Abide

Our Gospel reading today makes use of an important word that features multiple times in this Gospel. That word, here translated as ‘remain’, is ‘abide’.

As believers, we are called to ‘remain’ or ‘abide’:

• In Jesus (15:4),
• In his words (15:7), and
• In his love.

That is the safest place in which we can be. It is a place of comfort, a place of safety, a place of nurture, and a place that leads to life, wholeness, and fulfilment. It is a place where we might know ‘shalom’ in all its fullness. And what creates that environment is love. Jesus said, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.” Well, God loves perfectly, and since Jesus is fully God and fully man, he loves us perfectly too.

But what does Jesus instruct us to do? He says, “Now remain in my love.” The thing is, we have to work at remaining in that place. It’s easy to wander away from it and get distracted by the worries and concerns of life. It’s like when clouds obscure the sun.

But then Jesus goes on to make a conditional statement, “If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.” Jesus’ commands are instructions that bring life and blessing, instructions that help us to remain in that place of security and that place of love. Of course, conversely, if we choose not to keep his commands, if we think that we know better, then we shouldn’t be surprised when we find that we are not in that place of peace. We are to respond to Jesus with total dedication, commitment, and obedience. It is when we are in that place that we see the gifts of the Spirit emerging and the fruit of the Spirit in abundance.

In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus said, “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matthew 7:16-23)

The Bible gives us clear warnings about false prophets, false disciples, or false teachers. These are people who cause the faithful to struggle to remain or abide in Jesus. These are all people who do not remain or abide in Jesus themselves, who do not seek to obey his commands or follow his words and who do not manifest his love. These are people who bring disunity, and division, who are wolves in sheep’s clothing. These are people who might be recognised by their bad fruit; these are people who do not spur others on “toward love and good deeds”, as we are reminded of so powerfully by St Paul:

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.” (Hebrews 10:23-27)

I’ve encountered false prophets, false disciples, and false teachers on my walk of faith. I’ve observed that they often interweave snippets of truth (which are often grossly distorted) with falsehood to further their own agenda and purposes. Their words and deeds point at themselves and not at God. It is as if they offer a beautifully presented sandwich for us to eat which looks nourishing and wholesome and good – but the problem is, it is laced with poison.

Today’s Gospel reading ends with Jesus’ words, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” I like joy. I am sure you do!  And I am sure that we would all rejoice when our joy is made complete. So let us together truly seek to be faithful – to God and to one another. Let us truly seek to live self-sacrificial lives in which we spur one another on towards love and good deeds. Let those of us who are mature in faith encourage and nurture those who aren’t that they might abide in Jesus, in his words, and in his love by obeying his commands. Amen.