Does it seem like the world moves faster these days? Maybe it is just me becoming my parents, but each year blazes by quicker. The world seems to be changing and shifting at a break-neck pace. But, though the world is different, God has not been surprised, his love is not diminished, and his plan for the church and the world is the same today as it has always been. The world is different, but God stays the same.
The fact that God stays the same is explained in a doctrinal term called immutability. When we say that God is immutable, what we are saying is that God is not affected by outside circumstances. Nothing that happens in the world changes who God is. This is important, because if God were subject to regular change, he could not be an anchor that holds fast in the storms of life. If God were subject to regular change, we could not be confident in our eternal salvation because, God could just change his mind and change the rules of the game.
- What specific challenges has your family experienced in the last year? What have been the most difficult conversations you have had to have with your spouse and/or your kids?
- How does the doctrine of God’s immutability make give you greater confidence to abide in Christ?
- How has your faith in God sustained you in this year or in another difficult time in our life?
1. Growing Christians Abide in Christ (John 15:1-5)
In some ways, everyone who his in Christ abides in Christ, because those who are in Christ are a new creation. Therefore, anyone who has been saved, is “in Christ.” However, Jesus offers some “if” statements in John 15 that suggest Christians may sometimes wander away from fellowship with Jesus. Apart from Jesus, Christians are separated from the “vine” that gives life, but in Jesus, Christians are connected with the power of Christ that changes the world.
- What does it mean to be “in Christ?”
Abiding in Christ can sound like a mystical, spiritual experience, and to some degree it is. However, abiding in Christ happens through very concrete steps. We abide in Christ through spiritual disciplines such as regular Bible reading, prayer, corporate worship, and personal evangelism.
- What spiritual disciplines do you practices regularly in your life?
2. Christians Bear Fruit (John 15:5-8)
Sometimes Bible phrases can be over-spiritualized to a point that normal people have difficulty relating them to real life. When you read “bear fruit” in John 15, you could substitute it for “looks or acts like a Christian.” Jesus says that whoever abides in him bears fruit…that is, looks and acts like a Christian. But, those who do not abide in him are “thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.” Christians bear fruit. Those who do not bear fruit are imposters who are eventually cut off.
- In what areas of your life do you see Christ’s impact most readily? In what areas of your life do you need to pray for more “fruit?”
3. Christians Grow in Grace and Love (2 Corinthians 13:14)
Sanctification should result in bearing fruit and an increasing in holiness. But, growing in Jesus should also result in grace and love. Just as Christ shows you grace in your salvation, so too should your relationship with Christ result in you being more grace-filled, loving, patient, and kind.
- Do you always see Christians behaving with love and grace?
- How has the current political moment led to some Christians behaving publicly in ways that are un-loving and lacking in grace?
Conclusion
The work of Jesus in the lives of his believers conforms them into his image. Over time, Christians who spend time with Jesus look like Jesus and act like Jesus. Eventually, the fruit that Christians bear will be not only evangelistic fruit, but also the fruit of grace, love, peace, and repentance.
- To whom can you show grace today?
- When do you struggle the most with behaving in a Christ-like manner? Why do you think you struggle during these times? What could you change to help you to better honor Christ in these times?
- How do you model spiritual disciplines in front of your children?
Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash
