Abide: Cultivating Stillness for a Fruitful Faith
Summary
In today's message, we embark on a new series titled "Abide," focusing on the importance of stillness to cultivate a working faith. In our fast-paced, quick-fix culture, we often overlook the value of patience and the time it takes for the best things in life to develop. Our theme for the year is to build a faith that works, both individually and collectively, as it reaches out to others. This series is grounded in John 15, where Jesus describes Himself as the true vine and us as the branches. The essence of this passage is the intimate relationship we are invited to have with Jesus, where remaining in Him allows us to bear much fruit.
The challenge we face is staying connected to Jesus amidst the busyness of life. We often prioritize our ambitions, careers, and entertainment over our relationship with Him, leading to a disconnection from the vine. The key to abiding in Jesus is patience, a countercultural concept in our modern world. Patience requires us to slow down, be still, and make space for God in our daily lives. It involves an active stillness, where we listen for His voice and meditate on His Word.
The story of the Israelites at the Red Sea illustrates the power of stillness. Faced with an impossible situation, they were instructed to be still and witnessed God parting the sea for them. This teaches us that in our stillness, we can see God move in ways we could never imagine. As a church, we've experienced this firsthand as we faced the challenge of finding a new home. Despite numerous setbacks, we remained patient, trusting in God's faithfulness, and He provided a new place for us.
To abide in Jesus, we must deny ourselves certain things and actively seek holiness. It's not just about saying no to distractions but about being an active listener to what Jesus is saying. By shifting our focus from fixing our problems to abiding in Him, we align ourselves with God's heart and remain connected to the vine. In doing so, we experience the fullness of life that God intends for us.
Key Takeaways:
1. The Importance of Stillness: In a world that values speed and quick fixes, true spiritual growth requires patience and stillness. By slowing down and making space for God, we allow our faith to take root and flourish. This active stillness is essential for staying connected to Jesus, the source of life. [17:59]
2. Abiding in the Vine: Jesus is the true vine, and we are the branches. Remaining in Him is crucial for bearing fruit. When we prioritize our ambitions and desires over our relationship with Him, we risk becoming disconnected. Abiding in Jesus means making Him our life source and allowing His Spirit to flow through us. [23:11]
3. The Power of Patience: Patience is a key component of abiding in Jesus. It allows us to see God's hand at work in our lives. The story of the Israelites at the Red Sea demonstrates that in our stillness, we can witness God's miraculous interventions. By waiting patiently, we align ourselves with His timing and purposes. [29:35]
4. Active Listening and Holiness: Abiding in Jesus requires more than just avoiding distractions. It involves actively listening to His voice and seeking holiness. By meditating on His Word and spending time in prayer, we align our hearts with His and remain connected to the vine. [23:11]
5. Trusting in God's Faithfulness: As a church, we've experienced God's faithfulness in finding a new home. Despite challenges and setbacks, we remained patient and trusted in His provision. This journey reminds us that when we wait on God, we see Him move in ways beyond our imagination. [29:35]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [01:15] - Introduction to the Abide Series
- [03:30] - The Culture of Busyness
- [05:45] - The True Vine and the Branches
- [08:00] - The Importance of Remaining in Jesus
- [10:30] - The Consequences of Disconnection
- [13:00] - The Role of Patience in Abiding
- [15:45] - Active Stillness and Listening
- [18:30] - The Israelites at the Red Sea
- [21:00] - Trusting in God's Faithfulness
- [23:45] - Our Church's Journey to a New Home
- [26:30] - The Power of Patience and Trust
- [28:15] - Conclusion and Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide: "Abide"
#### Bible Reading
- John 15:1-8: Jesus describes Himself as the true vine and us as the branches, emphasizing the importance of remaining in Him to bear fruit.
#### Observation Questions
1. What does Jesus mean when He refers to Himself as the "true vine" and us as the "branches"? How does this imagery help us understand our relationship with Him? [17:59]
2. In the sermon, what examples are given of modern distractions that can lead us away from abiding in Jesus? [23:11]
3. How does the story of the Israelites at the Red Sea illustrate the power of stillness and patience? [23:11]
4. What role does patience play in staying connected to Jesus, according to the sermon? [29:35]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the concept of "active stillness" challenge our modern lifestyle, and what might it look like in practice? [17:59]
2. Why is patience considered a countercultural concept in today's society, and how does it relate to abiding in Jesus? [23:11]
3. How does the sermon suggest we can actively listen to Jesus and seek holiness in our daily lives? [29:35]
4. What does the church's journey to finding a new home teach us about trusting in God's faithfulness? [29:35]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your daily routine. What specific steps can you take to incorporate moments of stillness and patience to better abide in Jesus? [17:59]
2. Identify one ambition or distraction in your life that might be disconnecting you from the vine. How can you prioritize your relationship with Jesus over this distraction? [23:11]
3. Think of a situation where you felt overwhelmed or panicked. How can you apply the lesson of the Israelites at the Red Sea to trust in God's deliverance? [23:11]
4. What practical ways can you actively listen to Jesus this week, such as through prayer or meditation on His Word? [29:35]
5. Consider a recent challenge you faced. How did patience play a role in the outcome, and how can you cultivate more patience in future situations? [29:35]
6. How can you encourage others in your community to remain connected to Jesus, especially during times of change or uncertainty? [29:35]
7. Reflect on a time when you experienced God's faithfulness. How can this memory strengthen your trust in Him for future challenges? [29:35]
Devotional
Day 1: The Power of Active Stillness
In a world that constantly demands our attention and values speed, the practice of stillness becomes a radical act of faith. True spiritual growth requires us to slow down and make space for God, allowing our faith to take root and flourish. This active stillness is not about doing nothing but involves a deliberate pause to listen for God's voice and meditate on His Word. By prioritizing stillness, we stay connected to Jesus, the source of life, and allow His Spirit to work within us. [17:59]
"For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, 'In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.' But you were unwilling." (Isaiah 30:15, ESV)
Reflection: What is one practical way you can incorporate a moment of stillness into your daily routine this week to listen for God's voice?
Day 2: Remaining in the True Vine
Jesus describes Himself as the true vine, and we are the branches. Our ability to bear fruit is contingent upon remaining in Him. When we prioritize our ambitions and desires over our relationship with Jesus, we risk becoming disconnected from the vine. Abiding in Jesus means making Him our life source and allowing His Spirit to flow through us. This requires a conscious decision to align our lives with His teachings and to seek His presence daily. [23:11]
"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me." (John 15:4, ESV)
Reflection: What is one ambition or desire that you need to surrender to Jesus to remain connected to the true vine?
Day 3: Witnessing God's Hand Through Patience
Patience is a key component of abiding in Jesus, allowing us to see God's hand at work in our lives. The story of the Israelites at the Red Sea illustrates that in our stillness, we can witness God's miraculous interventions. By waiting patiently, we align ourselves with His timing and purposes, trusting that He will move in ways beyond our imagination. This patience is not passive but an active trust in God's faithfulness and provision. [29:35]
"Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!" (Psalm 27:14, ESV)
Reflection: Think of a situation where you are waiting for God's intervention. How can you actively trust in His timing and purposes today?
Day 4: The Call to Active Listening and Holiness
Abiding in Jesus requires more than just avoiding distractions; it involves actively listening to His voice and seeking holiness. By meditating on His Word and spending time in prayer, we align our hearts with His and remain connected to the vine. This active listening is a discipline that requires intentionality and a desire to grow in holiness, setting aside time to hear from God and respond to His leading. [23:11]
"Speak, LORD, for your servant hears." (1 Samuel 3:9, ESV)
Reflection: What is one way you can practice active listening to God's voice this week, and how can it lead you to pursue holiness?
Day 5: Trusting in God's Faithfulness
As a church, we've experienced God's faithfulness in finding a new home despite challenges and setbacks. This journey reminds us that when we wait on God, we see Him move in ways beyond our imagination. Trusting in God's faithfulness requires patience and a willingness to let go of our own plans, believing that His provision is perfect. It is a call to rest in His promises and to trust that He is working all things for our good. [29:35]
"Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act." (Psalm 37:5, ESV)
Reflection: Reflect on a recent challenge you faced. How did you see God's faithfulness in that situation, and how can it encourage you to trust Him in future challenges?
Quotes
Jesus is telling us, right? He's painting this beautiful picture of intimacy, what it looks like to be an actual real relationship with both Jesus and God the Father. Right? It's this beautiful, like, exchange of life. And, you know, verse 4 says, Remain in me as I also remain in you. There's this synergy. There's this connectedness that we have between us and Jesus Christ. And he says that as we, the branches, as we remain in him as our vine. [00:11:10] (32 seconds)
If we do that, he will remain in us. And that is just, it blows my mind, right? Like, it's the vine of the plant that delivers all the nourishment, all the energy, all the food and nutrients to the branches, right? So what Jesus is saying is that if we remain tapped into the vine, connected, deeply connected to the vine, then we can continue to receive his spirit itself, right? The spirit of God will flow through us. [00:11:34] (28 seconds)
But it's when we depart from the vine, it's when we lean into our own actions, our own ambitions, our own will, right? Our own way of life. It's when we depart from the vine that he says that you're like a branch that is thrown away and withers. Such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire, and burned, right? Like when we depart from the vine, we are literally only good for the fire itself. [00:12:26] (26 seconds)
Guys, we've got to learn how to slow down, right? We got to stop moving so fast and slow down. Actually, it's more than just learning about it, right? I think we all kind of understand what that means. I think the problem for many of us is we've got to be committed to it, right? It's one thing to know that we've got to slow down, but we've got to commit our lives, our day-to-day rhythms of life to being committed to slowing down. [00:16:43] (31 seconds)
In their stillness, in their stillness, they got to see God move in a way that they could never possibly imagined. They never in a million years could have predicted that God was going to do what God was going to do. What they saw in the moment was panic they were afraid they saw an obstacle this way and they saw an obstacle this way but when they were still they got to see God move when they were still before him. [00:23:42] (31 seconds)
When we wait on God, we can see God move. When we wait on God, that's when we get to see God move. We're experiencing this right now, right here as a church. Right? Most of you have heard by now. If you've been a part of our online community for any length of time, you've probably heard that, well, quite frankly, we're being kicked out of our home. It's not so harsh like that. [00:29:30] (27 seconds)
But the question was, all throughout, what do we do? Like we can't let our church die. Like surely God three years ago didn't call us to start this thing and call us to be a part of what he wants to do here. And then just, just to shut the doors, like we can't let the church die, right? So we did the work. We did as much as we could possibly do. We made the list. We made the phone calls. [00:31:40] (22 seconds)
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