Abiding In Christ (2)

Abiding in Christ: Through The Word

John 15:3, 7, 10

In John chapter 15, Jesus gives us one of the most powerful pictures in all of Scripture. He says, “I am the vine, ye are the branches.”

Now when most of us hear that, we automatically think, “Well, that just means I’m saved. I’m connected to Jesus.”

But that’s not exactly what Jesus is talking about here.

Because in this passage, Jesus is not describing how to get in (Salvation) He is describing how to stay in (fellowship)

There is a difference between being just connected and being in communion.

A husband and wife can be married… And still grow distant.

A child can belong to a family… And still be disconnected.

In the same way, a believer can be saved… And still not be abiding.

When Jesus says, “Abide in me,” He is talking about a living, active, daily relationship.

Remember The word “abide” means:

To remain. To stay. To continue. To dwell.

It speaks of closeness. Dependence. Communion.

Just like a branch does not live off yesterday’s sap… It must stay connected to receive a fresh supply today.

This branch is not being described as simply “attached.” It is described as drawing life.

Drawing strength.

Drawing nourishment.

The life of the vine is flowing into the branch.

And when that happens—The branch produces fruit.

So abiding is not about position. - It’s about condition.

Not just “Am I in Christ?” But “Am I walking with Christ?”

Not just “Do I belong to Him?” But “Am I depending on Him?”

Jesus makes it clear in this chapter what abiding looks like.

He says: If My words abide in you… If you keep My commandments… If you remain in My love…

In other words: Abiding is lived out through the Word and obedience.

It is through His Word that: We stay clean. We stay aligned. We stay connected.

That is why in verses 3, 7, and 10, Jesus keeps pointing us back to the Word.

Because the Word is the channel Through which His life flows into us.

So today, I would like to preach on Abiding in Christ : Through His Word

Because if you want to stay close to Christ, If you want to be fruitful, If you want to grow spiritually—

It will always come back To your relationship with His Word.

I. The Word Cleanses You for Abiding (v.3)

“Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.”

Before Jesus ever commands them to abide…

He looks at His disciples and says:

“Now ye are clean…”

In other words,

“You are already washed.

You are already prepared.

You are already made ready.”

They were already a branch!

But notice how they are clean:

“Through the word which I have spoken unto you.”

Not through rituals or tradition or personal effort.

But Through the Word.

Jesus connects spiritual cleanliness directly to His spoken Word.

1. Cleansing Comes Before Abiding

Jesus puts cleansing first.

Why?

Because you cannot maintain close fellowship With a polluted heart.

You cannot abide deeply While living carelessly.

God always cleans Before He commands.

Before the priests served → they washed. Before entering the tabernacle → they washed. Before abiding → you must be clean.

And Jesus says, “My Word is what did that.”

Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God!!

1. Cleansing Comes Before Abiding

2. The Word Produces Ongoing Spiritual Purity

“Now ye are clean…”

That word “clean” does not mean perfect.

It means purified.

It means made acceptable.

It means set apart.

Jesus had been teaching them…

Correcting them…

Challenging them…

Rebuking them…

Encouraging them…

And through all of that, His Word was cleaning their hearts.

Every sermon. Every parable. Every conversation.

God was washing them.

1. Cleansing Comes Before Abiding

2. The Word Produces Ongoing Spiritual Purity

3. The Word Removes What Disrupts Fellowship

Being a born again believer, you can not Sin to the point of breaking the relationship. But you can and will weaken fellowship.

A dirty conscience - Creates distance.

Unconfessed sin - Produces withdrawal.

Spiritual compromise - Creates coldness.

But Jesus says, “My Word has cleansed and is (are - verb: present; active) cleansing you.”

The Word exposes.

The Word convicts.

The Word restores.

And when the heart is clean, Abiding becomes natural.

Cleansed Branches Bear More Fruit

In the context of vines, Clean branches are productive branches.

A neglected branch becomes diseased.

A pruned branch becomes fruitful.

Jesus is saying, “My Word has been pruning you. My Word has been preparing you. My Word has been purifying you.”

That’s why you’re ready to abide. That’s why you’re ready to bear fruit.

So the question is not:

“Do I hear the Word?”

But:

“Is the Word cleansing me?”

Am I letting Scripture correct me?

Challenge me?

Search me?

Or am I just listening and leaving unchanged?

Because abiding begins With a heart that stays clean before God.

Before Jesus tells us to abide, He reminds us that His Word has made us clean.

You can’t stay close to Christ Without staying clean before Christ.

And the Word is God’s cleansing agent.

II. The Word Shapes You for Abiding (v.7)

“If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you…”

Jesus now moves from cleansing…To shaping.

He says: “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you…”

Notice: Abiding is not one-sided.

Not just: “You in Me.”

But also: “My Word in you.”

This is mutual. Relational. Interactive.

We are alive in Christ and He lives through us but His Word lives in us.

That is what shapes the believer.

“My words abide in you…”

That means:

They stay. They dwell. They take residence.

The Word is not something we are to hear occasionally.

It is something we carry continually.

It becomes part of how we think.

How we decide.

How we respond.

And when His Word lives in you,

It shapes you from the inside out.

1. The Word Shapes Our Will

Jesus says:

“Ye shall ask what ye will…”

That sounds dangerous—until you read the condition.

“If My words abide in you…”

When the Word lives in you,

Your desires change.

Your prayers change.

You stop praying selfish prayers. You start praying spiritual prayers.

You stop asking for comfort. You start asking for conformity.

You stop asking for your will. You start asking for His will.

And that’s why Jesus says:

“It shall be done unto you.”

Because now you’re praying in agreement with God.

1. The Word Shapes Our Will

2. The Word Shapes Our Living

Verse 7 leads directly into verse 8:

“Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit…”

The Word produces fruit.

Not personality, talent or activity.

The Word shapes character.

And character produces fruit.

Galatians 5:22–23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”

That is the evidence of abiding.

Ask yourself:

Is His Word abiding in me—Or just passing through me?

Does Scripture shape my choices?

My attitude?

My priorities?

Because whatever lives in you Will lead you.

Jesus says: Let My Word live in you.

When His Word lives in you,

It shapes your will to His will your prayers to His plans and your life to His

III. The Word Keeps You Abiding

(John 15:10)

“If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.”

Now Jesus shows us How abiding is maintained.

He says: “If ye keep my commandments…”

That word “if” matters.

Abiding is conditional in fellowship.

Not in salvation—

1.Obedience to the Word keeps the relationship close.

Jesus does not say:

“If you feel spiritual…”

“If you attend church…”

“If you know Scripture…”

He says:

“If you keep My commandments…”

Obedience proves relationship.

Anyone can say, “I love Jesus.” But only Abiding believers live it.

1.Obedience to the Word keeps the relationship close.

2. Disobedience to the Word Weakens Fellowship

Jesus connects obedience and love:

“Ye shall abide in my love…”

Disobedience does not remove God’s love. But it removes awareness of His love.

Like a child who disobeys: The parent still loves them, But closeness is strained.

Sin always creates distance.

Not because God moves— But because we do.

1.Obedience to the Word keeps the relationship close.

2. Disobedience to the Word Weakens Fellowship

3. Christ Obedience to the Word is Our Pattern

Jesus says:

“Even as I have kept my Father’s commandments…”

Jesus points to Himself.

He says, “Watch how I live.”

Perfect submission. Perfect obedience. Perfect communion.

He did not struggle with union— But He maintained fellowship through obedience.

And now He calls us to follow that pattern.

Let me ask you, If God’s Word is:

Sweet and delightful to us

if it is our food and our light

if it is True and perfect

Eternal

irrevocable

to be exalted above all things

Obeyed by angels and Christ Himself

and is living, active and cant be chained or changed then

Why do we think we can have fellowship with Him without it?

Conclusion

Church, Jesus has shown us in John 15 That abiding is not automatic. It is intentional.

It is maintained Through His Word.

Verse 3—His Word cleanses us. Verse 7—His Word shapes us. Verse 10—His Word keeps us.

The same Word that saved you Is the Word that sustains you.

The same Word that washed you Is the Word that forms you.

The same Word that called you Is the Word that keeps you close.

A branch does not survive on yesterday’s connection.

It must remain today.

And the way we remain Is by remaining in His Word.

No Word—no cleansing. No Word—no shaping. No Word—no strength. No Word—no fruit.

Some of us are still attached… But not fully abiding.

Still believers… But distant.

Still saved… But dry.

Still connected… But not drawing.

And Jesus is calling us back tonight:

“Stay in Me. Stay in My Word. Stay in My will.”

Because when His Word is in you—

It keeps your heart clean. It keeps your mind right. It keeps your walk strong. It keeps your love alive.

So the question is not, “Do I own a Bible?”

The question is, “Does the Bible own me?”

Am I living in it? Feeding on it? Obeying it? Abiding through it?

If you want to stay close to Christ, You must stay close to His Word.

Because the Word is the lifeline of the branch.

Stay in the Word. Stay in obedience. Stay in fellowship.

Stay in the vine.

And you will bear much fruit.