Abiding in Christ

Text: John 15:1-8

Date: 12/10/06 P.M.

I. The Responsibility of Abiding in Christ

 A. Lies with the Christian (His “response” to God’s gift of eternal life)

·         Studies show that only around 5% of those who make decisions at evangelistic crusades continue in their walk with Christ five years later.                         …Paul Fritz, Sermon Central

BRIDGE – Abiding with Christ is conditional as is noted throughout this chapter.

 B. Note the Conditions by Which the Christian Abides in Christ:

  1. Keeping God’s Word before him/her.

·         “Taking the Word in and living the Word out!”          …Byron Harvey, Sermon Central

   a. In our minds and memories.

   b. Making it the guide of our actions – v. 7

    1. Because “what” we ask for will then be in accordance with His revealed will.

   c. By keeping His Word, we abide in His love – v.10

   d. By loving one another, we abide in His love – v. 12,17

  2. Maintaining constant close communication with Christ – v. 7

   a. By this, one may draw strength and grace from Him.

  3. By keeping our lives clean

   a. Through the Word – v. 3

   b. Resisting Sin – (Eph. 4:27 don’t “give (didomi) place (topos) to the devil”; Eph. 6:11 “stand against the strategies of the devil; James 4:7 “resist the devil”

   c. Being yielded to the Holy Spirit – Rom. 8:14 (being led by the Spirit…“sons of God.”)

II. The Results of Abiding in Christ

 A. Jesus’ Continued Indwelling – v. 4a

  1. The Source of Life – (just as the branch obtains its life from the vine.)

   a. Cut off a branch and it will die. (ie cut flowers can only stay fresh for so long…)

    1. Sp. Application - If you are cut off from your Source, you will also die.

  *Many rest in the fact that they were baptized in the Holy Ghost. For some, it may have happened 20 years ago. Scripture places a great importance on being 'continually' filled.

 B. Fruitfulness of the Disciple – v. 5

  1. 1 Fruit of the Spirit, 2 fruit of righteousness, etc…

   a. “…He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit…”

·         “Pray that I might live my life for Christ”…rather, shouldn’t we pray, “that I might allow Christ to live His life through me” (the branch is only a conduit to the fruit…no effort to produce, it flows “naturally” from the Source all the way to the “fruit” (the end-product).

C. Success in Prayer -  v. 7

  1. 15:16   “…whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”

  2. Psal 37:4  “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”

  3. 1 Joh 3:22  “And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.”

 D. Fulness of Joy – v. 11

  1. “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and [that] your joy might be full.”

   a. With the cross looming ahead of Him, what joy could He possibly mean? The joy of being at one with and experiencing the presence of the Father.

III. The Repercussions of Not Abiding in Christ

 A. Fruitlessness – v. 4-5

·         “…the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me”…“without me ye can do nothing.”

  1. On our own, apart from Jesus, we cannot bear fruit.

·         Lk. 5:4,5 “Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing…” (our own strength, programs, ways, wisdom, talents alone, knowledge…it all amounts to NOTHING without Christ).

 B. Removal from Christ -

  1. There are two ways that a branch can be removed:

   a. 1 – The gardner can lop it off if it isn’t productive / no life.

·         Matt. 21:19  “And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.” (God wants growth in our lives)

   b. 2 – By natural process, a diseased limb withers, dies, the sap stops flowing through it…it drops off by its on weight or by storms. (Sp. Application)

 C. Destruction – v. 2a,6

Ever seen a grape branch? The wood isn’t usually very thick. And because the branch twists and turns it has sort of stringy wood. It’s not really great wood for building much of anything. The plant is really only good for two things: 1) for making grapes, or 2) for fuel. If there is no life in a grape branch, there are no grapes—the only thing left for that branch is to be thrown in the fire and burned.