RE: "Abiding in Jesus is what life in the church is all about."

From what I understand of Scripture, this abiding is largely about being mindful of what Jesus said.

• "Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that he made to us — eternal life" (1 John 2:24-25 ESV).

• "If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love" (John 15:10).

• "Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock" (Luke 6:47-48).

• "Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" (Matthew 11:29).

So as disciples we have two sublimely compelling sets of reasons to abide in Jesus -- to keep paying attention:
• His atoning work: He has dearly paid the price to redeem our lives.
• His enlightening word and example: He dearly wants us to continue to learn from him, and by faith aspire to fulfill our lives on earth as he has taught us -- that "my Father is glorified, [as] you bear much fruit" (John 15:8), and "that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full" (John 15:11).