All right, turn with me in your Bibles to John chapter 15 and go to verse 4.
John chapter 15, verse 4.
The title of my sermon is Abiding in Christ, Abiding in Christ.
I want to talk about what this phrase means, which appears in this passage in John chapter
15.
And I want to talk about three different ways that we, or three different results of abiding
in Christ that will come in our Christian lives.
So first of all, the Bible tells us in John chapter 15, verse 4, Jesus said, abide in
me and I in you, as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself excepted abide in the vine.
No more can ye accept ye abide in me.
I am the vine, ye are the branches.
He that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit, for without me
you can do nothing.
If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch and is withered, and men gather
them and cast them into the fire and they are burned.
Now first of all, I want you to notice that when Jesus says abide in me and I in you,
that's a command.
That's something Jesus is telling us to do.
Now also, what is the definition of abide?
The word abide simply just means to like continue or to remain in something.
And we see this in 1 John 2 24, you don't have to turn there, but the Bible says, let
that therefore abide in you which ye have heard from the beginning.
If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye shall also continue
in the Son and in the Father.
Now notice that it also gives us a definition of what it means to abide in Christ, where
it says let that abide in you which ye have heard from the beginning.
It's talking about the word of God, because who is Jesus Christ according to the Bible?
The Bible says in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was
God and the word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory, the glory
is of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
So Jesus Christ is the word of God made flesh.
So simply put, to abide in Jesus Christ and let him abide in you, how do we do that?
By abiding in the word of God.
It even shows us this in verse 7, if you look down in your Bibles there, Jesus said if you
abide in me and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done
unto you.
So notice how he kind of switches up the language where at first he said abide in me and I in
you and then he says in verse 7, and my words abide in you.
So the first point I want to make about abiding in the word of God is that it's necessary
for bearing fruit.
Now what does it mean to bear fruit?
The Bible says in Proverbs 11 verse 30, the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life and
he that winneth souls is wise.
So to bear fruit as a Christian means to get other people saved, to reproduce, to produce
more Christians by going out and preaching the Gospel.
And Jesus tells us in verse 4, he says as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself except
it abide in the vine, no more can ye except ye abide in me.
I am the vine, ye are the branches.
He that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit, for without me
you can do nothing.
So according to the Bible, in order to bear much fruit we have to abide in Christ, right?
He says without me you can do nothing, right?
So without Jesus, without abiding in him and letting his words abide in you, we won't be
able to bear much fruit.
And the Bible also says in Psalm 1 verse 1, blessed is the man that walketh not in the
counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of
the scornful, but his delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate
day and night.
He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that bringeth forth his fruit in
his season.
His leaf also shall not wither and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
So notice the similar language here where he talks about bearing fruit.
He says in order to bring forth fruit in your season, the Bible says you have to delight
in the law of God, meaning love the Bible, right?
Love the words of the Bible, and he says meditate therein day and night, right?
So that's, again, letting the words of God abide in you, meditating on, dwelling on,
thinking about the words of God day and night.
Now the second point I want to make is that abiding in Christ is also important for having
our prayers answered.
As we see in verse 7 where Jesus says, if ye abide in me and my words abide in you,
you shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you, right?
So notice how Jesus said if you do this, then this will happen, right?
You shall ask what ye will, meaning whatever you want, and it shall be done unto you, right?
That's a promise from God.
Number three, abiding in Christ is important for overcoming sin in our life.
Turn back just a few pages to John chapter 8, John chapter 8 and go to verse 31.
While you're turning there, I want to quote to you from Psalm 119.
The Bible says, wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed thereto
according to thy word?
And then in verse 11 it says, thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against
thee, right?
So we see that according to the Bible, in order to not sin against God, we have to hide
God's word in our heart, right, and to cleanse our way, again, we have to take heed according
to God's word.
So it says in John chapter 8, verse 31, then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on
him, if you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed, and you shall know
the truth and the truth shall make you free.
I don't have time for the context, but basically he's talking about being free from the servitude
to sin.
He says, if you abide or if you continue in my word, then are you my disciples and you'll
be made free from sin.
Let's pray.
Father in heaven, thank you Lord for the chance to preach and we pray Lord that you please
fill the next preacher with your spirit and help him to be able to preach your word in
Jesus' name we pray.
Amen.