Because I Live, Ye Shall Live Also
The sermon emphasizes the importance of abiding in Christ, leaning on His strength, and drinking in His life to experience spiritual growth and development.
A.B. Simpson emphasizes the importance of abiding in Christ, who is our Living Head and source of life. He encourages believers to lean on Christ's strength, feed on Him as the Living Bread, and draw resources from Him through continual dependence and communion. The Holy Spirit plays a vital role as our Teacher, imparting the things of Christ and fostering a deep longing for communion with Him. As we yield to the Holy Spirit, our hearts are opened to receive and rejoice in the life of Christ, much like a tree nourished by water. This process leads to spiritual growth and fulfillment in our relationship with God.
Text
A fter having become adjusted to our Living Head and the source of our life, our business now is to abide, absorb and grow. We do this by leaning on Christ's strength, drinking in His life, feeding on Him as the Living Bread and drawing all of our resources from Him in continual dependence and communion. The Holy Spirit will be the great Teacher and Minister in this blessed process.
He will take of the things of Christ and show them to us, and He will impart them through all the channels and functions of our spiritual lives.
As we yield ourselves to Him He will breathe His own prayer of communion, drawing out our hearts in longings and hungerings, which are the pledge of their own fulfillment, calling us apart in silent and wordless prayer, and opening every sense and sensibility of our spiritual beings to take in His life. As the lungs absorb the oxygen from the atmosphere, as the senses breathe in the sweet odors of the garden, so the heart instinctively receives and rejoices in the affection and fellowship of the beloved One by our sides. Thus each of us becomes like a tree planted by the rivers of water (Psalm 1:3).
Sermon Outline
- Abiding in Christ
- Leaning on Christ's strength
- Drinking in His life
- Feeding on Him as the Living Bread
Key Quotes
“As the lungs absorb the oxygen from the atmosphere, as the senses breathe in the sweet odors of the garden, so the heart instinctively receives and rejoices in the affection and fellowship of the beloved One by our sides.” — A.B. Simpson
Application Points
- We must continually depend on Christ for strength, life, and resources in our daily lives.
- The Holy Spirit is our great Teacher and Minister, guiding us into a deeper communion with Christ.
- As we yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit, we will experience a greater sense of Christ's presence in our lives.