I Am the Vine
Luke 15:1-8
May 3, 2015
If you have ever been to California’s Disneyland or Florida’s Disney World,
you are sure to have seen their amazing sculpted topiary plants.
When I first visited Disneyland as child, I was fascinated by the growing figures
of my favorite Disney characters.
Years later when I was living in Florida,
I watched even more elaborate creations emerge at Disney World.
I read this week that it takes between five and fifteen years to grow and prune a bush
into those captivating forms.
Today we are going to hear about how God prunes us, to shape us into the image of Jesus.
Sometimes that pruning involves removing sin from our lives.
Such pruning may be painful, but over time God changes us into
into the kind of disciples we were intended to be.
I invite you to hear these words from John 15:1-8.
Scripture-John 15:1-8
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no
fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You
are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in
you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit
unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you,
you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are
like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire
and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will
be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be
my disciples.
Prayer
God of wisdom and love, we look to you for guidance and direction, for nurture and support.
Help us be intentional about making time each day for prayer and Bible study,
so that our faith continues to grow and we bear the fruit of your Spirit. Amen.
Message
I read a story this week about a missionary in Africa who had a small generator
to supply electricity for his church and his house.
One day some natives from a smaller village came to visit the missionary.
One man was so fascinated by the small electric light in the living room,
that he asked if he could have a bulb to take with him.
The missionary, thinking he wanted it for a sort of trinket, gave him one of his extra bulbs.
On his next visit to the man’s small village, the missionary stopped at the hut
of the man who had asked for the light bulb.
The missionary was surprised to see the light bulb in the man’s home hanging from a string.
Apparently the man did not understand that he would need a source of electricity
and wire to convey the current to his bulb in order to have light in his home.
We may be amused by the man’s lack of understanding of the need for a power source
in order for his bulb to produce light.
Even my three-year-old grandson understands when you need to replace the battery
in a flashlight or when you need to plug in to recharge his tablet.
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I Am the Vine
Luke 15:1-8
May 3, 2015
However, many Christians today don’t seem to understand our need for a power source
in order for our faith in Jesus Christ to produce fruit in our lives.
In today’s reading, Jesus reminds us to stay plugged in to the source of spiritual power
if we want to continue to yield spiritual fruit.
No one had an electrical generator or batteries in Jesus’ day,
but they did understand something about growing grapes.
In the off season, grape vines go dormant and can appear to be dead.
The leaves turn brown and fall off, leaving only the bare branches.
What you might not know is that the branches of a grape vine produces fruit only once.
That is why the vine grower prunes away up to 90% of the new growth each year.
It is only by regular and significant pruning
that a grape vine continues to produce abundant fruit year after year.
Just like batteries power our flashlights, just like our phones and tablets need to be recharged
by connecting them to an electrical source,
so also do we human beings need to be connected to the power of the Holy Spirit
in order to remain spiritually alive and productive.
Jesus compared himself to the vine and called God the Creator the vine grower.
In other words, Jesus is the means by which you and I are connected to our Creator.
As long as we remain connected to Jesus, so long as we “abide in him,”
we have access to the power of God’s Holy Spirit.
That Spirit keeps our faith alive, it energizes us, and produces fruit in us.
Sometimes Christians think that the only fruit of their faith
is the development of new believers.
While the mission of the Christian church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ
for the transformation of the world,
that trasnformaion begins within each one of us.
So long as we are connected to Jesus
through our daily prayers and our daily study of God’s Word,
we are continually being transformed into the likeness of Christ.
The fruit of your connection with Jesus is the fruit of the Spirit within you.
Do remember the fruit of the Spirit from Galatians 5:22?
They are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
These nine spiritual virtues are the primary fruit of “abiding in Christ.
The vitality of your spiritual life is directly dependent upon your connection to Christ.
The more you pray and study your Bible, the more these virtues will grow within you.
If at any time you feel you are lacking in love for all, pray and study your Bible.
If you lack joy or peace, pray and read your Bible.
If you lack patience or self-control, pray and read your Bible.
These are the two most vital means by which we can abide in Christ and produce good fruit.
The purpose of Christ, the vine, is to provide spiritual nourishment to us, the branches.
Without that nourishment, are are unable to produce fruit.
Without that constant connection to God in Chrsist,
we are lacking in those nine virtues of love, joy peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Most people would say they desire joy and peace, perhaps even love,
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I Am the Vine
Luke 15:1-8
May 3, 2015
but some people might say they could get along without having kindness or self-control.
The reality is, the fruit of the of the Spirit is not for us.
The branches never produce fruit for their own use,
Instead, the branches produce fruit for others.
In the same way, we Christians are called to produce fruit, not for ourselves,
but to share in service to others.
Our love, joy and peace are not simply for our enjoyment; they are for others.
Our patience, kindness and goodness and not for our own pleasure, but for others.
The true value of our faithfulness, gentleness and self-control is not for our satisfaction.
God intends for us to grow in these virtues so that we can be of greater service to others.
God's Word in today’s lesson is clear.
We are each called to be transformed into the image of Jesus.
The more we abide in Christ, the vine, the more fruit we will bear.
The more fruit we bear, the more God has to prune us.
The more God prunes us, the greater the quantity and the quality
of the fruit produced in us.
Remember, the fruit of the Spirit is produced in us, not by us.
Abiding in Christ is about showing up and hanging out with God.
It is about baring our souls to God in prayer
and opening ourselves to God’s leading through Scripture.
When we abide in Christ, the fruit of the Spirit comes naturally.
Two weeks ago today, on a Sunday afternoon, my brother-in-law had an unexpected surgery.
On our way to Mercy Hospital in Iowa City, Kim and I stopped to purchase a flower pot
with several tulip bulbs planted in it to brighten up Ted’s hospital room.
I deliberately chose a pot with buds that had not yet opened.
Over the next few days those tulips began to open up and reveal flashes of bright yellow.
No one had to tell those flowers how to develop.
Once they were immersed in the right combination of water and sunlight,
the beauty of the flowers simply emerged.
So it is with the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
When we are immersed in the right combination of prayer and God’s Word,
we are effortlessly transformed into the beautiful creatures God intends for us to be.
While some folks may grumble about all they have to give up as God prunes the sin from us,
those who willingly submit to abiding in the love of God are the first to admit
they don’t miss the sins they gave up as they grew up in their faith.
Today as we each seek the transformation God desires for our faith development,
I invite you to dwell on the beautiful fruit being developed in you
and not be concerned with lifeless practices God is pruning away.
Prayer
Master gardener of all Creation, create in us a holy desire to grow
an abundant crop of spiritual fruit meant to equip us to better serve you. Amen.
Benediction
Jesus said he is the vine and we are the branches.
God intends for us to stay firmly connected to him through his Son.
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I Am the Vine
Luke 15:1-8
May 3, 2015
May we go forth this day seeking the perfect mixture of pray and study,
so that we might bear a bumper crop of spiritual fruit. Amen.
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