Emanuel Lutheran Church. April 28, 2024
Fifth Sunday of Easter
John 15:1-8
“Final Discourse-Part 1”
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15”I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. 2He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. 3You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. 4Abide 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. 5I 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. 6Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.
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May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to You, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.
Grace, mercy, and peace are yours from God the Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
This morning in the church calendar is the Fifth Sunday of Easter and we are reminded that we rejoiced that Jesus rose from the grave four short weeks ago. Since Easter we have read about the several times that Jesus made post-resurrection appearances to the disciples and others, convinced Doubting Thomas that Jesus did in fact rise from the dead, and he proclaimed himself as the Good Shepherd. But this morning, the timeline undergoes a rather dramatic shift; the gospel reading reverts to the last evening Jesus spends with his disciples, the night prior to his arrest and crucifixion. And today’s passage relates the middle portion of what is known as Jesus’ Farewell Discourse to his followers. Chapters 13-17 in John’s gospel are devoted to this series of teachings and prayers that Jesus shares with his disciples on the eve of his arrest, trial, and execution.
And fair warning, the second portion of today’s teaching by Jesus continues next week, when we will read that he expands upon this morning’s theme and includes the commandment to love one another as he loves us. And, while the timing of reading these passages relating Jesus’ promises to his disciples might seem a bit questionable, it turns out that it actually does serve an important purpose. For, by revisiting the promises Jesus made before his departure from this earth, we are reminded that they have been fulfilled through his Easter resurrection. By hearing again what Jesus shared with the disciples while he was with them, we are reassured that, through his rising again, that all that he taught, preached, and prayed for have come to fulfillment.
His use of the vine and branches as a metaphor for the relationship Jesus has with his followers is one that would have been very familiar to his disciples; for this allegory is prevalent in the Old Testament, the Hebrew Scriptures which they would have been quite aware of. The Jewish people understood the relationship between vineyard owner and vines and branches as the image that parallelled God’s relationship with the people of Israel. God is the vinegrower, the vine is Israel, and God’s people are the branches that are intimately connected to God and one another. But it is Jesus’ use of this vine and branches metaphor in describing his relationship with the disciples, along with declaring that the Father is glorified by the bearing of good fruit, that confirms what happens after the resurrection. This is why reviewing Jesus’ Final Discourse so soon after Easter makes sense, since how the disciples act after Christ is raised is so closely connected to the teachings he shares with them before he departs this earth. By reviewing what Jesus taught on his last night with his followers we remember that they, and we are commanded to live according to those precepts.
The use of the vine and branches analogy to explain the connections among God, Jesus, and Jesus’ followers is illuminating on many levels. Starting from the concept that those to whom Jesus is directing his teaching recognize this description of their relationship to God, Jesus expands this to include his connection to his disciples. Next, he connects their discipleship to the need to bear good fruit in order that God may be glorified. Jesus then speaks of the need for the branches to be pruned if good fruit, (really deeds of service) are not produced.
And finally, at least for as far as we read this week, Jesus explains that the branches cannot exist without the vine that gives life to them. And at the end of this portion of the discourse we learn that the metaphor in totality is intended to teach that Jesus abides in his followers and they abide in him. It’s all about Jesus living in us and we in him. interconnected in a way that how we live our lives, our bearing of good fruit are dependent on acknowledging that Jesus abides within us.
In fact, in today’s second reading from 1 John, we hear that the very love of God is present when we abide in God and God in us. Just what are we to make of all this talk about abiding? Well, this is a term we encounter quite a bit in church circles, but perhaps not so much in everyday conversation. Hymn #629 in our Lutheran Book of Worship is entitled “Abide With Me”, and it speaks of the need to feel Jesus’ presence within us, and the hope that this brings. In English we might think of abiding as staying, residing, or living within. The Greek word is quite specific; to abide is to remain within. God remains within Jesus and within us. Jesus remains with us and with God. In Jesus’ explaining the relationship of the vine and branches, he deems this “remaining” within one another so important that “abide” occurs nine times in these verses. And again, recalling these words that Jesus shared before his departure as a reminder of how he commands his followers to act after he leaves them, is why reading them today, so soon after Easter is that our abiding, our remaining with Jesus is so vitally important; if we are to bear good fruit we must remain in Christ.
And, as mentioned earlier, next week’s gospel reading is a continuation of today’s proclamation by Jesus to his disciples and us, that because he abides in us, we are able to produce the good works that result from his presence. And truth be told, next Sunday’s portion of this final teaching by Jesus tends to be more reassuring for us, because he reminds us that as the branches connected to him, that we are blessed with God’s love. But that reassurance is going to have to wait until next Sunday; for now we’re tasked with acknowledging Jesus’ purpose in explaining the vine and branches analogy, and the call to servanthood, to discipleship, that this proclamation entails. We have been called to perform good works in Jesus’ name and with the intent to glorify God through them. Note that this is not a requirement for our salvation, but that good deeds should be performed out of gratitude for the redemption Jesus has secured for us.
Which brings us to addressing whether it is difficult or easy to live as those in whom Jesus abides, in whom he lives; as people who proclaim that Jesus remains with us. I submit to you that this shouldn’t even be a question; the only times we might feel that it is hard to live as people called to good works is when we forget that Jesus does abide in us. For those are the times when we feel that we are trying to accomplish things on our own. Saint John notes that Jesus tells us, “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. If we consider this last statement in the negative we reach this conclusion; that apart from Jesus’ presence, we’re not able to live as we ought, we cannot bear the good fruit we are called to. This is when our abiding in and with Jesus seems difficult.
However, when we remember that he always remains with us, the point Jesus makes is that because he abides in us, we are able to accomplish those deeds which we know we should. Remembering Jesus abiding within us enables us to live as we ought, knowing that we are not alone in our desire to bear good fruit. This is when our abiding with and in Jesus becomes quite easy, indeed. When we recognize that as branches connected to Christ our words and actions are intimately bound with him as the vine. And we understand that this call to connectedness is not intended as a command or a judgement to simply live as bearers of good fruit, but that it is an invitation and a promise. We are invited to servanthood, and we are inheritors of the promise that God will provide for us what we need; because he abides in us and we in him. All this talk about abiding; well, it seems that it is not difficult at all. When we pause to remember who it is that abides in us, it’s the easiest thing in the world. Jesus remains in us, always and forever.
Will you pray with me? Good, and gracious, and holy God, help us remember that Jesus abides within us always and that we abide in him. Strengthen our resolve to produce good works that are the fruits of our connection to Christ. And reassure us that because Jesus remains with us, that it is your love and his that give us peace. And we pray these things in the name of the risen Jesus, the One to whose vine we are branches. Amen.
God is Good, all the time. All the time, God is Good. Amen.