Fall Retreat Saturday Night

-New York City May 2016 -Lost in Subway

-Compared to Boston with guide.

We want to discover how to live a life remaining in the perfect grip of Jesus so that we can do great things for Him through the power of His Holy Spirit.

-Last night context: Vine and the gardener and the pruning.

John 15:4

John 15:4 ESV

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.

-Last night we saw the difference between believer and non believers. Now we focus in on believers.

Abide:

Meno

11 times in this chapter alone

23 times in 1 John and 3 in 2 John

Remain In Me

-Be Clear. Jesus is talking about relational closeness not relational standing.

-Be the branch that abides on the vine. That constantly receives the nutrients, the sap, the life from the source.

John 15:5

John 15:5 ESV

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

-Thankful Jesus looks out for people who take a little bit longer to understand things. He breaks down this plant analogy even more for me.

-I am the life. I am the nutrients. I am the fruit giver. I am what you need. You are the branch that comes off of me. Remain, abide, stay.

-And you will what? Bear fruit.

-”As Christians, we will bear fruit. But it will vary in degree. The closer we stay to Christ, the more fruit we will bear.” -RC Sproul.

-All believers bear fruit. Remember, when we have an encounter with Christ, the Holy Spirit changes us, and WILL change us.

-Are we abiding in such a way that we are in the greatest position to be changed by the Spirit and bear fruit? We will talk more about that in a minute.

-Apart from me you can do nothing.

-Seems harsh. I like to think I can do something. Imagine a branch off of the tree.

-Great potential in this room. On our own, we can’t succeed. With Christ, we can’t fail.

So what does this abiding look like?

Three Things:

Abiding looks like making time for Jesus.

We know to abide. What we abide in is sometimes the issue.

-Wash Post 7 hrs 22 minutes. 112 days a year.

Making time for Jesus must become a priority. Practicing the presence of Jesus. Being in His word. Hearing and learning from Him.

Abiding looks like following the commands of Jesus.

John 15:10 ESV

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

-Remember last night, they don’t restrict us, they free us.

-Here is what we think following the commands of Jesus looks like...

-Instagram bible study

-Alarm 8 minutes early, looking like a swamp monster.

-Fortnite at friends because of temptation.

-One day a week putting social media down.

-Having that friend or LG leader you text when that certain person texts you because you KNOW he doesn’t have your best interest in mind.

-Abiding can look like time in the Word, fortnite, getting away from the toxic world of identity social media. Doesn’t that sound nice?

Abiding looks like knowing our motivation IS Jesus.

-We don’t abide because we have to, we abide because we get to.

-Abiding is a gift. But its a gift that comes from the greater gift, Jesus Himself.

-It is a free gift but it was costly. The cross. Eph 2. Romans 5:8

Romans 5:8 ESV

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

-Christ has saved me to make me his. He WANTS to abide in me.

-We come from the place, not of I better abide, but I get to abide because Christ has made a way and WANTS to abide with me.

Pray and ask Jesus to help us abide in Him.