Abide In Me, John 15:9-17 Sermon given on May 6th, 2018

This past Sunday's text follows immediately after the verses from the week's prior sermon. (The sermon about 'I am the true vine') The verses are John 15:9-17 and are (as always) included below.  These verses, continue along the theme of remaining or 'abiding' in Christ.  They include also the common theme of 'love' and that this, is in fact, a commandment if not 'the' commandment given to us all by Christ.  This sermon played right along with last week's sermon of course, as well as blending with the sermon given on Thursday night during our evening worship service, that sermon covered the verses found in 1st John 5:1-9.

It seems for the last few sermons I've been hitting upon 'love' a great deal, not that it's a bad thing for us to focus upon... being Christ followers and all.  But, again this week we're squarely looking at 'LOVE' in the sermon.  Now last week (and in numerous other sermons) I discussed the need for all of us to remain in community, I am very much of the mind that we are called to gather together to strengthen and support each other... and to be able to work together to accomplish all the tasks that God has set before us.  Alone, there is only so much that we can do, and only so long that we can carry on without becoming exhausted and having our faith spent.  Together we can pull on that vine (just as the children did last week) and accomplish some amazing things, and we can support and nourish each other when our brothers and sisters are in a time of spiritual testing or faith crisis.  BUT, we are also as it says in these verses to go forth and bear fruit.  We are not only to be Christ followers when we gather as one on Sunday mornings, but we are to witness each and every day of our lives.  We are called to renew and to nourish each other, but just as importantly we are called to take Christ's message to all the world.  Let us bring forth the fruit of the vine by planting, watering, and harvesting per the Lord's directive.

I've included the videos for both Sunday's sermon and last Thursday night's sermon.  Below I have also included verses 5 and 6 of the little book 2nd John, I mentioned a section of these verses in the sermon given on Thursday night. 

Neither of these videos is particularly long, I pray that if you take the time to listen that they will give you some form of encouragement or edification.  Thank you for wandering through this little corner of the internet.  God bless!

Be a blessing to someone today!

In His Grace & Love,
Roy

Video of Sunday's sermon

(FYI, Sunday was "Hat Day" at Church, we were all encouraged to wear a hat to Church.  Of course, I chose to wear a Superman hat. LOL)

Video of the Thursday Night Sermon

John 15:9-17 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
9 As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.

12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 I do not call you servants[a] any longer, because the servant[b] does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. 16 You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. 17 I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.

Footnotes:
a) John 15:15 Gk slaves

b) John 15:15 Gk slave


1 John 5:1-9 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ[a] has been born of God, and everyone who loves the parent loves the child. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, 4 for whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith. 5 Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

6 This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only but with the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one that testifies, for the Spirit is the truth. 7 There are three that testify:[b] 8 the Spirit and the water and the blood, and these three agree. 9 If we receive human testimony, the testimony of God is greater; for this is the testimony of God that he has testified to his Son.

Footnotes:
a) 1 John 5:1 Or the Messiah
b) 1 John 5:7 A few other authorities read (with variations) 7 There are three that testify in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one. 8 And there are three that testify on earth:


2nd John, verses 5 & 6 (New Century Version)
5 And now, dear lady, this is not a new command but is the same command we have had from the beginning. I ask you that we all love each other. 6 And love means living the way God commanded us to live. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is this: Live a life of love.

Definition of abide (Webster Dictionary)
abode play \-ˈbōd\ or abided; abiding
transitive verb
1a: to bear patiently: tolerate 
cannot abide such bigots
b: to endure without yielding: withstand 
abide the onrush of the enemy

2: to wait for: await
I will abide the coming of my lord.
 —Alfred Tennyson

3: to accept without objection 
will abide your decision
intransitive verb
1: to remain stable or fixed in a state 
a love that abode with him all his days
2: to continue in a place: sojourn 
will abide in the house of the Lord
— 
abider
 noun
— abide by
1: to conform to 
abide by the rules
2: to accept without objection: to acquiesce in 
will abide by your decision