The Bride of Christ Lesson 6 (The Purpose of the Bride: Abiding)

This week we will being our journey into the purpose of the Bride (the Church). Before we dive into our purpose, I want to lay some foundation for how we fulfill that purpose: Abiding in the Vine. 

Webster 1828 dictionary defines abiding as: dwelling; remaining; continuing; enduring; awaiting. 

John 15:1-5, I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.  You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. (NASB) 

The word “abide” is found with great frequency in the gospel and epistles of John. Christ used the figure of the vine to illustrate the necessity of His disciples abiding in Him, and taught that they will bear fruit for Him only as they abide in Him (John 15).i 

The branch that bears fruit is the Christian who is growing more like the Lord Jesus. Even such vines need to be pruned or cleansed. Just as a real vine must be cleaned from insects, mildew, and fungus, so a Christian must be cleansed from worldly things that cling to him.ii 

To abide means to stay where you are.  “Abiding in Christ is not a special level of Christian experience, rather, it is the position of all true believers.”iii  How then do we practically live an abiding life? 

Process of Abiding 

First, through deep connection to the vine. 

This is a mutual connection.  We abide in Christ, and he abides in us. If we do not stay connected our souls will wither and die.  God made us to need connection with Him!!  

That’s the thing about vines. Once they dry and wither, they have no purpose. A dead tree can be used for a myriad of items: paper, furniture, flooring. Entire houses can be built with their remains. However, a vine has no strength when it’s detached from its source. It’s only good for the rubbish pile.iv 

Abide in me means to continue in a daily, personal relationship with Jesus characterized by trust, prayer, obedience, and joy.v 

We abide by staying in the Word.  Reading it daily, meditating on it, and applying what we learn to our life.  We must also spend time in prayer and fellowship with Jesus.  Praying, listening, dialoging, and resting in his presence. In his presence we find our strength, life, direction, purpose...our everything. 

Second, through total dependence in the vine. 

The branch derives its life and power from the vine. Without the vine, the branch is useless, lifeless, powerless. Sap flows from the vine to the branch, supplying it with water, minerals, and nutrients that make it grow.vi 

Our dependence must be in the Vine.  We must daily acknowledge our own weakness and ask the Lord to reveal anything in us that is not a reflection of his character. As we do, Holy Spirit will illuminate any area that needs to be brought back under the blood and submission to Christ.  If we fail to acknowledge the parts of our soul that are not in alignment with Christ, we are opening the door for God to have to prune us.  Pruning often hurts, however, as we see in John 15, it is necessary to help us produce the maximum fruit possible.    

John 15:2b, ...and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. 

Why does God allow difficulty in the lives of those who love and serve Him? Because the believer is like a branch that receives its nourishment from the Living Vine—Jesus Christ. When we abide in Him, He produces fruit through us. However, sometimes we allow things in our lives that diminish our impact for His kingdom. So God prunes all the extraneous things that are hindering us so we will be free to bear a better harvest. 

Third, through continuance in the vine.   

The Greek word meno (abide) means to remain, or stay, or continue.  

John 8:31-32, Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you remain [abide] in My word, then you are truly My disciples. You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.” [ Added for clarity.] 

John 15:4, Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.  

This command implies that believers are already organically connected to Jesus and are responsible to maintain that vital connection.vii 

Jesus emphasizes permanence and steadfastness in His relationship with the disciples. “Abide” is repeated ten times in vv. 4–10. [John 15] The metaphor of the vine illustrates the point; it is only when nutrients flow freely to the branches that fruit can be borne.viii [Added for clarity.] 

The only way we can play a significant role in the kingdom of God is to allow Jesus to live His life in and through us. While apart from Him we can do nothing, in Him we can do anything He calls us to do.ix 

Benefits of Abiding 

1. Fruit Bearing: Galatians 5:22-23, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control; against such there is no law. 

Real fruit is, first of all, Christlike character. A believer who is like Christ bears fruit. That is what Paul meant in Galatians 5:22-23, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." Those were all characteristics of Christ.x 

Bearing fruit can only come from abiding!! John 15:4, Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. (NLT) 

If you want to produce more fruit in your life spend more time with God!  “Spiritual intimacy with God expands spiritual capacity.”xi 

2. Answered Prayer: John 15:7, If you remain in Me, and My words remain in you, you will ask whatever you desire, and it shall be done for you. 

John gives us two conditions for receiving answered prayer. 

First, we must remain (abide) in Christ.  We must remain in constant communion: 2-way communication with Jesus.  We must spend time in his presence through worship and prayer.  

Second, God’s Word must remain in us. We must read it, apply it, obey it, meditate on it, and allow it to become part of our spiritual DNA.  The word of God flowing through souls is as necessary to our spiritual life as the blood flowing through our veins is to out physical life.   

3. Abundant Life: John 10:10b, I came that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. 

A fruitful life is the abundant life Jesus was speaking about in John 10:10. An abundant, fruitful life glorifies God.  John 15:8, “When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.” 

 “Those who abide fulfill the magnificent purpose of life, which is to give God the glory He deserves. Jesus said in verse 8, "My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit." When a Christian abides, God can work through him to produce much fruit. Since God produces it, He is the one glorified.”xii 

4. Joy: John 15:11, These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. 

When David sinned, he no longer sensed the presence of God. He cried out in Psalm 51:12, "Restore to me the joy of Your salvation." He had allowed sin to hinder the pure abiding relationship. He did not lose his salvation, but he lost the joy of his salvation... The joy of abiding in the true Vine is unaffected by external circumstances, persecution, or the disappointments of life. We can experience the same joy Jesus had. And His joy flows through those who abide in Him.xiii 

In closing, let us remember that we abide in the Vine through deep connection to the vine, total dependence in the vine, and through continuance in the vine.   Abiding in the Vine then produces, fruit bearing, answered prayer, abundant life, and joy!!!!   

Questions for reflection:                

1. Have I developed a deep connection to the Vine? 

2. Do I walk daily in total dependence in the Vine? 

3. Am I daily working to maintain continuance in the Vine?  

4. Am I seeing the fruit of abiding in my life?              

5. Are my prayers being consistently answered?  

6. Am I living out of the overflow of abundance? Do I have fruit to share? 

Note: All Scripture references are from the MEV unless otherwise specified   

Works Cited:

i Encyclopedia of The Bible 

ii Believer's Bible Commentary Copyright © 1989, 1990, 1992, 1995, 2016 by William MacDonald. 

iii https://www.gotquestions.org/abide-in-Christ.html 

iv https://learn.ligonier.org/devotionals/abiding-in-the-vine 

v ESV Global Study Bible The ESV Global Study Bible®, ESV Bible® Copyright © 2012 by Crossway. All rights reserved. 

vi https://www.christianity.com/wiki/bible/what-does-it-mean-to-abide-in-christ.html 

vii NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan. 

viii ESV Reformation Study Bible 

ix NASB Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible Notes 

x https://www.gty.org/library/articles/P18/abiding-in- 

xi CSB Tony Evans Study Bible Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. 

xii https://www.gty.org/library/articles/P18/abiding-in- 

xiii https://www.gty.org/library/articles/P18/abiding-in-

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