The world tries to sell us illusions. It tells us that fame, wealth, and success are the key to happiness. But deep down, people who chase those things still find themselves searching—searching for meaning, for purpose, for belonging.
Anybody remember Neil Diamond? (Okay, come on, don’t leave me hanging—who doesn’t like Sweet Caroline?) In 1971, he wrote a song called I Am… I Said. It’s heartbreaking. It’s about a man crying out for meaning, but feeling unheard, unseen, and lost.
One of the lines says:
I am, I said, to no one there, and no one heard at all, not even the chair.
Another line simply states:
And I am lost.
That song captures the cry of the world. People feel lost. They feel alone. They feel like no one hears them.
But then I thought about something. That song repeats the phrase I am over and over again. And where do we see that phrase in Scripture?
John 15:1—"I am the true vine."
Jesus wasn’t searching for identity. He is the identity. He wasn’t lost. He is the way. He wasn’t searching for purpose. He is the purpose.
The world is crying out, I am lost, but Jesus says, I am the way. The world is searching for truth, but Jesus says, I am the truth. The world is looking for meaning, but Jesus says, I am the life. And here in John 15, Jesus tells us exactly where we find our identity, our purpose, and our worth—by abiding in Him.
Jesus didn’t just come so we could exist—He came so we could thrive.
John 15:12-17 tells us that:
We are loved (Greater love hath no man than this… – v.13)
We are called His friends (I have called you friends… – v.15)
We are chosen for a purpose (Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you… – v.16)
And Jesus finishes with this command:
"That ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain."
That means your life is meant to count for something beyond yourself. Your life was meant to bear eternal fruit—something that lasts.
Three Realities of the Abiding Life
If your life is going to matter, there are three unshakable realities that you need to grasp:
1. You Are Redeemed – The Reality of Christ’s Sacrifice
Jesus begins with the greatest love ever demonstrated—a love that cost Him His life.
John 15:13 – Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Before we could ever abide in Christ, we first had to be redeemed by Christ. Without redemption, there is no relationship. Without relationship, there is no abiding. Without abiding, there is no purpose.
People sometimes ask, Why did Jesus have to die? To answer that question, we have to go all the way back to the Garden of Eden. God created Adam and Eve sinless, in perfect fellowship with Him. But one act of disobedience severed that relationship. Since that day, every human born into this world has been born a sinner in need of a Savior.
Romans 5:12 – Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.
This is why redemption is necessary. Sin doesn’t just make us bad—it makes us dead.
Ephesians 2:1 – And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.
The reality is this:👉 If you’re born once, you’ll die twice—once physically, then eternally in the second death.👉 If you’re born twice, you’ll die once—physically, but never spiritually.
That’s why Jesus died—so we could live.
And here’s the key:
Jesus didn’t just die for the world—He died for YOU.
Jesus didn’t just carry sin—He carried YOUR sin.
Jesus didn’t just suffer—He suffered in YOUR place.
Until you see yourself as the guilty one, you will never see Jesus as your Redeemer.
2. You Are Called – The Reality of Your Relationship
John 15:14-15 – Ye are my friends… I have called you friends.
When we think of a king and his subjects, we don’t usually think of friendship. But in John 15, Jesus lifts us from servants to friends.
The word friend in this passage means "friend in the court" or "friend in the inner circle." In ancient times, a king had many subjects, but only a few close friends who had access to him and knew his heart.
This is what Jesus offers us—not just servanthood, but closeness.
✅ Nehemiah was a servant to King Artaxerxes, but also a friend.
✅ Abraham was called "the friend of God."
✅ David’s mighty men were his friends, but they fought for him.
What kind of friend are you to Jesus?
✅ Do you abide in Him daily?
✅ Do you serve in His kingdom?
✅ Do you obey when He speaks?
3. You Are Sent – The Reality of Your Mission
John 15:16 – Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit…
If you are saved, you are sent. Christianity is not a spectator sport—it’s a calling to bear fruit that remains.
One man who understood this was Samuel Brengle, a worker for the Salvation Army in Boston. One day, as he passed by a saloon, someone threw a brick at him. It struck his head, and he spent 18 months in recovery.
Instead of growing bitter, he used that time to write a book, Helps to Holiness. When people thanked him for it, he often said:
"If there had been no little brick, there had been no little book."
Sometimes, we face difficulties we don’t understand. Instead of asking, Why me?, we should ask, What can God do through me?
What Will Your Life Matter For?
The world is asking, Does my life matter? And Jesus says, Yes.
Three of the top reasons people consider suicide are:
They feel no one loves them.
They feel they have no true friends.
They feel they have no purpose.
And Jesus answers all of them.
✅ He loves you.
✅ He calls you His friend.
✅ He gives you an eternal mission.
Your life was meant to matter. The question is, what will it matter for?
The time to abide is now.
The time to bear fruit is today.
The time to say Yes, Lord is this moment.
👉 Will you live for what will last forever?
This article is from a sermon that is part of a series from John 15 called Abide & Thrive. If you found this article helpful, consider sharing it or even checking out the rest of the series!
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