How To Abide

A different way of praying!

Monday morning, as I was planning out my week (which did not go as planned by the way but was still wonderful) I made an appointment with Jesus. I want you to understand that we should always pray and we don’t need an appointment to do so. However, I wanted to pray a little differently then I typically do. So the time came when there was no one in the building, and I knew that I was alone. I sat in my chair at my desk in the office and imagined Jesus sitting in one of my office chairs where many of you have sat for a conversation.

Nothing absolutely magical happened. Instead I pictured what I think Christ looks like, or would look like when He first came to earth. He sat in the chair comfortably and smiled at me. To some of you this might seem weird, but for me in that moment, it was nice to have a friend with me who loves me completely and knows everything about me. So I prayed. I prayed as though Jesus really was sitting in that chair and my prayer became even more personal. I should have to tell you that of course Jesus is always with us, and that we can talk to Him like a friend. But, just something to think about, have you actually tried that in your prayer life?

Pray and read John 15:1-11

John 15:1–11 NRSV

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. 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. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.

From what I was able to find, there are roughly 60 instances of the word “abide” in the Bible according to the NRSV bible that I typically use. In the Old Testament, the word abide or abides relates to a location where God is found. Such as abiding in the tent or house of the Lord which is found many times in Psalms. But the most times the word Abide appears in the Bible is in the Apostle John’s writings. I counted fourteen times in this gospel alone. Yet in his epistles, particularly 1 and 2 John, there twenty-four mentions of the word Abide. The Epistles, if you look, are not very long. So abiding must have been an important word to John. One could guess that abiding was something that John found important in his relationship with Jesus.

In this passage alone, the word abide can be found eleven times. So let us see what John says here about what it means to Abide in Christ. First is verse 4, we read that Jesus commands us or calls us to abide in Him as He abides in us. Jesus, in this text, is talking directly to His apostles, His friends. This text is apart of a five chapter long dialogue between Jesus and His apostles at the Last Supper. It is apparent that John clung on to every word that Jesus spoke that night. I believe John knows how to abide quite well. So we read in this verse that to abide is to be a part of that which you are abiding in; such as a branch is a part of the vine or an offshoot of the vine. To be connected to Jesus gives us the ability to bear good fruit, which is evidence of our connection to God. This is reiterated in verse 5 with a warning also that if we do not abide in Christ, we will not be righteous. In verse 6, those who do not abide in Christ, are compared to a branch that has be separated from the vine, and therefore it dies and has become useless.

We know that if we do not have Christ as our Savior, if we have not committed our lives to the life of Christ, we go to Hell. Like a branch that is put into a brush pile for burning, we too will be thrown into the fire and burned. So abiding in Christ is very important! I say that abiding in Christ is the perfect explanation of the Christian life. A true Christian recognizes that they are a part of Christ and that Christ is a big part of their own identity. To abide is to reside with Christ, to live in Christ, to be a part of Christ’s body, which we call the church. We are to be connected to Christ.

So how can we ensure that we are living for Christ, and living in Christ? In verse 7 and then again in verse 10 we are told that those who abide in Christ, keep His commandments. To abide in Christ is to know the words of Christ. Wow, so it kind of makes sense for John to have written so many words of Christ in his gospels and then to restate them in his epistles. The words spoken by Christ are so important. it is so amazing that we can read them and mediate on His words. More than memorization, but to yes memorize and to then be able to state what they mean. This is why we as the Church have Bible Studies and other times where we can be accountable to knowing and understanding the written words of God. Jesus says in verse 10 that we are to keep His commandments. We are to do as He says, live how Jesus says we are to live. His authority comes from His Father in whom Jesus abides. Jesus is the Word of God made flesh, He is the Word of God. Just as we are to obey the laws of God, we are to know the Word of God.

In verse 7, we are promised that if we know Christ, abide in Him and keep His words, we are able to ask for what we need, ask for God’s will in our life, ask and it will be done for us. This doesn’t mean that we can ask for a million dollars and we will get it. No, what this means is that we can talk to God directly and our prayers will be heard and answered according to His will. God wants the best for those who abide in Him. God loves us, and the more we reciprocate that love, the more love we will show. The love that we have is true, deep and enduring love. This love gives us joy, peace, confidence and courage. To abide in the world, means that all these fruits will not be for us. This world creates to opposite effect for those who are a part of it. This world destroys the good and gives hate, pain, discouragement, and self-loathing. Why would anyone want that when we can have so much better in Christ?

So, you see that it is so much more than being obedient to Christ. It is a relationship on the deepest level. Jesus does indeed know you better than anyone, better than your parents, spouse, or best friend. But how well do you know Christ? Do you know Christ better than any of your family or friends? The question that I want to ask you is not how often to you spend with God but how well do you live in God? Do you call Jesus your best friend? Can you talk with Jesus as though He is sitting right beside you?

This is what I want to encourage you to do. In your prayer life, imagine that you are talking to your best friend Jesus. Don’t imagine Him above you in Heaven somewhere, but right beside you knowing everything about you. Know that Jesus understands you and loves you purely and completely. Build that kind of relationship with Christ.

When this world and the problems of this world bring you down, you have a friend in Christ. Jesus is truly your best friend. You can confide in Him anything. Keep Christ always with you and as a part of all that you do and you will see love and joy in your life. That is His promise. When you feel torn apart, draw closer to the One who holds you together.

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.