3 relationships impacted by abiding in Christ
I. Our Relationship with God (v1-11)
A. He prunes (v1-3)
John 15:2 - 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.
Hebrews 12:5-6 - My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by Him; for those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives.
B. He sustains (v4-6)
John 15:4-5 - Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. 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.
C. He supplies (v7-11)
John 15:7-11 - If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.
II. Our Relationship with Believers (v12-17)
A. From foe to friend (v12-15)
John 15:13 - Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.
B. From folly to fruit (v16-17)
John 15:16 - You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain…
“The fruit, in short, is new converts.” (Carson, PNTC, pg. 523)
III. Our Relationship with the World (v18-26)
John 15:18-20 - If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
A. The world will hate you
Romans 1:32 - …and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.
John 15:25 - But they have done this to fulfill the word that is written in their Law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’
B. The Spirit will help you
John 15:26-27 - When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me, and you will testify also, because you have been with Me from the beginning.
Raise your hand if you are spending time in the pool this summer.
Raise your hand if you have been to a lake to go swimming this summer.
Raise your hand if you have been to the ocean this summer.
Raise your hand if you got in the ocean this summer.
Raise your hand if you like to snorkel.
Raise your hand if you have ever been scuba diving.
A short time ago my family wen to Florida and went on a boat and we snorkeled. I don’t know about you but I love the idea of going out in the ocean to do this but to be honest I am a little afraid. I do enjoy looking around underwater at the beauty of what is below. Snorkeling is one thing – scuba diving is another. I don’t want to get stuck under water and my tank run out of air.
IN case you did not know - when you are underwater…air is kinda important…especially if you want to go really deep and stay under for a long time.
This is a picture of an old deep sea diving suit…. Would you want to wear this in the water today? Probably not
pic 1 - old brass navy diver
The helmet was usually brass…but it was very strong and very heavy…
pic 2 - mark V helmet Picture of old Brass helmet
pic 3 - new helmet Picture of New diving helmet
Pic 4 new diving suit
Notice, how the equipment has gotten better…lighter…they have better gear, they have the best tools, the warmest wetsuit, they probably have goggles that you don’t need to spit in…. but the key principle is you still have a line of air… and if that line get crimped/cut…you are in for a really bad day….if you do not have air….you are…well dead in the water.
You must stay connected…or in biblical terminology, you must remain or abide…
The word Abide means to remain, to stay connected to….You see the Lord is our air…our oxygen, our source of life…without him we are dead in the water – without him we do not exist.
So, we are in the book of John - Jesus is coming to the end of his time on earth. He was born of a virgin, lived among us, taught us how to live and now the cross is drawing near…His hour has come…and he wants to prepare his disciples so that when they face persecution and trials, they stay connected to Christ. You and I need to figure out how to stay connected to the God who can give us victory over the battles and times of sorrow that we face.
Do you know that even though there will be trials and challenges, this whole process is to be characterized by joy…? Slide Enjoying life in His name…We can do this. When we abide in Christ, we will experience joy.
To have that joy, we must focus on staying connected… we are not apostles about to face persecution right after Christ D/B/R…however, if you are a follower of Christ…abiding in Christ is critical for each of us as we consider honoring the Lord in all our relationships. Who do you have relationships with? Well you if you have put your faith in God you have a relationship with God. You have relationships with the people in this room – you have relationships with believers and hopefully you also have relationships with those who are not yet believers.
This morning we will continue our series in John…
Enjoying life in His name by Abiding in Christ (staying connected)
Please turn in your bibles to John 15:1-27...page 85 in the bible under the seat in front of you.
Today we will look at…3 relationships impacted by abiding in Christ
The first is…
Our relationship with God v1-11
If you want to remain in a relationship with God – you must first have a relationship with God. At some point we have to attach ourselves to him through faith.
So our relationship with God is…
A saving relationship
Jesus said… John 15:3 “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
John 15:6 “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned.
our relationship with God is…
A dependent relationship
John 15:4-5 “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so 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, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.
Our relationship with God is dependent but it also must be a ….
A fruitful relationship
John 15:1–2 — 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 it so that it may bear more fruit.
Jesus says I am the ?_________? The Vine.
Jesus said My Father – which is who? God. My Father. He said my Father is the what? Vinedresser.
The fact that Jesus calls Himself the “the true vine” implies that there are other ways that a person may depend upon but that they are false sources of life rather than true. Many of Jesus’ listeners believed that they were connected to God by being part of Israel, the vine. Some people think they are saved because they were born in America, or because they joined a church, or because they do “good” deeds. But it’s faith in Christ that connects us to Him. Jesus alone is the true source of life and life results from being connected to Him.
John 15:2. 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.
In John 15:2 Jesus continues the picture with two kinds of branches (people). Those two types of people exist in this room today. Branches that do not bear fruit, and branches that do bear fruit. I hope that you are the 2nd type of branch.
- You need to ask yourself - Is there any fruit in my life that would indicate that I am a Christian?
- It has been said before…If you were on trial for being a Christian…would there be enough evidence to convict you?
-Some of you here today genuinely trust Him. It is obvious. There is fruit all around you. You are abiding in Him. You are connected. But to you I want to say that part of a fruitful relationship with the Lord requires refining, or pruning…
What do you need to get rid of? What do you need to have pruned. Why would we prune if we are bearing fruit already? Why does a vinedresser prune the grape vines? It is necessary so that more fruit can grow.
You and I – may be followers of Jesus but no doubt we have sin in our life that needs to be cut away. That sin is getting in the way of a more fruitful life for Jesus – so the vinedresser prunes so that we will be more fruitful.
What do you need to prune?
- Keep in mind that we are connected to the vine – who is the vine? Jesus.
- If we are connected to Jesus – we ought to act like and look like Jesus.
- We will have compassion for people, a humility no matter the circumstances, a trust in the Fathers plan, and a desire to serve people so the name of the Lord will be glorified.
- We will be obedient to the Father, because we love and trust Him.
We have plenty of fake/false Christians in this world. We might even have some in this world who have been giving lip service to people and have been giving lip service to God.
- Bearing fruit in the Christian life is a mark of a genuine relationship.
If we truly have a relationship with God – we will bear fruit. It proves we are who we say we are.
I can’t call myself an electrician if I never do the work of an electrician.
I can’t call myself an mechanic if I never do the work of a mechanic.
You can’t call yourself a Christian and never do anything Christian.
If we are a genuine follower/believer/child of God we will bear fruit.
- Abiding in Christ according to 1 John says you must love one another, walk as Jesus walked, be strong in the faith, and do the will of God.
-Part of this fruit is also a life marked by love and joy – Enjoying life in His name…
John 15:7–11 — 7 “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. 9 “Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. 10 “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. 11 “These things I have spoken to you so that (check this out)… My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.
Abiding in Christ is not meant to be a burden. It is meant to be a joy filled life – living as Jesus lived. Serving. Loving. Producing fruit.
A big part of Abiding in Christ is also is to impact…
Our relationship with believers v12-17
Raise your hand if you are part of an NBG or and ABF?
When we are here at church on Sundays – this is corporate worship. Where believers gather to worship God. Listen to God’s Word and be challenged to live it. We don’t get the opportunity to be in discussion, to pray for one another, to encourage, to love – that is what NBG’s are about. The relationships you have with other believers is part of abiding in Christ.
Consider clusters of grapes – like an NBG – you are growing together and you are getting your nutrients from the same vine – Jesus Christ.
If you are not connected to an NBG please see pastor David. Pastor David is Mr. NBG! He will help you connect to one or maybe you want to start a new NBG.
Our relationship with believers…
Is governed by obedience to the Lord’s command
John 15:12 “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. If you are a follower of Jesus – you don’t have a choice. You have to love each other! Jesus didn’t say “If you want to – love one another” Jesus didn’t say “On Sundays love one another” Jesus didn’t say “if they are nice to you be nice back to them.” NO Jesus commands you to love one another. How are we to love one another – Just as he loves you.
And if you do this…
John 15:14 “You are My friends if you do what I command you.
Do you want to be Jesus’ friend? – do what he commands.
Jesus repeats it again in this chapter John 15:17 “This I command you, that you love one another.
But Bob – I don’t feel like it….
Abiding in Christ, means I trust Christ, I believe He is who he says He is...He is the Messiah, my Lord, the one that I need and can’t live without….the way I show that trust, is I obey what he says, even when I don’t feel like it.
Abiding in Christ and Obeying Christ go hand in hand….that is how I show my genuine trust in the Lord, and that is how I bear fruit for His glory.
Because It is easy to love someone if they do everything you want…but our love for one another must be governed by something greater than getting what we want…it must be governed by what God supplies…namely Who Christ is….He is the bread from heaven, the fountain of living water…the True vine…the one who gave His life.
That is why our relationships with believers ….
Is to be marked by sacrificial Love
John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.
That is why our relationship with one another…
Is to have a Christ centered purpose
The Lord has given us an amazing purpose…as friends…
John 15:15 “No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. (that is what friends do)
The Lord is telling us what he wants us to do. He has not just given us a task, he has invited us into what He is doing, and made us a part of it….we are the branches. We are part of Him. We get to be a part of what he is doing.
There is a big difference in asking others to help me build bunkbeds for kids who are sleeping on the floor. I am not trying to pay them to do it – I am asking them to help. Because when we measure, cut, sand, assemble, stain and install the bunkbed - it is not just the joy of hanging out together…but the accomplishment of doing something together as friends that produces something incredibly enjoyable.
Friends – check out…
John 15:7 “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
I know what you are thinking…Awesome – I am going to start asking God for the things I want! I am going to ask him for a better paying job, a new car, a bigger house, better behaved kids, better behaved spouse.
Notice that we can ask whatever we want…but it must be connected to His name…which is more than just saying the name of Jesus at the end of a selfish prayer…Do you think that God is going to reward your life for living like the devil? Do you think that God is going to reward your life while you go on sinning over and over again? Not a chance. As a matter of fact he might make you miserable – that is what sin does – anyone here living a life of sin and feel great about it – probably not.
-it is about abiding in Him…trusting and obeying Him, so we are asking God to fulfill His desires through us….rather than our own desires separate from His.
Abiding in Christ should also impact
Our relationship with the world v18-26
Do you have friends that are not believers?
Do you work with people who are not believers?
Anyone here the only believer where you work?
*Those of you that are the only Christian in your environment here this today - When God puts you in a dark place it is because he needed a light there.
It is extremely important that you get your nutrients from the true vine because it is easy to get pulled down and away when you are the only Christian in your circle of friends or co-workers.
Jesus wants to prepare the disciples for what life is going to be like when he has resurrected…He does not want them to stumble. He wants them to bear fruit even in opposition…and so he prepares them to relate to those who do not abide in Christ by connecting them again to Himself…
He tells them that the world’s response to followers of Christ ….
Will be similar to the world’s response to Christ
John 15:18-20 “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 19 “If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. 20 “Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
Why doesn’t the world love Christ?
The world does not love Christ, because He reveals that men love the darkness, and people, naturally do not want to admit they need the cross…and they are offended by a messiah that says he must die for their sins…
The world will hate you when you tell them what they are doing is sin. You are simply sharing God’s Word. They will not like it because a non-believing world wants to live in sin. They want to do the things of the flesh. You will get punished for your biblical view and your beliefs.
Some persecuted Christ and some will persecute you…also…some believed Christ and some will believe you as well…so do not lose hope….and know that God is in the process of rescuing people, and some will respond and believe…because you remained in the vine and your draw your nutrients from the vine – Jesus Christ.
It ….
Should focus us to have compassion for the Lost
When you see people online, next door, in school at family gatherings living a sinful life – You probably just think they are idiots, that they ought to get what they deserve.
Do you have compassion for those who have not found what you found? Do you have compassion for the lost? Do you have compassion for those who do not have a relationship with the God almighty? They are not connected to the vine – Jesus. They do not feed on truth like you do – they feed on all the false ideas that are produced by the devil
They do not know the one who sent Jesus...they do not know God….if you and I know God’s love for us…know God’s ways are better than our ways…know the depth of our rebellion and His amazing Grace…if Joy and love from God permeate our life….we must have a genuine concern for those who do not have that love and joy of the Lord permeating their life.
It is not easy, to love your enemies, to return good for evil….and so we cannot do it on our own….it
Requires dependence on the Holy Spirit
John 15:26 “When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me, 27 and you will testify also, because you have been with Me from the beginning.
Aren’t you glad that Jesus ends such a hard passage on this note?
We have a Helper who enables us to abide and produce fruit
And being sent by the Father, He calls rebellious branches to the Vine
Jesus reassures the disciples, that the Holy Spirit is going to be with them, even though Jesus will leave the earth…and so they will not be alone…They are to abide in Christ, even when He is gone…they do that by obeying his commandment to love one another, but also by responding to the Holy Spirit.
This whole passage affirms over and over that not only can we know God, but we can bear fruit for His glory in all our relationships…
Conclusion:
We learned today that there are two types of branches. The one that does not bear fruit – Jesus takes it away – does that sound scary to you? Now we are not talking about losing your salvation. I believe that there are many who think they are Christians, but are not. They may attend church, and read the Bible, and go through the religious motions, but they have never believed in Jesus for eternal life, and so are not saved.
We are talking about the branch that is laying on the ground and the vine-dresser (God) comes along and picks you up – he lifts you up – he raises you up – as if to say – you pushed the pause button in your spiritual life and now it is time to get back to abiding in me. Get your nutrients from me. You have been dormant – it is time to come alive again and renew your strength – and this can only happen when we feed off of what Jesus has to give us – the bread of life.
I used to have a tree in our yard in Chicago. To me it looked completely dead. I almost had it cut down. but I peeled back some of the bark and noticed it still had some green in it and thought maybe it was dormant. So I thought I would give it a little more time.” Maybe there’s not much fruit in your life, but there’s still a little bit of life left somewhere underneath, you’re not dead yet, but your spiritual life is dormant. Jesus says to you, it’s time to get back to remaining in me, abiding in me - you can still be fruitful, I’m not through with you.
The other type of branch is the one that does bear fruit. He prunes – he cuts away the things that are no longer helpful to you in growing. He prunes things in your life that are prohibiting you from bearing fruit.
God is one determined gardener and He is committed to do the pruning in your life and mine. If you’re willing to learn from the Lord, you will grow through the pruning process. Israel wandered for 40 years, going around that same old track. Don’t be like a mule that has dug in and won’t budge. Let God do a work in your heart and life!
I say that there is a 3rd category of people here today – You are not yet part of the vine at all. You are not plugged into the vine. Your roots are planted in everything that the world has to offer. Before long you will find yourself gasping for air much like a deep sea diver who is not connected to a proper source of air.
I invite you to consider connecting – remaining – abiding in the vine – Jesus Christ so that you can begin a relationship with God and begin to bear fruit in your life.
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