Grace Fellowship Grace Fellowship ChurchChurch

Pastor/TeacherPastor/TeacherJim RickardJim Rickard

Tuesday, April 13, 2010Tuesday, April 13, 2010

www.GraceDoctrine.orgwww.GraceDoctrine.org

DoxologyDoxology

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;Praise Him, all creatures here below;Praise Him, all creatures here below;Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.—Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.—Amen.Amen.

Memory VerseMemory Verse

John 15:13, John 15:13, “Greater love has no one “Greater love has no one

than this, that one lay down than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”his life for his friends.”

John 15:4John 15:4

Abiding In Christ!Abiding In Christ! Part 3Part 3

John 15:4a,b,c, John 15:4a,b,c, ““You allYou all abide in abide in the sphere ofthe sphere of Me, Me, as I want you to,as I want you to, and and when you dowhen you do I I

will abidewill abide in you. As the branch in you. As the branch ((believerbeliever) is not able to produce ) is not able to produce fruit (fruit (Divine GoodDivine Good) by means of ) by means of

itself unless it abides in itself unless it abides in the sphere the sphere ofof the Vine ( the Vine (Bible DoctrineBible Doctrine).”).”

John 15:4d,John 15:4d,“… so neither “… so neither cancan you you

unless you abide in Me.”unless you abide in Me.”

HOUTOS OUDE – “So neither”. HOUTOS OUDE – “So neither”. Conjunctions correlating the Conjunctions correlating the

analogy with the real, i.e., analogy with the real, i.e., “branch and vine” with “us and “branch and vine” with “us and Jesus”, and concluding what we Jesus”, and concluding what we

cannot do, (produce Divine cannot do, (produce Divine Good), without Bible Doctrine Good), without Bible Doctrine

resident in the soul.resident in the soul.

EAN ME = “unless”, EAN ME = “unless”, stating a condition.stating a condition.

EN EMOI = “in Me”, in EN EMOI = “in Me”, in the Sphere of Jesus.the Sphere of Jesus.

MENO - Present, Active, MENO - Present, Active, Subjunctive, 2Subjunctive, 2ndnd Person, Person, Plural “Plural “you all abideyou all abide.”.”

John 15:4d,John 15:4d,“So neither are you all “So neither are you all able to (able to (produce Divine produce Divine GoodGood), unless you all ), unless you all

abide in the sphere of Me abide in the sphere of Me ((Bible Doctrine Resident Bible Doctrine Resident

within your soulwithin your soul).”).”

John 15:4, “John 15:4, “You allYou all abide in abide in the the sphere ofsphere of Me, Me, as I want you to,as I want you to, and and when you dowhen you do I I will abidewill abide in you. As in you. As

the branch is not able to produce fruit the branch is not able to produce fruit by means of itself unless it abides in by means of itself unless it abides in the sphere ofthe sphere of the Vine. the Vine. So neither are So neither are you all able to, unless you abide in you all able to, unless you abide in

the sphere of Me.”the sphere of Me.”

The three “abide(s)” The three “abide(s)” are used differentlyare used differently::

The three “abide(s)” The three “abide(s)” are used differentlyare used differently::

1) The Command to believers.1) The Command to believers.

The three “abide(s)” The three “abide(s)” are used differentlyare used differently::

1) The Command to believers. 1) The Command to believers.

2) The Principle from Christ.2) The Principle from Christ.

The three “abide(s)” The three “abide(s)” are used differentlyare used differently::

1) The Command to believers. 1) The Command to believers.

2) The Principle from Christ.2) The Principle from Christ.3) 3) The Conclusion for The Conclusion for

believers.believers.

This is speaking of the This is speaking of the “Empowerment” we “Empowerment” we

received from Christ, and received from Christ, and only from Christ …only from Christ …

… … while standing confidently while standing confidently in the “Environment” of our in the “Environment” of our

eternal security, …eternal security, …

… … having been “Encouraged” having been “Encouraged” through pruning…through pruning…

… … having been “Encouraged” having been “Encouraged” through pruning…through pruning…

… from the source of … from the source of “Establishment” to produce “Establishment” to produce

Divine Good works.Divine Good works.

Fruit bearing is a Fruit bearing is a consequence of being in consequence of being in

fellowship / occupied with fellowship / occupied with the Lord Jesus Christ. the Lord Jesus Christ.

If the believer is not drawing If the believer is not drawing his nourishment from Christ his nourishment from Christ on a daily basis there is no on a daily basis there is no growth, advance, or fruit growth, advance, or fruit bearing even though the bearing even though the

environment and encourage-environment and encourage-ment has been established.ment has been established.

No matter how much No matter how much activity you are engaged activity you are engaged

in, how moral or religious, in, how moral or religious, it is not fruit unless you are it is not fruit unless you are

occupied with the Lord occupied with the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ.

At salvation we begin our At salvation we begin our spiritual life in fellowship spiritual life in fellowship with the Lord. But we can with the Lord. But we can

break that fellowship break that fellowship through sin.through sin.

Our sins do not break our Our sins do not break our union with Christ, only our union with Christ, only our

fellowship with Christ. fellowship with Christ.

Our Positional Our Positional Sanctification is not Sanctification is not

broken, only our broken, only our Experiential Sanctification.Experiential Sanctification.

Sin grieves and quenches the Sin grieves and quenches the Holy Spirit, Eph 4:30; 1 Thes Holy Spirit, Eph 4:30; 1 Thes

5:19; that means a break in 5:19; that means a break in our Experiential our Experiential

Sanctification, a break in our Sanctification, a break in our fellowship with Christ, but not fellowship with Christ, but not

our Position in Christ.our Position in Christ.

Yet in grace, God has Yet in grace, God has provided for our provided for our

restoration to fellowship restoration to fellowship with Christ through 1 John with Christ through 1 John

1:9, thereby abiding in 1:9, thereby abiding in Him once again.Him once again.

Grace Fellowship ChurchGrace Fellowship Church

Tuesday, April 13, 2010Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Tape # 10-042Tape # 10-042

Abiding in Christ, Part 3Abiding in Christ, Part 3Upper Room Discourse, Part 357Upper Room Discourse, Part 357

John 15:4; Eph 4:30; 1 Thes 5:19; 1 John 1:5-9 John 15:4; Eph 4:30; 1 Thes 5:19; 1 John 1:5-9

James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2010