Holy Week

This has been a week in which I have tried to take some extra time and personally reflect on the impact that the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ has had on my life. I desired to look at my life from a personal view and not just a ministerial view. I believe that if I allow Christ to work in my heart in a personal manner that it will make a very positive impact upon the ministry that God has placed in my life. I truly desire more than "professional improvement". I am in need of spiritual improvement in which my life is truly affected and strengthened through the presence of the Word and Spirit at work in my heart. Does anyone sense that same call in your heart? These challenging times are calling for a people who have made a firm and strong commitment to the Word of God and to that Word having a direct influence and impact on them and their walk with Christ. Pastor Sylvester Smith of Alabama wrote some words today that spoke to my heart concerning the abiding presence of the Word of God. I would like to share them with you. Take a moment and read them and allow the words to find "good soil" in your heart.

 

 

"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, 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, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." (John 15:3-5 NKJ)

Eminent Baptist theologian, George Beasley-Murray regularly explained the meaning of abide to his students. "To lean back against something with all your weight is to abide. Sitting down with your back to a tree and letting yourself completely relax against it is to abide. Letting your body's full weight sink down into softness of a bed is to abide. Resting and sleeping confidently in the comfort of the bed is to abide."

I am reminded of the precious old hymn: Leaning on the Everlasting Arms. There is joy in those everlasting arms. There is fellowship in those everlasting arms. There is peace and comfort in those everlasting arms. "Oh, how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way, leaning on the everlasting arms. Oh, how bright the path grows from day to day, leaning on the everlasting arms." It is the theme song of those who abide in Christ.

Evidently, this is not the first time Jesus has told his disciples to abide in him. In today's passage, he tells them: "You already are clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you."

And since he reiterates it here, we may understand his not-so-subtle hint to mean that our abiding in him must be a continual residing . . . an enduring commitment. Such instruction can almost be insulting. Why would anyone be cleansed by Christ's sacrifice on Calvary and not endure with him to the end? It is impossible to produce his fruit without a continuous connection in him.

Fruit is the product of the vine and can only be produced if the branch is firmly connected to the vine. The production of fruit continues only as long as the branch-vine connection endures. It is so profound yet so simple as to be easily ignored and forgotten. And yet, we can not produce Christ-like fruit except we abide in Christ.