Thursday 28 August 2014

Background

The Hebrew scriptures (the Old Testament) are full of referencesto vines and vineyards, but throughout the psalms and the prophetsthere is a sense of great disappointment that God's vine was notall it might have been (eg Psalm80:14-15, Isaiah 5, Jeremiah2:21).

We don't know for sure how Jesus made his journey to the gardenof Gethsemane, but in the darkening streets of Jerusalem, leadingout to the Kidron Valley on the west side of the city, perhaps theycame across some wild vines growing. The disciples, who would knowthose scriptures well, would see where God was leading as Jesussaid, "I am the Vine" (v. 1). All that Israel was set apart toproduce, could now be summed up in Jesus, the true Israel, God'schosen one. While the vineyard had apparently been left toovergrow, from out of it came one choice vine that would now bearGod's fruit, God's life. The disciples were at that momentfollowing that chosen one to the place where he would be apparentlycut down in his prime. And yet Jesus urges them: 'Remain in me;abide in me; continue living in me.'

Jesus describes here the beautiful and fruitful relationshipthat people will find if they discover God's love in him. WhereasIsrael of the Old Testament had lost its way seeking power andprestige, losing sight of the one true God, Jesus promises that hisfollowers will never fail if they remain intimately united withhim. This relationship may involve pruning, where God lovinglytakes us in hand to bring out the very best in us; it will involvecleansing, as his words to us speak to the depths of our soul; itwill mean true discipleship, as we follow his commands (and hisexample) to love one another; and this will lead not merely to theduty and drudgery of a servant, but to the freedom and joy of beinghis friends. All of this is wrapped up in the utmost love that heshows, giving his life that we might know that freedom andforgiveness of an active and life-giving relationship with God. Hiswords in verse 13 have been used to inspire or justify war, butthat was never the intention: it was to point to the greatest love- that of a God who would die for us, and a God who wants to callus friends.

We also need to heed the warnings in this passage. Jesus says,"Apart from me you can do nothing" (v. 5) and "the branch cannotbear fruit unless it abides in the vine" (v. 4). Of course, we cando many things without abiding in Christ (and the Church frequentlydoes) but we can do nothing that is of any value to God withoutbeing united and rooted in Jesus and his self-giving love. Only inthis will we bear any lasting fruit for the healing and salvationof the world and its people.

To Ponder

• 'Jesus He is the vine and we are the branches'.What does this expression mean to you?

• How easy/difficult is it in your personal relationship with Godto 'remain in Christ'? What steps can you take to make sure thatyou do not 'wither'?

• In the church, how often do we see much being done but bearinglittle fruit? In what ways might you use this passage as a guide tobeing fruitful for Christ?