Sunday April 28th

Peace Lutheran Church

Scripture Lesson: John 15:1-8

Sermon Title: The Divine Vine

Intoduction —

Jesus made several of these remarkable “I am God” statements–using ordinary things that his listeners would have been familiar with.  No other human ever claimed to be God in flesh, except Jesus.

But why “I am the Vine“?

What was the purpose of this divine claim–using a vine–that his listeners would have been very familiar with–to describe His relationships with God and us?

I came across a funny story that another pastor told.  He said, “A while back someone emailed me a link to a funny video that was in German; but you didn’t need to know German to get the point.  A young woman asks her father how he likes the new iPad she gave him for his birthday.  He says, “Good.”  But then she watches him use his iPad as a cutting board for chopping his vegetables.  She is horrified as he rinses it off in the sink and puts in the dishwasher!  A caption in English informs us that no I-Pads were harmed in filming the episode (sermon illustration by Stephen Cole, Fulfilling Your Purpose in Life, www.bible.org).”

While we laugh, it’s obvious that the father didn’t understand the purpose of the gift his daughter gave to him.  But–unlike our misunderstandings about God’s incredible gifts to us–unlike our sins committed against Him and each other–Jesus–God in flesh–truly understands what we lack and what we need.

In this statement–Jesus teaches His disciples/us about what we need–to be connected to the fully man, the fully Divine Vine.  Let’s look at this “I am statement” from the perspective of grapes.  To receive the nutrients that delicious grapes need–they must be connected to strong vines–so that they can produce the sweet fruit, wine, juices, and jams that we relish.

Have you heard the story of The Mother Vine?  I read about it in an interesting blog.  The blogger writes, “The Mother Vine, located on North Carolina’s Roanoke Island, is estimated to be 400 years old, which would make it the oldest grape vine in all of North America.  Still producing Scuppernong Grapes, North Carolina’s state fruit, it may have been planted by Native Americans or settlers of the Lost Colony (By Paul Roberts, growmeastory.com).”

Incredible!  400 years old!  But, folks, Jesus–the Divine Vine–is even better!  Being connected to Jesus–our personal Savior and Lord–God’s real, faithful harvest in our lives never has an expiration date.

How many pruners do we have in God’s house this morning?

Do you enjoy the pruning process?

The pruning or cleaning of the branches is an essential job to ensure that the branches and fruit stay fresh and plentiful.  The shriveled, dried up leaves, debris–why keep that stuff hanging on the branches?  You wouldn’t eat it.  What’s it good for?  Nothing!

Peace Lutheran–in the same way–because: “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son“–Jesus suffered and died on the cross for us and was raised from the dead so that the dead debris in us was left at the cross, buried in the grave, and that the new, fruitful life in the Vine–flourishes–now and forever.

Isn’t that what Jesus preached about in John 15?

“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.

5 “I am the vine; you are the branches.  I am the Vine.  My Father is the gardener. 

He cuts off every branch that does not bear fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit, He

prunes/cleans…I am the Vine…you are the branches.”

Throughout Scripture–the beautiful metaphor of the Vine and its fruit speaks of our greatest need and that only Jesus–the Divine Vine–can fulfill that need.  Jesus’ ever-fruitful, faithful life–in you and me–produces a spiritual harvest that others see and hear about so that they can be connected to Heaven’s Divine Vine, too.

Jumping ahead to Acts chapter 8, isn’t that what the disciple Philip was called to do?

The Holy Spirit called Philip to leave Samaria and to journey south to Gaza (i.e. it was desert road…leading him to southwestern Judea…it would have been a 50 mile trek…like traveling from Gardiner to Livingston)…to tell the Ethiopian Queen’s financial secretary what he was reading.

Why did God call Philip to do that?

Folks–being connected to Jesus–His Holy Spirit–may lead you across the street to talk to your neighbor about Jesus.  Or, God may call you to hop in your car and drive 50-60 miles (or to hop on a plane and to fly 2000 miles) to have that conversation with that distant family member/neighbor who needs to know about Jesus.  That’s what the Holy Spirit called Philip to do.

Listen to the story again in Acts 8.  Heading south–Philip travels down the road–and he sees a chariot with a man inside–reading and trying to understand the Scriptures.  Traveling north–the Ethiopian was wanting to worship in Jerusalem.  Philip hears him reading from Isaiah about the Suffering Servant, so Philip asks him, “Do you understand what you are reading?”

“No.  How can I?  Will you explain it to me?”  Let’s stop there for a minute.  That’s an important lesson.  When you don’t understand something in Scripture–don’t give up and walk away.  Open your heart and learn from this Ethiopian servant, and ask God…”God, I’m reading your Word, but I don’t understand what it means, will you help me?”

Listen to the story again.  Being connected to The Divine Vine–a Spirit-filled Philip tells the Ethiopian financial secretary about how the Suffering Servant prophesised in the OT book of Isaiah is fulfilled in Jesus Christ–Heaven’s Divine Vine–Who humbly and faithfully took on flesh and served as the lowliest servant–being the perfect, atoning sacrifice for our sins.

I encourage you to keep reading that story.  Following Philip’s Spirit-filled message about Jesus Christ–that Ethiopian believed in Jesus–they found some water nearby–and he was baptized in the eternal, fruitful name of God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit.

Can you imagine the Ethiopian’s testimony back in his homeland?

The Divine Vine still flourishes in Ethiopia–as the church there traces it’s Christian legacy back to this amazing story in Acts chapter 8.

In fact, our guest speaker at the pastor’s conference that Joni, April, and I attended in Lebanon, Oregon–he’s from Ethiopia–pastoring a congregation in southern California.

Folks, that’s not a coincidence…that’s what being connected to The Divine Vine is all about.

What about you?

Are you connected to The Divine Vine?

“Remain in Me and I in You,” Jesus promises.

“Apart from me, you can do nothing. 

I am the Vine; you are the branches.”

Peace Lutheran…imagine…imagine the fruit.

Let’s pray.