John 15:1-8

May 2, 2021

The Rev. Todd R. Goddard, Pastor

Rush United Methodist Church

John 15:1-8

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.”

| Centering Prayer |

Like the Good Shepherd from last Sunday,

Today’s image is another expanded metaphor of the infamous “I Am” statements

As quoted by Jesus in the Gospel of John.

“I Am,” Jesus draws from Hebrew scripture to remind his audience

Of God’s self-disclosure

Speaking directly to Moses on Mount Sinai, through a burning bush.

“I Am,” Jesus says,

“The bread of life.”

“I Am the light of the world.”

“I Am,” Jesus repeats, time and again,

“The door,”

“The good shepherd,”

And “the resurrection and the life.”

“I Am,” declares Jesus,

“The way, the truth and the life.”

And today, Jesus proclaims,

“I Am the true vine.”

(John 6:35. 6:48. 8:12. 9:5. 8:58. 10:9. 10:11. 11:25. 14:6. 15:1)

The extended true vine metaphor

Is very helpful in sculpting out the details of Christian life and faith.

Often times metaphors and parables begin to lose form

The harder one pushes.

“I Am the true vine” holds up wonderfully

Under the pressure.

Indeed, God presents it

With a longing desire for us to dig deeper.

So,

Grab your spiritual shovel

And join me in the dig!

Jesus is the TRUE vine, meaning there are false vines.

Beware, the world is full of quacks, charlatans, and snake oil salesman

Who all claim to be second coming of Jesus Christ.

They will promise you the farm

If only you buy what they’re selling,

Drink what they are peddling,

Believe what they are preaching,

Or follow where they are leading.

Beware, even the Devil quotes scripture.

False vines lead gullible and uninformed sheep to slaughter;

To a dark, damp spiritual alley to rob them blind and leave them for dead.

Many will claim insider knowledge,

Some divine divination,

Or will attempt to scare us with threats of assorted dark horsemen

From the impending apocalypse.

Tell them to talk to the hand!

Jesus is TRUE.

He is the only TRUE vine.

Listen and follow none other.

The Father is the vinegrower.

Our heavenly Father created the world and all that is in it.

God cleared the land,

Planted the seed,

Constructed the trellis.

And tends the vines.

God is not some absentee landlord

That created the vineyard then moved on to another project.

The hand of God

Touches his branches,

– touches us –

To thin us, to prune us, and to maximize the yield of fruit.

It is, after all, all about the fruit, isn’t it?

When Jesus abides in you,

And you in Christ,

You will bear much fruit.

All it takes is abiding in Christ;

Which means

Making your home in the love of Jesus.

Spread the Savior’s love extravagantly

To a world that would rather hate,

That is overflowing with hate,

That is burning to the ground with hate.

Center life in God’s love.

Dive in.

Splash.

Drink in the love of God.

This is what it means to “abide.”

When we abide in the Lord,

The one who is our divine gardener,

We can leave the rest up to Him.

Dead branches

Will be cut away and burnt.

Those under producing will be pruned back,

Appropriately pruned;

Not because of any failure on our part.

God prunes to maximize the harvest of fruit.

It is, after all, all about the fruit!

Here is an observation for you:

A branch cannot bear fruit

Simply by a force of will.

If it was my will,

Churches would be filled to overflowing.

Everyone would be engaged in Spirit led missions and ministries and the entire world would be on fire for Jesus Christ.

Many a church growth efforts have been launched in past decades

Only to sink before they ever exit the harbor.

All those leadership development and mega-church seminars have led to a few success stories

But at the expense of thousands of other local churches.

If you’re trying to force fruit,

You’re doing it wrong!

Attempting to force the production of fruit

Is the pinnacle of arrogance and a pathway toward idolatry.

Stop trying to force the fruit.

Be authentic.

Abide in the love of Jesus Christ

And let Christ’s love abide in you.

This is the sweet spot were the greatest and best fruit will be harvested.

When you and I can be the love of Christ living in this world

The rest will take care of itself.

There is great comfort,

Great confidence,

In trusting in our divine gardener.

It is by the efforts of the true gardener that fruit is produced,

Not by anything we have said or done.

Fruit happens organically

Because the vine is true, and the gardener is good.

Apart from Jesus you can do nothing.

Apart from Jesus you can do nothing.

Sadly, most of us assume that doing something is equated with

Wealth, power, status, property

And having a “Leave it to Beaver” type of perfect family.

This is not true.

We all know people who live their lives in the love of Christ

Yet, their poverty overwhelms them,

Cancer is overcoming them,

Or their families are a wreck.

Likewise, we all know people who live with such wealth

And with such disregard for others,

Yet, still find it possible to climb to the highest,

Most privileged seats in society.

What gives?

Apart from Jesus, you and I can do nothing.

It isn’t about doing something.

Jesus is speaking about abiding in his love.

He’s talking about making

Our home in His love.

Separate ourselves from the love of Jesus,

From the love of God,

And the world begins to reveal itself for its true nature:

Treasure rusts.

Property become dilapidated and returns to dust.

Families go their separate ways.

Estates are dispersed.

Status is forgotten as soon as the undertaker makes his house call.

Have faith in the divine gardener’s larger plan.

It is a plan which we cannot know.

Failure to abide in Jesus results in

Destruction and forgotten memories.

There is no future in focusing on fruitless branches.

There is no point in comparing ourselves

To other disciples or other communities of faith.

Our only future is to make our home in the abiding love of Jesus Christ.

We cannot discern what is happening to the rest of the vine.

The work of the other branches is the work of the Father.

Our sole responsibility to the rest of the branches is to love.

If you abide in Jesus, ask and it will be done for you.

Little doubt what a branch is to ask for.

Ask to be fruitful!

The purpose of abiding in Jesus,

Of living in His love,

And welcoming the love of Christ to take root and grow in our lives

Is simply to glorify the Father.

Our faithfulness will result in bearing much fruit.

Living in the love of Christ

And welcoming Him into every aspect of our lives

Will lead us

On our eternal journey that carries us

Directly to the center of His heart.

Glorify the Father.

Abide in Christ.

Live in His love.

Amen.