“United We Stand!”
United With Christ As A Vine!
John 15:1-8
Introduction:
1. Exploring The Doctrine Of A Christian’s Union With Christ!
- IE: “Clue” - Searching Through The Mansion Of The Entire New Testament, Gathering From Room To Room Clues About The Mystery Of Our Union With Christ!
- Going Through The Mansion, We Come To A Room That Gives Several Key Figures / Illustrations That Reveal Certain Aspects Of Our Union!
- Answer: “What Is It Like To Be United With Christ?”
- Remember, They Are Figures Only! They Cannot & Do Not Reveal To Us Everything That Our Union Consists Of – It Is Still A Mystery!
2. First Figure: According To Ephesians 2:19-22:
- Your Union With Christ Is Like A Building!
- What Is It Like To Be United With Christ?
- You Are Part Of The “Household Of God!”
- You Are Built ON Jesus Christ!
- Because Jesus Christ Is Your “Cornerstone!”
- You Are Built IN Jesus Christ!
- To Join Closely Together - To Bond So Tightly As To Become One!
- You Are Built BY Jesus Christ!
- Very Personal Process!
3. According To John 15:1-8: Your Union With Christ Is Like The Union Between A Vine And Its Branches! (Read Passage)
4. IE: Throughout His Ministry, Jesus Christ Used Natural Objects To Illustrate Spiritual Truths - He Uses The Figure Of A Grape Vine To Illustrate The Union Between Jesus Christ & Christians!
- Jesus Christ Is The “True Vine” (v. 1)
- More Genuine Than Even Grape Vines In The Garden!
- All Other “Vines” Are Pictures – Object Lessons Of This “Union With Christ” God Has Ordained For His People!
- Christians (The True Church) Are The “Branches” (v. 5)
- The Term Used For This Union Is To “Abide!”
5. Are You Abiding In The True Vine?
- Look At The Answer To Two Questions:
- Why Should You Be United In The True Vine?
- How Can You Be United In The True Vine?
I. Why Should You Be United In The True Vine?
A. The Vine Uses The Branches!
- A Grape Vine Uses Its Branches To:
- Grow To Completion & Maturity
- Display Its Glory & Beauty - Leaves & Flowers
- Produce Abundant & Delicious Fruit
- Though God Could Have Raised Up Stones To Fulfill His Purpose In This World, He Has Chosen Christians To Do So!
- The True Vine Uses His Branches (Church) To:
- Grow To Completion & Maturity!
- Ephesians 5:26 - “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.”
- His Sanctifying & Cleansing Work Is Not Completed Until You Are Completed! And This Will Happen!
- Philippians 1:6 - “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ!”
* God Is Using Your Union In Christ To Complete You & His Church!
- Display His Glory & Beauty!
- Ephesians 5:27 - “That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”
* God Is Using Your Union In Christ To Display His Own Glory For All The World To See!
- Produce Abundant & Delicious Fruit!
- Philippians 1:9-11 - “And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.”
- God Is Using Your Union In Christ To Bring Others Into Union With Him!
- Just Like Fruit Bears The Seed In Itself To Produce More Fruit!
- Recognize The Purpose God Has For You In Being United In Jesus Christ, The “True Vine!”
- But, In Order To Fulfill These Purposes, You Must Also Realize That:
B. The Branches Need The Vine!
- A Branch (Of A Grape Vine Or Any Plant) Needs & Uses Its Vine (Or Trunk) As Its Ultimate:
- Source Of Life - The Stem Or Vine Works “Like A Straw” - Transporting Water & Mineral Salts To The Branches In Its Sap
- Just As “The Life Of The Flesh Is In The Blood” (Leviticus 17:11), The Life Of The Plant Is In Its Sap!
- Source Of Strength
- Along With The Root System, Anchors The Plant & Its Branches!
- Source Of Growth
- Pushes The Plant & Its Branches Closer To The Sunlight - Another Important Source Of Energy & Nutrients!
- Christ’s Branches Need & Use The “True Vine” For Their:
- Life - Jesus Christ Is Your Source Of Life! (Colossians 3:3-4 - For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.”)
- Because Of Your Union With Christ, You Have Life!
- Strength - Jesus Christ Is Your Source Of Strength! (Philippians 4:13 - “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”)
- Because Of Your Union With Christ, You Can Be Strong!
- Growth - Jesus Christ Is Your Source Of Growth! (Ephesians 2:21 - “In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord!”)
- Because Of Your Union With Christ, You Can Grow!
* Why Should You Be United In The True Vine, Jesus Christ?
- Because Jesus Christ Needs & Uses You In His Plan!
- Because You Need Jesus Christ In Your Life!
* Are You United In The True Vine, Jesus Christ?
II. How Can You Be United In The True Vine?
- “Abide In Me, And I In You!” (John 15:4)
- The Term Used For Your Union With Christ Is “Abide”!
- The Use Of The Term Is A Command!
- When You Realize That You Should & Must Be United With Christ, “Abide” Tells You How!
A. Abiding Means Believing!
- Believing In Your Union With Christ!
- That It Is A Fact & A Present Reality In Your Life!
- Isaiah 12:2 - “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.”
B. Abiding Means Depending!
- Depending Upon Your Union With Christ!
- For The Life, Strength, Growth You Need, In All Areas Of Your Life!
- Philippians 4:19 - “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
C. Abiding Means Relating!
- Relating With Christ Through Your Union With Christ!
- A Personal Relationship / Walk Through Mutual Love And Communication! (“If Ye Abide In Me, And My Words Abide In You” - John 15:7)
- Philippians 3:10 - “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;”
D. Abiding Means Enduring!
- Enduring In Your Union With Christ!
- Experiencing In Practice What Christ Has Made Permanent!
- 2 Timothy 2:3-4 - “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.”
E. Abiding Means Clinging!
- Strengthening Your Grip In Him, As His Grip Is Strong Upon You!
* How Can You Be United In The True Vine, Jesus Christ?
- Abide In Christ!
- Through Belief, Dependance, Relationship, Endurance, And Clinging!
* Are You Abiding In The True Vine, Jesus Christ?
Conclusion:
1. The Benefits Of Abiding In Christ!
- John 15:7-8 - “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.”
2. Because Of Your Union With Christ, You Can Abide In Him!
- And Experience & Enjoy The Benefits!
3. Are You Abiding In Your Vine, Jesus Christ?
