Sermon Tone Analysis

TEXT: John 15:1-5

TOPIC: Abiding in Christ, the Secret to Revived Living

Bobby Earls, First Baptist Church of Icard, April 20, 2000

I am preaching today a message I preached for the first time just two years ago.

This is a message God gave me following one of our tremendous revival meetings in 1998.

I had asked God to give me a message that would speak to the need of so many church members who seemingly experience a renewed commitment to Christ during a revival meeting but soon fade away after only a short period of time.

As I wondered why that was so it seemed as if the Lord took me to this passage of Scripture and to this message.

This message seeks to answer that question why so many revived members soon lose their renewed spirit and presents a solution to spiritual burnout.

So I believe God would have me preach today for a second time a message I’ve entitled, “The Secret to Revived Living.”

Why is it that some Christians seem to be able to walk so very close to the Lord while others are constantly running away from Him? How do certain saints of God live so victoriously, rising above the struggles of this life?

Why, when so many Christians live more like ain’ts than saints!

Do some Christians have a secret that you don’t have?

Could it be that some of your fellow believers received more of the Spirit of God than you did when they were saved?

Do they know something you don’t know?

It could be.

There are indeed some among the family of God who long ago learned the Secret to Revived Living.

They have learned that lasting revival does not come from a revival meeting, or an evangelist, or a warm fuzzy feeling.

The secret to revived living is found in the first few verses of John 15.

(Read John 15:1-5)

Our Lord Jesus Christ taught His disciples that the key to revived living is…(now get this)…abiding in Him.

He said in verse 5, six words that can change the way you live your Christian life.

“Without me you can do nothing.”

Until you come to terms with the reality of your need to abide daily with Christ you will always be a yo-yo Christian, up and down, up and down.

Up one minute, down the next.

On fire for God one day and a burned out the next.

I believe that many Christians today can be found living in two extremes:

1) Active but empty

2) Apathetic and empty

That’s right, I believe Christians who are in an all out sprint can be just as empty in their lives as Christians who long ago dropped out of the race and watching from the sidelines.

You see many have lost their focus on what it takes to live the revived Christian life.

We are engaged in activity or perhaps passivity, when what God really wants for us is abiding.

I want you to listen to me today.

Your understanding of this message and your ability to put it into practice in your life may make the difference in whether or not you are still walking closely with the Lord the next few months or even weeks.

What I am going to tell you is the secret to revived, victorious Christian living.

But you need to listen closely.

Are you ready?

Have you heard it already?

Here it is.

The secret to revived living is “abiding” in Christ.

That’s it.

Before we can understand what I’m talking about it might be helpful to give a definition of the term “abiding in Christ.”

Abiding in Christ means to remain in, to stay in, or even to continue in, a constant, consistent relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord!

I. THE SECRET TO REVIVED LIVING IS FOUND IN REMEMBERING THE POWER OF YOUR SOURCE, v. 1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser”

Exp.

Jesus is the vine.

The Father is vine dresser.

The Father cares for the vine and the branches.

Ill.

Use one of the scrubs on the platform to describe how the vine and the branches rely upon someone to nourish and care for it.

App.

Now the function of the vine is to provide life-giving resources to nourish the branches.

The true vine is Jesus, not a revival.

Only by remaining in a growing, constant relationship with Christ will you discover the secret to revived living.

(Point out that these beautiful cut flowers are actually dead flowers because they have been cut from the vine.)

II.

THE SECRET TO REVIVED LIVING IS FURTHER NURTURED THROUGH BASIC SPIRITUAL HABITS OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE,

Although there may be many essential spiritual habits necessary for continuance in victorious Christian living, let me share only four.

Four key spiritual habits that every Christian must master if they are to grow in Christ-likeness, if you are to be His disciple, if you truly want to experience the revived life.

1) The first spiritual habit you need to develop is called Bible study.

“abiding in the word”

John 8:31-32 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, [then] are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

(KJV)