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  • Welcome
    • What Is A Christian
    • What Does the Bible Teach?
    • What Must I Do To Be Saved?
    • Where Will You Spend Eternity?
  • Bible Study
    • Bible Courses
    • Bible Course 2
    • Bible Q&A Forum
    • Tracts
    • Study Tools
    • Downloadable Study Materials
    • Why Only One Cup?
    • Boatwright
    • CDs
      • CDI
      • CDII
      • CDIII
      • CDIV
      • CDV
      • CDVI
  • Sermons
    • Sermon Outlines
    • Video Sermons
    • Audio Sermons
    • Body Religous Journals
  • Hospitality
    • Recipes
    • Christian Businesses
    • Friends
  • Church Directory
  • Comment Form
    • Christian Informer
    • Spanish Section
    • 817-710-4291 -Encouragement
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                     "SECRETS OF THE ABUNDANT LIFE"  
  
                 The Secret Of Bearing Fruit Is Abiding  
  
INTRODUCTION  
  
1. In our previous lesson we saw that "The Secret Of Living Is Bearing  
   Fruit"...  
   a. As disciples of Jesus, we are to Him as branches are to the vine  
   b. Bearing fruit is our primary responsibility as branches  
   c. In the very act of bearing fruit, we experience the "abundant   
      life" that Jesus offers:  
      1) "Joy" for those who win souls to Christ  
      2) "Happiness" for those who share with the less fortunate  
      3) "Assurance" for those developing Christ-like qualities  
      4) "Peace" for those offering the fruit of prayer and praise  
  
2. In contrast, those "branches" that do not bear fruit are in danger of  
   becoming cut off from the vine...  
   a. "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away;" - Jn 15:2  
      a  
   b. In other words, those disciples who do not bear fruit will be "cut  
      off" from Jesus by the Father! - Jn 15:1-2 a  
   c. How then can we be sure to be fruitful as branches of the vine?  
  
[We have seen that the secret to living is bearing fruit...what is the   
secret of bearing fruit?]  
  
I. DISCERNING THE SECRET OF BEARING FRUIT  
  
   A. NOTICE HOW OFTEN JESUS USES THE WORD "ABIDE"...  
      1. In ten verses, he uses the word ten times! - Jn 15:4 (3),5,6,  
         7(2),9,10(2)  
      2. Why is this word mentioned over and over again?  Because...  
  
   B. THE SECRET OF BEARING FRUIT IS ABIDING!  
      1. A branch does not bear fruit by struggling, but by abiding in  
         the vine...  
         a. When you walk through a vineyard, do you detect tension and  
            struggle among the branches as they bear fruit?  
         b. No!  Instead there is a calm & confident resting - an   
            abiding - as branches draw their life from the vine in order  
            to bear fruit  
      2. In the Christian life, we experience first a "union", then a   
         "communion"...  
         a. When we become Christians, there is first a "union" with   
            Christ  
            1) Paul describes this union as taking place in baptism -   
               cf. Ga 3:27 ; Ro 6:3-5   
            2) Having "put on Christ" and being "united together" with  
               Him, our union with Him is like that of a branch to a   
               vine - Jn 15:5 a  
         b. As we "abide" in this union, we have "communion" or   
            fellowship with Christ in a very close and personal way -   
            Jn 15:4 a  
      3. This "communion" or mutual abiding with the vine (Christ)   
         enables the branches (disciples) to bear fruit!  
         a. The branch receives from the vine the strength necessary to  
            bear fruit; so the Christian receives from Christ strength  
            to do what he could not do on his own - Jn 15:4-5   
         b. Of the strength or power available to those in Christ, Paul  
            often wrote...  
            1) In his own life, and in the lives of others - Ph 4:13 ,  
               19; Co 1:29   
            2) He wanted others to know of the great power available to  
               them - Ep 1:18-20 ; 3:20  
            3) He often gave examples of how this power could transform  
               people  
               a) E.g., the Corinthians - 1 Co 6:9-11   
               b) Even himself - 1 Ti 1:12-16 ; 1 Co 15:9-10   
  
[So the secret of bearing fruit is abiding in Christ and He in us.    
Through such communion and fellowship, we benefit from Christ's strength  
so that we may be able to bear fruit and in turn experience the   
"abundant life."  
  
Are we abiding in Christ, and He in us?  We need not wonder, for there  
are several things that will be manifest in our lives when we are   
abiding in Christ...]  
  
II. EVIDENCES OF ABIDING IN CHRIST  
  
   A. BEARING MUCH FRUIT - Jn 15:5 b  
      1. This is the most obvious sign  
      2. When one is consistently bearing the sort of fruit described in  
         the previous lesson, that is certainly good evidence of a close  
         relationship with Christ!  
      3. Whereas the lack of fruit can be an indication of one of three  
         things...  
         a. Either there never was a "union" to begin with  
         b. Or there was a union, but "communion" is not taking place,  
            leaving one in jeopardy of being "cut off"  
         c. Or there was a union but the branch has already been cut   
            off!  
  
   B. THE FATHER'S PRUNING - Jn 15:2 b  
      1. We should expect to see evidence of the Father's work in our   
         lives, in which...  
         a. Things that would hinder us are being "cut away"  
         b. We are ever being developed so as to be more "fruitful"  
      2. One way that the Father does this is through the Word...  
         a. Notice Jn 15:3  - "clean" (katharos) is closely related to  
            "prune" (kathairo)  
         b. The Word of God can be a very powerful instrument in the   
            hands of the Lord - cf. He 4:12-13 ; Ep 6:17   
         c. As we read or hear it, it can expose us for what we really   
            are, and when received properly, help us make great changes  
            - cf. Ja 1:22-25   
      3. So if we are not constantly growing through the influence of   
         the Word of God, clearly we are not abiding in Christ!  
  
   C. A GROWING SENSE OF DEPENDENCE - Jn 15:5 c  
      1. We will come to realize that apart from Christ we can do   
         nothing (of real, lasting value)  
      2. But those who abide in Christ will become like Paul, who   
         realized the true source of his strength:  his union with   
         Christ! - cf. 2 Co 3:5 ; Ga 2:20 ; Ph 4:15   
  
   D. OUR PRAYERS BEING ANSWERED - Jn 15:7 ,16  
      1. As we abide in Christ, we will find our prayers being answered  
      2. Of course, such answered prayers will depend upon several   
         factors:  
         a. That we keep His commandments and do the things that please  
            Him - 1 Jn 3:22   
         b. That our requests be according to God's will - 1 Jn 5:14   
         c. That our requests not be for selfish gain - Ja 4:3   
      3. But one who abides in Christ should be able to look back and   
         see evidence of answered prayers (though not always answered in  
         the way we expected)  
  
   E. LOVE FOR CHRIST AND HIS PEOPLE - Jn 15:9 ,12  
      1. Since God is love (1 Jn 4:8 ) and Christ is God (Jn 1:1 ),  
         those who abide in Christ will abide in love - 1 Jn 4:7-8   
      2. Indeed, Christ commands us to love one another - Jn 15:17   
      3. And those who do not love the children of God , have not known  
         God - 1 Jn 3:14 ; 4:8,20-21  
  
   F. AN INNER JOY - Jn 15:11   
      1. Not the absence of trial or trouble, but a joy borne of the   
         assurance that Christ has overcome the world, and that we can  
         also through Him - Jn 16:33 ; cf. Ph 4:4   
      2. Indeed, one of the first visible signs of backsliding (of not   
         abiding in Christ) is the loss of joy, especially about things  
         spiritual! - cf. Ps 32:3 ; 51:12  
  
CONCLUSION  
  
1. These, then, are just a few of the evidences that we are abiding in   
   Christ...  
   a. Bearing much fruit  
   b. The Father's pruning  
   c. A growing sense of dependence  
   d. Our prayers being answered  
   e. Love for Christ and His people  
   f. An inner joy  
  
2. To be sure, not every believer who abides in Christ will have ALL   
   these blessings in the SAME DEGREE at the same time...  
   a. But they will be present in some measure, and they will be strong  
      enough to be evident (to ourselves at least, if not always to   
      others)  
   b. And they should always be INCREASING! - Jn 15:2 ; cf. 2 Pe 1:8   
  
3. It is good for us as branches to examine ourselves regularly to see  
   if we are truly abiding in Christ - cf. 2 Co 13:5   
   a. For the secret of the abundant life is bearing fruit  
   b. And the secret of bearing fruit is abiding in Christ  
   c. And so if we are not abiding in Christ, we cannot enjoy the   
      abundant life!  
  
But what's the secret of abiding in Christ?  Our next lesson will  
examine THAT secret...

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