Remaining in Christ: The Key to True Contentment
Summary
### Summary
Welcome to New Life Church! Today is a historic day as we launch our new Holdridge campus. This milestone is a testament to the faithfulness and sacrifice of those who were part of North Park Assembly and chose to merge with us. Their visionary decision has paved the way for many to come to Christ. Additionally, we are sending $20,000 to the Church Multiplication Network to support new church plants and $30,000 to Convoy of Hope to aid in disaster relief for Hurricane Helene victims. Our church is committed to generosity and making a difference both locally and globally.
Today's focus is on understanding and applying Jesus' words from John 15:4-10, where He repeatedly emphasizes the importance of remaining in Him. To remain in Jesus means to stay close, to be enveloped in His embrace, and to live in constant communion with Him. This closeness is not about mere proximity but about an intimate relationship where we can hear His heartbeat and understand His agenda.
Jesus teaches that remaining in Him is the only way to produce lasting, life-giving fruit. Without Him, we can do nothing of eternal value. This requires a conscious choice to pursue Him with all our heart and mind, not just on Sundays but throughout our daily lives. By remaining in His love, we find true contentment and are empowered to obey His commandments.
The love of God is perfect and unchanging. It is not based on our performance but on His grace. When we remain in His love, we experience a cycle of obedience and deeper intimacy with Him. This love transforms us and enables us to reflect His love, contentment, and hope to the world around us.
To illustrate this, think of your life as a smartphone. No matter how advanced it is, it becomes useless if it is not charged. Similarly, we must stay connected to Jesus to function as He designed us. Communion is one way we remain in Him, remembering His sacrifice and renewing our commitment to stay close to Him.
### Key Takeaways
1. The Importance of Remaining in Jesus: Jesus calls us to remain in Him, which means staying close and intimately connected. This is not about being in the same room or merely understanding Him but about being enveloped in His embrace and hearing His heartbeat. This closeness allows us to understand His agenda and live in alignment with His will. [28:17]
2. Producing Lasting Fruit: Jesus teaches that apart from Him, we can do nothing of eternal value. Remaining in Him is the only way to produce lasting, life-giving fruit. This requires a conscious choice to pursue Him with all our heart and mind, not just on Sundays but throughout our daily lives. [34:35]
3. The Perfect Love of God: God's love for us is perfect, unchanging, and not based on our performance. When we remain in His love, we find true contentment and are empowered to obey His commandments. This love transforms us and enables us to reflect His love, contentment, and hope to the world around us. [42:30]
4. Living a Life of Contentment: Many Christians struggle with contentment because they feel they must perform for Jesus. However, Jesus calls us to remain in Him, which brings true contentment. This means living in a constant state of communion with Him, trusting Him in all circumstances, and finding peace in His presence. [33:01]
5. Staying Spiritually Charged: Just like a smartphone needs to stay charged to function, we must stay connected to Jesus to live as He designed us. This involves daily practices of gratitude, trust, and seeking His guidance. Communion is a powerful way to remember His sacrifice and renew our commitment to remain in Him. [51:37]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[21:56] - Honoring North Park Assembly
[22:47] - Visionary Sacrifice
[23:25] - Generosity and Church Planting
[23:59] - Hurricane Helene Relief
[24:28] - Convoy of Hope
[25:29] - Understanding Jesus' Words
[26:34] - John 15:4-10
[27:07] - Remain in Me
[28:17] - Staying Close to Jesus
[29:13] - Illustrations of Remaining
[31:13] - Designed to Remain
[33:01] - Contentment in Christ
[34:35] - Producing Lasting Fruit
[38:03] - Choosing to Remain
[42:30] - The Perfect Love of God
[45:17] - Reflecting Christ's Love
[47:34] - Smartphone Analogy
[51:37] - Staying Spiritually Charged
[52:02] - Communion
[53:19] - Jesus' Instructions on Communion
[56:08] - Remaining in Jesus Through Communion
[57:28] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
- John 15:4-10 (NIV): "Remain in me, as I also 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. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love."
### Observation Questions
1. What does Jesus mean by "remain in me" according to John 15:4-10? How does He describe the relationship between the vine and the branches? [27:07]
2. In the sermon, Pastor Jeff Baker uses several analogies to explain what it means to remain in Jesus. Can you recall one of these analogies and explain its significance? [28:17]
3. How does Jesus describe the consequences of not remaining in Him in John 15:6? What happens to the branches that do not remain in the vine? [27:07]
4. According to the sermon, what are some daily practices that can help us remain in Jesus? [39:06]
### Interpretation Questions
1. Why does Jesus emphasize the importance of remaining in Him to produce lasting fruit? How does this relate to our daily lives and spiritual growth? [34:35]
2. Pastor Jeff mentioned that many Christians struggle with contentment because they feel they must perform for Jesus. How does remaining in Jesus change this perspective? [33:01]
3. The sermon highlights the perfect and unchanging love of God. How does understanding this love empower us to obey His commandments and reflect His love to others? [42:30]
4. What does it mean to stay spiritually charged, and how does this analogy of a smartphone help us understand our need to remain connected to Jesus? [51:37]
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your own life. Are there specific areas where you feel disconnected from Jesus? What steps can you take this week to remain in Him more consistently? [39:06]
2. Pastor Jeff shared his practice of expressing gratitude throughout the day. How can you incorporate more moments of thankfulness into your daily routine? [39:35]
3. Think about a time when you felt you had to perform for Jesus. How did that affect your sense of contentment and relationship with Him? What can you do to shift from a performance mindset to one of remaining in His love? [33:01]
4. The sermon mentioned the importance of daily practices like prayer, reading the Word, and fellowship. Which of these practices do you find most challenging, and how can you improve in that area? [52:02]
5. Pastor Jeff used the analogy of a smartphone needing to stay charged. What are some practical ways you can stay spiritually charged throughout the week? [51:37]
6. How can you reflect the love, contentment, and hope of Christ in your interactions with others this week? Identify one specific action you can take to show Christ's love to someone in your life. [45:47]
7. Communion is a way to remember Jesus' sacrifice and renew our commitment to Him. How can you make communion a more meaningful part of your spiritual life? [52:02]
Devotional
Day 1: Intimate Connection with Jesus
Remaining in Jesus means more than just being in His presence; it involves an intimate connection where we are enveloped in His embrace and can hear His heartbeat. This closeness allows us to understand His agenda and live in alignment with His will. Jesus calls us to remain in Him, emphasizing that this relationship is not about mere proximity but about a deep, personal communion. This intimate connection is essential for spiritual growth and understanding His purpose for our lives. [28:17]
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: Think about your daily routine. What specific steps can you take to ensure you are intentionally seeking an intimate connection with Jesus throughout your day?
Day 2: Producing Eternal Fruit
Jesus teaches that apart from Him, we can do nothing of eternal value. Remaining in Him is the only way to produce lasting, life-giving fruit. This requires a conscious choice to pursue Him with all our heart and mind, not just on Sundays but throughout our daily lives. By staying connected to Jesus, we are empowered to live out His purpose and bear fruit that has eternal significance. This involves daily practices of seeking His guidance and aligning our actions with His will. [34:35]
Colossians 1:10 (ESV): "So as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God."
Reflection: Identify one area of your life where you feel you are not producing fruit. What changes can you make to remain in Jesus and allow Him to work through you in that area?
Day 3: Experiencing God's Perfect Love
God's love for us is perfect, unchanging, and not based on our performance. When we remain in His love, we find true contentment and are empowered to obey His commandments. This love transforms us and enables us to reflect His love, contentment, and hope to the world around us. Understanding and experiencing this perfect love helps us to live in a state of peace and assurance, knowing that we are deeply loved by our Creator. [42:30]
1 John 4:16 (ESV): "So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him."
Reflection: Reflect on a time when you felt God's love in a profound way. How can you remind yourself of His perfect love daily, especially during challenging times?
Day 4: Finding Contentment in Christ
Many Christians struggle with contentment because they feel they must perform for Jesus. However, Jesus calls us to remain in Him, which brings true contentment. This means living in a constant state of communion with Him, trusting Him in all circumstances, and finding peace in His presence. By focusing on our relationship with Jesus rather than our performance, we can experience a deeper sense of fulfillment and joy. [33:01]
Philippians 4:11-12 (ESV): "Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you struggle with contentment? How can you shift your focus from performance to remaining in Jesus to find true contentment?
Day 5: Staying Spiritually Charged
Just like a smartphone needs to stay charged to function, we must stay connected to Jesus to live as He designed us. This involves daily practices of gratitude, trust, and seeking His guidance. Communion is a powerful way to remember His sacrifice and renew our commitment to remain in Him. By staying spiritually charged, we are better equipped to navigate life's challenges and fulfill our God-given purpose. [51:37]
Ephesians 3:16-17 (ESV): "That according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love."
Reflection: Consider your spiritual practices. What specific actions can you take to ensure you are staying spiritually charged and connected to Jesus daily?
Quotes
1. "And I just want to say thank you for joining us at all of our campuses for this history-making day. We are launching the Holdridge campus, like you just heard me say. But I just want to stop for a moment and just honor a group of people that, without their faithfulness, without their humility, without their sense of surrender to the lordship and the leading of the Holy Spirit in their life, we would not be celebrating the brand-new campus in Holdridge. And that's those who were formerly part of North Park Assembly who are sitting in the Holdridge campus right now. I'm not going to make you stand. I'm not going to embarrass you. But I just want everyone to know that if it wasn't for your visionary sacrifice, if it wasn't for your vote to merge, to merge with New Life, we would not be celebrating this brand-new campus in Holdridge." [21:56] (48 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "I want to help you become the greatest followers of Jesus possible, but that means that we've got to learn how to listen to him. How to listen to Jesus. And by going to this passage of Scripture, not only do I want you to hear his words, but I want to teach you today a little formula that will help you understand his words so that you can apply it to your life. And I think that's why you're here today at all of our campuses. I think you're here because Jesus has something to say, and you want to learn what that is." [26:04] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "So what does it really mean to remain in him? It would mean this, to stay, to stay, to be close. To remain in him would be like you got enveloped in the embrace of Jesus and he's got his arms around you and you're like, and you're staying close to him. That's the picture that he gives us here. He doesn't give us this picture like, hey, just be in the same room with me. He doesn't say, hey, remain in me, meaning like, you know, just understand me, like read about me. No, no, he goes, look, it's more than that. I want you to be close to me. I want you to stay with me. In fact, I want you to be able to hear my heartbeat. I want you to know what I'm thinking. I want you to know my agenda. It's this close interaction that Jesus gives me." [28:17] (48 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Because Jesus goes beyond that. And he goes, here's what I'm trying to say to you. I'm trying to say to you that remaining in me is the only thing that matters. It's the only thing that matters in life. I look around at this world and I just look at people and I go, man, we wrestle with being content. There's few people that are just relaxed in the presence of God. Most Christians are trying to put on a show for Jesus. They're trying to perform for him. They think that Jesus is looking at their life and if they do certain things just right, then Jesus is going to be happy with them. And so they lack contentment. And Jesus is trying to say to us through this passage, hey, look, I just want you guys to know the most important thing in life is for you learning to remain in me." [33:01] (45 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Whenever you're living life out of this independent, self-reliant mindset, let me tell you something. That attitude leads to something that you don't want. It leads to being spiritually and emotionally weak. Because when you're disconnected from, you're not remaining in Christ. Now you've gotta generate all the energy. You've gotta generate all the passion. You have to generate all the purpose. And any time you're living life with you having to generate it all, you're draining something. You're draining your emotional health, and you're definitely draining your spiritual health. And then you're left with nothing. So Jesus says, look, I want you guys. I want Jeff Baker. I want all of you. I want you to produce amazing things. I want you to produce great things, but you can't do it unless you're connected to me." [35:32] (51 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "Here's the problem with most Christians. We believe in Jesus, but we don't know how to remain in Jesus. And so to remain in Jesus means this, that you have to pursue him with all of your heart and with all of your mind. And what we want to do is we want to give God a percentage of our life. You'll never remain in him, church, when you're just giving him Sunday. You don't remain in him that way. Jesus says this, remain in me, but you got to choose it, which means you got to go all in. That means like throughout the day, here's something I've been practicing more in my life. I just want to pull back the veil in Jeff Baker's life." [38:32] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "See, the enemy wants to get in there, and he doesn't want you to remain in the love of God. And there's a big reason for that. Because when you remain in the love of God, that's where true contentment comes from. And when you remain in the love of God, then you want to obey the love of God. The enemy doesn't want you to obey the love of God. Because when you obey the love of God, guess what happens? It's a cyclical cycle. When you obey the love of God, you remain in the love of God. When you're in the love of God, you want to obey the Lord. It's just a cycle that happens, and the enemy doesn't want that for your life." [43:22] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "To be a Christian means you're going to stand out and you're going to look different than the world. Get used to it. Your beliefs are going to be different. Your lifestyle is going to be different. You're going to have hope in the midst of chaos. And when everyone else is going doom and gloom, you're going to still have hope. You're going to have joy when others have sorrow. You're going to show love when others show hate. You're going to be generous when everyone else is thinking about themselves. This is what it looks like to be a Christian who remains in Christ. So get used to it. When you remain in Jesus, you're going to look different. This is what a Christian does. This is what your life was designed to look like." [46:22] (47 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "You're smart. You're amazing. You're incredible. You're advanced. You have all kinds of resources and tools. God's given you all kinds of things. But when you try to live your life outside of being connected to him, remaining in him, then here's what happens. You have to dim the screen. You have to shut down some of the apps. You lose joy. You lose peace. You lose some love. You lose a little bit of what God designed you to be. And you try to get by. And then all of a sudden you completely are dead. You hate the world. You hate everyone around you. You got a bad attitude. But then you come to church and you plug the door. You plug back in. You're like, I'm feeling good. But then you walk out of the doors at 25% and you think you can make it through the week, but you can't make it through the week. And you're on power save mode and it's just not working out well." [51:14] (45 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "Whenever you see your cell phone, whenever you watch that battery draining, I want you to think about your spiritual life. I want you to think this is just like me. And if I don't stay, if I don't remain in him, remain in his world, remain in prayer, remain in communication with him, remain in fellowship with him, remain in fellowship with other believers. If I don't do that, I'm going to get drained. And if I get drained and this battery dies, I'm worthless. One of the things that Jesus gave us to remain in him though was communion. And today when you came in the doors, you were given our communion elements." [52:02] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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