Abiding in Christ: Cultivating Spiritual Growth for the New Year

Devotional

Day 1: Abiding in Christ: A Lifelong Commitment

Abiding in Christ is a profound and ongoing commitment that goes beyond mere participation in spiritual activities. It involves a deep, continuous fellowship with Jesus, characterized by aligning one's life with His Word and living in obedience to His commandments. This relationship is essential for bearing fruit that glorifies God, as it reflects a life transformed by His presence. As believers, we are called to remain in Him, allowing His teachings to shape our thoughts, actions, and priorities. This abiding is not a mystical experience but a practical, daily walk with Christ, where His Word becomes the guiding principle of our lives. [09:25]

John 15:4-5 (ESV): "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. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."

Reflection: What specific steps can you take today to deepen your fellowship with Christ and ensure that your life is aligned with His Word?

Day 2: Pruning for Spiritual Growth

As we enter a new year, it is crucial to examine our lives and identify areas that hinder our spiritual growth. This process of pruning involves recognizing both sins of commission and omission and making intentional decisions to remove these obstacles. By doing so, we create space for new growth and opportunities to strengthen our church community. Embracing this mindset of a vinedresser, we are encouraged to let go of anything that does not contribute to our spiritual maturity and to seek ways to enhance our relationship with God and others. [31:57]

Hebrews 12:1 (ESV): "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us."

Reflection: What is one specific area of your life that you need to prune to allow for greater spiritual growth and community involvement?

Day 3: Fellowship through the Word

True fellowship with God is achieved through engaging with His Word. The Bible is not merely a textbook but the living Word of God, which discerns the thoughts and intents of our hearts. By immersing ourselves in Scripture, we cultivate a deeper relationship with Christ and gain insight into His will for our lives. This engagement with the Word is essential for abiding in Christ and growing in our faith. As we meditate on Scripture, we are transformed by its truths and equipped to navigate the complexities of life with wisdom and grace. [18:09]

Psalm 119:105 (ESV): "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."

Reflection: How can you incorporate regular Bible study into your daily routine to enhance your fellowship with God and understanding of His will?

Day 4: Obedience and Faith: A Pursuit of Righteousness

Obedience to God's Word is not about legalism but a genuine pursuit of righteousness. Our relationship with God is initiated through faith, and our life in Christ is demonstrated through our loyalty and obedience to His commandments. This obedience is a reflection of our love for God and our desire to live according to His will. As we strive to align our actions with His teachings, we experience the fullness of life that He promises and bear witness to His transformative power in our lives. [29:42]

James 1:22 (ESV): "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves."

Reflection: In what ways can you demonstrate your faith through obedience to God's Word in your daily life?

Day 5: Community and Mentorship: Building Strong Relationships

Building strong relationships within the church community is vital for spiritual growth. Seeking mentorship and engaging in biblical community provide support and guidance as we navigate life's challenges. These relationships help us grow in our faith and encourage us to live out our calling as followers of Christ. By investing in community and mentorship, we contribute to the growth of the body of Christ and create an environment where everyone can thrive spiritually. [40:59]

1 Thessalonians 5:11 (ESV): "Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing."

Reflection: Who in your church community can you reach out to for mentorship or to offer support, and how can you actively contribute to building a stronger community?

Sermon Summary

In today's message, we reflected on the profound concept of abiding in Christ, as introduced in John 15. This passage is central to understanding how we, as believers, are called to cultivate an intimate relationship with Jesus. Abiding in Christ is not merely about engaging in spiritual activities but is fundamentally about remaining in Him, aligning our lives with His Word, and bearing fruit that glorifies God. As we approach the new year, we are encouraged to examine our lives, identifying areas that bear fruit for Christ and those that do not. This introspection is crucial as we set priorities and make decisions that align with God's will.

Jesus, in His farewell discourse, uses the metaphor of the vine and branches to illustrate the necessity of remaining connected to Him. He is the true vine, and we are the branches, called to produce fruit by abiding in Him and keeping His commandments. This abiding is not a mystical experience but a practical, ongoing fellowship with Christ through His Word and obedience to His teachings. As we navigate the complexities of life, it is essential to ensure that our goals and actions are in step with God's Word, avoiding the pitfalls of setting goals that, while seemingly good, are out of alignment with His will.

The message also challenges us to approach the new year with a mindset akin to a vinedresser, pruning away aspects of our lives that hinder spiritual growth. This involves both sins of commission and omission, as well as embracing new ways to strengthen our church community. By doing so, we position ourselves to thrive spiritually and contribute to the growth of the body of Christ. As we engage in this process, we are reminded of the importance of fellowship with God through His Word, prayer, and community, which are the means of grace He has provided for our growth and enjoyment of Him.

Key Takeaways

1. Abiding in Christ: Abiding in Christ is about remaining in Him and aligning our lives with His Word. It involves a continuous fellowship with Jesus, characterized by obedience to His commandments and a commitment to His teachings. This abiding is essential for bearing fruit that glorifies God. [09:25]
2. Pruning for Growth: As we enter the new year, we must examine our lives and prune away anything that hinders our spiritual growth. This involves identifying both sins of commission and omission and embracing new ways to strengthen our church community. [31:57]
3. Fellowship through the Word: True fellowship with God is achieved through His Word. The Bible is not just a textbook but God's living Word, which discerns the thoughts and intents of our hearts. Engaging with Scripture is essential for abiding in Christ and growing in our relationship with Him. [18:09]
4. Obedience and Faith: Obedience to God's Word is not legalism but a pursuit of righteousness. Our relationship with God is initiated through faith, and our life in Christ is shown to be genuine through our loyalty and obedience to His commandments. [29:42]
5. Community and Mentorship: Building strong relationships within the church community is vital for spiritual growth. Seeking mentorship and engaging in biblical community helps us navigate life's challenges and grow in our faith. [40:59]
** [40:59]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[08:06] - Prayer for the Seeley Family
[09:25] - Introduction to Abiding in Christ
[10:49] - Bearing Fruit for Christ
[12:58] - Jesus as the True Vine
[14:50] - The Importance of Abiding
[16:24] - Genuine Followers of Christ
[18:09] - Fellowship through the Word
[21:01] - Obedience and Legalism
[22:21] - Pursuit of Righteousness
[23:58] - Understanding Abiding
[24:53] - Loyalty and Fellowship
[26:02] - Conditional Statements in John 15
[29:42] - Faith and Obedience
[31:57] - Pruning for Spiritual Growth
[33:16] - Questions for the New Year
[36:09] - Meditating on God's Word
[37:36] - Addressing Hindrances to Growth
[38:46] - Strengthening the Church Community
[40:59] - Importance of Mentorship
[42:42] - Closing Prayer

Sermon Clips

"We're going to do that this morning by looking at John 15 at a very high level. So it's going to be like a flyover. So you might ask questions like, oh, why didn't he say more about that? Or why didn't he say more about that? And trust me, I am working hard to refrain from saying all the things about all the things. But it will come in the next few weeks, several weeks, really, as we're going to spend a good bit of time here in John chapter 15." [00:09:25] (24 seconds)

"So, Jesus is saying here, He is, in fact, the true vine, and His followers who are called to produce fruit in keeping with His word by abiding in Jesus, which is a synonymous way of saying keeping His commandments, right? Look at a couple of verses here in chapter, in verse 2 and verse 6, Jesus says, right at the outset, every branch of me that does not bear fruit, He takes away." [00:14:59] (32 seconds)

"The only way for us to produce the right kind of fruit is as those who have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus through faith is to focus on abiding, which means staying, keeping, enduring in Christ. Now there's a lot of questions about that. There's a lot of questions about that. There's a lot of questions about what this word abide actually means. It means remain." [00:18:09] (28 seconds)

"But the Bible says that you are in Christ. You're His. You're covered in or under His righteousness. And He has absorbed the wrath of God on behalf of you. He has fully covered your sin. That's why 1 John says that Jesus is our propitiation. That means the one who has satisfied the wrath of God on your behalf. So in one sense, don't overcomplicate it." [00:23:46] (39 seconds)

"In other words, Jesus has perfectly done for you what you cannot perfectly do for yourself. Therefore, our relationship with God the Father is initiated through faith in Christ's death to sin and life to God through righteousness. But our life in Christ is shown to be genuine through fellowship and loyalty to him as we keep his commandment. Which brings me to my third point, and really our main application." [00:30:14] (27 seconds)

"So we need to approach 2025 like a vinedresser, so that when the Father, the true vinedresser, looks at us, he sees branches that are growing because the branches are cutting away the things that are hindering the growth of the rest of their life. And that can happen through sins of commission, things you do, or sins of omission, things that you know you ought to do, but you're not doing." [00:32:48] (38 seconds)

"If we're going to be wholehearted followers of Christ's church, it means cooperating with God through the work of the Holy Spirit and His Word in community with one another in order to help care for one another in the many tangible ways that really you're so good at as a church. When there's a need, y 'all step up to meet the need. When somebody's hurting, oh, you do a great job of coming alongside of people and meeting tangible needs." [00:39:30] (25 seconds)

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