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Abiding: Where Fruit Actually Comes From
August 9, 2026
Summary And Key Points
Introduction:
In “Abiding: Where Fruit Actually Comes From,” Pastor Elisha continues the Rediscovering The Jesus We Thought We Knew series through John 15:1–11. Jesus describes Himself as the true vine and us as the branches. It is a picture that challenges the way we often approach our relationship with God. We can spend so much time striving to become better, do more, and produce spiritual fruit that our walk with God becomes exhausting. But Jesus gives us a different invitation: abide in Him.Key Points:
1. Fruit comes from connection, not striving A branch cannot produce fruit through its own effort. It bears fruit because it remains connected to the vine. In the same way, spiritual fruit is not something we manufacture by working harder. Our responsibility is to remain connected to Jesus, the true vine. As Pastor Elisha puts it, “Fruit is not manufactured, it’s grown.” What we abide in will eventually shape the fruit we produce. When our identity, peace, and sense of life come primarily from work, success, relationships, social media, or other sources, we can easily become disconnected from Jesus. 2. Abiding happens in ordinary life Abiding is not reserved for church services, retreats, or long periods of prayer. Through the example of Brother Lawrence and Practising the Presence of God, Pastor Elisha reminds us that we can remain conscious of God's presence while doing the most ordinary things. We can abide while working, studying, sitting in traffic, cooking, attending meetings, or going about our daily responsibilities. Abiding is learning to continually turn our hearts towards God and invite Him into every part of life. 3. Fruit and joy are the result of abiding Jesus promises that those who abide in Him will bear much fruit, and that His joy will be in them so that their joy may be full. The order matters: Abide → Fruit Abide → Joy We often want the fruit, peace, joy, and abundant life without remaining connected to the One they come from. But these things cannot be manufactured by trying harder. They grow naturally from a life that remains connected to Jesus. And as we bear fruit, God continues to prune us so that we can bear even more. Abiding therefore does not mean remaining unchanged. It means continually allowing God to remove what hinders our growth.Conclusion:
The invitation of Jesus is simpler, but also more challenging, than another set of steps for becoming a better Christian: Stop striving to produce and start practising abiding. Jesus is the true vine. Our part is to remain connected to Him, surrender the areas where we have been striving or trying to stay in control, and learn to practise His presence wherever we are. This week, the invitation is simple: “True Vine, I want to abide in You.” As we remain in Him, fruit does not have to be forced. It grows.About New Covenant Community
Looking for a church in Sentul? New Covenant Community welcomes you with authentic worship, real community, and practical biblical teaching. English services (with live Chinese translations). Visit Sundays at 10am.
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Summary And Key Points
Introduction:
In “Abiding: Where Fruit Actually Comes From,” Pastor Elisha continues the Rediscovering The Jesus We Thought We Knew series through John 15:1–11. Jesus describes Himself as the true vine and us as the branches. It is a picture that challenges the way we often approach our relationship with God. We can spend so much time striving to become better, do more, and produce spiritual fruit that our walk with God becomes exhausting. But Jesus gives us a different invitation: abide in Him.Key Points:
1. Fruit comes from connection, not striving A branch cannot produce fruit through its own effort. It bears fruit because it remains connected to the vine. In the same way, spiritual fruit is not something we manufacture by working harder. Our responsibility is to remain connected to Jesus, the true vine. As Pastor Elisha puts it, “Fruit is not manufactured, it’s grown.” What we abide in will eventually shape the fruit we produce. When our identity, peace, and sense of life come primarily from work, success, relationships, social media, or other sources, we can easily become disconnected from Jesus. 2. Abiding happens in ordinary life Abiding is not reserved for church services, retreats, or long periods of prayer. Through the example of Brother Lawrence and Practising the Presence of God, Pastor Elisha reminds us that we can remain conscious of God's presence while doing the most ordinary things. We can abide while working, studying, sitting in traffic, cooking, attending meetings, or going about our daily responsibilities. Abiding is learning to continually turn our hearts towards God and invite Him into every part of life. 3. Fruit and joy are the result of abiding Jesus promises that those who abide in Him will bear much fruit, and that His joy will be in them so that their joy may be full. The order matters: Abide → Fruit Abide → Joy We often want the fruit, peace, joy, and abundant life without remaining connected to the One they come from. But these things cannot be manufactured by trying harder. They grow naturally from a life that remains connected to Jesus. And as we bear fruit, God continues to prune us so that we can bear even more. Abiding therefore does not mean remaining unchanged. It means continually allowing God to remove what hinders our growth.Conclusion:
The invitation of Jesus is simpler, but also more challenging, than another set of steps for becoming a better Christian: Stop striving to produce and start practising abiding. Jesus is the true vine. Our part is to remain connected to Him, surrender the areas where we have been striving or trying to stay in control, and learn to practise His presence wherever we are. This week, the invitation is simple: “True Vine, I want to abide in You.” As we remain in Him, fruit does not have to be forced. It grows.Show Transcript
About New Covenant Community
Looking for a church in Sentul? New Covenant Community welcomes you with authentic worship, real community, and practical biblical teaching. English services (with live Chinese translations). Visit Sundays at 10am.
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