I Am: The True Vine

The announcement

Judas’s betrayal. In chapter 13 Jesus reveals the betrayal of Judas.

It begins with an act of love and service that we don’t understand but are called to emulate. John 13: (Foot washing)

A sharing of the bread and the cup but a traitor is among them. Who I give this bread to and he dips in the cup is he

“What you are about to do, do it quickly” Jn 13:27

John 13:27 NRSV

After he received the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “Do quickly what you are going to do.”

A voice of tenderness and invitation, we know because of the other’s response. he was either to buy something for the feast or give a gift to the poor.

A command to love Jn 13:34-35

John 13:34–35 NRSV

I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Another denial, Peter’s

John 13:38 “Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Very truly, I tell you, before the cock crows, you will have denied me three times.”

The Truth

Whether we understand it or not we must deal with the fact that Jesus reveals the truth of who we are as we stand before him. Judas, revealed that despite all he witnessed and experienced while following Jesus didn’t trust him, didn’t have a friendship with him, didn’t love him. Peter, “The Rock” followed him, brash and aggressive, ready to fight didn’t understand him. His fear was revealed. “You were with him”, “ I do not know the man”

Whether it was Judas or Peter, and even each one of us, we all have fallen short. We all have misunderstood. But, Jesus holds us with the utmost tenderness and concern.

How did this take place? It is the answer to the question “Do you love me?” If we say we love Jesus then we do as he says and teach as he taught.

How is it that Judas and Peter are both in a position to leave Jesus behind? We accept the service of God without believing God.

Say more: I receive the blessing but

I AM The True Vine

The relationship between knowledge and belief.

There are many who study the scriptures and become so knowledgeable they are elevated beyond a personal interaction with the Word of God.

1 Corinthians 8:1 “Now concerning food sacrificed to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.”

Observance of an outward situation is not a genuine reflection of the interior reality.

I imagine Jesus was walking through the vineyard outside of the city on their way and he goes into this discourse.

Judgement. To be cut off because you do not produce fruit. We may hear Luke’s Gospel in this sense when Jesus speaks of the Parable of the Fig Tree.

Vines, grapes came off the vine to be used for wine, vinegar, and salves. A common element that Jesus used to speak about God’s will for the world.

The righteous produce good things, sweet things, they enrich the world around them by pouring out the nutrients they receive from the vine.

There are branches that do not produce fruit or make an impact in any way so the Father clears them then cleanses the branches that are producing fruit so that they bear more fruit.

Jesus tells his disciples that they are “trimmed” the kathairo, or cleansed because of hearing his word.

Made holy to become holy.

How do we survive with our faith in tact?

Newton’s Law of Motion: An object in motion tends to stay in motion. An object at rest tends to stay at rest.

Holiness is not a legalistic list of items to be performed but is useful. “The essence of holiness is devotion”—John Lennox

The usefulness of method is not to be underrated and certainly not dismissed. For if we consider that by these very practices we place ourselves in the best position for success to hold onto our faith and live boldly for the Gospel we are held as God’s people.

Galatians 5:22–24 “By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”

Christians walk away from their faith or become distant with God not because their knowledge is any different but because the relationship wasn’t strong.

Consider this: What is the difference between Judas and Peter?

You might say that one betrayed Jesus and the other denied ever having a relationship with him but truth be told Peter in his moment of denial has more in common with Judas than not.

Peter denies relationship with Jesus. But unlike Judas, Peter returns to Jesus. Peter’s faith brought him back.

Why does one betray and never return but the other humiliated still returns? Peter did believe Jesus. he believed he was who he said he was and that was worth everything. After Jesus spoke to the people that they must eat of his flesh and drink his blood and so many left, Jesus asked “are you going to leave as well?” It was Peter who responded “You have the words of eternal life. where else would we go?”

We are nurtured and worked with on the inside so that we may go and bear witness to the outside.

Conclusion: Christ calls us to him and attaches himself to our hearts so that we will go and live the lives we were created for filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, gentleness, and self- control. Christ sanctifies us and continues to sanctify us so that we will grow and the world may be nurtured by Christ’s love through us.