Sunday- Abiding in Christ

 The concept of abiding in Christ is first  discussed  by the disciple. John  in his book of the New Testament.  It  is covered  starting in  John 13: 31- 15:17.  To set the stage   the disciples have just  had the Last Supper with Jesus and  already  they are  a bit confused  about Jesus  comments. Their idea of ruling under the kingship of Jesus  has been turned up side down.  They had believed they  would be a part of a  ruling  class  in this  age,   and once Jesus   overtook the Roman government  that Jesus along with the disciples would set up His kingdom  there in Jerusalem   and  they were wondering who would be His first  hand man..  But Jesus is now  telling them He is about to leave and where He is going they cannot go. Now. this is Jesus last night with  His friends and  there is a ton of information He is going to share with them..  and  they  just  will not fully understand it all until  things play out.   But  this next teaching is  some the most important  teaching they will ever  learn..  it is how to  live without Jesus in their midst,  but in their  heart.  Vs 13:33-35 is  very important in laying down some ground work. Thus begins  some teaching that must be understood  before  we teach about abiding.

.33 “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love oneanother. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Note 34-35  explains    the new commandment  of Jesus.  That  we are to love one another just as Jesus has loved us..   That    love will demonstrate to the world  that we are His children.(disciples).It is very important  to go ahead and read for yourselves  13:36- 14:4.  Then we will pick up  on verse 5.

5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 

Vs 6 is  so very important   because   here Jesus  tells  the disciples  He is the only way to  God.. there is no other religion that is  connected to God, the Father,   if YOU  desire  heaven .  your only choice is  to  believe that Jesus is the Christ,. that He died on the cross for your sins,  then repent  from those sins and   declare  Jesus Christ as Lord...    the way, 

When Jesus said  he was the Truth He meant He was the physical embodiment of God's Word.    The Whole BIble  in some way reflects back to the coming Savior,,   or  Living  Jesus,, or Ruling Christ in heaven.  Psalm 119:160  The entirety of Your word is truth, and all Your righteous judgments endure forever.  the truth,  

and the life.

Read John 1:1,4, 14  1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.

John 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.  He is the life!

To return to chapter 14

7 If you really know me, you will know my Father, as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”

9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. 

The Disciples  apparently didn't understand when Jesus  told them  in John 5:19 “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. (Jn. 5:19 ) 

I am going to skip down  in the text  to John 14:1515 “If you love me, keep my commands.

  There you can see a reference back to the  command to love one another  but also  love me  and  their love is  proven by    keeping His commands. 

(I skipped  some verses because to understand them fully    not just on face value  we need to understand a few other truths!)

So what have we covered today?

1.Jesus gave the disciples a new commandment : to love one another just as He loved them Remember He gave His life for His friends.  That is  the truth of  His great love for us!

2.  We will be known as His disciples  if we love one another

3.  Jesus is the one true Way,  the Truth, and the Life

4. If you know me you will keep my commands

5.  And  very importantly  If you have known me, You know  the Father. Jesus only did what He saw the Father doing.  He only said What the Father said.  IN truth,  the Father and the son are one,  yet in two entities. It is because the Father abides   (stays, remains, )   in Christ... next He will introduce  another part of God , the Holy Spirit  through which  God  can abide in His children!  But that comes next week!   I encourage you to read and reread this section of scripture and believe it in your heart and soul.  If you are a child of God  His Spirit will abide in you and help you to understand what  the word  has said so far!!!  Blessings!!!