Sermon

John 15:1-8

Stay Connected!

Check out these helpful resources
Biblical Commentary
Sermons
Childern’s Sermons
Hymn Lists

John 15:1-8

Stay Connected!

By Dr. Philip W. McLarty
This may be a stretch for some of you, but can you remember your high school graduation? The excitement you felt – and the fear – of being on the threshold of the rest of your life? Chomping at the bits, perhaps, to move out on your own? Deep down inside knowing that you were at a point of no-return – that no matter how often you might come back home for a visit, this was a time of stepping out on your own? Feeling the exuberance of an autonomy you’d never experienced before, and the anxiety of being vulnerable and exposed to the dangers of the world like you’d never been before?

High School graduation is an awesome time, both for the graduating seniors and their parents. I’ll never forget the day our oldest son, John, shortly after graduating from high school, packed up his Volkswagen Rabbit and headed off to Stephen F. Austin University. Donna and I stood in the front yard, gave him a big hug and wished him well. He couldn’t wait to get on the road, to get on with his life. As he rounded the corner, we waved once more, feeling the pangs of grief in our hearts, as our little boy ventured out into the world to make his mark.

“Godspeed,” I thought to myself, “Godspeed.”

SermonWriter logo3

A SUBSCRIBER SAYS: “SermonWriter is well thought out and lends itself to ideas for sermons (as opposed to being lazy and using what’s there).”

TRY SERMONWRITER!
Resources to inspire you — and your congregation!

GET YOUR FOUR FREE SAMPLES!
Click here for more information

It’s no secret – so often, when kids strike out on their own, they quit going to church. They cut themselves off from their extended family of faith. And that’s too bad, because, lacking a strong community of support, they become all the more vulnerable to the temptations of the world. And so, graduates, as we recognize and honor you today, I’d like to offer a simple word I hope we can all relate to, and that is: STAY CONNECTED! Whether you leave home to go to college, get married, enter the work force or join a branch of the armed forces, stay connected to the Body of Christ.

It’s a word we all need to hear: Whether you change jobs, move to a new location, retire, experience the death of a loved one, enter a new chapter of your life, stay connected. Don’t go it alone. Draw from the strength of others. Feel the stability of a deeply rooted community of faith. Let God’s Spirit flow through your veins and keep you strong and healthy through the various transitions of life we all experience. This is the gist of what Jesus told his disciples when he said,

“I am the vine. You are the branches.
He who remains in me, and I in him,
the same bears much fruit,
for apart from me you can do nothing.”
(John 15:5)

In the sermon this morning, I’d like for us to look more closely at this passage to see how it speaks to us today, and then I’d like to suggest four disciplines to help us stay connected to the Body of Christ throughout the changing seasons of our lives. The text begins,

“I am the true vine,
and my Father is the farmer.”

On the surface, Jesus’ words sound metaphorical and poetic, but nothing more. What we need to remember is that, in the Old Testament, the vine was a common image for the people of Israel. In the Old Testament lesson this morning, we heard Isaiah’s song of the vineyard. Isaiah says, “the vineyard of Yahweh of Armies is the house of Israel.” (Isaiah 5:7) In the Book of Jeremiah, the Lord says, “Yet I had planted you a noble vine, wholly a right seed.” (Jeremiah 2:21) Hosea writes, “Israel is a luxuriant vine that puts forth his fruit.” (Hosea 10:1) And in the words of the psalmist,

“You brought a vine out of Egypt.
You drove out the nations, and planted it.
You cleared the ground for it.
It took deep root, and filled the land.” (Psalms 80:8-9)

All this is to say, when Jesus said, “I am the true vine,” his listeners would have known exactly what he was talking about. They would’ve been quick to make the connection: Jesus was the new Israel, the one through whom God was establishing a new covenant. No longer would the makeup of God’s chosen people be determined by their race and their Jewish ancestry, it would hinge upon their relationship to Jesus Christ. In his Letter to the Romans, Paul writes,

“For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly,
neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh;
but he is a Jew who is one inwardly,
and circumcision is that of the heart,
in the spirit not in the letter.” (Romans 2:28-29a)

I once received an e-mail that read, “Going to a church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than going to McDonald’s makes you a hamburger!”

Please understand, I think going to church is important – and I heartily recommend it – my livelihood depends on it – but I’d be the first to say, going to church is fundamentally important only as it leads you into a greater knowledge of God’s love and a closer relationship to Jesus Christ. To put it differently, just having your name on the roll isn’t enough. The joy of salvation comes from knowing God’s presence, trusting that your sins are forgiven and having the assurance that in every situation and circumstance, God is with you, you are not alone.

The Jews in Jesus’ day had the name, but they lacked the spirit. In much the same way, the church today bears the name of Jesus Christ; the question is, how well do we know him as Lord and Savior? Do we listen to his teachings, follow his example and walk in his fellowship?

He is the true vine, the source of our covenant relationship with God. He is the link by which we are able to stay connected to God and each other. In the words of the old gospel hymn, he is the tie that binds our hearts together in Christian love.

Jesus said, “I am the true vine.” Then he went on to say, “and my Father is the farmer.” (15:1)

Obviously, the work of the vinedresser is to prune the branches. I don’t know much about horticulture, but from what I understand, pruning the branches makes the plant healthier and more productive. Dead branches get in the way, and too many branches sap the strength of the plant. By pruning the branches, the vinedresser helps the healthy branches grow stronger and bear fruit.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t enjoy pruning trees, though I’ve done my share. Last summer I borrowed a chain saw from Dean Akin and went to work pruning the trees around the house. Before it was over, I had two mountains of limbs piled up on the curb. It took the city a dump truck, a mechanical loader and a crew of four men to haul it all away.

I can prune trees, but I don’t like to, because I know that once I whack off a limb that’s growing, it won’t be long before it’ll wither and die. It makes me wonder, do you think God grieves as he prunes us to be strong disciples of Jesus Christ?

We have to be careful here. We don’t want to suggest that God intentionally hurts us or causes us pain. As the scripture says, “For he does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men.” (Lamentations 3:33) At the same time, God does allow us to suffer. Just ask the people whose homes were destroyed by tornadoes a couple of weeks ago up in the Midwest. As Christians, we’re anything but immune from tragedy and loss.

So, where does God fit into all this? Personally, I like to think that God is sympathetic and understanding, that God is with us in our suffering. And I like to believe that, beyond the pain of the moment, there’s a bigger picture we can’t always see, but we can trust and, so, believe that “all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

“All things,” the scripture says – the painful, as well as the pleasant. The bottom line is, pruning makes the plant healthy. I think this is what Paul meant when he said to the Romans,

“…We also rejoice in our sufferings,
knowing that suffering works perseverance;
and perseverance, proven character;
and proven character, hope:
and hope doesn’t disappoint us,
because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit
who was given to us.” (Romans 5:3-5)

The vinedresser prunes the branches to make them strong and productive. God uses the hardships of our lives to strengthen our faith and make us fit disciples in the building of his kingdom on earth. Annie Johnson Flint put it this way:

“It is the branch that bears the fruit
that feels the knife to prune it for a larger growth, a fuller life…
it is the hand of Love Divine that holds the knife,
that cuts and breaks with tenderest touch,
that you, whose life has borne some fruit, might now bear much (more).”

I hesitate to say this because I don’t want to draw attention to myself. My wife, Donna, died in 1997. She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1993. The years of her illness and death were the most God-awful years of my life. I’d never wish this on anyone. But, looking back, I can tell you, it made me a better person. It opened my eyes and made me more sensitive and compassionate toward those who’ve had similar experiences. I thought I knew something about grief and loss before Donna’s death, but, until I experienced myself, I really didn’t know the first thing at all. God uses the hardships of life to strengthen our faith and make us better disciples of Jesus Christ. Jesus went on to say,

“Remain in me, and I in you.
As the branch can’t bear fruit by itself,
unless it remains in the vine,
so neither can you, unless you remain in me.
I am the vine. You are the branches.
He who remains in me, and I in him,
the same bears much fruit,
for apart from me you can do nothing.”
(4-5)

Once we’re cut off from the wellspring of God’s Spirit, we begin to wither and die. And so, the word to the wise is: STAY CONNECTED. The question is, how? I can think of four ways – prayer, study, fellowship and service. Let’s take them one at a time.

Prayer is the lifeline of any healthy life of faith. Prayer enables us to be in communion with God. Prayer doesn’t have to be long and complex; it can be as simple as a brief morning chat with a friend. All you have to do is spend a few quiet moments focusing upon the Presence of God, mentally going over, if not saying out loud, whatever’s on your mind and heart, then listening for the still, small voice of God speaking to you. It’s that simple, but it can make all the difference in discerning God’s will for your life and knowing that God is with you, whatever situations and circumstances you may be facing at the moment.

Start with prayer, then spend a few minutes reading the Bible. Now, I know there are parts of the Bible that are complex and hard to understand. There are passages in the Bible I don’t think anybody understands! But that shouldn’t stop you from finding passages that are clear and self-evident and speak directly to your life. And so, I encourage you to read the Bible for inspiration and enjoyment. Find a verse or two and let them give you comfort and strength.

You don’t have to be a scholar, and you don’t have to spend all day; just open the Bible and read a few lines. If you don’t get it, go to another place. When I was a child, I learned the secret of opening the Bible to the middle and finding the Book of Psalms. Try it sometime. Once you find the Book of Psalms, you’re sure to find some words you can relate to. Take Psalm 91, for example:

“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of Yahweh, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress’…  no evil shall happen to you, neither shall any plague come near your dwelling. For he will put his angels in charge of you, to guard you in all your ways.” (Psalms 91:1-2, 10-11)

I don’t know of anyone who can’t relate to that. Start with prayer, then read a few verses of the Bible, then spend some time in the company of other Christians. Rubbing shoulders with those who share the faith can give you a boost when you get discouraged. It’s like having a jogging partner to prod you on days when you don’t feel like running. Relating to other Christians can also keep you from going off on a tangent and chasing after half-cocked notions and beliefs.

Years ago, I had a friend who wanted to do something I thought was plainly unethical, and I told him so. The problem was, he’d rationalized about it so long, he’d convinced himself it was O.K. When he tried to convince me, we got into a big argument. It was obvious that he had his mind made up. Finally, I suggested that he take the matter before the congregation, that I’d give him time from the pulpit to make his case. If the congregation agreed, then I’d give him my blessing, as well as my full support; but if not, he needed to reconsider. Well, he didn’t present his idea to the congregation. I didn’t think he would. But he did think about it. And, as he thought about how various members of the church would react, he had to admit that he was wrong.

Pray to God. Read a few verses of scripture. Spend some time in the company of other Christians, and, finally, do a good deed each day for someone less fortunate. It’s one of the best ways to stay connected to the Body of Christ because, as often as not, Christ reveals himself to us in the form of the poor and the stranger, so that when we reach out to those in need, especially those who can’t return the favor, we reach out to Christ.

Here’s the sum of it all: Jesus said, “I am the vine. You are the branches.” He is the source of our life; apart from him, we wither and die. By holding fast to the disciplines of prayer, study, fellowship and service, we’re assured of a strong connection to the Body of Christ and an everlasting place in the kingdom of God.

And so, graduates, we salute you. We’re proud of your accomplishments, and we wish you Godspeed as you walk across the stage, receive your diploma and step over the threshold into the world of opportunity that awaits you. My prayer for you today, and my prayer for all of you each day, is simply this, that you stay connected to Jesus Christ, now and always.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Copyright 2003, Philip W. McLarty.  Used by permission.

Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible (WEB), a public domain (no copyright) modern English translation of the Holy Bible.