ABIDING
1
To remain and stay
But not the way you are thinking.
2
The biblical usage of Abide far exceeds the basic idea of simply staying; when we talk about abide we are not simply talking about merely staying at someone’s house. The explanation for why this biblical reality of abiding is so beautiful and so intimate is what we can talk about now…
3
“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. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
John 15:4-5
4
Arguably the most beautiful image painted by Jesus for followers of Christ, is this imagery of Jesus being the vine, the father the vinedresser and us as the branches. Have you ever seen branches detached from the vine, the source of its life? They are both dead and useless! They must remain in the vine and simply abide in order to even exist yet alone flourish.
5
Jesus is teaching the necessity of simply abiding and staying in him. Jesus explained that only in him is fruit able to be produced, not just some but much! Jesus calls us to a life of plentiful obedience, the ‘much’ is not contingent upon the branch alone but is instead contingent from the vine it remains in.
6
Notice that the branches purpose is not to produce fruit, it is to bear (evidence) the good fruit that comes from being in the vine! Remember this is an image depicting a real reality! Something we often forget and reduce. We, his people bear works that are a result of Jesus and what he has accomplished! The type of fruit we evidence from being in the vine is for example, the fruits of the Spirit.
7
Humans (branches) do not produce positive fruit. The invitation is to bear (display) good fruit that comes from being in the vine.
Jesus teaches us what it means to be in the vine (that is him), bearing works (fruits of the Spirit). But Jesus also warns in love what will happen to those who do not remain the vine.
8
“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
9
The warning is clear from Jesus son of the living God! If you choose (it is a choice) not to remain in Jesus he is thrown away like a withering branch, is gathered and then is thrown in to the fire to be burned!
10
Conclusion: Jesus (the vine) calls us (the branches) to abide (remain) in him, because only in him can we bear (display) fruit (results such as the fruits/works of the Spirit). The branch in the vine which is pruned by the vinedresser is what produces fruit. The role of the branch is to display the fruit, the vine provides the life and the vinedresser sustains the life produced by the tree.
Amen. Amen. Amen.
HOW
1
We know that we are called to abide in the vine but the question is how? How does dying branches like us that has only ever produced bad fruit go from this depressing reality to the amazing reality of displaying good fruit that comes from being in the vine! We are apart of a life giving tree that is sustained by the our father in heaven of which is Jesus the vine (centre).
2
Christ abiding in us.
3
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Galatians 2:20
4
We must in everything start with Jesus! It is because we are saved that we can serve, because we are loved that we can love and it is because Jesus has chosen to abide in us that we can then abide in him! Are ableness to abide in him is because of the good news that is the gospel.
5
Us abiding in Christ.
6
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
7
Us abiding in his word.
8
Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.
2 John 1:9
9
Living as Jesus lived
10
Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
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.
John 15:10
WHY
1
God loves us when we abide
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!
1 John 3:1
2
Everything begins and ends with the love of God when it comes to so much, this includes abiding in Jesus. We must remain in the intense love God has for us his creation and children.
3
We love God when we abide
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.
Mark 12:30
4
Our obedience is how we show our love! And we are commanded to abide in Jesus, in this way of obedience we show our love for God.
5
God is glorified
By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
John 15:8
6
We get to glorify God by abiding in him! We get to show of his majesty and everything he is by simply abiding in him! He wants us to show him off and boast in him.
7
We have confidence when we abide
And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.
1 John 2:28
8
We abide in him so that we can have this boasting confidence and rejoicing when Jesus comes again! We do not have to hide away in shame, because our abiding in the vine is because of Jesus and the finished work of the cross!
9
We have joy when we abide
“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”
John 15:11
10
God has told us all these things so that we may have his perfect and complete Joy! A joy that is so full the world will see and wonder why! We will be left amazed by this newfound joy we have that is completely supernatural
Outside of Jesus we only have and can ever produce bad fruit, jacks calls us to be apart of a living giving tree that produces good fruit! We can display this fruit to the world around them and witness to them the supernatural calling of God! I’m this way we show this amazing overlap of us living heaven on earth lives that is forward looking to the perfect heaven and earth life to come.
OVERLAP
WHAT
1
Overlap Is a word that encapsulates a reality that saturates our lives as well as the redemptive storyline found in the pages of God’s word.
2
verb
/ˌōvərˈlap/
extend over so as to cover partly.
3
Overlap in the redemptive story can be found in four major stages… Creation, fall, restoration and renewal.
4
Heaven (supernatural) overlapping with the earth (natural). God (supernatural) overlapping with humanity (natural).
5
Although the context may change, the theme of overlap remains strong in every aspect of the story. It can be distilled down to one simple observation…
6
God desires that heaven and earth meet. God’s design and the restoration of that design through Jesus showcases that although we live in a world that is becoming increasing detached to the supernatural, God remains faithful to his design.
7
Perhaps the theme of overlap is not something you have explored, this is why we have a created UNITED SPACE. We desire that people worship Jesus in community through understanding of the overlap and its significance in simply being reality. (Check it out)
8
What is the overlap? A reality to be recognised in the grand design of a perfect designer.
Genesis 3:8
And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day
WHY
1
Jesus said he is the truth and so it is essential that our very existence corresponds with truth. When we detach our lives from truth we detach our lives from God. Reality is what God has created, this is the truth that we are called to live in. When we don’t, we live in purposelessness.
2
God’s love is expressed in his design, our love is expressed in our surrender to that design.
3
God blesses us through the invitation to live with him in the overlap! Our sin forfeited such an opportunity, but through Jesus we were given the mercy and grace to once again live in that which God had originally created.
4
When Jesus was glorified by the Father he sent his Spirit to us, it was for our benefit that the word which tabernacled among us left so that Jesus could tabernacle with all of us through his Spirit. The learning of this knowledge will bring wisdom, understanding and self-control.
5
The implication of this is supernaturally profound. Heaven and earth overlap now through us the bride of Christ!
6
We are Heaven’s contact because of who we abide in, who abides in us and the Holy Spirit that testifies to us being temples of this Person.
7
Why understanding of the overlap is so important? Obedience, reality, blessing.
John 1:14
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
HOW
1
What then is the application for those of us who have not simply read this and reduced it to merely human concepts.
2
Application first begins by understanding what is actually being taught by God.
3
Application evolves when we take what we know and in action worship God simply for his design.
4
With self-egoism absent and our motivation to offer our bodies up as living sacrifices holy and pleasing unto God, we recognise that God’s design and central means of glorification is showing his power through us his weak creation.
5
How is it that a love so expansive, wide, infinite and incalculable would restore creation back to himself and showcase such power by the giving of his eternal Spirit.
6
How we apply the overlap? Obedience, holiness, reverence, surrender and an insatiable desire to be made increasingly aware of what is simply reality…
7
That we are called to an overlap life with God and this overlap life will lead to overlap with others.
| John 15:5
I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
| 1 Corinthians 6:19
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
Written by Luke Taylor
107 Sagamore St.
San Francisco, CA 94112