Keys To A Joyful Life: Abiding

Keys To A Joyful Life
Part II – Abiding
Pastor Terry Wilcox

John 15:1-8

John 15:1-8
Life is our most precious possession and each day, each of us is either wasting, spending, or investing our lives.

John 10:10
God’s will is that we live “abundantly.”
Throughout history “the vine” has been a symbol of God’s people. A sculpture of a vine on the wall of Solomon’s Temple featured grape pods the size of men.

The parable is about relationship.

KEY 1 – FRUIT BEARING

Joyful living is fruit bearing. The life of the vine (the Holy Spirit) produces fruit on the connected branches.

KEY 2 – ABIDING

John 15:4 NIV – “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”

John 15:4 NKJV – “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.”

John 15:4 TPT – “So you must remain in life – union with me, for I remain in life-union with you.”

Would you agree there’s a difference between union and communion?

Verbs are action words.

Abiding in Christ is not something we feel or believe, it is something we do.

Jesus’ parable tells us two things about fruit:

1. It is produced by Jesus (John 15:4)
2. The glory goes to God. (John 15:8)

This fruit that the disciples bear is not what they do, but the life of Jesus in them. It is in His character reproduced within them and shared with others in love. This cannot come to pass without the disciple abiding in Jesus, making his home in him as Jesus makes His home in the disciple.
– Dr. Rodger Fredrïkson

Relationship with Jesus requires both:

1. Surrender – God created us with the gift of choice.
2. Cooperation – Our greatest joys in life are usually about who’s there.

Actions to abiding:

1. Trust – vines must be pruned and we must trust the vinedresser.
2. Spend focused time.
3. Agree with God. (Confession and repentance.)
4. Engage in intentional actions – communion requires more than proximity and talk.

PERSONAL NOTES