ABIDING IN CHRIST

1. ABIDING IN CHRIST GOD’S DESIRE FOR THE BELIEVER John 15:1-17

2. ABIDING IN CHRIST • What does it mean to abide in Christ? • What does it take to abide in Christ? • What are the benefits/consequences of abiding/not abiding? • Exactly what kinds of fruit are we expected to bear? • How is it that branches are said to be in this vine, yet fruitless? • How can these branches be cut off and destroyed?

3. ABIDING IN CHRIST • Context of passage (John 13-17) Upper room discourse. • Abiding in OT references (Ps 91, Prov. 18) • The vine as a metaphor in OT (Ps. 80, Is. 5, Jer. 2) and NT (Matt. 7, 21) • “I am” statements in John (bread of life, light of the world, door of the sheep, good shepherd, resurrection and life, way truth and life, true vine) • John 15:1-3; “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. (ESV) • Fruit produced by the “true Vine” results in character/behavior reflecting Jesus. (Col. 1:10, Gal. 5:22-23) • How does our Vinedresser lift us up? (Hebrews 12:5-6, Hebrews 4:12) • The Vinedresser “lifts us up”, disciplines us, because we are not producing fruit and prunes us because we are fruitful. Both can be painful… • Why is fruit-bearing so important and valuable? John 15:8; "By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so prove to be my disciples.”

4. ABIDING IN CHRIST • John 15:4-8 • 4 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. 5 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. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

5. ABIDING IN CHRIST • 4 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. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit… • "abide" (Gk. meinete) is used here and implies in this context a permanent fact. • This is all about a vital union between the believer and the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is the mediator b/w the Father and the believer. The branch must abide in the vine. • How does one abide? • The branch must be available to the vine. It is the Vine's (Jesus’) responsibility to produce His fruit in my life, as we will yield. • The quality and quantity of the fruit is not our responsibility! • We are not the source of the fruit. When we are abiding in the Vine and He is reproducing His life in us, we can rest assured that the fruit that is produced is honoring to the Lord. • The danger of judging someone else’s fruit.

6. ABIDING IN CHRIST John MacArthur: Sermon “Abiding in the Vine” What real fruit looks like: • Christ-Like Character. (Gal.5:22-23) • Worshipful, thankful spirit. (Heb.13:15; Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.) • Contributing to those in need. • Communication that blesses other people. • Teaching/communicating some spiritual truth, including sharing the gospel.

7. ABIDING IN CHRIST • 5b …for apart from me you can do nothing. • Apart from Christ we can do/accomplish nothing. • There is a certain sense that no one can nothing at all without Christ (live, eat, breathe) • Acts 17:24-25, 28 “The God who made the world and everything in it, who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by human hands, 25 nor is he served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives life and breath and everything to everyone…28 For in him we live and move about and exist… • Complete physical dependence.

8. ABIDING IN CHRIST • Completer spiritual dependence. • In and of ourselves, we can do nothing to earn God’s favor or to merit His salvation. We cannot save ourselves. • Romans 3:23 (all sinned and fall short) • Ephesians 2:1-3 (apart from Christ, we all all under divine condemnation, hopeless, helpless) • Romans 6 (We are dead to sin and alive to God; We have been transformed from slaves to sin into slaves of righteousness, slaves to God through the free gift of God, eternal life in Christ) Our position as believers. • Romans 7 ( Paul’s frustration in V. 15-19; it’s impossible to do what Romans 6 teaches in the power of the flesh, in our own efforts…)

9. ABIDING IN CHRIST • A. Murray (Abiding in Christ) “Without the branch the vine can also do nothing.” Just as His people are dependent on Him, He has made himself dependent on them. Without His disciples He cannot dispense His blessing to the world. This is God’s own doing, giving such high honor to those He has called His redeemed ones… • John 17:22; The glory which You gave Me I have given them’’ • John 14:12; He who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father’’. ”

10. ABIDING IN CHRIST • 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. • Addressing Pharisees and Sadducees coming to John the Baptist for baptism. Matthew 3:10; Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. • The branch who has not remained is Judas, who departed in John 13:30.

11. ABIDING IN CHRIST • 1 John 2:18-19 • Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. • These are branches that did not bear fruit.

12. ABIDING IN CHRIST • Perseverance of the (true) Believer. • The reason we persevere is that Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit, preserves us, not because of our strength of our own commitment. • John 6:37-40; All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

13. ABIDING IN CHRIST • John 10: 28,29; I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one.” • Jesus continues to intercede for his people. • Hebrews 7:25; Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. • Paul was certain that that God will complete the good work he begins in the life of the believer. • Philippians 1:6; And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. • 2 Timothy 1:12; …for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me.

14. ABIDING IN CHRIST • If we properly understand our security in Christ, it cannot and will not lead to a life of arrogant presumption. If/when we sin, the Holy Spirit convicts us. (Ephesians 4:30; And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.) • Because of our security in Him, we can rejoice in our sufferings: Romans 5: 3-5; …we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance (perseverance), 4 and endurance (perseverance) produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

15. ABIDING IN CHRIST John 15:7; If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. • John 14: 13-14; Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. • 1 John 5:14; And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.

16. ABIDING IN CHRIST • 2 Corinthians 12:7-9; So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

17. ABIDING IN CHRIST • Matthew 26:39b; He fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” 42b; for the second time, He went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” 44b; He went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. • Ultimately, we must surrender our preference and will to the Father’s wisdom. • Honduras (summer 1998)

18. ABIDING IN CHRIST • MacArthur: When we are fully controlled by Christ’s words, we will ask according to His will. • 2 Corinthians 10:5; We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, (ESV) • Psalm 37:4; Delight yourself in the Lord,and he will give you the desires of your heart. (ESV)

19. ABIDING IN CHRIST • John 15:8; By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. • A.W. Pink (1886-1952): There are four relationships which need to be distinguished. • 1)Life in Christ is salvation. • 2)Life with Christ is fellowship. • 3)Life by Christ is fruit-bearing. • 4)Life for Christ is service.

20. ABIDING IN CHRIST • John 15:9-17: 9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other. • His commands, our proper response. • “Friend of God”; what does it mean and the implications for the believer?

21. ABIDING IN CHRIST • John 15:9-10“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. • A.W. Pink: To be a fruit-bearing branch of the vine: • 1) One must be in Christ. • 2) The Father must purge him by the cleansing action of the Word. • 3) He must abide in Christ. • The first two are solely of God’s grace: they are Divine actions. But the third is a matter of Christian responsibility. • Just as necessary and imperative as Christ’s command "Come unto me" is to the sinner, so absolutely essential is His "Abide in me" to the saint.

22. ABIDING IN CHRIST • A.W. Pink; We are living in an age wherein lawlessness abounds. Insubordination is rife on every hand. In many a place even professing Christians will no longer tolerate the word "commandments." Those who would urge the duty of obedience to the Lord, are regarded as enemies of the faith, seeking to bring Christians into bondage (legalism).

23. ABIDING IN CHRIST • John 13:34; A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. • John 14:15; If you love me, you will keep my commandments. • Matthew 28:19-20; Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” • 1 John 2:6; Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

24. ABIDING IN CHRIST John 15:10; I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. • Hebrews 12:1-2; Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

25. ABIDING IN CHRIST • John 15:13; greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. • John 15:14-15;You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. • 2 Chr. 20:7, James 2:23 Abraham called “friend of God”. • John 11:11; Lazarus is called a friend by Jesus.

26. ABIDING IN CHRIST • Alan Carr (Calvary Baptist Church, Lenoir, N.C.) • 1) HIS FRIENDSHIP IS SEEN IN HIS SACRIFICE • It Was Voluntary; John 10:18; No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father. • It Was Vicarious– “performed or suffered by one as a substitute for another or to the benefit or advantage of another.” (1 Pet. 2:24; Gal. 3:13) • It Was Vicious: Crucifixion • It Was Victorious: Matt. 28:6; He is not here, for He has risen…

27. ABIDING IN CHRIST • HIS FRIENDSHIP IS SEEN IN HIS SHARING • 1) He Shares His Love; Jer. 31:3 “everlasting” • 2) He Shares His Life; 2.Cor. 5:17: “new creations” • 3) Shares His Lessons: John 16:13; When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

28. ABIDING IN CHRIST • MacArthur: Characteristics of Jesus friends; • 1) Love each other. • 2) Know divine truth. (John 8:32) • 3) Chosen out of this world. (John 15:16) • 4) Bear fruit that will remain. (eternal fruit) • They will know we are Christians by…

29. ABIDING IN CHRIST • Bob Deffinbaugh: The abiding of obedience results in an intimacy which cannot be experienced in any other way. Abiding in Christ by obeying His commands changes our relationship from that of slaves to that of friends. The intimacy of friendship includes us in the inner circle of God, and here our Lord makes known His secrets.

30. ABIDING IN CHRIST Final Words of Assurance: • John 15:16-17;You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other. • John 14:1; Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.

31. ABIDING IN CHRIST • HIS FRIENDSHIP IS SEEN IN HIS SALVATION • 1) We Are Chosen By Him: John 6:37-38; All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. • 2) We are called us into His service: Eph. 2:10; For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. • 3) We Are Comforted By Him, as we are invited to come before Him and make our requests. (Phil. 4:6-7, Heb. 4:16)

32. ABIDING IN CHRIST • Bob Deffinbaugh: Abiding in Christ in its simplest terms is trusting our Lord and obeying His word. There are no special techniques or formulas. It is as simple as our belief and behavior. Abiding in Christ provides us with life and strength. It is the only way to fruitfulness. Abiding in Christ assures us of answered prayer and an intimacy with Christ.