PostScript: A fruitful vine?
Jesus uses a simple organic image to describe the Christian life and calling (John 15.1-8).
Introduction
John 15:1-8 is an integral part of Jesus’ farewell discourse with his followers. Jesus has talked about his relationship with the Father and now he talks about his relationship with his followers — us. Our lives are to be sustained by and through his life — just like branches of a vine. Further, Jesus tells us ‘apart from me you can do nothing’. By this Jesus does not mean that we are helpless to act in general, but that, specifically, we cannot act according to his commands and kingdom without dwelling in him. All that we need in order to live as his followers comes directly from him — just as the branches of a vine and their fruit receive their sustenance from vine’s life-giving sap.
This week's news
In 1985, the famine in Ethiopia — particularly in the Tigray province — dominated world headlines. Now that same region is becoming fruitful thanks to communal efforts.
In Jesus’ parable of the vine, some dying branches are cut away that the others might live and become fruitful. The parents of Teddy Houlston made the difficult decision not to abort their fatally malformed foetus, but allow him to come to full term, thus becoming the UK’s youngest organ donor.
Reflection
Jesus often uses organic images for both his mission and the kingdom of God? When Jesus called Peter and Andrew, James and John, he told them that he would make them ‘fishers of people’ — the fish being those to be called to salvation, and the fishers Jesus himself and the apostles. We might also think of the mustard seed, the fig tree — even little children; all living things. And, of course, there are the bread and wine (both organic substances which sustain life) which Jesus compares to his body and blood. In John 6:53, Jesus shocks many of his hearers by stating that ‘unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood you can have no life in you.’ With such imagery and statements, Jesus clearly isn’t talking about some vague philosophical understanding of our connectedness with him. Rather, we are to be integrally related to him.
What does it mean to be integrally related to Jesus? We might be born and brought up in a church family, much as the branches sprout from the vine. But unless we produce ‘fruit’ — Christian action, compassion, witness — then our connectedness to the vine (our church family) is fruitless. It bears no resemblance to the vine. Or, we might be ‘grafted’ into the Christian family by conversion through personal experience of God in Christ. Yet neither of these comes without pain. How so?
As regards the first instance, any gardener will know that a branch of a vine doesn’t usually die at once. Its fruit or leaves tend to die gradually. However, the vine’s life-sustaining sap still flows into the dying branch, therefore diminishing the fruit yielded by healthier branches. If no Christ-like words and actions flow from us, people will slowly stop investing in us — like the branches that are cut away from the vine. As for those who are grafted into the vine, they are first ‘cut off’ from their former lives and behaviour, and then grafted into the vine — also by means of a cut. Let’s face it, not every church is happy to receive new members — especially if they come from very different backgrounds. It can feel like a ‘cut’ in the cosy community.
But whether it’s the vine and branches, or the seed and mustard tree, Jesus’ message remains clear: spiritual growth and maturity can only come by our connectedness with his life-giving spirit.
Prayer
This is intended to be used as intercessions. A suitable response could be used between the sections.
Loving creator God, as our country moves closer to the general election, help us not to be swayed merely by party-spirit and dissension, but by your loving, life-giving spirit. Help us prayerfully to consider what you would have us to for the betterment of all in our society.
Too often our political leaders would have us think that the only fruitfulness in our lives is to be found in their policies and in the size of our bank accounts. Yet, your Son Jesus teaches us that our true treasure is to be found in a life rooted in him, and that your blessing rests on those who are gentle, seek the right and do the things that make for peace.
Lord, keep us mindful of those, both within our society and abroad, for whom life seems fruitless indeed. We pray for those whose lives are so desperate that they put themselves into the hands of traffickers who promise them of a better life in Europe, but leave them to the dangers of the sea in overcrowded boats.
Faithful God, we pray for our sisters and brothers in the faith — particularly in Syria, Iraq, Libya and East Africa. Most of us in the UK have no idea of what it is like to suffer so dreadfully for our faith. Keep us faithful in our prayers for the suffering church and in our support for agencies which seek to bring them some measure of aid and relief.
God of all life and abundant living, keep us firmly attached to the True Vine, Jesus Christ; that our lives might bear fruit — not just for ourselves — but for all those whose paths we cross, friend and stranger alike. Help us to view others with Christ’s eyes and treat them with his heart of compassion. It is through his name that we offer these prayers.
Amen.
Questions
- Why do you think that Jesus compared the life of his followers to a vine and its branches? What purpose does Jesus see for the branches?
- Are we helping people on their pathway to God or are we simply colonising them with our ways and our experiences?
Action
For discussion groups: If our churches were businesses, would people know what our product is? Are we selling life in Jesus or are we simply marketing ‘Church, Inc.’? Might your church find two or three volunteers who would be willing to meet with and nurture seekers? Is it possible to provide training for stewards or church welcomers so that they can better explain Christian faith and worship to newcomers?
Young People
Knowing who we are and what we are about as Christians will determine what ‘fruit’ we will yield. In our increasingly secular world, in which religion or faith isn’t ‘cool’, are we willing to discuss our faith with others? If we are afraid, can we name our fears? And how might we overcome them?
Jack Lawson is the Mission Enabler for the East Anglia District of the Methodist Church, a lecturer in Hebrew Bible and free-lance author (www.jacknlawson.com).
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