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Abiding

Abiding

One year the peaches were especially abundant. The fruit was big and juicy and it was one of the best crops in memory. While harvesting the crop a picker noticed a limb that had fallen from a tree. Its fruit was rotten and shriveled. Because the limb was detached from the tree it was no longer producing the good fruit that it should. The same is true of the Christian who ceases to abide in Christ—he ceases to produce good fruit. ── Michael P. Green《Illustrations for Biblical Preaching》

 
The Secret Of Bearing Fruit Is Abiding
 
INTRODUCTION
 
1. In our previous lesson we saw that "The Secret Of Living Is Bearing
 Fruit"...
 a. As disciples of Jesus
we are to Him as branches are to the vine
 b. Bearing fruit is our primary responsibility as branches
 c. In the very act of bearing fruit
we experience the "abundant 
 life" that Jesus offers:
 1) "Joy" for those who win souls to Christ
 2) "Happiness" for those who share with the less fortunate
 3) "Assurance" for those developing Christ-like qualities
 4) "Peace" for those offering the fruit of prayer and praise
 
2. In contrast
those "branches" that do not bear fruit are in danger of
 becoming cut off from the vine...
 a. "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away;" - Jn
 15:2a
 b. In other words
those disciples who do not bear fruit will be "cut
 off" from Jesus by the Father! - Jn 15:1-2a
 c. How then can we be sure to be fruitful as branches of the vine?
 
[We have seen that the secret to living is bearing fruit...what is the 
secret of bearing fruit?]
 
I. DISCERNING THE SECRET OF BEARING FRUIT
 
 A. NOTICE HOW OFTEN JESUS USES THE WORD "ABIDE"...
 1. In ten verses
he uses the word ten times! - Jn 15:4(3)
5
6

 7(2)
9
10(2)
 2. Why is this word mentioned over and over again? Because...
 
 B. THE SECRET OF BEARING FRUIT IS ABIDING!
 1. A branch does not bear fruit by struggling
but by abiding in
 the vine...
 a. When you walk through a vineyard
do you detect tension and
 struggle among the branches as they bear fruit?
 b. No! Instead there is a calm & confident resting - an 
 abiding - as branches draw their life from the vine in order
 to bear fruit
 2. In the Christian life
we experience first a "union"
then a 
 "communion"...
 a. When we become Christians
there is first a "union" with 
 Christ
  1) Paul describes this union as taking place in baptism - 
 cf. Ga 3:27; Ro 6:3-5
 2) Having "put on Christ" and being "united together" with
 Him
our union with Him is like that of a branch to a 
  vine - Jn 15:5a
 b. As we "abide" in this union
we have "communion" or 
 fellowship with Christ in a very close and personal way - 
 Jn 15:4a
 3. This "communion" or mutual abiding with the vine (Christ) 
 enables the branches (disciples) to bear fruit!
 a. The branch receives from the vine the strength necessary to
 bear fruit; so the Christian receives from Christ strength
 to do what he could not do on his own - Jn 15:4-5
  b. Of the strength or power available to those in Christ
Paul
 often wrote...
 1) In his own life
and in the lives of others - Ph 4:13

 19; Co 1:29
 2) He wanted others to know of the great power available to
 them - Ep 1:18-20; 3:20
 3) He often gave examples of how this power could transform
 people
 a) E.g.
the Corinthians - 1 Co 6:9-11
 b) Even himself - 1 Ti 1:12-16; 1 Co 15:9-10
 
[So the secret of bearing fruit is abiding in Christ and He in us. 
Through such communion and fellowship
we benefit from Christ's strength
so that we may be able to bear fruit and in turn experience the 
"abundant life."
 
Are we abiding in Christ
and He in us? We need not wonder
for there
are several things that will be manifest in our lives when we are 
abiding in Christ...]
 
II. EVIDENCES OF ABIDING IN CHRIST
 
 A. BEARING MUCH FRUIT - Jn 15:5b
 1. This is the most obvious sign
 2. When one is consistently bearing the sort of fruit described in
 the previous lesson
that is certainly good evidence of a close
 relationship with Christ!
 3. Whereas the lack of fruit can be an indication of one of three
 things...
  a. Either there never was a "union" to begin with
 b. Or there was a union
but "communion" is not taking place

 leaving one in jeopardy of being "cut off"
 c. Or there was a union but the branch has already been cut 
  off!
 
 B. THE FATHER'S PRUNING - Jn 15:2b
 1. We should expect to see evidence of the Father's work in our 
 lives
in which...
 a. Things that would hinder us are being "cut away"
 b. We are ever being developed so as to be more "fruitful"
 2. One way that the Father does this is through the Word...
 a. Notice Jn 15:3 - "clean" (katharos) is closely related to
 "prune" (kathairo)
 b. The Word of God can be a very powerful instrument in the 
 hands of the Lord - cf. He 4:12-13; Ep 6:17
 c. As we read or hear it
it can expose us for what we really 
 are
and when received properly
help us make great changes
 - cf. Ja 1:22-25
 3. So if we are not constantly growing through the influence of 
 the Word of God
clearly we are not abiding in Christ!
 
 C. A GROWING SENSE OF DEPENDENCE - Jn 15:5c
 1. We will come to realize that apart from Christ we can do 
 nothing (of real
lasting value)
 2. But those who abide in Christ will become like Paul
who 
 realized the true source of his strength: his union with 
 Christ! - cf. 2 Co 3:5; Ga 2:20; Ph 4:15
 
 D. OUR PRAYERS BEING ANSWERED - Jn 15:7
16
 1. As we abide in Christ
we will find our prayers being answered
 2. Of course
such answered prayers will depend upon several 
 factors:
 a. That we keep His commandments and do the things that please
 Him - 1 Jn 3:22
  b. That our requests be according to God's will - 1 Jn 5:14
 c. That our requests not be for selfish gain - Ja 4:3
 3. But one who abides in Christ should be able to look back and 
 see evidence of answered prayers (though not always answered in
 the way we expected)
 
 E. LOVE FOR CHRIST AND HIS PEOPLE - Jn 15:9
12
 1. Since God is love (1 Jn 4:8) and Christ is God (Jn 1:1)

 those who abide in Christ will abide in love - 1 Jn 4:7-8
 2. Indeed
Christ commands us to love one another - Jn 15:17
 3. And those who do not love the children of God
have not known
 God - 1 Jn 3:14; 4:8
20-21
 
 F. AN INNER JOY - Jn 15:11
 1. Not the absence of trial or trouble
but a joy borne of the 
 assurance that Christ has overcome the world
and that we can
 also through Him - Jn 16:33; cf. Ph 4:4
 2. Indeed
one of the first visible signs of backsliding (of not 
 abiding in Christ) is the loss of joy
especially about things
  spiritual! - cf. Ps 32:3; 51:12
 
CONCLUSION
 
1. These
then
are just a few of the evidences that we are abiding in 
 Christ...
 a. Bearing much fruit
 b. The Father's pruning
 c. A growing sense of dependence
 d. Our prayers being answered
 e. Love for Christ and His people
 f. An inner joy
 
2. To be sure
not every believer who abides in Christ will have ALL 
 these blessings in the SAME DEGREE at the same time...
 a. But they will be present in some measure
and they will be strong
 enough to be evident (to ourselves at least
if not always to 
 others)
 b. And they should always be INCREASING! - Jn 15:2; cf. 2 Pe 1:8
 
3. It is good for us as branches to examine ourselves regularly to see
 if we are truly abiding in Christ - cf. 2 Co 13:5
 a. For the secret of the abundant life is bearing fruit
 b. And the secret of bearing fruit is abiding in Christ
 c. And so if we are not abiding in Christ
we cannot enjoy the 
 abundant life!
 
But what's the secret of abiding in Christ? Our next lesson will
examine THAT secret...

－－《Executable Outlines》

Results of Abiding in Christ

I. Walking as Christ walked. ‘So to walk even as He walked.’ (1 John 2:6)

II. Loving the brethren. ‘He that loveth his brother abideth in the light.’ (1 John2:10)

III. Not ashamed at Christ’s coming ‘And not be ashamed before Him at His coming.’ (1 John 2:28)

IV. Not sinning ‘Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not.’ (1 John 3:6)

V. The witness of the Spirit. ‘We know He abideth in us by the Spirit.’ (1 John3:24)

VI. Possessing the Father and Son. ‘He that abideth….he hath both the Father and Son.’ (2 John 9)

VII. Prayers answered. ‘If ye abideth in Me….ye shall ask what ye will.’ (John 15:7)

VIII. Fruit-bearing. ‘He that abideth….bringeth forth much fruit.’ (John 15:5)

──F.E. Marsh