Abiding in the Vine

Abiding In The Vine

Pastor Keith Hassell

FOUNDATION SCRIPTURE:  John 15:1-16

I.          We Are Completely Dependent Upon Christ for Everything

            A.        As the branch is dependent upon the vine

II.        THE EFFECTS OF ABIDING

A.        CLEANSING:  "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you." (verse 3)

                        1.         John 13:10  Jesus washing the disciple's feet

                        2.         We need daily cleansing for continued communion

B.         FRUITFULNESS:  "He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit." (verse 5)

1.         Fruit is not the same as effort.  Fruitfulness comes through yielding, not effort.

C.        ANSWERED PRAYER:  "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you." (verse 7)

1.         Abiding causes our desire to be His desire, our faith to be His faith, our prayer to be His prayer. As a result we have the assurance that what we pray we will receive because we are assured that it is He who has prompted the prayer within.

            D.        LOVE:  "As the Father has loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My                                              love."(verse 9)

                        1.         Abiding causes us to live in the assurance of God's love for us.

E.         JOY:  "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full." (verse 11)

1.         Abiding causes joy not only to remain in our lives, but also to completely fill our lives.

F.         OBEDIENCE:  "You are My friends if you do whatever I command you." (verse 14)

                        1.         Unconditional surrender to God's will

G.        FRIENDSHIP:  "No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made know to you." (verse 15)

                        1.         Abraham was called God's friend

                        2.         Enoch and Noah walked with God

3.         It is special to know that God would reveal to us His plans and work that we might be involved

H.        FRUIT THAT REMAINS:  "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain." (verse 16)

                        1.         Our fruit should not be temporary but eternal