Life Ministries

 “The key To Bearing Fruit Is Abiding”
1^st John 4:7-17 and John 15:1-17

    We are in a series about the “Keys To Abundant Life” and, last time I spoke about the fact that living the abundant life involves “bearing fruit”. In fact, the whole purpose of life – especially the Christian life – is bearing fruit…“fruit that will last.” The scripture says that any branch that does not bear fruit will be cut off. Now, there are two kinds of branches that we can say - from our limited knowledge of vines and trees – that get cut off; branches that are dead…and branches that may be living, but produce no fruit. Once again let me remind you that the law of scripture that “if the scripture applies to the individual Christian…it also applies to the church.”

    In our scripture, verse 4, Jesus says; “Remain (Abide) in me, and I will 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”… The Key to bearing fruit in our lives is abiding in the vine! In fact, in ten verses Jesus uses the word “abide” ten times. Branches draw life giving, fruit-bearing nourishment from the vine. In the Christian life, we first experience a “union” with Christ, and then we experience a “communion” with Christ.
    The communion or the “common-union” or the relationship is the result of abiding. The branches have a common-union with the vine, and we receive spiritual, physical, and emotional nourishment from the vine. Another thing we receive is strength. The vine is the strong part of the plant as Christ is the strength of the church and the Christian. He gives the strength to do that which we cannot do on our own… “I can do all things through Christ – who gives me strength” says Paul. The key to all this is “abiding.”
    We need not wonder if we are abiding in Christ and He in us…for if it is true, there will be several things that will manifest themselves in our life; First, and the most obvious, is that we will consistently bear fruit. If there is a lack of fruit, and especially a lack of the fruit of the Spirit, it may indicate that either there never was a “union” with Christ, or there was a union - but not a communion …there is no real relationship.
    Second, we can expect that there will be pruning taking place. The Father will be pruning away the things that would hinder development so we can be more fruitful.
    Third, we will know we are abiding when there is a growing dependence on God and His Word. We will seek knowledge and understanding; food and strength that only He can give, and we will realize that we are truly powerless without Christ in our lives.
    Fourth, will be the evidence of our love for God and our compassion toward others. 1^st. John 4 tells us that “God is love, and if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us.” Indeed, Jesus commanded us to love one another as His love and compassion for others flows through the branch that is connected to or abiding in the vine.
    Fifth, and certainly not least, we will know we are abiding when we have joy and enthusiasm concerning spiritual things. One of the first signs that we are not abiding as we should is a lack of joy and enthusiasm within the Christian or the church.
    It is good for us to examine ourselves often to see if we are abiding in the vine.  If we are then these things will be evident and ever increasing.
    Five keys to the abundant life that Jesus said He came to give… “I came that they may have life!...And have it more abundantly”!  The key to abundant living is bearing fruit. The key to bearing fruit is consistently abiding in the vine. The key to abiding – the key to remaining in the vine – and communing with the vine – is “trust”…