Sermon Talkback May 10, 2009
Being a Branch (John 15:1-8)
Knowing God
Jesus begins speaking in an extended metaphor, saying, “I am the true vine” (15:1). This is the seventh time (out of seven) that the gospel of John has portrayed Jesus using metaphors combined with an “I am,” statement, evoking God’s name from Exodus 3:14, “I AM WHO I AM.” While using common imagery of language (e.g., a vine, a way, bread, shepherd), this usage reinterprets what is usually meant by these common items, much like the OT prophets did at points (e.g., Isaiah 5, where a vineyard represents Israel). In other words, by describing himself as a vine and God as a vinegrower, Jesus instructs the disciples about the nature of both, and how the identity, action and presence of Father and Son affect Jesus’ followers.
Pruning & Cleansing
In John 15:2-3, there’s a play on words as indicated in the NRSV footnotes. John uses the same Greek word (kathairo) to refer to both how God “prunes” the branch to make it more productive and how Jesus’ teaching has “cleansed” the disciples. This word play may indicate two things. First, God’s “pruning” should not be considered as acts of judgment (a point made as well by the use of a different word—“removes,” Greek airo—for God’s actions relative to the unproductive branches; v. 2a). These are necessary and supportive acts to assure the branch continues to fulfill its purpose. Second, through the “cleansing” effects of Jesus’ ministry the disciples should have already received what is necessary for them to be productive.
Abiding with Jesus Christ
In John 15:7, Jesus said, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” has misguidedly suggested that God will grant our requests whenever we ask. Those who are truly mutually abiding in and with Christ will no doubt have their very desires shaped by that relationship. They will understand and even desire the pruning/cleansing that is required to enable them to fulfill their purpose of bearing fruit. They will desire that “the Father is glorified by…bearing much fruit” as they are Christ’s disciples (v. 8). Because they are united in relationship and desire God’s purposes, they can be assured that God will answer their requests. Their prayerful requests may be part of what they contribute to the process of bearing fruit, since it is not within the ability of the branches to produce fruit of themselves (vv. 4-5). It may even be the reshaping of our desires to accord with God’s purposes and desires that is referred to allegorically by the pruning/cleansing process.
Bearing Fruit
How do you/we bear fruit as the branches, Jesus the Vine and God the Vinegrower? How do we demonstrate the “fruit” that we bear? In John 15:12-13, we are commanded to love one another.