John 15:1-11 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”
A couple weeks ago, while I was in Michigan helping our son on remodeling his house, Pastor Kyle pointed out our congregation back in Anaheim, California, that in the last 18 months there have been so many decisions that we have had to make because of the pandemic that we didn’t know where coming. Most of us have endured more stress and pressure in our lives than we have had to cope before. Other crises came and went, but today the world lives with ongoing uncertainty caused by this virus. Stress can be paralyzing, but that is not how God wants people to live. Putting our lives on hold has negative effects. Our almighty Maker desires for us to press on in Him and moving forward. God has a plan that is active and progressing. But the question is how in uncertain times?
The word “abide” appears ten times in this passage spoken by the Lord Jesus Christ, and is the key point. The word “abide” is defined as: to be, or exist, to continue; to remain; to dwell, rest, continue and live there. An abode is a place of continuance; a dwelling; a habitation; the residence in which you abide. It is the place that you live. This was Jesus’ upper room discourse instruction given the disciples the night before His atoning passion and death, which would bring a time of uncertainty. The point was that the only way to get through uncertain times was to remain, live, abide in the Lord, Jesus Christ. We may not know everything, but abiding in Christ points us to the One who does know everything and has the answers in both peaceful or trying times.
Abiding or remaining in Christ is staying plugged into any process that furthers our relationship with the Lord (i.e. prayer and reading the Bible. The other aspect of abiding in Christ is to remain plugged into the body of Christ with Jesus as it’s head, the fellowship of Believers, the local Christian church. In Jesus’ illustration in this passage, He us the grape vine as a “word picture” to metaphorically get His parabolic message across to His disciples then and us today. Jesus never uses an object to get His point across, just because it is familiar and accessible. He chose this particular “word picture’ intentionally because vines are interdependent. By themselves, each individual part of the vine is worthless. The only way that a vine can produce fruit is if the branches remain connected to the main vine shaft to the roots and cared for by the vinedresser.
Today, we live in the “self-care” culture. But, taking care of self can be “self-destructive” in a biblical perspective. In going through hard times, many people desire isolate themselves, figure things out, to go through them on their own and work them out on their own; stop going to church to pray and worship in the fellowship of brothers and sisters, to the true One who gets us through in the process and gives us peace. Proverbs 18:1 tells us, “Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment.” This idea of “doing your own thing” away from everyone and disconnected to the church for a while may sound like “self-care”, but it is really unsound “selfish” thinking. Jesus tells us to abide and live in Him ... connected as the body to the Lord (the head) in order to be fruitful in life at all times and moving forward in uncertain times.
Let's continue Pastor Kyle's message on moving forward in the next post.
In Christ, Brian
No comments:
Post a Comment