Abide in Me

The things with that, as Jesus here is with his disciples in the last moments before he goes to the cross.

He'll soon be at the cross, and he's preparing his disciples for what is going to happen and transpire in the hours ahead,

but also preparing them for what is going to come.

Because I want you to understand, God just doesn't prepare us for today, he prepares you for tomorrow.

What he has happening today is a preparation for tomorrow.

And as we learned last week, as we began looking at this discourse that Jesus had, this portion of it,

we found out that it stated very clearly that I am the vine.

You know, Jesus said, I am the vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

You know, and oftentimes we talked about last week how oftentimes we forget the fact that the husbandman is the one who prunes,

who cleans, who takes care of the vine, and sometimes prunes branches that might be bushy.

You know, they might have a lot of leaves, but aren't producing fruit the way they ought to produce.

And that's sometimes, the pruning in our life can sometimes be uncomfortable.

And you know, the disciples were about to experience some pruning in their life.

Just as us today, we've experienced God's pruning in your life.

Because when we realize that our relationship to him is not about a program,

because the vine, Jesus says, I am the true vine.

It is a person, not a program.

You know, when we understand that Israel was God's vine in the Old Testament,

and it failed, and we see that picture, it ought to stand as a warning to us to take heed to what God is doing.

To understand the picture that is there, that the husbandman takes away the fruitless branches,

and he prunes even the fruitful ones.

You know, you might say, Lord, I'm serving you.

Why am I going through this?

You know what God's saying?

I want more fruit.

I want more benefit for you.

But you know, sometimes pruning is not comfortable.

You know, pruning is an uncomfortable process.

And I think it's difficult when we say, Lord, I'm serving you, but why are you pruning me?

And he's saying, hey, hold on, this is for your benefit.

This is going to produce more fruit.

And we're going to look at that here, some today and then the weeks to come as we go through this passage.

And this pruning is something we need to understand because keep always keep this in mind.

I want you to keep this thought.

God prunes your life because he cares, not because he's angry with you.

Just because something happens in your life does not mean God is upset with you.

God prunes because he cares.

Because it's his job as the husband.

What's the husband's job in a vineyard?

It's to produce the most fruit possible.

God wants to produce the most fruit possible in your life.

And as we look and understand this principle, it's important because, you know, we started with a statement last week that's very important as we move through this series.

It's this.

It's where the branch stays, a branch bears.

Where a branch stays is where it's going to bear.

What you're attached to is also determined the type of fruit you're going to bear.

We have to stay planted and grab a hold of the vine that we might grow and to flourish.

And we're going to look this morning because as we see here, he's talking about abiding.

Abiding.

Abiding.

And so if you found in your scripture this morning in John chapter 15, let's stand together in honor of reading of the word of God.

John 15 · chapter mention

And we're going to read verses 4 through 6 here this morning.

And it tells us this.

It says,

Abide in me and I in you.

As a 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 in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit.

For without me ye 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.

Let's pray.

Heavenly Father, as we come before you this morning, Lord,

as we take a moment here to look at a very important principle in our life,

even today as it was, as you gave it to the disciples.

Lord, about the struggles and the trials they were about to face,

to understand the importance of staying attached to the vine, abiding in the vine.

Lord, help us to abide in you today.

Lord, help us not to be drawn away from things that are going to make us appear leafy, but not fruitful.

Lord, help us to draw close to you that we might grow and to do and allow you to prune our lives.

Lord, that we might bring forth much fruit.

And Lord, I pray just have your hand upon each one today.

Lord, as we look at these things, we might be challenged, encouraged.

Lord, you may be even convicted of some things that we need to change or transpire that we might abide truly in you.

And Lord, we just give you all the praise and glory and honor in Jesus' name.

Amen.

May be seated.

You know, as we look through this passage, John 15 has a key word.

The word is abide.

Abide.

You know, abiding, the idea here is not just a place you visit.

Because sometimes we have a tendency to want to visit God.

But abiding is this.

Abiding is different.

Abiding is more than a visit.

Instead, it is a place that you stay.

You abide at home.

Or at least you should.

It's your primary residence.

When he's talking about abiding, what he's saying is,

the primary residence of your life ought to be in Christ.

To be gathered together with him.

When you abide, you set down roots that provide durable and a lasting place that you reside.

Because the disciples were about to walk through something that they didn't fully understand.

Have you ever noticed oftentimes we walk through challenges in life we don't understand?

Things come that we don't understand.

We don't comprehend.

How does this fit together?

You know, the disciples had spent three and a half years with Jesus.

Walking with him.

Talking with him.

And now Jesus is saying, guys, I'm going to go away.

And I need to go away.

Have you ever thought how much that turned their world upside down?

They're like, we don't understand why.

The same reason that we don't understand why sometimes.

Because we're looking for it in our picture.

In our direction.

We look for it at how it affects us.

Instead of saying, Lord, how are you working not only in my life, but for others also.

You know, what the disciples, their struggle with Jesus leaving benefited not only them, but it benefits us today.

Jesus said that I go to prepare a place for you.

Jesus talks about John 16, the next chapter.

He talks about sending the comforter.

He says, if I go not away, the comforter is not going to come.

You know what?

The Holy Spirit lives within you if you're saved today.

We have something far greater in us.

He abides in us.

In the midst of these things, I want you to understand.

Think about this.

In John chapter 12, it tells us this.

John 12 · chapter mention

And these things understood not his disciples at the first.

But when Jesus was glorified, then remember they that these things were written of him and that they had done these things unto him.

You know what?

In other words, they said, hey, it was there before us.

It was there.

God told us what was going to take place.

God provided what we needed.

But you know what the problem?

It wasn't God.

It was us.

I want you to understand.

God gives us what we need.

God provides.

God has taken care of us.

He is the husband.

Jesus is the vine.

He is the one that we draw substances from.

In the midst of all this that would transpire, Jesus gives them a command.

Simply this, abide.

The command to abide.

Notice what it says.

Abide in me and I in you.

You know, that's a mutual relationship.

It's not a one directional.

It's a mutual relationship.

He says, I want you to abide to stay in me.

And he says, just as I am in you.

If you're saved, Jesus is in you.

You are in Christ.

This dynamic is important to understand because it's not a one-sided life.

It's a mutual life.

It's a relationship that began when you asked him to save you.

From the moment of salvation, you have God in you, the Holy Spirit, and you are secure in him because of it.

Your security is not in anything else but in Christ.

Jesus is telling them, he says, there's some things going to happen that are going to shake your life and shake your world upside down.

Think about what happened not far from Jesus telling them this.

They all got scared and ran.

You know, Jesus told them that was going to happen.

You know, it makes me wonder sometimes how the disciples felt afterwards, sometimes thinking back.

It's like, man, why do we get so caught up in that?

Jesus told us what was going to happen.

As they see the power of God working.

You know, we can only imagine some of the conversations they had amongst each other after some of these things took place.

You know, like, wow, how he told us these things were going to come to pass and we didn't understand it, but now we see it.

But I want you to know that he gives us security because he says you can abide in him and I in you.

That's a security statement.

Think about John chapter 10, verse 28.

John 10:28

He says this, and I give unto them what?

Eternal life.

And they shall never perish.

Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand, including yourself.

I'm glad that once you're saved, God holds you.

Because let me give you a little bit of thought process.

If it was up to you to hold on, you'd have failed.

Every one of us have failed many times.

But you know what?

Every time we fail, Jesus is still there.

He's still there.

He says, I'm going to abide.

I am there.

You know, even think about what Jesus, a little later in John 17, in verse 20, tells us this.

He says, neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word,

that they may all be one as thou, Father, art in me and I in thee,

and that they may also may be one in us, that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

You know, Jesus is saying, you abiding in the vine is greater than yourself.

It impacts more than you.

That impact is important to understand because when we consider that abiding means to remain,

it means to continue to dwell.

Let me put it this way.

It means simply to stay put.

Have you ever thought, why did Jesus tell the apostles to abide?

He said, life's going to go upside down, and that's when you need to make sure you stay put.

Jesus says, I'm not wavering, don't waver.

Stay put.

Abide.

Be intentional.

Because to abide in him, and we're going to look here in the upcoming weeks here about how that functions out in our life,

but we need to abide.

And this concept was not new to the disciples.

You know, think about John 8.

It tells us that if you continue in my word, then ye are my disciples indeed.

Now you say, how do you abide in Jesus?

Let me give you a little clue.

It says, in the beginning was the word.

And the word became flesh and dwelt among us.

Think about that dynamic of God dwelling in us, and he abides in us, and we need to continue in his word.

And John expresses this concept.

He talks about 11 times in John 15.

He uses the word abide.

You know, whenever you're reading the scripture, let me give you a little help.

When you see a word repeated, it's probably a word you need to pay attention to.

When you see something stated in the same passage over and over and over again,

it's something that you need to really contemplate and to think on.

In 10 verses, he uses abide 11 times.

Do you think there's a theme?

That concept of staying and being aware you ought to be in Christ.

And the disciples, this concept is the same one that they began with.

You know, it tells us in John 1, when Jesus began to gather his disciples,

that Jesus, when he saw them, he asked them, what seek ye?

Think about the question they had.

They say, where dwellest thou?

Now, that word dwellest is the same word that's abide.

The disciples asked Jesus, where do you abide?

We want to abide with you.

We want to be in the place that you are.

That was their question.

They wanted to abide in him.

And he said unto them, come and see.

And they came and saw where he dwelt, where he abided.

And notice that next word, an abode with him.

That word abode is the same as dwell.

We express it a little differently because of the context in English.

But I want you to understand, it's the same thing.

He says, where do you abide?

Well, we're going to abide with you.

They made a conscious choice to say, we want to be where Jesus is.

And they were focusing upon it.

You know, think about a little later in John 14.

Jesus looks at his disciples, this before here, and says, if a man love me, he will keep my words.

And my father will love him.

And we will come unto him and make our abode with him.

This idea of abiding in Christ, abiding in the vine, is not a new concept.

Jesus is just using this as a very focused concept in this passage for the disciples to grab a hold of.

Because I think we need that same focus.

Because I don't know if you've noticed, the world's getting pretty crazy.

No matter what happens politically.

No matter what happens socially.

No matter what happens religiously in our country.

You know what believers need to do?

They need to abide.

Abiding is how to supersede everything else.

Because that connection in chapter 1 with the disciples, come and stay where he dwells.

In chapter 14, he and the Father come and take up residence where we dwell and in you.

Chapter 15 says, abide in me and I in you.

Abiding is not paying of Christ a visit on Sunday.

You know, there's a lot of people that think, well, I'm in Christ because I showed up for church.

Now, I believe if you're in Christ, you had a desire to be around his people and come together like he instructed.

But you know what?

Being in church doesn't mean you're abiding.

Abiding is a daily constant dynamic.

It's something that happens daily.

It does not happen once a week.

If you only do anything with God on Sunday morning, you're not abiding.

The preacher, that's a hard statement.

That's not my statement.

That's what Jesus says.

That's the reason sometimes the husbandman, what the husbandman does, what God does in our life,

the truth of God's word, it says we're clean through the word.

You know, that cleaning process isn't enjoyable sometimes.

You know, sometimes I think we're just like little boys that go play in the mud puddle and get upset

because mom makes them get clean.

So they wiggle around and squirm around and they, you know, they don't want to get cleaned up.

Or, you know, they eat some ice cream and it covers about this much of their face and they're like...

You know, sometimes we act like two-year-olds.

When God says, hey, I need to clean some things up to make things right.

He says, I want you to abide.

I want you to have a...

Just trust me in this.

And we understand because notice what it tells us here.

In verse 4 it says,

No more can you except you abide in me.

Except you abide in me.

The branch is not independent of the vine.

It is his life source.

It cannot thrive or survive apart from the vine.

You know, your walk, your relationship with God is all about abiding in the vine.

It's not about how many books you read.

You know, there's a lot of highly educated religious people.

And sometimes I wonder, you've read so many books but you really haven't read the one that matters.

I want you to understand, reading a lot is not a problem.

It's when you let what you read supersede what God has said.

Because we can put things out of order.

And when we understand that, look over to Colossians chapter 2 for a moment.

Colossians 2 · chapter mention

Colossians chapter 2 tells us this here in verse 6.

Colossians 2 · chapter mention

It says,

As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him.

Because this idea of abiding is the same idea of walking alongside or walking with.

That concept is expressed many ways throughout the scripture.

Look what it says.

Rooted and built up in him and established in the faith as ye have been taught.

Abound therein with thanksgiving.

Now we need to be rooted and built up.

You know how you get rooted?

Is you're attached to it.

Because you are not the root.

You're the branch.

But you need to be placed in that you have that root of Christ that makes a difference.

You know the moment of salvation.

You're placed in Christ.

Not when you are obedient enough or partaking a ritual of some kind.

You know there's a lot of people that their relationship they think they have with God is through ritual.

I did this.

I did this.

Somebody gave me a piece of paper that said I got wet.

Or I completed a class.

Or I did something else.

You know what?

All those things may be beneficial but they mean nothing.

They're things that are just going to burn up.

The only thing that ought to matter is abiding, walking with Christ.

To grab a hold of that idea is essential.

You know because when we understand that every believer or as we see pictured here, every branch is established in the vine.

Yet fruitfulness is reliant upon staying nourished by the vine.

Remember when we started that thought where the branch stays, the branch bears.

If you don't stay attached, guess what?

You don't bear.

Now let me add to that just a moment.

Because there's something very important.

Because abiding, this is another uncomfortable thing for us as people.

You know, you can get excited.

I can abide in Jesus.

You know, he's going to give fruit in my life.

All these things.

But you know what's involved in that?

You surrendering your will to his.

Oh, preacher, that's a lot.

I have priorities.

I have responsibilities.

You know what?

You don't have a single priority responsibility that God doesn't already know about.

You need to understand those things may be important but what's most important?

I've been around a couple of days.

And we know the Lord.

I always tell people, you'll be the first to know when the Lord's done with you.

Because you get a promotion.

I want you to understand this dynamic that we need to surrender our will to his.

And that's uncomfortable for us because it involves your will.

Think about what Galatians 5 tells us.

Galatians 5 tells us this.

This I say then, walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

You know, Galatians 5, at the end of Galatians 5 gives us the fruit of the spirit.

But Galatians 5 also says you have a choice to make.

You're going to walk in the spirit.

Are you going to abide in Christ?

Are you going to walk in your own will and your own way?

Because what happens is, is our will says this is important and Christ says this is important.

Now there's a conflict.

At that moment you have a choice of wills.

Which one am I going to follow?

I'm going to follow the will of me.

This is what makes me comfortable.

This is my priority.

This is where I want to be.

Or is it Lord?

Not my will, but your will be done.

Because your priority might not be bad of itself.

Things we need to remember is just because something is good doesn't mean it's the best.

What is the best?

Somebody that wants to abide in the vine might be concerned about what's best.

What is the greater priority?

Jesus tells us that all these other things are going to be added unto us.

But he says, trust me.

To understand that the branch must be there.

It says, if I say then walk in the spirit, you should not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

If we live in the spirit, let us also walk in the spirit.

You know what?

When you get saved, you are in the spirit.

The spirit lives in you.

He says, then you ought to walk accordingly.

That ought to be your guide.

The truth of God's words.

You know what?

It amazes me today.

Well, the spirit told me.

It's like, well, if you think the spirit's telling you something, it better match up with what's in here.

Because you know what the Bible tells us?

Read John 16.

He says, the spirit will not tell you anything that God hasn't already established.

You know how we know what God established right here?

Sometimes a lot of people use my feelings for the spirit.

They're following a spirit, but it ain't the spirit of God.

How do we discern the spirit?

You know, that's a whole other lesson we could get into.

But to walk with God, you better be discerning.

What am I?

Is this my will or is this God's will?

Why did God allow this in my life?

Am I willing to submit to it?

Or am I going to rebel against it?

Jesus here knows what the disciples are going to face.

And he says, stay nourished in the vine no matter what takes place.

You know, no matter what takes place, life can go upside down in a moment.

Things happen.

But where do you abide?

Where do you turn in those moments?

Because I want you to understand, Jesus just didn't give them a command or instruction to abide.

He gives them a promise.

Notice, look at verse 5.

He says this,

I am the vine and ye are the branches.

He that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit.

For without me ye can do nothing.

I want you to know that quantity follows connection, not effort.

You know, we have a lot of things today that say if you just do this, this, this, and this, we put a lot of effort.

But you know what Jesus says?

The effort might be fine, but if you're not connected, it's irrelevant.

To stay connected.

To stay connected.

Each branch bears in proportion to what flows through it.

Now notice the Lord does not say the same branch works harder or tries longer or bears more carefully.

He says the same bringeth forth much fruit.

The much is not measured by the power of the branch, but the supply that's in the vine.

The vine is what's going to provide.

A branch has no root of its own, no water of its own, no sap of its own.

It simply stays where the life is and lets the life do the bearing.

You can manufacture activity, but you can't manufacture fruit.

You know, one of the problems you find today that we always got to guard against is just being busy at church.

You know, you can be busy and unfruitful.

Oh, don't get rid of that program.

I want you to understand that sometimes something may be started, may have been good, but you know what?

Just like a branch, sometimes it needs to be removed so that something new can grow.

When you read about how a vine grows and what they do, you know what?

Sometimes they take the most productive branch this year and they cut it off so they can get new growth.

That's counter to the way we like it.

Busyness does not mean fruitfulness.

It doesn't mean busyness is bad.

It just means that you can be busy and unfruitful.

Because he says, without me, ye can do nothing.

You know, I want you to understand.

Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 3, he says,

not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God.

Think about that verse for a moment.

And now over the years, I've heard a lot of people say this when they get to a struggle.

Philippians 4.13 seems to be a popular verse.

The problem is, I don't think we really understand Philippians 4.13.

Because most of the time we attach it, I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.

I can do all things in my strength.

That's not what the verse says.

What's being implied there is what Jesus said in John 15.

I can do all things when I abide in him.

I can endure all things.

I can do all those things that are going to bring forth fruit.

And that fruit, we're going to talk about that in the weeks to come because it's not always where we place the priorities.

And we understand our ability to produce fruit is what includes the all things.

It's only available in the vine.

Fruit is growing, not manufactured.

At least the good stuff.

You know, we've got a lot of things today they try to make from nothing and it's like it's never the same.

You know, they've got people trying to sell artificial beef.

Lab-grown beef, I'm like, if it's beef, it ain't grown in the lab.

If it's beef, it mooed out there sometimes.

We might call it something, we might try to say it's something, but it doesn't mean it is.

It's produced in that moment.

If fruit is growing, it's slow, it's daily, it's intentional, it's consistent.

It's consistent.

What is fruit?

Fruit is the life of Christ showing up in your life, in your character, in your conduct, in who your life reaches.

We're going to talk about that next week, Lord willing.

I'm not going to get ahead of myself.

We're about running out of time.

Preachers, I don't know where the clock speeds up.

But I want you to understand this dynamic because have you ever noticed you can stand and watch something?

You know, if you tried to watch a vine and say, I'm going to watch it until I watch the grapes appear.

You know what?

There won't be a moment you can point to that says that's when the grape appeared.

You know what?

The same is true in your life.

It's a slow, consistent product that is produced.

That's what makes it what it ought to be.

Fruit is the byproduct of a connection that's maintained over time.

So what has to be consistent?

Not the fruit, but the connection.

Fruit is the harvest.

The abiding is the habit.

You cannot measure a harvest daily.

You can be measured only when you stay attached.

So how do you measure the connection?

We'll talk about that more next week.

I want you to settle the question of your will.

Well, now the Lord's going to show us something because not only does he give us a promise, but he gives us a warning.

Notice what he tells us here.

Look at verse 6.

He says,

If any man abide not in me, is cast forth as a branch, and is withered, and men gather them and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

You know what?

Israel stands as a great example of this in the Old Testament.

That God planted them.

And Jeremiah 2 talks about,

I have planted thee a noble vine,

holy a right seed.

Now thou art turned into a degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me.

Hosea says this.

He says,

Israel is an empty vine.

He bringeth forth fruit unto himself,

according to the multitude of his fruit.

Hath he increased himself,

or increased the altars,

according to the goodness of his land.

They have made goodly images.

Their heart is divided.

How shall they be found faulty?

He shall break down their altars,

and he shall spoil their images.

Now I want you to understand,

we are not Israel.

But the principle stands.

God's principles and precepts stand throughout time.

The Old Testament, the Bible says,

was written for our learning.

You know, we can watch what God did with Israel,

and say,

hey, God's going to do that in my life,

if I don't stay abiding.

It stands as a warning to us,

when we understand that vine would,

you know, some people,

I want to take just a moment here to explain something.

Because Jesus is not talking here,

about somebody losing their salvation.

I've seen people use it,

they're cast forth and burned.

You know, I think there's some other connections

we'll find in the Scripture,

but I want you to understand,

vine wood is good for nothing but fruit.

You'll find it's good for two things.

You either, it's fruitful,

or it's fuel.

It's fruit,

or it's fuel.

People don't build things out of vines.

You know, you don't construct something lasting

out of a vine.

You know, Ezekiel 15 talks about this

as God tells and describes those things.

He says,

What is the vine tree more than any tree?

Or the branch which is among the trees of the forest

shall wood be taken thereof to do any work?

Or will men take a pin of it

to hang any vessel thereon?

He gives a question, he says,

What good is it?

If it's not bearing fruit,

what good is it?

And he says this,

Behold, I cast it into the fire for fuel.

That's what he's talking about.

That's the picture.

But I want to clarify something here

that's very important.

The issue is not the loss of salvation.

Instead, it's the usefulness,

the loss of your life's work.

2 Corinthians chapter,

excuse me, 1 Corinthians chapter 3

1 Corinthians 3 · chapter mention

talks about this when it talks about

the believer's judgment

for rewards.

You know what it tells us there?

That we can have all sorts of foundations

that we've built upon.

And it says,

Every man's work shall be made manifest

for the day shall declare it

because it shall be revealed by what?

Fire.

And fire shall try every man's work

of what sort it is.

If any man's work abide,

which he hath built thereon,

he shall receive a reward.

But notice verse 15.

If any man's work shall be burned,

he shall suffer loss,

but he himself shall be saved,

yet so by fire.

I think Jesus is given this same picture.

He says, guys, you need to abide

because you're either going to be fruitful,

fuel.

You understand that picture.

You know, think about,

you know, how many remember

the Old Testament story of Samson?

Samson.

Very familiar story.

Samson there in Judges 16,

he made a statement,

and he wist not what the Lord

was departed from him.

The Lord was with him.

The Lord empowered Samson

to do what he did,

but yet it came a point

when Samson came so disconnected

from the vine,

and he didn't even realize

it had taken place.

He just assumed it would be true.

That he would have the power,

and it tells us that

as he went out,

as before other times,

and shake himself,

you know,

I want you to understand

the interesting thing

about the story of Samson,

when other guys gave him power

to release from the bondage

that they tried to put him in,

or whether when he went out

to do it,

the motions were the same.

The difference was the power behind it.

The power of the vine cut branch

keeps its shape a while

before anybody notices that it's dead.

Now the danger here is this.

You can keep every motion going

after the power is gone.

You might be the last one

in the building to find out

that you're not abiding in the vine.

I want you to understand

that we can appear strong,

but fruit only comes

and is produced when we're abiding.

Sad part is,

we live in a day and age

where I think there's a lot

of fluffy, leafy Christianity,

not merited fruitful belief.

Fruit is something

that is produced in your life.

And it needs to be produced

because I want you to understand

that this picture is important

because we need to abide.

Abide is something

that we intentionally say,

I want to stay close to him

because abiding is a daily habit,

not a Sunday event.

It's word, it's prayer,

it's obedience

in the ordinary days and hours.

What would a week of genuine abiding

actually look like on your calendar?

That's a good question.

This morning it's important

if you've never been joined

to the vine,

the Bible says you have

an opportunity to come

and to call upon him.

Because it starts,

all the things I talked about,

abiding only starts

at the moment of salvation.

The moment you realize

you're a sinner

that needs a savior.

That makes a difference

in your life

is what you've done with Christ.

And then you become attached.

He says, I in you.

He's not asking you

to try harder,

he's asking you to come.

He says,

he that cometh unto me

I will no wise cast out.

You know,

you can't abide in something

you were never a part of.

The way to become part of Christ

is to call upon him as savior.

If you're not sure

about that this morning,

I encourage you to make sure.

Because that's the starting point.

But if you're his

and you know the power

is gone in your life,

you know,

I want you to understand,

don't wait for the feeling

to come back.

You need to take action.

The Bible says

we need to be the one

that says I want to be

abiding in Jesus.

Jesus didn't go anyplace.

Our heart wandered off

is the problem.

The Lord's talking to you

about something this morning.

You just need to step out

and say,

Lord,

I need to be obedient.

I need to trust you.

I need to do

as I know

you've instructed me to do.

I need to put away my pride.

I need to put away

what others may think

and say,

Lord,

I want to be obedient

to you.

Repentance.

A change of mind

about the things of God.

You're here this morning,

feel the weight

of the husbandman's knife

trimming some things

in your life.

To get your focus

back on the right things.

To remember

that what God

is doing in your life

is because he cares,

not because he's angry

with you.

Because the aim

is more fruit,

not less.

He just asks you

to stay.

The branch

is asked to produce

and it's asked to stay.

It says,

without me

ye can do nothing.

But with him

the same branch

bringeth forth

much fruit.

those three categories

I think this auditorium

takes care of.

The question is,

which are you?

Where are you

in your life?

As heads are bowed

and eyes are closed

this morning,

consider that reality.

Your relationship,

Lord.

Maybe you're here

this morning

and you don't know

him as Savior.

You may know

about him.

You may know

many things

about the Bible,

but there's a difference

between knowing

what God said

and trusting him

as Savior.

There's some things

in your life

that needs to be

taken care of

that you might

abide in him.

Some things

where you said,

my will,

Lord,

over your will.

Maybe you're here

today and you're

just walking

through things

of,

Lord,

why did you

take that away?

Or why did you

do this?

Why did that happen?

And God says,

trust me,

there's going

to be more fruit.

Are you willing

to abide?

Are you willing

to trust him?

Heavenly Fathers,

we take a moment

here for response

of the truth

of your word.

Lord,

I pray that you

just work

in each heart,

each life.

Lord,

as we just,

as the piano plays,

Lord,

that you just

stir hearts

so that we might

be serious

about this issue

of abiding

in you.

And Lord,

we just ask it

all in your

precious name.

As the piano plays,

what about you

today?