ABIDE
Good morning – I have been looking at the first part of John 15 now for several
weeks. I truly believe you need to take v. 1 all the way to v. 17 to get the entirety
of the message Jesus was conveying, so if you are reading, read the whole
passage all at once.
It’s magnificent in so many ways, but this morning I just want to look at the word
used several times in the passage – abide.
I’m not sure what comes to mind when you think about this word and passage.
Maybe some of you have a great and wonderful thought? Or maybe some of you
are tortured in thinking that if you commit any sin or have a bad thought or do
something really stupid that you have shown you are not abiding in Him and you
are subject to the dangers of the dried-up branch and will be taken out and
burned.
So let me give you the flavors of the word – remain; stay; live, dwell, lodge;
continue; continue in the realm or state of being; last, persist, continue to live;
endure, lasting, permanence; to wait, await.
So – dear friend, don’t think of abiding as a measure of your perfection, but
as a state of who you are.
Are you waiting for the soon-coming King? Are you anxious to meet Him and see
Him face to face? Is the bent of your life towards Him, despite all your failures
and imperfections?
Now read this passage with the emphasis squarely on the positive, which is what
I convinced Jesus was communicating. Context, context, context: Jesus has
spoken of Him leaving, Peter’s going to deny the Christ, the disciples are freaking
out; this unknown and unrevealed ghost is coming instead of flesh and bone, the
evil one of this world is coming… yikes, bad upon bad news –
But – He says He and the Father are the True Vine and Vineyard - NOT Israel,
so take heart and live, dwell, remain in God and all is well. Live, dwell, remain in
your own strength and it cannot produce anything, just like a branch who would
become disconnected to the root vine.
This is all good news!! Live, dwell, remain in God Himself (WHAT an invitation!!)
and you will produce fruit. A farmer supremely loves his prized wine-making Main
Vine and will do anything and all things to make sure it is good and healthy and
producing fruit, and more fruit.
Pastor rich faille