An Act of Thanksgiving - Luke 17

 

An Act of Thanksgiving - Luke17:11

Introduction

 A woman leaving the worship service said to the minister, "I enjoyed the sermon."

"Don't thank me. Thank the Lord," said the minister. "Well, It wasn't that good," the lady replied. - Robert S. Smith, Kane, Pennsylvania, Christian Reader, "Lite Fare."

A mother picked up her 5-year-old after a schoolmate’s birthday party. As he got in the car she asked, "Bobby, did you thank Paula’s mother for inviting you to the party?"

   "Well, I was going to. But a girl ahead of me said, 'Thank you,' and the Paula’s mom told her not to mention it. So I didn't."

   A man writing at the post office desk was approached by an older fellow who had a post card in his hand. The old man said, "Sir, could you please address this post card for me?" The man gladly did so, and he agreed to write a short message on the post card, and he even signed it for the man, too.

Finally the man doing the writing said to the older man, "Now, is there anything else I can do for you?" The old fellow thought about it for a minute, and he said, "Yes, at the end could you just put, 'P.S. Please excuse the sloppy handwriting.'"

It is easy to recognize the ingratitude in these stories, and its easy to recognize ingratitude in others, but sometimes it’s hard to recognize ingratitude when its in me. The Bible is our soul’s mirror, and it gives us insight that lets us see that the Lord very definitely recognizes ingratitude and responds to thanksgiving. Turn to Luke 17 verse 11.

Lifting Voices - Luke 17:11-12

Unclean Lepers

They were stricken with leprosy, a disease, that made them outcast from society.

Leprosy was a terrible disfiguring disease that in its latter stages caused fingers and toes to drop off and the flesh to rot while the person was still alive.

Those with it were abhorrent to those who did not have the disease.

The lepers call out to Jesus for mercy. Luke 17:13 Master, have mercy on us. The word used for master here is not the word that we think of in terms of Lord, teacher or Rabbi. This word, ἐπιστάτης, epistatēs, means commander, one appointed over a task, or people or in this case disease. These lepers believed that Jesus as Messiah had command over disease, that what they read in the Old Testament about the Messiah healing their sicknesses was true. They had probably heard as all of Israel by this time had heard, of the miracles of Jesus, the Messiah. They knew if they cried out to Him in their helplessness, in their hopelessness that Jesus could heal them. He had been appointed commander of even an illness as deadly as leprosy.

Jesus hears their cry for mercy and the master of all things in heaven and in earth acts on their behalf. He shows them mercy, but not in the way we have seen before. As always, Jesus is also the master of the unexpected. He doesn’t touch their necrotizing bodies. He doesn’t anoint them with clay and spittle. He doesn’t ask them if they believe in Him. No, instead He calls back to them, Luke 17:14 “Go shew yourselves unto the priests.” This was the procedure from the Law of Moses, if a leper believed they were no longer leprous, before they were allowed to return to their families and society, a priest must pronounce them clean.

When they heard Jesus commandment, they knew, it was His promise of healing and even before they saw any proof they headed for the Temple. And Luke tells us what happened, Luke 17:14 it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.

They went in faith as Jesus commanded as they obeyed there were healed. Cleaned of the death sentence written in scars and wounds and lesions, on their very bodies. The leprosy was cleansed as they stepped out in faith.

Unclean Sinners

In our natural state, we are as unclean inside as the lepers were on the outside. The Bible often uses disease, like leprosy, as a symbol of sin. Though our body may not show a death sentence, our soul does. It’s not just lepers that are far off and need mercy from the Lord. That is true of all of us in our natural state.

Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

Romans 3:10-12 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

And another truth that we all share with the unclean lepers is that if we will lift up our voices and call out to the Lord, He will hear and He will heal or soul’s diseases. Like the lepers in Luke and Isaiah’s statement we are all clothed in filthy rags, our best intentions, our best acts, our greatest goodness is stained, torn and reeks of sin. Sin has marred us, maimed us and marked us as those who are spiritually the walking dead.

Illustration: Filthy Garments Changed

Look at this vision that the prophet Zechariah saw in Zechariah 3:1-4 And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. 2 And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? 3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. 4 And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.

In the vision Joshua the High priest of Israel after the return from Captivity, is a symbol for the nation Israel that one day will be cleansed by God’s mercy. And isn’t it also a picture for us. We stand in our filthy garments stained by sin. Satan stands by to resist the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus Christ, and the Lord says, “I rebuke thee, Satan. My shed blood has washed them clean and they have been given new garments. Robes, white as snow, washed in the blood of the lamb!”

The only way we can find mercy.

The only way we can be made clean and whole it to do as the lepers did that day, “Master, have mercy on me!”

We must believe that He is able and we must believe that He is willing to forgive and cleanse. And that is exactly what His word says, Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”

We must cry out in repentance, seeing our filthiness and then step out in faith to receive our salvation. When you take the first step, you will find His salvation.

Remember the lepers outside the gate of Samaria when the city was under seige. They couldn't go in for they were lepers and they couldn't leave because the enemy was camped outside the city. Finally, one to the leper asked the others, "Why sit we here till we die?" They quit sitting and walked into the camp of the enemy and God did a miracle.

Today, many are doing just that, sitting there until they die, both physically and spiritually.  Just sitting while the leprosy of sin eats away at their soul, heart and life. Just sitting while the leprosy of sin scars and disfigures their spirit. Just sitting there until they die, both physically and eternally. Don’t wait, don’t let the leprosy of sin claim another day of your life. Call out and step out, Salvation comes after that first call of repentance and step of faith.

Usually, the stories of healings stop right about here. What greater climax of a story could there be? As they walked as Jesus had commanded them, they were healed. Amazing, as all the miracles of Jesus were and are. Yet, this story doesn’t end with us watching the joyous lepers leaping and running toward the Temple. Look at vs. 15

  Loudly Glorifying - Luke 17:15-16

15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.

One of Ten

Now we come to the real reason Luke included this story of healing. Many lepers, blind, deaf, mute, lame have been healed by this the third year of Jesus earthly ministry. If they came to Jesus and sometimes even if they didn’t come to Him, He healed them.

Jesus’ healing of disease fulfilled Old Testament prophecy and showed the Jesus was the anointed One of God, He was the Messiah for “no other man ever did miracles like these.”

Matthew 12:22-24 Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw. 23 And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David.

But Luke’s purpose in telling us of this healing isn’t about another miracle or about the Pharisees’ rejection of the One they knew was the true Messiah. His purpose begins with this one who come back, this one Samaritan who falls at the feet of Jesus and gives glory to God in a loud voice of thanksgiving.

Only one came back, only one fell at Jesus feet and said thank you for cleansing me. All ten were healed but only this Samaritan came back to glorify God with his thanksgiving.

Isn’t it interesting or perhaps, revealing that these 10 lepers had faith enough to be healed but 9 of them lacked the gratitude needed to come back and give thanks to the One who had returned their lives.

One commentator I read said, “Gratitude is even rarer than faith.” – Wycliffe Bible Commentary. That is astute, not to mention convicting.

The Tithe of Thanksgiving

So I need to tell you that this sermon is actually about tithing. I know you just thought we were going to talk about thanksgiving, get a good meal and go home.  Now that we got you in here, its time to get down to the nitty-gritty.

Actually, the verses in Luke 17 are about a tithe. We often talk of giving a tithe but I doubt most of us have thought about being a tithe, but that is what the Samaritan leper was on this day. He was a tithe of thanksgiving, one out of ten, who came back and gave thanks to the Lord.

If you are a Christian, a child of God, a citizen of heaven, then you have put your faith in Jesus who died for you. You have called out for mercy and like these lepers you were saved. Yet, I wonder as I read God’s word here, if my faith too often stops at salvation and does not always continue on to full thanksgiving.

I have to also ask myself as I think of this story, "Would I have been in the 9 that went on or world I have been that tithe of thanksgiving that came back and fell at Jesus feet.  

The Bible makes it very clear that thanksgiving is worship, sacrifice and service to God

Psalms 69:30  30 I will praise the name of God with a song,
and will magnify him with thanksgiving.

Psalms 95:2 2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving,
and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.

Psalms 107:22 22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving,
and declare his works with rejoicing.

Life without thankfulness is devoid of love and passion. Hope without thankfulness is lacking in fine perception. Faith without thankfulness lacks strength and fortitude. Every virtue divorced from thankfulness is maimed and limps along the spiritual road. - John Henry Jowett (1864-1923)

Paul succinctly states the Christian ideal life in Colossians 2:6-7 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

Paul is saying that thanksgiving is the capstone of the Christian life, we should abound in thanksgiving, I want to be that tithe of thanksgiving and I want my thanksgiving to be modeled after this Samaritan leper. Who didn’t care what the rest of his companions were doing, where they were going or what they were thinking, He returned to the One who had given him new life and fell at His feet thanksgiving that glorified God. Is there any other place than at the feet of Jesus where thanksgiving can best given?

Now go with me to verse 17 and the perspective shifts from the lepers running into Jerusalem and the leper at Jesus feet and now we see the event from the eyes and the heart of Jesus.

Looking For Thanks - Luke 17:17-19

And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

Ten lepers healed; One made whole

What a glimpse into the heart of our Savior. As he acknowledges the Samaritan giving thanks at His feet, He looks down the road and the other nine are nowhere to be seen. Jesus says, “Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?”

We don’t know how long it was after Jesus told them to show themselves to the priests, but somewhere on the road to the Temple, they were healed. When that happened nine just kept walking, I’m sure they were glad they were healed. I don’t think we should be so harsh as to say they were not grateful and didn’t say a prayer as they rushed to the Temple. But only this Samaritan, this stranger as Jesus puts it, came back to thank the One who had given mercy to him.

We can almost hear the heart of Jesus cant we? “There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.” Only one? Only one?

Then Jesus speaks directly to the healed Samaritan and listen to his words, “Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.” This Greek word for whole, I had no problem memorizing in college, σώζω sōzō; to save, heal, preserve, save (self), do well, be whole.

Just as I can’t be sure of the attitude of the other nine, I can’t say that they didn’t believe in Jesus as Savior of their souls as well as their bodies, but I can say that Jesus looked down on this one and said, “your faith has made you sozo, whole. He came and gave thanks to the Savior of his body and his soul. The newer translations all say, your faith has made you well. Maybe they’re right though that was also true of the other nine. I like this translation much better in the KJV, your faith has made you whole, your faith, expressed by your thanksgiving has made you complete, whole.

The other nine were healed but this one was healed and made whole through his act of thanksgiving.

Will I be The One in Ten?

Well, what can take home with me from this passage of scripture?

First, be a tithe of thanksgiving. No matter what everyone else is doing you go back and thank the Lord.

Second, your thanksgiving should be active.

 Be active like this leper turning around and go back to find Jesus. Your thanksgiving should be apparent, it should move you. It should bring you to church, it should motivate acts of kindness and gifts of sacrifice. The old cliché is that Christianity is a not a spectator sport, well that definitely includes giving thanks.

Finally, others should see your thankfulness. Look at us over 2000 years later and we are still taking note of the thankful Samaritan who returned. Our thanksgiving should make others take note. They should see it, So, Pray and give thanks before you eat a meal, anywhere and everywhere. Reach out to others with a kind word and a word about the Lord. Join in our community outreaches, welcome new movers from our new movers lists.  Actively serving the Lord through His church is actively thanking the Lord for your salvation.

Our biggest problem in the church today is this vast majority of Sunday morning Christians who claim to have known the Master's cure and who return not [at other times] to thank Him by presence, prayer, testimony and support of His church. In fact, the whole Christian life is one big "Thank You," the living expression of our gratitude to God for His goodness. But we take Him for granted and what we take for granted we never take seriously. - Vance Havner in The Vance Havner Quote Book.  Christianity Today, Vol. 31,  no. 17.

Remember what Jesus said after accepting the Samaritan’s thanksgiving.  Your faith, the faith expressed through and in thanksgiving, has made you whole.  

Count Your Blessings

While on a short-term mission’s trip, Pastor Jack Hinton was leading worship at a leper colony on the island of Tobago. A woman who had been facing away from the pulpit turned around.

"It was the most hideous face I had ever seen," Hinton said. "The woman's nose and ears were entirely gone. She lifted a fingerless hand in the air and asked, 'Can we sing Count Your Many Blessings?' "

Overcome with emotion, Hinton left the service. He was followed by a team member who said, "I guess you'll never be able to sing that song again."

"Oh Yes, I will," he replied, "but I'll never sing it the same way."- The Pastor's Update (5/96).  - Fresh Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching (Baker), from the editors of Leadership.

Conclusion

As we close our service today, this is the question you must answer today, on Thanksgiving Day and truly everyday of your life. Am I in the nine walking away or am I the one, that tithe of thanksgiving, who returns and gives thanks?

Some of us today need to simply give thanks to God. Some need to do it by calling out in faith for mercy and trust Jesus to save us. Give Him your heart, life and soul as a thanksgiving offering. Some need to humble themselves before God and commit themselves to leaving a life of thanklessness and live our life so that others can see our thanksgiving to the One who saved us. Or perhaps, we just need to take time this morning to truly glorify God with our thanks. How long since your sincere faith with thanksgiving has made your whole?

 

Jesus’ Life In My Life John 15:1-8

 

Jesus’ Life In My Life

John 15:1-8

Introduction:

We are going to talk about “abiding in Christ” this morning, from John chapter 15. Abiding in Christ is the essential power of every Christian and yet most of us don’t really know how to abide in Christ. We understand what the phrase means, we know it is important but we don’t really know how it is accomplished. It is not clear, it’s a mystery to most Christians.

 It is like in a story which is supposed to have happened centuries ago when the Pope decided that all the Jews who were then in Rome should leave. Not surprisingly, there was uproar in the Jewish community. So the Pope made a deal. He would debate it with their most learned Rabbi, , and if the Jew won, they could stay, but if the Pope won, then the Jews would have to leave.

The Jews realized they had no choice, so they picked their most learned Rabbi a man named Moshé to represent them. Moshe agreed, but he had one condition, since he did not speak Italian and the Pope did not speak Hebrew. on one condition so neither side should be allowed to talk. Eventually, the Pope agreed. So, the day of the great debate came, and Moshé and the Pope sat opposite each other for a full minute, neither side moving or speaking. Then the Pope made the first move, by raising his hand and showing three fingers. Moshé looked back and in the most determined of ways, raise just one finger.

The Pope then waved his three fingers around his head. Moshé thought hard, and pointed his one finger to the ground where he sat. Finally the Pope brought out some bread and a glass. Whereupon Moshé brought out an apple.

At this the Pope looked utterly overwhelmed. "I give up" he cried out "This man is too good. The Jews can stay"

An hour later the college of Cardinals met with the Pope to ask whatever had happened. "Well first" said the Pope "I held up three fingers to represent the Trinity. He responded with just one finger to remind me that there is one God common to both our religions. So I waved my fingers around to show him that God is all around us. He responded by pointing to the ground, showing that God was also right with us.

So I brought out bread and wine to represent God's answer to human sin. He pulled out an apple to remind me of original sin which binds all people together. He had an answer for everything … what else could I do?"

Meanwhile, the entire Jewish community was crowding around Moshé to ask whatever had happened. "Well" said Moshé "He began by saying that the Jews had three days to leave Rome" I told him we were staying, right to the last one. Then he told me the entire city was going to be cleared of Jews. So I let him know we were staying right where we were" "But then what happened?" they asked. "This is the bit I really don't understand" said Moshé "He took out his lunch and I took out mine!" - http://www.ebcg.ch/sermons/050220.htm Evangelical Baptist Church of Geneva 2006

            Abiding in Christ means simply learning to trust him in such a way that his power, grace and strength simply flows into us with no conscious thought of our own. It is simply living the way a Christian should live. Now lets see how Christ says this is accomplished in us.

The Vine and the Vinedresser - John 15:1-3

1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3  Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

Now Are Ye Clean

Jesus uses the symbol of a grapevine to explain the relationship between the Son, Father and disciples. He says, I am the “true vine.”

What does he mean by that phrase the true vine. Keep in mind that this is being taught on the same night as the Passover and more importantly the first Lord’s Supper. What Jesus is saying that he is the genuine vine of righteousness, the true vine. He is the vine that Israel was supposed to symbolize but failed.

Isaiah 5:1-7 Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: 2 And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes,
and it brought forth wild grapes. 3 And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah,
judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard.  4 What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes,
brought it forth wild grapes? 5 And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard:
I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down: 6 And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged;
but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. 7 For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.

What Israel should have been, what it should have symbolized, a vine bearing fruit for their God, Jesus was the fulfillment. He was the true vine that would not bring forth wild fruit for the vinedresser.

He also says that his Father is the vinedresser.

The vinedresser was a specialized and skilled worker. To properly dress the vine was a task that took experience and knowledge, else the vine would not flourish. Under skillful hands the vine would produce an abundance of fruit.

The figure of the vine and vinedresser is meant to show that God gave His Son to be, the source of blessings to man; that all grace, mercy and blessing would flow through Him. God the Father would care for the branches that would be connected to Jesus our vine of grace.

Two words are used here for pruning, in the Greek they form a play on words which we can’t see in the English. The Greek words airei, taketh away, and kathairei, purgeth. The play on words in English would translate as “cuts away” and “cuts back.” – Tyndale NT commentary on John pg. 176

Jesus then tells the disciples that they are now “clean” kathairei, cut back, though the word that he has spoken to them.

His teaching in the upper room, his sending away of Judas, his admonishing them for not knowing him or the place where he must go “cut back” their ignorance and “cut away” one of their own members, now are they were clean. All the words of Jesus to the disciples would cut away that which hindered them from being fit to carry His name.

The Cutting Back Of the Vineyard

If we are to be fruitful then we must understand and expect the cutting away and the cutting back of the Father’s care.

Jesus says this takes place in two ways, taking away and purging, cutting away and cutting back. If a branch does not bear any fruit, then it is taken away. A branch that is fruitful is cut back, pruned, that it may bear even more fruit. These figures picture our service, not our salvation. A believer who bears no fruit is removed. How God does this is according to His infinite wisdom. I can only guess but God will act to remove someone who says they are a believer but refuses to be fruitful.

The second dressing is for those who are fruitful. God cleans them, purges them, prunes in their life that that may be more fruitful. Jesus told the apostles that this cleaning had been done through the word that He had spoken to them. The application is easy to make, if we refuse to grow, to produce and reproduce, then Fathers sovereign, providential hand will take us away. If however, we desire to be fruitful for our Lord then Jesus tells us we will experience the Father’s hand “cutting away” that which hinders us from being all we are meant to be as branches of the vine of grace. This cleaning of our life is done today the same way it was with Jesus and the apostle, through His Word.

Paul used the our relationship with the Lord to teach Husbands how to love their wives and he added this insight in Ephesians 5:25-27 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; (Notice the purpose) 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

We are to be set apart for a special purpose and cleansed with the washing of water by the Word. It is the Word, especially those of Jesus that keep us fit and fruitful in our service for Him.

Jesus then shifts focus from the vine and dresser to the branches.

 The Vine and the Branches - John 15:4-5

4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, 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.

Abide In Me

Jesus tells the disciples to abide in Him, just as the branches must stay attached to the vine to live and grow, they must live in Him. “Abide in me and I in you.” He tells them why this is vital, “As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.”

He now emphasizes this relationship, a relationship that reaches from the throneroom of Heaven down to every believer on earth, He says, “I am the vine, ye are the branches.”

God The Father is the vinedresser, Jesus is the true vine and the apostles were the branches. He wants them to understand this and so He uses something they can comprehend, John 15:5 He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit...

As branch cannot live or be fruitful unless it is attached to the vine, so neither can the disciples spiritually live and bear the fruit of grace without a constant, consistent attachment to Jesus Christ. Emphatically the Lord says, “For without me ye can do nothing!”

Abiding In Jesus

The same key to the spiritual life to a full and fruitful life is knowing what it means to abide in Christ. Abide In Me, Jesus said then and is still saying today.

Today we look for hundreds of ways and means to be spiritually alive and fruitful as Christians. We use techniques and tricks that some well-meaning fellow believer has shared with us. We read innumerable books and attend seminars, classes or even watch YouTube instructional videos.

Others mislead Christians seek signs and miracles, or search for the latest and greatest healer and prophet in order to build and bolster their faith.

Contrast all that to what Jesus said, “Abide in me.” Just abide in Jesus, is it really that simply. Get all the spiritual, Biblical knowledge that you can but it must remain focused on this simple truth, does it draw me closer to Jesus?

What does it mean then to “abide In Christ?

Does it mean more effort, more energy, more money given to those things which result in numerical or intellectual growth? I don’t think so. In fact the symbol Christ uses teaches us exactly what it is that we need to be doing and what we should not be doing when it comes to Christian living.

Listen again to what He said in verse 5, “I am the vine ye are the branches. He that abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit for without me you can do nothing.”

Now think about it for a moment, the branch of the grapevine does not do anything of itself. It does not strain to grow a leaf or concentrate hard to send out a tendril or stress and fret about shooting forth a bud or study to know how to grow a cluster of grapes.

These things happen in the grapevine simply because the branch is attached to the vine. As long as the life-giving flow of nutrients and water move from the vine to the branches the fruit will come.

So, the key to living, growing and being fruitful is simply staying as strongly attached to the vine, to Jesus Christ as I can. As long as that relationship is strong, there will be fruit. How much time am I spending with Him? How much of my study is centered around His words? How much of my life is defined by my relationship with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?

Philippians 1:9-11 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; 10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; 11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

Its all about Him. My being in Him and Him being in Me. There is no more important command for living the Christian life as it ought to be lived than, “Abide In Me!”

Are you plugged in?

In his book Spiritual Stamina, Stuart Briscoe tells the story of a man who bought a new computer. Bringing his new prize home, he carefully opened the box, gingerly took the machine out, studied its manual, and connected the wires. Eagerly he flipped on the power switch -- but nothing happened. Puzzled, the man switched the computer off and rechecked all the connections. He rounded up a screwdriver and fastened the wires more securely. He read again the relevant portion of the manual. Satisfied that he'd followed directions, he flipped the computer on -- and again nothing happened. As his anger rose the man's little girl walked into the room. "Hi, Daddy!" her cheery voice rang out. "What a pretty computer! Can I plug it in?" - Moody, 6-23-91

As the computer can not compute with power, or the light shine without electricity neither can the Christian be fruitful without Christ.

 The Vine and the Promise - John 15:6-8

6 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. 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

Cast Forth Or Kept As Disciples

Jesus makes two promises, the first sorrowful, the second joyful. He says, “If a man does not abide in Christ he will be like a dead branch and will be thrown out of the vineyard. He is very graphic in this description, he wither, is gathered and burned.

The joyful promise is that If a man abides in Christ, and Jesus’ words abide in them then you shall ask anything and it shall be done, thus bringing glory to the Father. By abiding in Him and His words abiding in them, they truly will be His disciples.

Two promises both equally true and both equally misunderstood at times.

The first is a promise of loss because the believer has lost his attachment to Christ, he no longer abides in Him. This is not a promise of damnation in Hell. The passage is a picture, a parable in a sense and it is not about salvation but about discipleship and about fruitfulness. You should never use a symbol, an illustration or a metaphor to prove doctrine, that is how cults start and people lose their way. Jesus is saying that those believers who will not submit themselves to the pruning of the Father, the cutting and preparation of His word and who will not stay attached, stay close to Jesus, then they will be cast off.

Some will be cast off through the discipline of the church, some through sin that removes them from service to Christ, some though depression and anxiety that prevents them from experiencing fruitfulness. Their discipleship and their fruit withers in their life and they are cut away from the vine. But this cutting off is not eternal judgment, Jesus is simply following the symbol of what happens in a literal vineyard. The dead branches are gathered up and burned. It is a judgment of their unfruitfulness and their discipleship but not of their salvation.

Exactly the same thing Paul teaches in 1Corinthains 3:15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

The other promise is of fruitfulness, not of being cast away but of glorifying the Father through our discipleship. It is as simple as the illustration itself, the branch that is close to Christ is fruitful, the branch that abides in Him, brings glory to the Father and what he asks is done because of that closeness to Jesus.

Are We Truly Abiding in Christ?

Is this joyful promise of fruitfulness, of a full life, a blessed life, being fulfilled in me today? This is what we hope for, the completion of our purpose to glorify our Father in Heaven. We seek fruitful prayer life where they are answered because Jesus is in us and we are in Him. The key then and the key now is the same, staying attached, stay close, concentrate on Jesus. I must abide, live, dwell in Him? I must let His words dwell in me.

Spend a dedicated part of your day being with Christ? Most of us are too passive in our relationship with our Savior. Talk with Him, walk with Him, listen to Him as He speaks to you through His word. This week we in our Bible readings we finished the Gospels and I realized how much I loved to hear Jesus speak. I love hearing about Jesus, but I should long to hear from Jesus ask He speaks directly to me through His word.

This passage in Acts captures this elemental truth of how important my day by day, personal relationship with Jesus is, Acts 17:28  For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

Conclusion

Aiming To Abide

I let so many things in my life distract me from my life in Jesus. I’m so grateful He promised to never let go or forget me, but I’m afraid too often I can go too long without talking and walking with Jesus.

A new year is coming, I want to dedicate 2025 in my own life to Abiding in Christ. And I want us as a church to aim to abide as well. What can we modify to make more of our life in Him. What needs to be cut away? What needs to be pruned and made ready to bear spiritual fruit for our Savior? Let us put our heart and soul into staying close to the Savior. Aim to Abide!