Jesus Says "Sustain & Remain"

John 15:1–7 NIV

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

INTRODUCTION

KRISTEN MAE, WHOSE BLOG FOR THE WORLD IS CALLED ‘SCARY MOMMY’ COURAGEOUSLY POINTED OUT A BUNCH

OF REASONS WHY WE ALL WOULD DO WELL TO KEEP PRAYING FOR OUR COUNTRY....SHE NAMED A PROBLEM

THAT’S ONLY CONTINUED TO GROW DURING THE PANDEMIC.....A PROBLEM FOR US TO FACE AS CHRISTIANS WITH

THE HOPE ONLY OUR SAVIOR JESUS CAN HELP US OVERCOME:

Rugged individualism. It’s a term that is nearly synonymous with “American.” Isn’t it great for a person to be

capable and self-reliant? Isn’t it wonderful to put in the hard work to better oneself? Who would fault

anyone for having determination and tenacity?

But there is a point when individualism becomes less “rugged” and more “toxic.” Self-reliance is great until

we demand it of everyone without considering that some may be differently abled or have different

resources available to them. Worrying primarily about yourself is awesome until you refuse to commit to

even the most minor inconvenience for the sake of other people’s health and safety. Determination and

tenacity are admirable traits until you have to step on other people’s necks in order to achieve your

personal ambitions.

The line between rugged individualism and toxic individualism is a thin one indeed.

I often wonder if we’ve stepped over that thin line as a country.

SO MANY TIMES THE WAY OF FAITH IS A DIFFERENT WAY THAN THE WAYS OF THE WORLD.......CERTAINLY WHEN WE

STOP TO LOOK AT THE LIFE OF OUR SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST WE SEE AT LEAST TWO PICTURES OF THE SAVIOR HE

CAME TO BE.....

Dictionary of Biblical Imagery Jesus, Images Of

The NT presents Jesus as truly human. From his incarnation to his tireless healing and serving of common people, his life is marked with a profound connection to humanity.

Dictionary of Biblical Imagery Jesus, Images Of

The picture of the suffering servant in Isaiah 53 was seen by early Christians as forecasting the abuse suffered by Jesus: “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.… We considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities … and by his wounds we are healed” (Is 53:3–5 NIV)

OUR TEXT THIS MORNING SHOWS US IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR JESUS TO TELL THE WORLD WHO HE WAS IN THE

NEW TESTAMENTS “I AM” STATEMENTS OUR SAVIOR MADE:

I AM, JESUS SAID, THE BREAD OF LIFE

I AM, JESUS SAID, THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE

I AM, JESUS SAID, THE GOOD SHEPHERD

I AM, JESUS SAID, THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

I AM, JESUS SAID, THE GATE

I AM, JESUS SAID, HE......

JESUS ALSO SAID, “I AM THE VINE”

IT IS THIS STATEMENT OF JESUS THAT I BELIEVE IS A KEY TO ANSWERED PRAYERS, THIS STATEMENT OF JESUS

CHALLENGES THE WORLDLY ATTACHMENTS WE HAVE TO INDIVIDUALISM AND TO GOING IT ALONE......IT IS

THIS STATEMENT OF JESUS THAT WE WRESTLE WITH AS GENERATIONS OF CHRISTIANS CONTINUE WELL UP WITH

TEARS AS WE SING THAT CLASSIC HYMN:

Jesus walked this lonesome valley;

He had to walk it by himself.

Oh, nobody else could walk it for him;

He had to walk it by himself.

We must walk this lonesome valley;

We have to walk it by ourselves.

Oh, nobody else can walk it for us;

We have to walk it by ourselves.

YES, BELOVEDS, THERE IS PART OF THIS CHRISTIAN LIFE THAT WILL FEEL LIKE NO MORE THAN A LONESOME

VALLEY. AND IF IT WAS GOOD ENOUGH FOR JESUS, HOW CAN WE SAY IT SOMEHOW ISN’T GOOD ENOUGH FOR US

TOO?

BUT WHEN WE LIVE WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING THAT JESUS SAID John 15:5

John 15:5 NRSV

I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.

THAT’S GOOD NEWS....THAT’S SOMETHING TO HANG ONTO, SOMETHING TO TREASURE DEEPLY WITHIN OUR SOULS

FOR THE CHRISTIAN JESUS WANTS US TO KNOW HE IS A SOURCE OF NOURISHMENT FOR US, AND PART OF THAT

NOURISHMENT IS THE CONNECTEDNESS THAT COMES FROM BEING BRANCHES ON THE VINE THAT IS OUR DEAR

JESUS......

THEOLOGIAN JOHN ZEHRING REMINDS US, BELOVEDS:

One of the greatest human needs is to belong.  People who do not belong are alienated.  Alone. 

Fragmented.  Disconnected.  Belongingness comes from being connected to something important.  People

who feel a lack of connectedness experience emptiness or a lostness.  Those who follow the way of Jesus

are connected to the vine.  Jesus is the vine.  You are the branches.  Jesus is where the branches draw their

strength, life, flavor, and belongingness. A branch that is not connected withers.  It has no life flowing

through it.  It produces no fruit.  Nothing good comes from it.  A branch that doesn’t produce fruit is good

for nothing, said Jesus, except to be thrown out.  When you are connected, your life is worthwhile and good

for something.  You are nourished.

WHAT’S MORE IS THAT THE VINE ALSO CONNECTS TO OUR CREATOR GOD....FOR VERSE ONE OF CHAPT. 15 TELLS US

HOW JESUS SAID:

John 15:1–2 NIV

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.

IT IS OUR CONNECTION TO GOD, OUR CREATOR AND THE CHIEF GARDENER, IN THIS TEXT, THAT HOLDS THE

PROMISE FLOWS FROM THE VERY HEART OF JESUS CHRIST, OUR SAVIOR....THERE IS GRACE THAT AWAITS IN THIS

TEXT AND NOT JUST THE KIND OF FEAR THAT MIGHT ARISE FROM THE BRANCHES BEING CUT OFF OR THE

BRANCHES BEING PRUNED......JESUS GOES ON, BELOVEDS, HERE IN JOHN 15:3-5

John 15:3–5 NRSV

You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me as I abide in you. Just 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. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.

In John chapter 15, Jesus used the word abide eleven times.  That is no accident or coincidence.

The original word for abide in Greek is meno, which means to hang in there, to stay, to remain, to continue, to dwell,

to endure, to be present, to stand with.  Meno means: Stand by me, Stay with me. Endure with me. Be present with

me. Abide with me. To be connected to Jesus and his communities of followers means that you hang in there with

one another.  You endure.  You stand by and with one another.  In the hard times, you hold one another up.  In the

great times, you rejoice together.  To be connected to the vine means that you hang in there with Jesus, and he

hangs in there and stands by you.

TO SUSTAIN & REMAIN IS TO.......

AS CHRIST STANDS BY YOU AND ME, BELOVED, WE ARE TO REMAIN OR ABIDE IN HIM.....ABIDING IN HIM IS A DAY BY

DAY PROCESS....ABIDING IN HIM REQUIRES OUR DEVOTION......OUR PRAYERS, OUR THOUGHTS AND OUR ACTIONS

ABIDING IN JESUS IS REMEMBERING HE TAUGHT US TO PRAY FOR GOD’S WILL TO BE DONE, ON EARTH AS IT IS IN

HEAVEN....

THOUGH SKEPTICS WILL DOUBT IT WILL EVER COME TO PASS.....BELIEVERS IN CHRIST, WHO ABIDE IN CHRIST, WHO

REMAIN IN CHRIST, WHO ARE SUSTAINED BY CHRIST.....STILL WILL IMAGINE, IF FOR EVEN A MOMENT, BELOVEDS....

-A WORLD WITH NO MORE HOMELESSNESS....AND WORK TOWARDS IT.....

- A WORLD WITH NO MORE POVERTY....AND PRAY AND & WORK TOWARDS IT......

-A WORLD WITH NO MORE DIVORCES OR UNWANTED CHILDREN…NO MORE RACISM OR DISCRIMINATION, NO

MORE SEXISM....OR AGEISM....OR ABLEISM

-A WORLD WITH NO MORE THEFT OR CHEATING, NO MORE SOUL KILLING ADDICTIONS OR ABUSE OF THE

ENVIRONMENT

-A WORLD WHERE GOVERNMENTS RULE WITH JUSTICE AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS OPERATE WITH INTEGRITY

AND POLITICIANS WORK TOGETHER FOR THE COMMON GOOD....

OH FOR SUCH A WORLD....IT’S A WORLD FOR US TO WORK TOWARDS AS WE PRAY FOR GOD’S REALM TO BE MADE

MANIFEST....BECAUSE WE ARE SUSTAINED AND REMAIN IN CHRIST, BELOVEDS........

CONCLUSION: ANOTHER KEY TO ANSWERED PRAYERS

AS WE ABIDE IN CHRIST THERE IS A BLESSED ASSURANCE, A PROMISE TO HOLD ON TO ANOTHER ANCHOR FOR THE

CHRISTIAN SOUL HERE IN OUR PASSAGE FOR THIS MORNING.....JOHN 15: 6-7

John 15:6–7 NRSV

Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

THIS IS ANOTHER PLACE IN SCRIPTURE WHERE FREE WILL IS PUT BEFORE US, BELOVED, THIS IS ANOTHER PLACE

WHERE GOD SEES AND KNOWS OUR CHOICES.......BEFORE DR. MAYA ANGELOU DIED, THERE WAS A BEAUTIFUL

OBSERVATION MADE ABOUT HOW SHE LIVED AND INSPIRED AND IMPACTED PEOPLE......SHE KNEW SHE WASN’T

PERFECT, FOR NO ONE IS.......BUT HERE IS WHAT SUSAN TAYLOR, FORMER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OR ESSENCE MAGAZINE

OBSERVED:

SHE KNOWS, MAYA ANGELOU THAT IS, WHAT WE WERE BORN TO DISCOVER. EVERY MOMENT IS IMPORTANT

TO HER, AND SHE BRINGS TO EACH HER LOVE AND LAUGHTER, AND A PASSION FOR BEAUTY, FOR LIFE. SHE

CREATES A WORLD OF CARING AROUND HER AND SEES THAT IT IS GOOD; EACH SMILE, EACH TOUCH, EACH

KINDNESS OFFERED, MIRRORING THE GRACE OF GOD. THAT’S OUR BELOVED. MAYA

WITH EVERY SMILE, EVERY TOUCH, EVERY KINDNESS OFFERED BY ANY AND EACH OF US IN THE WEEK AHEAD

BELOVED....IN EVERY PREGNANT EXPECTATION OF A PRAYER OR TWO SEEN, HEARD AND OR ANSWERED BY OUR

CREATOR GOD, MAY WE MAKE IT OUR GOAL, OUR AIM, OUR PURPOSE TO MIRROR THE DIVINE GRACE OF THE ONE

WHO IS ALMIGHTY AND TENDER, THE ONE WHO IS THE GREAT “I AM” AND THE BRIGHT MORNING STAR.......THE ONE

SITS HIGH BUT LOOKS LOW....THE ONE AND ONLY MAGNIFICENT GOD WHOM WE KNOW IN JESUS CHRIST…WHO

STILL SEEKS TO INSPIRE US BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.......

LET’S MIRROR GOD’S GRACE IN EVERY WAY WE CAN, LET’S IMAGINE NEW WAYS TO MIRROR IT......AND SHOW THE

WORLD OUR GOD’S STILL IN THE PRAYER ANSWERING BUSINESS....BECAUSE GOD IS AND WILL AND

CAN.....NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR GOD....LET’S KEEP ABIDING AND REMAINING IN CHRIST AND LET US PRAY...