Introduction

Good morning, my brothers and sisters in Christ! Today, we're going to immerse ourselves in the profound truth found in the Gospel of John, Chapter 15, verses 1 through 11. It's all about the necessity, the benefits, and yes, the challenges of abiding in Christ.

J.C. Ryle once said, "To abide in Christ means to keep up a habit of constant close communion with Him — to be always leaning on Him, resting on Him, pouring out our hearts to Him, and using Him as our Fountain of life and strength, as our chief Companion and best Friend." Let's keep that in mind as we delve into the Word today.

The Necessity

The necessity of abiding in Christ is not just a suggestion or a good idea, but an absolute requirement for spiritual growth and fruitfulness. When Jesus says, "I am the vine; you are the branches," He's painting a vivid picture of our absolute dependence on Him. Just as a branch cannot survive, let alone bear fruit, apart from the vine, we cannot thrive spiritually apart from Christ.

Remain in Him: This necessity is underscored by the fact that Jesus repeats the command to "remain" or "abide" in Him no less than ten times in this passage. It's as if He's saying, "Don't miss this! This is crucial!" And indeed, it is. Without a vital, ongoing connection to Christ, our spiritual life will wither and die, just like a branch cut off from the vine.

What does it mean to abide in Christ?: It means to stay connected to Him, to draw our life from Him, to make Him our source of strength and nourishment. It means to live in a constant, conscious dependence on Him, acknowledging our need for Him at every moment. It means to keep His words in our hearts, to let them shape our thoughts, our attitudes, our actions. It means to keep the lines of communication open, through prayer, through worship, through meditation on His Word.

The consequences of not abiding in Him: Jesus warns that those who do not remain in Him are like branches that are cut off and thrown into the fire. This is a sobering reminder of the spiritual danger of trying to live apart from Christ. We may think we can manage on our own, but the truth is, we can't. Apart from Christ, we can do nothing of eternal value.

A daily, even hourly, choice: It's a commitment to keep coming back to Him, to keep drawing our life from Him, to keep depending on Him. It's a battle against the natural human tendency to rely on our own strength, our own wisdom, our own resources. But it's a battle worth fighting, because the rewards are great: fruitfulness, answered prayer, and the fullness of Christ's joy.

The Father as the gardener: The Father is actively involved in our spiritual growth, pruning us so that we can bear more fruit. This pruning process can be painful, as it often involves the cutting away of things that we hold dear. But it's necessary for our growth and fruitfulness. The Father prunes us, not to harm us, but to make us more like Christ, more fruitful for His glory.

An active, dynamic relationship: It involves a constant interaction with Christ, a constant receiving from Him, a constant yielding to Him. It's a relationship that requires effort, discipline, and perseverance. But it's also a relationship of love, joy, and peace. For to abide in Christ is to abide in His love, to share in His joy, to experience His peace.

A practical reality: It's something that we need to live out in our daily lives, in our relationships, in our work, in our service. It's something that we need to keep reminding ourselves of, to keep striving for, to keep praying for.

Pastor, here would be a good place to share a personal story about how you practice abiding in Christ. Is it difficult for you? How do you handle that if it is?

The Benefits

When we choose to remain in Christ, we are choosing to align ourselves with the source of all life, love, and truth ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO