The Abundant Life

INTRODUCTION

1. Suppose I could offer you a life that is guaranteed to give you...

a. A "joy" that is greater than any other

b. A "blessedness" that is happiness in its fullest measure

c. An "assurance" of entering the everlasting kingdom of our Lord

d. A "peace" that surpasses understanding

-- Would you be interested?

2. I cannot, but Jesus does...!

a. He came to provide the way to an abundant life - Jn 10:10

b. He shares with us the "secrets" to this life through His teaching

- Jn 15:11

3. Through His teachings, then, we can learn the "Secrets Of The

Abundant Life"...

a. Many of which are found in this very chapter (Jn 15)

b. Where Jesus pictures Himself as the Vine and His disciples as the

branches - cf. Jn 15:1-5

[As branches we are to bear fruit, and this leads us to the first secret

of the abundant life...]

I. THE SECRET OF LIVING IS BEARING FRUIT

A. DIFFERENT KINDS OF FRUIT WE CAN BEAR...

1. Winning souls to Christ and helping them to grow - Ro 1:13

2. Sharing with those in need - Ro 15:28

3. Developing a Christ-like character - 2Pe 1:5-8; Ga 5:22-23

4. Praising God and giving thanks - He 13:15

-- These are "fruits" that we can bear as branches of the Vine

B. THE BENEFITS OF BEARING SUCH FRUIT...

1. Joy for those who win souls - 3Jn 4; 1Th 2:19-20

2. Happiness for those who share with others - Ac 20:35

3. Assurance for those who develop a Christ-like character - 2 Pe

1:8-11; Ga 5:23b

4. Peace for those given to thanksgiving - Php 4:6-7

-- Such are the "benefits" of the abundant life Jesus offers

[And what is the secret? Being a branch of the True Vine (Jesus) and

bearing fruit! But Jesus also shares the secret to bearing fruit...]

II. THE SECRET OF BEARING FRUIT IS ABIDING

A. NOTE THE USE OF THE WORD "ABIDE"....

1. Jesus uses the word "abide" ten times - Jn 15:4-10

2. We must abide in Him, and He in us, to bear fruit

3. Without Him, we can do nothing

-- The secret to bearing fruit is abiding in Christ! - Jn 15:5

B. ABIDING IN CHRIST EMPOWERS THE CHRISTIAN....

1. Paul wrote what the power in Christ meant in his own life - Ph

4:13

2. He wanted others to know of the power available to them - Ep 1:

18-20; 3:20

3. He gave examples of how this power could transform people

- e.g., 1Co 6:9-11

-- Abiding in Christ empowers us to bear fruit, and thereby

experience the abundant life!

[But does Jesus also reveal the secret to abiding in Him? Yes...]

III. THE SECRET OF ABIDING IS OBEYING

A. OBEYING THE COMMANDMENTS OF JESUS...

1. By keeping His commands we abide in His love - Jn 15:10a

2. By keeping His commands we will be His friends - Jn 15:14

3. By keeping His commandments we abide in Him - 1Jn 3:24a

-- Obedience is the key to abiding in Christ!

B. THE PRINCIPLE OF ABIDING THROUGH OBEYING...

1. Governed Jesus' relationship with His Father while on earth

a. He kept His Father's commandments, and so abided in His love

- Jn 15:10b

b. Passages which illustrate Jesus' desire to keep His Father's

Will - Jn 4:34; 5:30; 6:38

2. And should govern our conduct as Christians as well

a. We abide in Christ by keeping His commandments - 1Jn 2:3-6

b. Otherwise we are liars if we profess to know Him and do not

keep His word!

-- One cannot abide in Christ without obeying His commands!

[To be successful in obeying His commands requires the right motivation.

From Jesus we learn...]

IV. THE SECRET OF OBEYING IS LOVING

A. THREE DIFFERENT REASONS TO OBEY...

1. We can obey because we have to (the level of fear)

a. In order to avoid punishment

b. Like a child who obeys his parents to avoid a spanking

2. We can obey because we need to (the level of selfishness)

a. In order to get what we want

b. Like a teenager who obeys his parents to gain favors

3. We can obey because we want to (the level of love)

a. Because we love the person we are obeying

b. Like mature children who obey their parents out of love

-- People often obey Jesus they feel like they have to or need to

B. JESUS DESIRES OBEDIENCE OUT OF LOVE...

1. He appeals to our sense of love - Jn 14:15,23

2. He knows that without love our obedience will falter - Jn 14:24

3. The secret to consistent obedience is loving!

a. Those who obey because they have to or need to will never be