Plains Baptist Church: Abide in Christ

Fruit that Remains

Raymond Smith — Sun, 06 Sep 2026 09:30:00 +0100

Fruit that Remains

Series: Abide in Christ

Pastor: Raymond Smith

Sunday Morning

Date: 6th September 2026

Passage: John 15:16-17

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What kind of fruit will remain from your life? The fruit Christ produces through an abiding believer lasts, while fruit produced by the flesh will not endure. Jesus appointed His disciples to go and bear fruit that would remain in their character, in the lives of others, and before God. Through His Word and prayer, Christ supplies what believers need to continue serving when trials come. This lasting fruit includes love that forgives, restores, and seeks reconciliation with other believers. Watch the full sermon and examine what kind of fruit your life is bearing.

Love One Another: the Friend Above all Others

Raymond Smith — Sun, 30 Aug 2026 09:30:00 +0100

Love One Another: the Friend Above all Others

Series: Abide in Christ

Pastor: Raymond Smith

Sunday Morning

Date: 30th August 2026

Passage: John 15:12-15

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There is a difference between knowing about Jesus and knowing Him as a friend.

Jesus describes friendship with Him as a relationship marked by love and obedience, and that love affects how we treat other believers—even those we find difficult to love. His own love sets the standard: He gave Himself for us, and He calls us to put the needs of others ahead of our own.

As we abide in Christ, our love for Him should produce a real, practical love for one another.

Are we simply acquainted with Christ, or do we know Him as a friend? Watch the full sermon, “The Friend Above All Others.”

The Fruit of Abiding

Raymond Smith — Sun, 23 Aug 2026 09:30:00 +0100

The Fruit of Abiding

Series: Abide in Christ

Pastor: Raymond Smith

Sunday Morning

Date: 23rd August 2026

Passage: John 15:7-11

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Abiding in Christ does more than change what we do; it changes what our lives produce. In John 15:7–11, Jesus describes the fruit that comes from staying close to Him: a powerful prayer life shaped by His Word, a life that brings glory to the Father, a love expressed through obedience, and joy that does not depend on our circumstances.

That fruit shows up in our character, our conduct, and the people our lives reach. When those things begin to fade, the answer is not to work harder at producing them, but to examine whether we are still abiding in Christ. Are we spending time in His Word, talking to Him in prayer, and obeying what He has already told us to do?

Consider the fruit in your own life and what it reveals about your relationship with the Vine.

Abide in Me

Raymond Smith — Sun, 16 Aug 2026 09:30:00 +0100

Abide in Me

Series: Abide in Christ

Pastor: Raymond Smith

Sunday Morning

Date: 16th August 2026

Passage: John 15:1-3

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Jesus told His disciples to abide in Him just hours before their lives would change in ways they did not yet understand. Abiding in Christ means more than turning to Him on Sunday; it means spending time in the Bible, praying, surrendering our will, and obeying Him in the ordinary hours of daily life.

As we remain close to Christ, He produces fruit in our lives that we could never produce through our own effort. Busyness and activity may look productive, but they cannot take the place of a life that draws its strength from Christ.

A Christian can keep going through the motions and appear strong while no longer drawing daily strength from Him. Abiding requires us to stay close to Christ day after day, trusting Him and choosing His will over our own.

2026-08-16 AM

The True Vine & the Husbandman

Raymond Smith — Sun, 09 Aug 2026 09:30:00 +0100

The True Vine & the Husbandman

Series: Abide in Christ

Pastor: Raymond Smith

Sunday Morning

Date: 9th August 2026

Passage: John 15:1-3

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What gives your life its purpose, direction, and meaning? The world offers plenty of answers, but none of them offer true lasting fulfillment. Jesus Christ declared, “I am the true vine.” John 15:1–3 points us to a life rooted in Christ and submitted to the Father’s work in us.

God desires fruitfulness, and that means confronting the sin, rebellion, complacency, and other things that hinder spiritual growth. Through His Word, He cleanses, corrects, and changes us, and at times He uses trials to remove what keeps us from becoming what He desires.

A fruitful Christian life begins with Christ and requires a willingness to let God work in every area of our lives.