5th Sunday of Easter 2018B

I am the Vine

John 15:1–8 GW

⌊Then Jesus said,⌋ “I am the true vine, and my Father takes care of the vineyard. He removes every one of my branches that doesn’t produce fruit. He also prunes every branch that does produce fruit to make it produce more fruit. “You are already cleanbecause of what I have told you. Live in me, and I will live in you. A branch cannot produce any fruit by itself. It has to stay attached to the vine. In the same way, you cannot produce fruit unless you live in me. “I am the vine. You are the branches. Those who live in me while I live in them will produce a lot of fruit. But you can’t produce anything without me. Whoever doesn’t live in me is thrown away like a branch and dries up. Branches like this are gathered, thrown into a fire, and burned. If you live in me and what I say lives in you, then ask for anything you want, and it will be yours. You give glory to my Father when you produce a lot of fruit and therefore show that you are my disciples.

Grace mercy and peace to you from God the Father his Son our Lord Jesus Christ (+) and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

When we moved here from Pennsylvania in 2002 Deb decided that we needed to reduce the little bit of mowing that I had to do at the townhouse.

That was nothing new. We had both redesigned landscape at our various houses over the years to increase yard beauty and solve problems of mowing.

but because we didn’t have a ‘lot’ of plant to suddenly move into the small portion of the yard at that time she chose to plant something we had in excess from the Newville property. Ivy..

Now Ivy grows quickly, loves walls of buildings etc.

its an effective ground cover because it grows quickly and chocks out most other things from growing . But if you ever put it in expect it to outlast you.

Now that we have enough flowers and bulbs I have been trying to remove it from the front yard. I have it under control but it is still around.

last spring it found its way in through a ground level window and before I knew it was growing in my basement office.

but like most gardeners I am determined to win this battle but only time will tell.

Which brings us to our lesson today about vines and branches.

It is a little different vine that Jesus is envisioning here. He is speaking not of old ivy but of vines that over years produces fruit to make wine.

John 15:1–2 GW

⌊Then Jesus said,⌋ “I am the true vine, and my Father takes care of the vineyard. He removes every one of my branches that doesn’t produce fruit. He also prunes every branch that does produce fruit to make it produce more fruit.

Fruit producing vines need great care but they also can outlast generations of gardeners.

Some of the vineyards in Italy have been around for over 500 years of careful care to produce grapes for wine.

that careful care is what Jesus is speaking to from John’s Gospel today. Communities of faith, individuals of faith need to be working for God’s calling on this earth or pruning will occur.

Size doesn’t matter, amount or experience doesn’t matter. Producing fruit is what matters.

This is part of the reason I think at this time God is pruning the churches of all denominations. If you haven’t noticed there are less Lutheran Churches in Maryland.

But its not only us. Count the Romans, the Methodists, the Presbyterians, the Episcopal, the Baptists, the Reformed in the same ecumenical ship sailing along.

Pruning by God has happened in the past. there are few Christian Churches in one of the first places Paul preached, modern day Turkey.

Any Good gardener knows that pruning produces fruit or flowers for all to enjoy.

The same is true for God and his creation.

God wants to see his church in action, caring for the poor and needy

caring for God’s children who remain faithful in worship.

Sharing the Good News to call others to mission work in Jesus’ name.

We do that because of what Jesus says in John

that Jesus is with us side by side working with us

John 15:3–4 GW

“You are already cleanbecause of what I have told you. Live in me, and I will live in you. A branch cannot produce any fruit by itself. It has to stay attached to the vine. In the same way, you cannot produce fruit unless you live in me.

That is a key point:

A vine can be uprooted if it is not connected to its source of growth.

Ground for ivy, Jesus for you and me.

When we remain connected to Jesus and his mission we produce more that we can imagine.

For us here at St. am constantly amazed at calls to you to care for each other and this community. Last week I had a lot of doubters that we could accomplish many of the things our our list. but many of you stepped up to help clean up our grounds and in a way care for each other.

For us here at St. Paul’s: I am constantly amazed despite our small numbers the important impact we have on this Curtis Bay community with open doors for AA and Inner Harbor for food, as well as our ability to continue to distribute the MD Food Bank offering

Jesus says

John 15:5-

John 15:5–8 GW

“I am the vine. You are the branches. Those who live in me while I live in them will produce a lot of fruit. But you can’t produce anything without me. Whoever doesn’t live in me is thrown away like a branch and dries up. Branches like this are gathered, thrown into a fire, and burned. If you live in me and what I say lives in you, then ask for anything you want, and it will be yours. You give glory to my Father when you produce a lot of fruit and therefore show that you are my disciples.

there are many ways to show that we are God’s disciples and part of his community on earth.

As many of you know I visit on and off ships as the Lutheran Seafarer Chaplain.

One thing I noticed last spring on a ship was that the kitchen crew cared for a vine on board of a ship. It started in a simple planter in one corner of the mess hall common room but they ran it all over the ceiling from side to side and back and forth. It had to take years to do this and many and various crews to care for it. but it showed life aboard ship was connected to each other over the years and to home and land.

We also are connected over time and lands through Jesus and what we are called to do is connect others into the vine the Body of Christ.

Because that is how we will be saved. Given life eternal.

Being connected to Jesus

He is the vine and we are the branches and the vine leads to life because

He is risen

He is risen indeed Alleluia.