Secrets of the Abundant Life
by Mark Copeland
INTRODUCTION
I. Suppose I could offer you a life that is guaranteed to give you:
A. A "joy" that is greater than any other;
B. A "blessedness" that is happiness in its fullest measure;
C. An "assurance" of entering the everlasting kingdom of our Lord; and
D. A "peace" that surpasses understanding - Would you be interested?
II. I cannot, but Jesus does...!
A. He came to provide the way to an abundant life. Jn 10:10 - The thief comes not but that he may steal, and kill, and destroy:
I am come that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.
B. He shares with us the secrets to this life through His teaching. Jn 15:11 - I have spoken these things to you that my joy may be in you,
and your joy be full.
III. Through His teachings, then, we can learn the Secrets Of The Abundant Life...
A. Many of which are found in this very chapter (Jn 15)…
B. Where Jesus pictures Himself as the Vine and His disciples as the
branches. cf. Jn 15:1-5 - I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that
beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean
through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As
the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye,
except ye abide in me.I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me,
and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
[As branches we are to bear fruit, and this leads us to the first secret of the abundant life...]
BODY
I. THE SECRET OF LIVING IS TO BEAR FRUIT
A. There are Different Kinds Of Fruit That We Can Bear:
1. Winning souls to Christ and helping them to grow…
Ro 1:13 - Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I
purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some
fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles.
2. Sharing with those in need. Ro 15:28 - When therefore I have performed this,
and have sealed to them this fruit, I will come by you into Spain.
3. Developing a Christ-like character.
2 Pe 1:5-8 – And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to
virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience;
and to patience godliness;And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly
kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you
that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ga 5:22-23 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness,
goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
4. Praising God and giving thanks He 13:15 - By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually,
that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
-- These are "fruits" that we can bear as branches of the Vine
B. There are Great Benefits to Bearing Such Fruits:
1. Joy for those who win souls - 3 Jn 4 – I have no greater joy than to hear that my
children walk in truth.
1 Th 2:19-20 - For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye
in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For ye are our glory and joy.
2. Happiness for those who share with others.
Ac 20:35 - I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to
support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said,
It is more blessed to give than to receive.
3. Assurance for those who develop a Christ-like character.
2 Pe 1:8-11 – For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye
shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus
Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath
forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren,
give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye
shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into
the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
4. Peace for those given to thanksgiving. Ph 4:6-7 - Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication
with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God,
which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
-- Such are the "benefits" of the abundant life Jesus offers
C. What is the secret?
1. Being a branch of the True Vine (Jesus) and bearing fruit!
2. But Jesus also shares the secret to bearing fruit:
II. THE SECRET OF BEARING FRUIT IS ABIDING
A. NOTE THE USE OF THE WORD "ABIDE".... (Jn. 15).
1. Jesus uses the word "abide" ten times –
Jn 15:4-10 - Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself,
except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine,
ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth
forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he
is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them
into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you,
ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father
glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath
loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments,
ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and
abide in his love.
2. We must abide in Him, and He in us, to bear fruit.
3. Without Him, we can do nothing
-- The secret to bearing fruit is abiding in Christ! –
Jn 15:5 - I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him,
the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
B. ABIDING IN CHRIST EMPOWERS THE CHRISTIAN....
1. Paul wrote what the power in Christ meant in his own life.
Ph 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
2. He wanted others to know of the power available to them.
Ep 1:18-20 – The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may
know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his
inheritance in the saints. And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to
us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power. Which he
wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own
right hand in the heavenly places…
3:20 - Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we
ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us…
3. He gave examples of how this power could transform people.
1 Co 6:9-11 - Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom
of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor
effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous,
nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye
are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
-- Abiding in Christ empowers us to bear fruit, and thereby experience the abundant life!
[But does Jesus also reveal the secret to abiding in Him? Yes...]
III. THE SECRET OF ABIDING IS OBEYING
A. OBEYING THE COMMANDMENTS OF JESUS...
1. By keeping His commands we abide in His love.
Jn 15:10a – “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love;”
2. By keeping His commands we will be His friends.
Jn 15:14 - Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
3. By keeping His commandments we abide in Him.
1 Jn 3:24a – “And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him,…”
-- Obedience is the key to abiding in Christ!
B. The Principle of Abiding Through Obeying Governed Jesus’ Relationship With
His Father While on Earth:
1. He kept His Father's commandments, and so abided in His love, and He says,
Jn 15:10b - "If ye keep mycommandments, ye shall abide in my love"
Passages, which illustrate Jesus' desire to keep His Father's Will:
Jn 4:34 – Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me,
and to finish his work.
5:30 – I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is
just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath
sent me.
6:38 – For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him
that sent me.
2. And it should govern our conduct as Christians as well.
a. We abide in Christ by keeping His commandments.
1 Jn 2:3-6 - And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his
commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments,
is a liar, and the truth is not in him.But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is
the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he
abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
b. Otherwise we are liars if we profess to know Him and do not keep His word!
-- One cannot abide in Christ without obeying His commands!
[To be successful in obeying His commands requires the right motivation – Love.
From Jesus we learn:]
IV. THE SECRET OF OBEYING IS LOVING
A. THREE DIFFERENT REASONS TO OBEY:
1. We can obey because we have to (the level of fear):
a. In order to avoid punishment.
b. Like a child who obeys his parents to avoid a spanking.
2. We can obey because we need to (the level of selfishness):
a. In order to get what we want.
b. Like a teenager who obeys his parents to gain favors.
3. We can obey because we want to (the level of love):
a. Because we love the person we are obeying.
b. Like mature children who obey their parents out of love.
-- People often obey Jesus because they feel like they have to or need to.
B. JESUS DESIRES OBEDIENCE OUT OF LOVE.
1. He appeals to our sense of love Jn 14:15,23–15 If ye love me, keep my commandments. 23. Jesus answered and said
unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and
we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
2. He knows that without love our obedience will falter.
Jn 14:24 – He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which
ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.
3. The secret to consistent obedience is loving!
a. Those who obey because they have to or need to will never be consistent.
b. Once they meet their feeling of necessity, they cease to be obedient.
c. As an example, take the command to assemble.
He 10:25 - "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together…”
1) Those who obey only because they feel they have to or need to will
assemble as little as it takes to pacify their conscience.
2) Whereas those who obey because they want to, out of love for Jesus
and their brethren, will assemble at every opportunity.
4. Why do we obey Jesus?
a. Have we matured to obeying Jesus out of love?
b. When true love moves us to obey, we will abide in Jesus and bear fruit
through our union with Him.
1) This will result in the abundant life He offers.
2) But what is the secret to having a true love for Jesus...?
V. THE SECRET OF LOVING IS KNOWING
A. THIS SHOULD BE SELF-EVIDENT...
1. Love between husband and wife is based upon knowledge and understanding.
2. Strong friendships are also based upon knowing each other well.
3. Brethren who love one another are those who have made the effort to know
each other.
-- Should we expect it to be any different with Jesus?
B. THE MORE WE KNOW JESUS, THE MORE WE LOVE HIM...
1. Especially as we grow in understanding His love for us.
Jn 15:13 - Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for
his friends.
1 Jn 3:16 - Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life
for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
2. We are more likely to walk in love, if we know His love for us.
Ep 5:2 - And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself
for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
-- Increase our knowledge of Jesus, then, and our love for Jesus will increase!
[This leads us to the final secret we shall consider in this study...]
VI. THE SECRET OF KNOWING IS READING
A. THIS IS ALSO SELF-EVIDENT...
1. As seen in our humanly relationships.
a. Where there is communication, relationships grow.
b. Where there is none, relationships falter.
2. Even more so with our relationship with God and Jesus.
a. The more we communicate, the better we know.
b. And how does Jesus communicate with us? Through His Word!
-- The only reliable source for Jesus' words is the Bible
B. THE MORE WE READ, THE BETTER WE KNOW JESUS.
1. As simple as it sounds, Bible reading is the catalyst to the abundant life.
a. By reading we come to know.
b. By knowing we come to love.
c. By loving we come to obey.
d. By obeying we come to abide.
e. By abiding we come to bear fruit.
f. By bearing fruit we experience the abundant life.
2.Yet many Christians neglect the Word of God.
a. Even though its value in bearing fruit is seen even in
Psa 1:1-3 - Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the
ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of
the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth
he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers
of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not
wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
b. How sad…when we now have the full revelation of the New Testament
-- Neglecting the Word of God is why many do not experience the abundant life!
CONCLUSION
I. In Jn 15:11, we find Jesus saying...
"These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your
joy may be full."
II. My purpose for sharing these "secrets" has been the same...
A. Every person ought to be filled with the joy of Christ.
B. Every person ought to experience the abundant life He offers.
III. Let the words that Jesus spoke, revealed only in the Word of God, the Bible,
be the catalyst that begins the chain reaction leading one to a truly abundant life!
IV. Invitation:
A. The secrets of the abundant life are not secrets that have been kept from
you – nor are they kept from anyone – they are found in the Bible.
1. You know what it takes to have this life…
B. Do you have it?
1. If not, why not, why not?
2. If I can assist you…
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