Abiding
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Introduce myself
HS Pastor
Swim Coach
Today we are continuing in the theme of this school year “the uncommon path”
And specifically, I’ve been asked to teach on John 15 — Abiding in Christ
But before we get started, let’s read the Scriptures:
1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.
2 Every branch in me that does not produce fruit he removes, and he prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit.
3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.
4 Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me.
5 I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me.
6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers. They gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you.
8 My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be my disciples.
9 “As the Father has loved me, I have also loved you. Remain in my love.
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.
11 “I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.
I am so grateful to be able to teach today, and specifically on these verses
These words of Jesus have changed my life
Because they talk about the core of what it means to be a Christian—someone who remains in the love of Jesus
How many of you are familiar with these verses?
You see, familiarity with scripture is a two-edged sword
On one hand, we have to know God’s word and become familiar with it
On the other hand, familiarity can keep us from actually listening to what God’s word is trying to speak to us
(Relationships)
Especially when it contains words that we don’t normally use—it can become distanced from us and become just a vague intellectual concept
When was the last time you’ve heard someone use the word ‘abide’? Not in a spiritual context?
Have you ever?
Hey man, what have you been abiding in recently?
This concept can seem a bit foreign to us
‘Abide’ literally means to make your home in something
Some translations say ‘remain in me’
Which I think can still be a little ethereal
I want to propose a simple and straightforward way of thinking about this:
Stay connected to Jesus
That’s what it’s all about—Staying connected to Jesus
Like a branch is connected to a vine
It is deeply attached—not just taped on but connected to it, it receives water and nutrients
The life of the branch is completely dependent on remaining attached to the vine
When you break off the branch from the vine—it will soon die
This is what Jesus is saying: Apart from staying connected to him—Spiritually—we will have no life or vitality
And even that can be hard to grasp—what does it mean to stay connected to Jesus?
Today I briefly want to talk about 3 aspects of abiding in Christ that can help us stay connected to Jesus
And this is the uncommon path—it’s not measured in where we go and the number of things we do in Jesus name—but it is a path that is walked with Jesus, one step at a time
The path isn’t about where we go as much as who we are walking it with
Abiding Requires Being Present
Staying connected to Jesus doesn’t happen passively
It takes active attention and being present to him
Our attention as currency
Our attention is a multi-billion dollar industry
And our attention is one of the only things we can give God that he doesn’t always have
God has everything in the world
But he longs for your thoughts and attention
So I want to ask: What has your attention?
What do you think about bored?
Or maybe you fill your free time with so many distractions—that nothing really has your complete attention
And if we live without giving our attention to God—it will slowly but surely be sapped of any life and vitality—we are like a branch cutting itself off of the vine
And sooner or later we recognize that we’ve been cut off and drying out
Guys, abiding isn’t easy—it gets easier over time—but it’s not easy
However, abiding in Jesus is simple
It has one aim—giving God our attention in this moment
Even right now in this room: God is speaking—and seeking your attention
And its not that we just put our hands up and become useless
But we become so accustom to Jesus’s presence that no matter where we are—we are aware that Jesus is with us
Waking up
Brushing teeth
Driving to School
In class
Talking to friends
His is with us
The uncommon path is one that is constantly paying attention to God
Abiding can be Mundane (monotonous/dull)
Often, staying connected to Jesus isn’t spectacular
Certainly there are moments of breakthrough and wonder
But staying connected to Jesus is about the small daily things
10 Whoever is faithful in very little is also faithful in much, and whoever is unrighteous in very little is also unrighteous in much.
Again think of a vine and a branch
It’s not very exciting to watch
Maybe a time-lapse of it is more interesting
But the day-by-day process of making grapes is not flashy
And our spiritual lives are often the same
Our expectations matter—If we can’t stay connected to Jesus in the boring and mundane—we probably won’t be able to stay connected to him when life gets crazy
I think we might think the uncommon path is this great and grand adventure—which it is—but we live it one day at a time
We get the big moments of Biblical stories but not the day to day
Moses
40 years before Exodus
40 years in wilderness
David
Childhood
~15 years waiting to become king
Jesus
Childhood/early adulthood
The uncommon path is one that is connected to Jesus, even in the most boring daily activities not just in the major moments
Abiding results in Fruit
Specifically the fruit of the spirit
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control.
And the thing about fruit is that it is natural—not manufactured
Real fruit is a byproduct of abiding in Jesus
Staying connected to Jesus is the root—fruit will come
what’s my game-plan for becoming more patient vs seeking Jesus and you just naturally become more patient
Fruit is for the sake of others—not for ourselves
The uncommon path is marked with fruitfulness in abundance
The question is do we want: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control?
I think we all do…
We don’t get these things by striving for them and trying to manufacture them in our own strength
They come naturally when we stay connected to Jesus
Conclusion
Conclusion
Ways we abide:
Prayer
Stay connected through conversation
Like any other relationship—make time
Scripture
We stay connected though knowing and memorizing God’s word
Imagine having a friend that you never listened to
Community
We stay connected to Jesus through each other
Church is body of Christ
The uncommon path isn’t a path we walk alone
Invitation to HSM
Charge:
Make time to connect with Jesus
He loves you
He longs for your time and attention
He is the source of any lasting fruit
He is the source of life
Pray
