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Sermon:
ABIDING IN CHRIST
JOHN 15:1-10
1. "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
2. "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that
bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
3. "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
4. "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in
the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
5. "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much
fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
6. "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they
gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
7. "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it
shall be done for you.
8. "By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
9. "As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.
10. "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My
Fathers commandments and abide in His love.

I. INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.
I would like to talk about what it really means to abide in Christ and what happens in our
lives as a result.
Websters defines abide as to endure without yielding, to bear patiently, to accept without
objection, to remain stable or fixed in a state, to continue in a place.
Strongs concordance #3306 (Greek word Meno for abide) says it means (to stay in a
given place, state, relation or expectancy); Other words that are used interchangeably
are, continue, dwell, endure, be present, reunion, stand, tarry (for).
John 15:1-10 shows us the importance of abiding in Christ and what can be a result in
our lives if we are faithful to continually abide in Christ.
John 15:4-5
4. "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in
the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
5. "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much
fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
II. ABIDING IN CHRIST - WHAT IT IMPLIES.
As we begin to look at this wonderful subject, lets consider, first of all, what abiding in
Christ implies in our lives.
1. Abiding In Christ Implies We Are One With Christ.

John 15:4
4. "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in
the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
This was one of the foremost things on the heart of Jesus as He prayed for us in John
17. His desire was that we would experience that same oneness that He and the Father
experience. The union between the Father and the Son was inseparable. Jesus told
Philip, "If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father."

John 17:20-22
20. "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their
word;
21. "that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may
be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.
22. "And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as
We are one:
We are a part of Christ and He is a part of us. We are inseparable. To abide in Christ is
to continually abide in His presence. He will never leave nor forsake us. In fact we are
seated with Him in the heavenly realm.
Ephesians 1:3
3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with
every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
Ephesians 2:4-6
4. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
5. even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace
you have been saved),

6. and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ
Jesus,
2. Abiding In Christ Implies That We Are In Communion With Him.
2 Corinth. 13:14
14. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the
Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.

The Greek word for communion is koinonia, which means having a common partnership
or fellowship. It denotes sharing which one has in anything, participation, fellowship
recognized and enjoyed. It involves a participation in the knowledge of the Son of God,
the sharing in the realization of the effects of the blood as set forth by the emblems in the
Lords supper and participation in what is derived from the Holy Spirit.
1 Corin. 10:16
16. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ?
The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

It also involves a participation in the sufferings of Christ and sharing the resurrection life
possessed in Christ.
Philippians 3:10

10. that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His
sufferings, being conformed to His death,
Communion with Christ speaks negatively of the impossibility of communion between
light and darkness.

1 John 1:6-7
6. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not
practice the truth.
7. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another,
and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

III. ABIDING IN CHRIST - WHAT IT INVOLVES.

1. Abiding In Christ Involves Dependence Upon Him.
John 15:5
5. "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much
fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
In our union and oneness with Christ it is important that we continually rely upon His
grace that works so mightily in our lives. Hudson Taylor once noted that "God uses men
who are weak and feeble enough to lean on him."
1 Corinthians 1:27
27. But God has chosen
the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak
things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;
2 Corinthians 3:5-6
5. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but
our sufficiency is from God,
6. who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of
the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Dependence upon Christ involves our ability to trust in Him for the grace and the things
that are needed in our lives. As we do He will bring us into the kind of fruitfulness that
God desires in our lives.
Jeremiah 17:7-8
7. "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord.
8. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the
river, and will not fear when heat comes; but her leaf will be green, and will not be
anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.

Illustration: Fruitfulness & dependence upon God.

A few years ago, the Associated Press released a study done by an agricultural school in
Iowa. It reported that production of 100 bushels of corn from one acre of land, in addition
to the many hours of the farmers labor, required 4,000,000 pounds of water, 6,800
pounds of oxygen, 5,200 pounds of carbon, 160 pounds of nitrogen, 125 pounds of
potassium, 75 pounds of yellow sulphur, and other elements too numerous to list. In
addition to these things, which no man can produce, rain and sunshine at the right time
are critical. It was estimated that only 5% of the produce of a farm can be attributed to
the efforts of man. If we were honest, wed have to admit that the same is true in
producing spiritual fruit.
2. Abiding In Christ Involves Obedience Unto Him.
John 15:9-10
9. "As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.
10. "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 15:14-15
14. "You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.
15. "No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is
doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have
made known to you.
Obedience brings us into a greater dimension of Christs presence and enabling power.
When we disobey Him we are quenching the Spirit within us and rejecting His abiding
presence.
John 14:21
21. "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he
who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.

3. Abiding With Christ Involves Continuance.

John 8:31
31. Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are
My disciples indeed.
Many of us never receive the abundance of Christs blessings and fruitfulness, because
we lack the staying power for whatever reason. Remember the Greek word here also
means to stay in a given place, state, relation or expectancy.

Galatians 6:9
9. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do
not lose heart.

Donald Grey Barnhouse cites an amazing example of lasting fruitfulness.

In Hampton Court near London, there is a grapevine under glass; it is about 1,000 years
old and has but one root which is at least two feet thick. Some of the branches are 200
feet long. Because of skillful cutting and pruning, the vine produces several tons of
grapes each year. Even though some of the smaller branches are 200 feet from the main
stem, they bear much fruit because they are joined to the vine and allow the life of the
vine to flow through them.
He is the vine, and we are the branches. And when we need pruning, the goal is always
more fruit.
IV. ABIDING IN CHRIST - WHAT IT BRINGS.
1. Security - Psalms 91:1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide
under the shadow of the Almighty.
2. Cleansing - John 15:3 "You are already clean because of the word which I have
spoken to you.
3. Confidence - 1 John 2:28 And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears,
we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.
4. Usefulness and fruitfulness - John 15:4 "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch
cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide
in Me.
5. Victory - 1 John 3:6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither
seen Him nor known Him.

V. CONCLUDING REMARKS.
In closing I would like to close with this illustration about bearing fruit from something that
happened in the life of Benjamin Franklin.
Bearing fruit is essential to Christian discipleship. A life well lived is a more effective
witness than words well said.
Benjamin Franklin learned that plaster sown in the fields would make things grow. He
told his neighbors, but they did not believe him and they argued with him trying to prove
that plaster could be of no use at all to grass or grain. After a little while he allowed the
matter to drop and said no more about it. But he went into the field early the next spring
and sowed some grain. Close by the path, where men would walk, he traced some
letters with his finger and put plaster into them and then sowed his seed in the field. After
a week or two the seed sprang up. His neighbors, as they passed that way, were very
much surprised to see, in brighter green than all the rest of the field, the writing in large
letters, "This has been plastered." Benjamin Franklin did not need to argue with his
neighbors any more about the benefit of plaster for the fields. For as the season went on
and the grain grew, these bright green letters just rose up above all the rest until they
were a kind of relief-plate in the field - "This has been plastered."
"By your fruits shall all men know that you are my disciples."
If you are truly abiding in Christ it will be known by those who know you and observe
your life.

Imagine choosing to live each day of your life in utter poverty, with no money and no contact with
friends and relativesand all the while, loved ones and an enormous inheritance with your name
on it are at your disposal.
As amazing as it sounds, thats where many Christians find themselves todayliving in an
unnecessary state of self-imposed spiritual poverty. Question is, are you tapping into the lifesustaining riches Christ offers and provides? Worse yet, could you be among those Christ warned
aboutthose who think theyre under His care when they really arent?
John MacArthurs comforting and convicting study Abiding in Christ provides rich, vivid insight
into Jesus last words to His disciples while He was with them. It offers clear instruction about

the Lords provision for bearing spiritual fruit. Youll also discover both the benefits and the cost
of being connected to Christ.

I hear the words abide in Christ mentioned a lot by women as a way to express rest.
At least I think thats what they mean. The truth is, Ive never had it defined for me
clearly, even though Ive heard it shared often. In order to gain more understanding,
I started digging into Gods word to see what he says about abiding in Christ.

The True Vine

Beginning in John 13, Jesus gives a series of farewell addresses that continue until
chapter 17. He knows that he will soon be lifeless on a tree the crucified King. And
in the middle of it all, he graciously reminds us that to be his means to bear fruit and
we bear fruit by abiding in him.
In John 15, Jesus describes himself as the true vine and his Father as the vinedresser.
The true vine was a way to contrast Jesus with Old Testament Israel. The hearers
would understand that he was saying that he was the Messiah and the fulfillment of
the covenant because of the Old Testament references to a vineyard (Isaiah 5:1
7; 27:26).
Jesus explains that the branches that do not bear fruit are taken away, but the
branches that bear fruit are pruned to bear more fruit. To bear fruit simply means to
grow in character to become more like Christ and reflect the fruit of the Spirit
(Galatians 5:2223). And this is where we come to his command to abide: Abide
in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the
vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me (John 15:4).

Not Abiding
The dictionary defines abiding as to accept or act in accordance with a rule, decision,
or recommendation. Synonyms include: obey, observe, follow, uphold, heed, and
accept. This definition isnt far off from what Jesus is telling us to do here in John 15.
But before he gets to the meaning, he gives us a picture of what it looks like not to
abide in him. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and
withers, and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned (John
15:6).

I guess I am what you would call a plant killer. I purchase plants and try to care for
them, but I often fail miserably. I forget to water the plant, choking it from its needed
nourishment. And then one day, I turn around and there it is, withered away. This
didnt happen overnight. It happened after a series of neglect. So one by one, the
branches fall off from the vine.
This, I think, is what Jesus is explaining to us in John 15:46. He explains that by
not abiding in him we are like my pitiful plants we will soon fall off the vine our
roots where we receive nourishment were never truly planted. The fruit of the vine is
proof of our faith. Not perfection but fruit, even if a small bud.

Abiding
It really isnt until John 15:10 that we get a picture of what it looks like to abide in
Jesus. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept
my Fathers commandments and abide in his love. To abide in Jesus means to keep
his commandments and to keep his commandments means to love God with all our
hearts and souls and minds and to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:37
39). One way that we display our love for God is through our trust, prayer, and
devotion to him. We abide through relationship. We pursue in love. We pray in love.
We obey in love.
And here is the good news: We love Jesus because he first loved us (1 John 4:19).
We didnt choose him; he chose us and he chose us to walk out our faith in obedience
to him (John 15:16). Apart from Christ, we cannot do anything (John 15:5). This is
also good news to the weary person who thinks he must muster up strength to pursue
and know Christ (and to love his neighbor a fruit Jesus emphasizes). He provides
the grace and the strength.
The fruit that Jesus speaks of is simply evidence of a relationship with him. It is a
relationship that he initiates through and by his sovereign love. In the chapter, Jesus
reminds us that there is no greater love than someone laying down his life for his
friends. He then says, You are my friends if you do what I command you (John
15:13).
Jesus tells us that we are his friends (let that soak in for a minute) if we obey his
command to love, and that command is fulfilled through abiding. As we abide in him
we will bear the fruit of righteousness. This does not add to our salvation by grace

alone through faith alone, yet it confirms our transformed heart. And the offer to be
Jesuss friend the author and perfecter of our faith, the Alpha and Omega, the
Beautiful One, the one who bore our sins and transgression the offer to
be his friend is irresistible for the Christian.
Abide in him, and he will abide in you. He who began a good work in you will
complete it (Philippians 1:6). He who called you is faithful; he will surely do it (1
Thessalonians 5:24)

I hear the words abide in Christ mentioned a lot by women as a way to express rest.
At least I think thats what they mean. The truth is, Ive never had it defined for me
clearly, even though Ive heard it shared often. In order to gain more understanding,
I started digging into Gods word to see what he says about abiding in Christ.

The True Vine

Beginning in John 13, Jesus gives a series of farewell addresses that continue until
chapter 17. He knows that he will soon be lifeless on a tree the crucified King. And
in the middle of it all, he graciously reminds us that to be his means to bear fruit and
we bear fruit by abiding in him.
In John 15, Jesus describes himself as the true vine and his Father as the vinedresser.
The true vine was a way to contrast Jesus with Old Testament Israel. The hearers
would understand that he was saying that he was the Messiah and the fulfillment of
the covenant because of the Old Testament references to a vineyard (Isaiah 5:1
7; 27:26).
Jesus explains that the branches that do not bear fruit are taken away, but the
branches that bear fruit are pruned to bear more fruit. To bear fruit simply means to
grow in character to become more like Christ and reflect the fruit of the Spirit
(Galatians 5:2223). And this is where we come to his command to abide: Abide
in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the
vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me (John 15:4).

Not Abiding

The dictionary defines abiding as to accept or act in accordance with a rule, decision,
or recommendation. Synonyms include: obey, observe, follow, uphold, heed, and
accept. This definition isnt far off from what Jesus is telling us to do here in John 15.
But before he gets to the meaning, he gives us a picture of what it looks like not to
abide in him. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and
withers, and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned (John
15:6).
I guess I am what you would call a plant killer. I purchase plants and try to care for
them, but I often fail miserably. I forget to water the plant, choking it from its needed
nourishment. And then one day, I turn around and there it is, withered away. This
didnt happen overnight. It happened after a series of neglect. So one by one, the
branches fall off from the vine.
This, I think, is what Jesus is explaining to us in John 15:46. He explains that by
not abiding in him we are like my pitiful plants we will soon fall off the vine our
roots where we receive nourishment were never truly planted. The fruit of the vine is
proof of our faith. Not perfection but fruit, even if a small bud.

Abiding
It really isnt until John 15:10 that we get a picture of what it looks like to abide in
Jesus. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept
my Fathers commandments and abide in his love. To abide in Jesus means to keep
his commandments and to keep his commandments means to love God with all our
hearts and souls and minds and to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:37
39). One way that we display our love for God is through our trust, prayer, and
devotion to him. We abide through relationship. We pursue in love. We pray in love.
We obey in love.
And here is the good news: We love Jesus because he first loved us (1 John 4:19).
We didnt choose him; he chose us and he chose us to walk out our faith in obedience
to him (John 15:16). Apart from Christ, we cannot do anything (John 15:5). This is
also good news to the weary person who thinks he must muster up strength to pursue
and know Christ (and to love his neighbor a fruit Jesus emphasizes). He provides
the grace and the strength.

The fruit that Jesus speaks of is simply evidence of a relationship with him. It is a
relationship that he initiates through and by his sovereign love. In the chapter, Jesus
reminds us that there is no greater love than someone laying down his life for his
friends. He then says, You are my friends if you do what I command you (John
15:13).
Jesus tells us that we are his friends (let that soak in for a minute) if we obey his
command to love, and that command is fulfilled through abiding. As we abide in him
we will bear the fruit of righteousness. This does not add to our salvation by grace
alone through faith alone, yet it confirms our transformed heart. And the offer to be
Jesuss friend the author and perfecter of our faith, the Alpha and Omega, the
Beautiful One, the one who bore our sins and transgression the offer to
be his friend is irresistible for the Christian.
Abide in him, and he will abide in you. He who began a good work in you will
complete it (Philippians 1:6). He who called you is faithful; he will surely do it (1
Thessalonians 5:24)