Untitled Sermon

The NT stresses the need for believers to remain in Christ. The reality of this close personal relationship with Jesus Christ is expressed in obedience to his word and is essential to effective discipleship.

Abiding in Christ

Jesus Christ tells his disciples to abide in him

Matthew 24:10–13 LEB

And then many will be led into sin and will betray one another and will hate one another, and many false prophets will appear and will deceive many, and because lawlessness will increase, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end—this person will be saved.

Luke 9:62 LEB

But Jesus said, “No one who puts his hand on the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God!”

John 6:67 LEB

So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?”

John 15:4–9 LEB

Remain in me, and I in you. Just as the branch is not able to bear fruit from itself unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him—this one bears much fruit, for apart from me you are not able to do anything. If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown out as a branch, and dries up, and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this: that you bear much fruit, and prove to be my disciples. “Just as the Father has loved me, I also have loved you. Remain in my love.

NT writers exhort believers to abide in Christ

Galatians 4:9 LEB

But now, because you have come to know God, or rather have come to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and miserable elemental spirits? Do you want to be enslaved to them all over again?

Galatians 5:5–6 LEB

For through the Spirit by faith we eagerly await the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but faith working through love.

Colossians 2:6 LEB

Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, live in him,

Colossians 3:1–3 LEB

Therefore, if you have been raised together with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Hebrews 12:1–3 LEB

Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, putting aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us, let us run with patient endurance the race that has been set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the originator and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider the one who endured such hostility by sinners against himself, so that you will not grow weary in your souls and give up.

Abiding in Christ depends upon holding on to his teaching

John 8:31 LEB

Then Jesus said to those Jews who had believed him, “If you continue in my word you are truly my disciples,

2 Thessalonians 2:15 LEB

So then, brothers, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions which you were taught, whether by spoken word or by letter from us.

2 Timothy 3:14 LEB

But you continue in the things which you have learned and are convinced of, because you know from whom you learned them,

1 John 2:24 LEB

As for you, what you have heard from the beginning must remain in you. If what you have heard from the beginning remains in you, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father.

2 John 9 LEB

Everyone who goes too far and does not remain in the teaching of Christ does not have God. The one who remains in the teaching—this person has both the Father and the Son.

3 John 3–4 LEB

For I rejoiced exceedingly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, just as you are walking in the truth. I have no greater joy than this: that I hear my children are walking in the truth.

It depends on obedience to him

Matthew 7:24–25 LEB

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain came down and the rivers came and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it did not collapse, because its foundation was laid on the rock.

John 14:23 LEB

Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves me he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and will take up residence with him.

John 15:10 LEB

If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.

James 1:25 LEB

But the one who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues to do it, not being a forgetful hearer but a doer who acts, this one will be blessed in what he does.

1 John 3:24 LEB

And the one who keeps his commandments resides in him, and he in him. And by this we know that he resides in us: by the Spirit whom he has given to us.

It requires living like Jesus Christ

1 John 2:6 LEB

The one who says that he resides in him ought also to walk just as that one walked.

Aids to abiding in Christ

Eating his flesh and drinking his blood

John 6:56 LEB

The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood resides in me and I in him.

The Spirit’s anointing

John 14:17 LEB

the Spirit of truth, whom the world is not able to receive, because it does not see him or know him. You know him, because he resides with you and will be in you.

John 14:23 LEB

Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves me he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and will take up residence with him.

Romans 8:9 LEB

But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, this person does not belong to him.

1 John 2:27 LEB

And as for you, the anointing which you received from him remains in you, and you do not have need that anyone 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 reside in him.

1 John 3:24 LEB

And the one who keeps his commandments resides in him, and he in him. And by this we know that he resides in us: by the Spirit whom he has given to us.

Jesus Christ abides in believers

John 15:4 LEB

Remain in me, and I in you. Just as the branch is not able to bear fruit from itself unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me.

John 17:23 LEB

I in them, and you in me, in order that they may be completed in one, so that the world may know that you sent me, and you have loved them just as you have loved me.

Colossians 1:27 LEB

to whom God wanted to make known what is the glorious wealth of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory,

1 John 3:24 LEB

And the one who keeps his commandments resides in him, and he in him. And by this we know that he resides in us: by the Spirit whom he has given to us.

Revelation 3:20 LEB

Behold, I stand at the door and knock! If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, indeed I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with me.

By his Spirit

John 14:17 LEB

the Spirit of truth, whom the world is not able to receive, because it does not see him or know him. You know him, because he resides with you and will be in you.

Romans 8:9–10 LEB

But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, this person does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

1 Corinthians 3:16 LEB

Do you not know that you are God’s temple and the Spirit of God dwells in you?

1 John 2:27 LEB

And as for you, the anointing which you received from him remains in you, and you do not have need that anyone 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 reside in him.

By faith

Galatians 2:20 LEB

and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me, and that life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Ephesians 3:17–19 LEB

that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith (you having been firmly rooted and established in love), in order that you may be strong enough to grasp together with all the saints what is the breadth, and length, and height, and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, in order that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.

Results of abiding in Christ

Fruitfulness

John 15:4–5 LEB

Remain in me, and I in you. Just as the branch is not able to bear fruit from itself unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him—this one bears much fruit, for apart from me you are not able to do anything.

Galatians 5:22–23 LEB

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control. Against such things there is no law.

Answered prayer

John 15:7 LEB

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you.

John 15:16 LEB

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and your fruit should remain, in order that whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.

Freedom from persistent sin

1 John 3:6–9 LEB

Everyone who resides in him does not sin. Everyone who sins has neither seen him nor known him. Little children, let no one deceive you: the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as that one is righteous. The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. For this reason the Son of God was revealed: in order to destroy the works of the devil. Everyone who is fathered by God does not practice sin, because his seed resides in him, and he is not able to sin, because he has been fathered by God.

Relationship with God the Father

John 14:23 LEB

Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves me he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and will take up residence with him.

2 John 9 LEB

Everyone who goes too far and does not remain in the teaching of Christ does not have God. The one who remains in the teaching—this person has both the Father and the Son.

Confidence in the face of the last day

1 John 2:28 LEB

And now, little children, remain in him, so that whenever he is revealed we may have confidence and not be put to shame before him at his coming.

Warnings to those who fail to abide in Christ

Matthew 24:12–13 LEB

and because lawlessness will increase, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end—this person will be saved.

John 15:2 LEB

Every branch that does not bear fruit in me, he removes it, and every branch that bears fruit, he prunes it in order that it may bear more fruit.

John 15:6 LEB

If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown out as a branch, and dries up, and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.

1 Corinthians 15:2 LEB

by which you are also being saved, if you hold fast to the message I proclaimed to you, unless you believed to no purpose.

Hebrews 6:4–6 LEB

For it is impossible concerning those who have once been enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and become sharers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the coming age, and having fallen away, to renew them again to repentance, because they have crucified again for themselves the Son of God and held him up to contempt.