You say you were ‘saved’ at a youth revival when you were 12? Hallelujah!

You tell us that you are a deacon at your church where you’ve been a ‘faithful member’ for 15+ years? Impressive.

You mean you really teach a young adult Sunday School class AND...sing in the choir, not to mention take part in annual mission trips every summer? That is commendable.

So let me ask you this: Are you abiding in Jesus? (not a ‘trick or gotcha’ question, I promise)

I’m not sure how you personally want to answer that question, as it’s really directed for you to ask yourself (2 Cor. 13:5). But chances are that you may just assume you’ve been abiding in Jesus given those three opening statements might possibly have been made by you. But I would hope by now, we have enough understanding that one can be quite busy going ‘great things in the name of the Lord’...and still...not be ‘abiding in Christ’ (Matt. 7:22-23; 1 Cor. 13:1-3)

Perhaps you are inclined to respond in this manner by saying: “I try...to abide in Jesus most of the time, but there are days where I really just don’t ‘want’ to abide in Him”.

That statement actually hits on two separate ‘issues’ that could be addressed individually, but for now...let me just say that if either of those two factors figure in to describing your efforts and ‘success’... when it comes to abiding in Jesus...then I don’t think this word ‘abiding’...means what you think it means.

The very word itself, ‘abide’...means to ‘remain’ or to ‘continue’.

If you are flying across country on an airliner, and the pilot comes over the main cabin speaker informing the passengers that the plane will be going through some rough turbulence over the next 30 minutes...and you are instructed to ‘remain’ in your seat during this time, you do understand what is being asked of you, yes? If you attempt to get up from your seat to use the bathroom or want to stretch your legs for a few minutes, are you ‘remaining’ in your seat as you were instructed to do? Umm, ‘No, you are not’. I can assure you the flight attendants will call you out immediately.

Jesus could not be more direct when He instructed us to ‘abide in Him’. Let’s take a few moments and look through those first 8 verses in the gospel of John, chapter 15. Jesus said: “I am the vine, you are the branches” (5). “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.” (4). “Whoever abides in Me, and I in him...bears much fruit; for without Me...you can do nothing” (5).

I don’t believe one needs to attend seminary to grasp the meaning of what Jesus is saying here. First of all, we do understand the importance of ‘bearing fruit’ in our walk of faith. We are warned repeatedly of the consequences as to what happens to those who do NOT...bear the right kind of fruit; and if you need a reminder, check out the following passages: Matt. 3:7-12; 7:16-20; 13:24-30,40-43; Luke 3:9,17; 13:6-9. And we’re not talking about ‘apples and grapes here either. Think in terms of the ‘fruit of the Spirit’ (Gal. 5:22-23) vs. the evident deeds, or ‘fruit of the flesh nature’ (Gal. 5:19-21). Oh...let’s not forget what Jesus had to say about 'trees' that think they can bear ‘both kinds of fruit’- Matt. 7:18.

Also, you don’t have to be a master gardener to realize that if you had branch on a peach tree, or a grape vine, and you went out and severed or disconnected it from the main trunk or vine, laid it on the ground for a few hours and then tried to reattach it, repeatedly... over a period of 7-10 days...you would be naïve to think it would ever produce any fruit, let alone ‘much fruit’.

Remaining attached, or ‘connected’ to the vine is essential to remaining ‘alive’ and being ‘fruitful’. This, is what it means to ‘abide in Jesus’. It’s not...a ‘part time gig’, or something one does when they 'feel' so inclined to do so. Trust me on this one.

And Jesus wants us to know up front...apart from Him...we can do nothing; as in we cannot bear the kind of fruit He is looking for and desires to produce in our lives. Funny how we can be quick to quote Phil. 4:13 as to how we ‘can do all things through Christ’...except when it comes to ‘walking like Jesus walked and sinning no more’ (1 John 2:6; 3:6)

Do you know how God is ‘glorified’ in our lives? I hate to break the news to you, but God is NOT glorified because we can sing inspiring worship songs, or can throw a football far or dunk a basketball or whatever other ‘great things we do in the name of the Lord’ (Matt. 7:22). We hear those soundbites all the time when some notable person excels in their talents...and are quick to say...’all the glory goes to God...let Him be glorified through what I did.”

Jesus wants us to know: “By this...My Father is glorified...that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.” (John 15:8) He would later give us a ‘new commandment’ clarifying how anyone could easily recognize that we are a true follower of His...’by the God-kind of love we demonstrate towards one another’ (John 13:34-35; John 15:12). I know...that’s all we need to hear...another ‘commandment’ to follow, right? Good thing we are ‘saved by grace, through faith’...whatever that means (Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 2:13; 1 Cor. 7:19)

And going back to John 15...vs.6 where Jesus tells us: “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.” It seems as if this is a recurring theme we hear about when it comes to fruitless branches, does it not to you? Ever wonder who ‘they’...are that Jesus said comes to ‘gather’ them up? You might also want to readjust your thinking when it comes to this ‘fire’ being all about some ‘eternal hell and lake of fire’ that folks will face after one dies. But we can revisit this point later.

Want to end on an encouraging note? Look at the promise there in John 15:7 made to those who do abide in Jesus. And you are welcome to highlight it as well. See you tomorrow?