds you in truth, and guides you in discernment.

When false teachers rise (v.26), the Spirit becomes the believer’s internal Truth-Teller.

Christmas Emphasis

Christmas is not just God coming to us—

It is God preparing to come into us.

The Child in the manger made possible the Spirit in the believer.

The Incarnation opens the door for indwelling.

Illustration

Just as a candle cannot produce light without flame, the believer cannot walk in truth without the Spirit’s anointing.

The flame on the candle is the “anointing” that gives light to everything around it.

The Spirit keeps your faith lit in a world full of spiritual darkness.

This Little light of Mine Lyrics

This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine. This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine. This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine. Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Argumentation

Jesus promised this same ministry in John 14–16:

The Spirit teaches.

The Spirit reminds.

The Spirit leads into truth.

The Spirit protects from deception.

Application

This Christmas, Thank the Father for giving us Jesus

This Christmas, Thanks the Son for Giving us the Holy Spirit

John 14:26 NASB95

26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.

Thank the Holy Spirit for giving us the Truth about the Father and the Son!

Listen for His voice.

Respond to His conviction.

Trust His guidance.

Rest in His protection.

Let the Spirit keep Christ at the center of your Christmas and the center of your Christianity.

Transition:

Because if we remain in the truth the Spirit teaches now, we will stand with confidence when Christ returns later.

3. Remain for the MOMENT Yet to Come After Christmas (v.28–29)

“…remain in Him, so that when He appears…you may have confidence…”

He will return visibly and personally:

Acts 1:11 NASB95

11 They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”

2. It will be Glorious

Matthew 24:30 NASB95

30 “And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.

3. He’s coming for you and me

1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 NASB95

16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.

4. Every eye will see Him

Revelation 1:7 NASB95

7 Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen.

Explanation

Christmas looks backward to His first coming.

Christmas should look forward to His second coming.

John says remain—because the One who came as a child will come again as a King.

Christmas Emphasis

The cradle points to the cross.

The cross points to the crown.

Christmas is incomplete without the Second Advent.

Illustration

Christmas is like the opening chapter of a story. You don’t stop reading after chapter one—you remain until the final scene.

Believers remain in Christ until the final appearing, when faith becomes sight.

Application

Don’t let Christmas distract you from Christ’s coming.

Stay faithful, stay holy, stay watchful.

Let every Christmas light remind you of the greater light that will shine when the King returns.

CONCLUSION – “Abide Until He Comes”

Dottie Peoples said it best:

I want to be ready when Jesus comes I want to be ready when Jesus comes One day the Lord's gonna crack the sky And the dead in Christ shall rise; I want to be ready when Jesus comes

No man knows the day or the hour When the Lord will surely come That's why you need to get your house in order Don't let Him catch you with your work undone; You've got to get ready, oh yes, when Jesus comes

This Christmas:

Remain in the message of His coming.

Receive the Anointing that remains in you.

Remain for the moment He appears again.

Christmas is not merely an event—it is an invitation:

Abide in the One who came to abide with us.