Abiding in Christ

“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.” John 15:4

 The Greek word for abide, meno, is from the noun, mone, which means home.  The noun form is used a few verses earlier, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and we will come and make Our home with him.” (John 14:23)  When I say to a guest, “make yourself at home,” I’m telling them to relax because they belong here.  Have we given God that kind of welcome?  Do we believe He gives us that kind of welcome?

Jesus invites us to make a new home with Him.  He doesn’t want to be a hotel we visit on Sundays, and He doesn’t want to be an apartment we rent from month to month to keep our options open.  He wants us to make the investment of our lives by building a home together with Him, and He gives us the blueprint of what the new home will look like.

 First, it will be large.  It must be because there seems to be room for everyone.  “This is My command, love another.” (15:12)  There’s room for all Christians, for strangers, and even for enemies.  It turns out Jesus is planning on inviting a lot of people over to the new home!

 Secondly, it’s a happy home.  “These things I command you so that My joy may be in you, and your joy may be full.” (15:11)  If we aren’t there yet it’s not because it’s not part of the blueprint, it’s only because the new home isn’t fully built yet.

 Thirdly, it’s a unique home.  “If you abide in Me and My word abides in you, ask whatever you desire and it will be done.” (15:7)  His presence and His word so purify our desires that who God has uniquely made us, becomes part of the new home.  The life of Jesus is going to be expressed differently in each of us, so it’s important not to compare ourselves with each other.  The home you build with Jesus will look different than the home I build with Jesus.