Week 33 (Download) Anchored

WEEK 33
ABIDE

Despite the difficulty the snow and ice presented for schools and transportation this past week, you have to admit it sure makes the world around us beautiful.  As I was driving home through the iced tree limbs covered with snow I felt I was traveling through Narnia. The next morning however, while the beauty was still present, I noticed many of the smaller trees had broken or their limbs had fallen to the ground.  Even the larger trees were damaged.  The weight of the snow and ice were too much for the branches to bear. What a true picture of the nation today.  The weight of the world has become heavy and while many of us possess beautiful things, the added snowfall of this economic winter is breaking our branches.

Matt spoke of the power of our position in Christ and to that end I want to focus on the word “abide”.  There is no need for me to add or expound upon the words of our Savior for He said it so well and directly as recorded by John in chapter 15, "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.   2 "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every [branch] that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.   3 "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.   4 "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.   5 "I am the vine, you [are] the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.   6 "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw [them] into the fire, and they are burned.   7 "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.   8 "By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.   9 " As the Father loved Me, I also 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 "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and [that] your joy may be full.  

I asked my children yesterday what it meant to abide and my son quickly responded, “stick with and to”.  (I found out later it was one of his vocabulary words)  I like the picture of being sticky with Jesus - Being stuck with Christ and being stuck to Christ and Him with me.  I want to be full of joy and I want to please God in how I live, therefore I wish to abide in Christ.  His branch is strong and nourishing and able to bear the weight of the world so let us graft ourselves in Him.  AMEN

Reflection and Questions:
-Discuss the promises in the passage from John and what abiding in Christ looks like.

-Discuss what Jesus says about the abiding life and how you can evaluate your active position in Christ

-What’s the difference between our eternal position in Christ and our active position in Christ?  How do they interrelate?

-If Jesus is the branch and God is the Vinedresser, what is the role of the Holy Spirit? Could He be the “sap”?

-How can we be stickier?

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