Sermon Central
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Abiding In The Vine
Contributed by Chris Hodges on Nov 28, 2017 (message contributor)
Summary: To prove that Christians must abide in Christ to have life eternal.
1. Warren W. Wiersbe defines “abide” as “to keep in fellowship with Christ so that His life can work in and through us to produce fruit” (355).
a. The word for “abide” is “meno,” which was especially used by John “to denote an inward, enduring personal communion” (Bauer 504).
b. It is also translated as “tarry” (e.g., Matt. 26.28), “remain” (e.g., Luke 10.7), “dwellest” (e.g., John 1.38-39), “endureth” (e.g., John 6.27), and “might stand” (Rom. 9.11).
2. Another way of saying this is recorded in 1 John 1.7.
3. How do we do this?
a. We allow Christ through His words to dwell in us and lead us (John 15.5, 7).
(1) We must walk in His footsteps (1 Pet. 2.21), which have been revealed in the New Testament.
(2) Song: Step by step, He leads me, and I will follow him all of my days.
(3) “Jesus and his revelation are virtually interchangeable, for he is incarnate revelation” (Brown 662).
b. We must continually grow and bear fruit (John 15.5).
(1) We are to bear the fruit of the Spirit as specified in Galatians 5.22,23.
(2) This is a life-long, growing process similar to the one depicted in 1 Peter in which one is to be continually adding to or growing (1 Pet. 1.5-11).
c. Also, God helps us by purging us so that we can bear much fruit (John 15.2).
(1) This is a spiritual cleansing that helps to remove things that should not be.
(2) We may be pruned by a trying of our faith (James 1.2-4), a chastisement from God (Heb. 12.4-13), or a trial of our faith (1 Pet. 1.7).
(3) This only helps us to become stronger and bear more fruit.
(4) “He tends it, waters it, and endeavors to protect it and cultivate it so that it will produce its maximum yield” (Tenney 151).
Conclusion:
1. We’ve noted that we are to abide in Christ because there is no where else that we can abide (cf. John 6.68).
2. When we abide in Him, then we have life and a future in Heaven.
3. Therefore, let us ever strive to abide in the true vine; i.e., be faithful unto death and receive our crown of life that awaits us (cf. Rev. 2.20).
