Have you had any experience in pruning a grapevine or fruit tree? I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. Abiding in Christ implies dependence on him. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing. There are no special techniques or formulas. This shows us that another aspect of abiding in Jesus is remaining in Jesus. Jesus warns those who are not in verse 6. Within hours, our Lord would be lifted upon a cross and His disciples scattered. How many times does the bible use the word abide? Matthew 12:28. The fruit of unrighteousness is not always outwardly obvious. This is how we abide in Christs love: If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Fathers commandments, and abide in His Love (John 15:10). All of us should be willing to do so and to show it in simple acts of sacrificial kindness. abide by. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.. I must repeat the story I heard of the man who was waxing eloquent to his wife of how much he loved her. It was out of His love. The Apostle John uses the word over 30 times alone which seems appropriate as he was one of the inner circle during Jesus' earthly life. They had placed their faith in Jesus resulting in justification from their sins. Unless you are both clean because of being regenerated and washed by the Holy Spirit and abiding in Him, you will not experience His blessings or fruit in your lives. Isaiah 40:17 declares Gods view of mankinds power, All the nations are as nothing before Him, They are regarded by Him as less than nothing and meaningless. If you have some position of power or fame, it is only because God has let you have it. This simply means that we go on trusting, that we keep on depending, that we never stop believing. and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. They will therefore be treated like the cut off branches from a pruning. Nebuchadnezzar did not get his reason back until he was humbled and recognized that the Most High God is ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it on whomever He wishes (Daniel 4). The Abide Bible is designed to help you experience the peace, hope, and growth that comes from encountering the voice and presence of God in Scripture. Features:Leader helps for group discussion7 weeks of personal study to be completed between . Read the Bible. They are no different from those in the world who seek their purpose in life from things such as wealth, fame, power, comfort, or pleasure. Trying to be more like Jesus each day. I pray that your joy may be full as you abide in Christ. writer: out of the 118 times the word is used, John uses it 40 times in his gospel, 24 times in 1 John, 3 times in 2 John, and 1 in Revelation, for 68 times total, or more than 60% of the total usage. Father. No branch can produce fruit if its not connected to the vine. The expectations of the disciples were unrealistic and untimely. Furthermore, by abiding in Christ we are caused to bear fruit which brings glory to the Father and thereby demonstrates our discipleship (verse 8). Prayer is about seeking ________ will to be done, not your own will, The love that exists between the members of the Godhead is extended to________ Ephesians 2:4-5. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; 8 the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. Whatever you think you own will only be under your control for the few short years of your life after which you have no control over it. (See: Comfort for Those Who Believe, Part 1), The time is now short before Jesus will be arrested that night and then tried and crucified the next day. In this chapter our Lord gave instructions concerning how His disciples could maintain fellowship and fruitfulness in the difficult days which lay before them. Douay-Rheims Bible Abide in me, and I in you. This is clearly the force of the term in verse 16: You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain (John 15:16). Bob was born and raised in a Christian home i More. They will have ungodly fruit such as listed in Romans 1:29-31 and Galatians 5:19-21. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abide in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in me. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. What is the evidence that a person is abiding in Jesus love? The reason is simply that such a person desires the will of Christ over their own. If you never connect with your spouse or a close friend that relationship with wither and die. Isaiah 5:7 describes the fruit God sought from Israel, For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, And the men of Judah His delightful plant. John 3:6-9 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Because as they abide in Him, He will continue to abide in them. We have the Holy Spirit in us producing good fruit (Galatians 5:22-23). Those claiming to love Jesus yet refusing to obey Him only prove they are liars. If you do not know that joy, then talk with myself or one of our church leaders. How instructive the physical union of man and woman is here. Those who do not live in a relationship with Christ here have no basis for such a relationship in eternity and so it should be expected they would be cast away from Him. If you never spend any time with him that connection will fall apart. We have the cart before the horse. We pray in accordance with his will because we are abiding. However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. ; 14:5,8,22; 16:17ff.). Jesus once again states obedience to His commandments demonstrates your relationship with Him. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 1915. That is, children are a result, not a cause. Human effort without divine enablement is fruitless and frustrating. The Cross And Separation From The World (1 Peter 4:1-6), 7. Our Lord Jesus Christ Who came as the True Vine would accomplish all Israel failed to do. He wants them to be comforted in the days ahead. ( Galatians 2:20, Colossians 2:6, Romans 8:1, Hebrews 3:6 ) "After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him.". In fact the Greek word for Abide, meno, means to remain. Related Topics: Christology, Spiritual Life, Robert L. (Bob)Deffinbaugh graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary with his Th.M. True Christianity has all those things, but all of them are in keeping with a relationship with God. Abiding, then, requires a belief in the sacrificial work of Jesus Christ on our behalf. Surely our Lord is the one genuine vine in whom we should abide, and surely we understand that there are other false vines. In these verses Jesus elaborates further on this confidence. Having consistent time to go to God with thanksgiving and requests is an important element to abiding with the Lord. Prejudice and racism are often obvious in their display, but both also conceal themselves in the political correctness of what is euphemistically called social justice but which is Biblically unjust as it gives excuses for jealousy, envy, malice, bitterness and unforgiveness. I do not mean that marriage is a drag to be endured with gritted teeth, but that it is not one continual high, perpetually warm fuzzy feeling. God does that with us. The ultimate demonstration of love is about to be witnessed by the disciples. (2) The second major question is whether or not verse 2 must be understood as parallel to verse 6. If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. Writer. (See: The Promise of Heaven). April 21, 2023. That is not what lay ahead. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love (John 15:9). In the time between those events, Jesus would work on their behalf interceding with the Father, and the Holy Spirit would come to comfort them and enable them to fulfill the ministry Jesus calls them to do. March 24, 2019. Proud member Behold, children are a gift of the Lord; the fruit of the womb is a reward. In this passage Jesus gives an illustration of a vine and branches. In James 1:25, of steadfast continuance in the law of liberty. But we often gloss over it because the word abide is a little bit old-fashioned. Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. Charles Stanley, an influential Baptist pastor who for more than 50 years preached a conservative message from his Atlanta megachurch, through an extensive network of . Failing to abide is more than just a hindrance to fruitfulness; it is a severing from the source of life. The Rev. Bible Answer: While Jesus' statement " abide in My love " was a command given directly to His twelve disciples, it also applies to every believer. Dr Tom Constables Bible Notes On John 15, The Powerful Meaning Of Matthew 11:28-30 (my yoke is easy meaning), Understanding Specific Bible Stories (Biblical Interpretation), How To Know When To Leave A Church (and 5 things to do before changing churches), The REAL Philippians 4:13 Meaning (I can do all things through Christ), The Powerful Meaning Of 2 Corinthians 5:7 (for we live by faith not by sight). Colossians 1:17 declares that Jesus Christ is Before all things, and in Him all things hold together. Hebrews 1:3 adds that Jesus, upholds all things by the word of His power. If Christ just let go for a moment, then all things would fall apart and be destroyed. The temptation for many Christians is to connect with God for a time. God never requires us to do that which is without good reason. Abiding in Christ means we recognize that its only through God that we can produce fruit. All that you have and everything you accomplish in life is only by His goodness and mercy to you. People can appear pretty good by the standards of whatever society they are in and still be very ungodly. Abode, as a noun (Greek mone) twice in New Testament: "make our abide with him" (John 14:23); "mansions," the Revised Version, margin "abiding-places" (John 14:2). So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son. the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked. have this word. Four Ways We Can Abide in Christ and His Word 1. Why? Abide gives specific help in trouble. . If not, talk with a church leader and get the spiritual help you need. Why or why not? Describe what you did, why and the results. This is a picture of what it means to rely on God. Lest we also fall into that same trap, let me quickly remind you of the context. Abiding in Christ means that we stay connected with God. I liked that. New American Standard Bible Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. The problem with too many people in positions of authority government, military, business, social organizations and even sports teams is they forget this truth and that they will give an account to God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every [branch] that bears fruit, He prunes it, that it may bear more fruit. They would have been very familiar with this concept since they lived in an agrarian society in which grapes were a common crop. Jesus makes this distinction in verse 3. What Jesus began to do and teach (Acts 1:1), His church now continues to do and say. It was found on Jewish coins in the Maccabean period, and in the days which our Lord walked upon the earth there was a huge filigree of a vine adorning the entrance of the temple of Herod, evaluated by some (who likely were exaggerating) at a value of more than $12,000,000.147. And what greater joy can there be than to know that not only does God love you, but He is using you for the very purpose for which He created you? We can become more loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle and self-controlled than we are currently. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of ones youth. We seek His blessings rather than see Him as the Blessing. Its an action, its what we do. They are preparing to leave the Upper Room and proceed to the Garden of Gethsemane, but before they leave, Jesus gives His disciples some final encouragement and instructions. Which do you think is more dangerous? The first time He says "Abide in My love" is in John 15:9; the second time is in John 15:10. 1 Corinthians 3:14 chapter context similar meaning copy save If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. The initiator of our salvation determines the one on whom our security rests, for Paul wrote, For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6). When we do so, he helps us carry the heavy burdens of life. To make His teaching clear and concrete, He used the analogy of a vine, a figure familiar to the Jewish mind. They are meeting the conditions of 1 John 5:14-15, And this is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. Every feature in Abide is designed to teach and develop Scripture-engagement habits that help you know the power and spiritual nourishment of abiding in Christ. To abide is to continue, to stay, to remain. What is this fruit? We may still misfire from time to time but we see growing success in our prayer. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. That is the fruit talked about throughout the scriptures. Three Ways to "Abide in Me" The first key to abiding in Christ is receiving and believing Him. The qualification for being able to abide in Christ is being cleansed by Him first. Q. As in any relationship, connection is important. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither [can] you, unless you abide in Me. The result? When the words of John chapter fifteen were spoken, the disciples had spent a great deal of time with the Savior and the honeymoon period was about to come to a close. Is this fair? Those that are clean are to abide in Christ and thus experience His blessings. It is the Fathers task alone to deal with believers (fruitful branches) and unbelievers (unfruitful branches, those who only profess to be in the vine). Dwight M. Pratt Copyright Statement These files are public domain. How many times does the bible use the word abide? The word translated "abide" is one of the Apostle John's favorite words. 158 Myers Corners Road The Cross And Our Response to Trials (1 Peter 4:12-19), 8. The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. His true followers were saved; they were clean. Only Judas was unclean, due to his unbelief. What does 1 John say about the importance of abiding in Christ? What do I do about calling a priest father at my Catholic University? For example: 1 John 2:6, the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked. 1 John 2:24, As for you, let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. Such a statement is not only true of starting a church, but of other areas of life as well. They stand clean before the Lord because their sins are forgiven (1 John 1:9) and the Holy Spirit has washed and regenerated them into new creatures (Titus 3:5; 2 Corinthians 5:18). The vine had become a symbol of the nation Israel. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend [it] on your pleasures.. Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him. Idolatry exhibits itself in the worship of false gods, but it also exists in the heart of a person who faithfully attends church services whose motivation is something other than the worship of the living God. Though the word abide isn't always used, the concept of abiding is found throughout the Bible. DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affliliate links, meaning I get a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links. Thus He looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; For righteousness, but behold, a cry of distress. The fruit God was looking for was justice and righteousness. One result of our obedience to our Lords command is joy. Pruning the vines is not only common practice, but necessary practice in order to have a decent grape crop. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night. This is why Jesus has said all these things to the disciples. An itinerant rabbi, Jesus was constantly on the move. Abiding in Christ by obeying His commands changes our relationship from that of slaves to that of friends (verse 14-15). Salem Media Group. We come to the first imperative (or command) of the chapter in verse 4. Jesus continues His discourse in John 15:1 saying, I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Before I continue any further, I need to explain something about the cultural context of this statement so that you will understand its significance. Believers are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). But the invitation that Jesus is extending is a relationship that requires action. to continue in a place : sojourn will abide in the house of the Lord. It could either mean lifting up in the sense of supporting, undergirding (cf. Prayer is not about us getting God to do what we want. As Romans 14:17 puts it, "the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." Our prescribed rituals, baptism and Communion, are about our identification with Christ and proclamation of both His death on our behalf and our hope in His return. What is Jesus warning in verse 6? Older Children Do one or more of the following: 1) Count how many times the word abide or abiding is used 2) Talk with your parents about what it means to abide in Jesus. Jesus explains the role of the caretaker of the vines in verse 2. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. He deals with the unfruitful branches.148 Even those branches which are fruitful receive His care in order to effect greater fruitfulness. According to tradition, all of the disciples, save one, would die a martyrs death. Their own deeds will condemn them for even their attempts at righteous deeds are as a filthy garment before our holy God (Isaiah 64:6). He would not be heralded as Israels king, but hated (verse 18). In 1 Corinthians 16:6 some mss. Ultimately, we did not choose God; He chose us. "International Standard Bible Encyclopedia". In the King James version the word - abide - appears 82 times the word - abideth - appears 30 times the word - abiding - appears 9. Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. Just as a branch cannot live and bear fruit except it draws its life from the vine, so we cannot, live and bear fruit for God unless we draw our life from Jesus. They might be sports, sprouts or suckers that might have lots of leaves and look pretty, but they do not fulfill my purpose for the plant in producing fruit. To be His disciple was in a literal way to be His follower. In John 15 Jesus gives one of his most vivid and powerful illustrations about our relationship with him. Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For example, Isaiah 5:7 states, For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, And the men of Judah His delightful plant. A grape vine was used as an emblem minted onto the coins of the Maccabean period. We might like to think that we found Christ, as the I Found It bumper stickers seem to imply. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Fathers hand. What a wonderful thought is living with Christ and have Him living in you. Come in, press play, and feel renewed by God's spirit. Whatever wealth you may gather to yourself by whatever means you use, does not really belong to you. Children are given to men in their sleep, without striving. That concept is illustrated with the vine analogy presented here. Abide 76 Verses About Abide from 31 Books Genesis 19:2 And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. John 15:4-5, 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. It makes John 15 sound dynamic. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Fathers commandments and abide in His love. and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith. In verse 6 we are given a negative illustration of the results if we do not abide. The Tucson Democrat was caught in the act on April 10, the third time the Bibles disappeared. The reality is this is how Christians grow in their faith. (If you would like to receive Pastor Harris weekly sermons via e-mail, Click Here), (If you would like to download the PowerPoint presentation for this sermon, Click here 200 Abiding in Christ ), Pastor Scott L. Harris To help us better understand what it means to abide in the Bible we are going to look at the most famous passage that talks about this. A flagrantly obnoxious person displays their evil heart outwardly, but just as evil is sweet flattery used to conceal the snare being set to harm you. To summarize: Those who abide in Christ are His disciples. Matthew 4:6), or the removing of physical death (cf. But in John 15:5 Jesus gives a stark warning against doing so, apart from me you can do nothing.. Notice that in verse 5 it is not just bearing fruit, it is bearing much fruit. What Every Christian Should Know about the Protestant Reformation. Jesus and the disciples are in an upper room in Jerusalem where they have just celebrated the Passover meal. Do you have it? Here our Lord tells us what we are to do as branches in Him. All of these changes necessitated learning to abide in Christ in a way they had never known before. See CONTINUE. He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you (John 13:10). The emphasis in verses 9-25 is on obedience. We want to have guidance, but we ignore the Guide. (1) The worlds hatred for us is the result of our abiding in Christ. But this passage of Scripture has some incredible truth for us today. What a comfort! Jesus is the source of life that would bring forth fruit unto God, and God Himself was the caretaker of the vine. Underlying the meaning of this term is the idea of belief. Apart from the vine the branch will not be able to produce fruit and will eventually die. Not wishing to leave the imperative to abide in His love in abstract terms, Jesus gives a very specific and practical example of the commandments of which He speaks. This is a conditional promise based in the relationship a person has with Jesus. It is a dependence upon His provision of life and strength that is emphasized in John 15:4. (See: Comfort for Those Who Believe, Part 2). Actually, its the ONLY way. Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming. Lest the mention of removing unfruitful branches create any doubts or fears, Jesus assured the disciples that they had already demonstrated their genuineness and sincerity. Verse 16 makes it crystal clear that our abiding in Christ is not the determining factor behind our eternal security as believers. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; they shall not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate.. What does it mean to abide? Abiding is essential for fruit bearing. When Community Bible Chapel began several years ago, I was given a bit of wise counsel from one of the elders of Believers Chapel. Jesus has extended the invitation to you, now its your turn to accept it. Our Lord is not threatening us with the loss of salvation if we sometimes fail to abide. What fruit does God want you to bear? This passage was intended to bring peace, assurance and comfort to troubled men (cf. 18. Sermon Notes 3/24/2019 He uses it 34 times in the Gospel, and 19 times in his letters. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. Dead and diseased branches are obvious ones to remove in this process, but there are also branches, that for whatever reason, simply do not bear fruit. 2. A person that does not abide in Christ may also have religious rituals, a moral code, practices and doctrine that may even appear to be Biblical in some sense. His life was marked by a total submission and obedience to the will of the Father (John 8:28-29). Our rituals, moral codes, practices and doctrine are simply the expressions of our personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. For a time it might seem alright, but eventually they will start to suffer the consequences for their decisions. Obedience demonstrates the _____________ of your relationship with the Lord do you love Him? It means to live, dwell, remain, continue. The apostle John liked this word so much that he used the word 23 times in just 1 John. In verses 7 and 8 we learn the benefits of abiding. so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love. Our doctrinal statement is our attestation of Gods revelation of Himself to us. There is no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1) because they are washed, sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 6:11) by faith in Him (Romans 3:26, 28). Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Do not be amazed that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' The intimacy of friendship includes us in the inner circle of God, and here our Lord makes known His secrets. It is not enough to know something about Jesus or even to view Him as a good teacher whose ethical principles you try to follow. Those that do not abide in Christ will lack the fruit of righteousness because they do not draw from the source of righteousness to produce such fruit. Explain your picture(s) to your parents at lunch. Throughout the upper room discourse, the disciples found our Lords words to be abstract and confusing (John 13:22ff. And its a lesson we shouldt ignore. He told her he would even die for her. But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. (Galatians 2:20, Colossians 2:6, Romans 8:1, Hebrews 3:6). 4 And let endurance have [its] perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing (James 1:2-4). This is another well known but often misunderstood section of Scripture largely due to interpretations that take the passage out of its context. They had hoped for a spectacular demonstration by our Lord which would convince the nation of Israel that He was their Messiah. He will not be present with them physically as He had before, but He will remain with them spiritually and in the presence of the Holy Spirit. As the branches, we are the visible manifestation of the life of the vine. But as life gets busy, things come up, other opportunities come, they disconnect and go their separate ways. The soul of the true disciple and heaven are dwelling-places of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The finest illustration of this kind of abiding is found in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ. How many times did Jesus say I am in the Bible? How have you experienced that in your life? No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. In the Old Testament, the nation of Israel was often likened to a vine. Since our Lords ascension into heaven, the church has been the body of Christ. The Hebrew and Greek originals in most frequent use are yashabh, "to dwell"; meno, "to remain." Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God. Israel, as a vine, was an utter failure; it never achieved its goal. Children are a gift of the Lord. Remember the illustration of the John 15:4 meaning; a branch relies, or depends on, the vine. The Lord your God will make you prosper abundantly in all the work of your hands with children, the offspring of your livestock, and your land's produce. Job 38:40 chapter context similar meaning copy save When they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait? to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. It is not a list of approved and disapproved behaviors. 3. The disciples would have understood all this and so would have also understood that Jesus declaration of being the true vine was a claim to be the fulfillment of all these symbols. Our burdens are light and we can find rest. Jesus explains the nature of His love for them in verse 9 & 10 while calling upon them to continue in their love for Him. Positively, it occurs in this sense of belief in chapter six: He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him (John 6:56).
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