Strive or Abide? or both?

The word abide is somewhat of an obscure word these days. It’s not really used much anymore. However, there is, I think, an easy way to help us understand this word quickly.

You may have at some point invited a guest to your home. Desiring to welcome them to your home, you turn and say, “Welcome to our humble abode.” Well, the abode is the place where you abide. It is the place you live; where you do life with others who are close to you.

It is not the place you work, and it is not the place you visit. Your abode is the place where you live. It is your resting place. It is your protection from storms, and the nightly weather. It is the place of your disagreements, and the place of reconciliation. Your abode is the place where you are nourished with food and conversation with those who are closest to you. This is the place where you abide.

Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you

abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.23

So the test of whether you are a disciple is the production of fruit. Remember Jesus said this about false teachers in Matthew 7. He said, “You will know them by their fruit.”24 Without fruit the branch will be cut off and thrown in the fire—that is not a delightful proposition. Rather be the one that is worthy of pruning. This way we may bear more fruit.

Now, how do we produce fruit. What must we do? What is it that we can accomplish without Christ? Nothing. We can accomplish nothing without Jesus. David agreed with this when he said, “I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord; I have

no good apart from you.”25

What must the branch do? Does it need to work and strive to produce the most fruit possible? No. The branch must abide. We are the branches! We need to rest. We need to abide, and let the life of God our Savior flow through us and produce all the fruit he desires. We cannot do this if we insist our own way; if we stiffen and becomes hard when the wind of the Spirit blows. And why does a branch stiffen, and become hard? Because the life of the vine is no longer in it. If you have stiffened, pray this prayer: Revive me, O God! Send your Spirit to flow through me once again. I surrender!

When we are at peace with the King’s plan, then there will be a harvest of righteousness. Remember as we spoke about the wisdom of this world. We saw that it is of the devil, because it is a way to trust in flesh, and turn from the LORD.

However, when we abandon the trust of the strength of flesh, and turn back to God (repent); we are at peace with God. See then how that paragraph in James’ letter closes: “And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”26 When you are at peace with God’s wisdom over your own, the seeds you sow will be sure to reap a harvest of righteousness. May it be so with you, by the grace of God.

As Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians, “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written, “He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.”

May you abide in Christ. May his grace flow through you to make you sufficient, by his strength, for every good work. May he increase the fruit from your life, and may he reap a harvest that is a result of the righteousness produced in you. May his grace abound in you more and more as you solely depend on our God and Savior, Yeshua the Messiah.