The Abundant Life

• Winning souls to Christ and helping them to grow - Ro 1:13
• Sharing with those in need - Ro 15:28.
• Developing a Christ-like character - 2 Pe 1:5-8; Ga 5:22-23.
• Praising God and giving thanks - Hew 13:15

2. ABIDING

• Jesus uses the word "abide" ten times - Jn 15:4-10
• We must abide in Him, and He in us, to bear fruit
• Without Him, we can do nothing - bearing fruit is abiding in Christ! - Jn 15:5

3. ABIDING IN CHRIST EMPOWERS THE CHRISTIAN

• Paul wrote what the power in Christ meant in his own life - Ph 4:13
• He wanted others to know of the power available to them - Ep 1:18-20; 3:20
• He gave examples of how this power could transform people - e.g., 1 Co 6:9-11 -- Abiding in Christ empowers us to bear fruit, and thereby experience the abundant life!

4 ABIDING BY OBEYING

• By keeping His commands we abide in His love - Jn 15:10a
• By keeping His commands we will be His friends - Jn 15:14
• By keeping His commandments we abide in Him - 1 Jn 3:24a

5. OBEYING IS LOVING

• JESUS DESIRES OBEDIENCE OUT OF LOVE
• He appeals to our sense of love - Jn 14:15,23
• He knows that without love our obedience will falter - Jn 14:24
• Consistent obedience is loving

6 LOVING IS KNOW HIM

• THE MORE WE KNOW JESUS, THE MORE WE LOVE HIM...
• Especially as we grow in understanding His love for us - Jn 15:13; 1 Jn 3:16
• We are more likely to walk in love, if we know His love for us - Ep 5:2

When our knowledge of Jesus increases, then, and our love for Jesus will increase!

7. TO KNOW HIM IS TO READ HIS WORD

• Bible reading is the catalyst to the abundant life
• By reading we come to know HIM
• By knowing we come to love
• By loving we come to obey
• By obeying we come to abide
• By abiding we come to bear fruit
• By bearing fruit we experience the abundant life

CONCLUSION:
These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. - Jn 15:11.

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