Faith Marsden concludes our Fruit Checking series with a message on how to abide and remain in the vine.
Faith Marsden concludes our Fruit Checking series with a message on how to abide and remain in the vine.
Okay, so, the title is Abide and Remain in the Vine. Jesus was an expert at giving us instructions in a language we would understand, and those who listened originally would also be able to take on board what Jesus was saying. And often he used a visual picture from things around him, and the vine is one of these.
We immediately picture a vineyard, its structure, its purpose, and multiple grapes. We know how that works, but Jesus goes further and relates it to our spiritual life. And though this morning we probably won't really visit it, it's also a picture of Israel's relationship with God.
Jesus wants us to know that to abide is not about a form of religion or which church you go to, it's about relationship, entirely about relationship. It's about being rooted firmly in God's love. He longs to be the source of everything life-giving and life-sustaining for us that we could possibly ever need.
And it's the only place that we can thrive and be fruitful. And I guess if we truly love him, it's the only place we'd really want to be. And that's the ideal, but how does it work in practise? For me there are two key questions we need to answer if we want to truly abide in Christ, if we want to be deeply rooted in that vine.
First of all, the question that Jesus asked Peter: Do you truly love me? And the second one: Am I Lord of your life? Do I have your complete attention and do I have your complete obedience?
Now I think we would all say probably yes to those, but it's not as easy as that, we all know that, to truly love and to truly make him Lord.
We were reminded in the scripture that was just read that God chooses us. John 3 says: God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him shouldn't perish but have everlasting life.
He created a world for us to enjoy, we messed it up. He sent Jesus, we walked away and he wanted to bring us back and restore that relationship. He chooses to do that for us.
He loves us and he wants us to love him. He wants us to have the fullness of life, the best life that's possible.
If you buy a tree, let's say an apple tree, and it says apple on the label, you'd plant it, you'd nurture it, you'd care for it, you'd give it the right nutrients, you'd put it somewhere where the sun could get to it, and you'd need to give it some water if you live near here, and then it grows and you expect some apples.
It can be beautiful when it blossoms and you'd love your tree, but you'd love it far more when in the early autumn you harvest its fruit and they taste like an apple should, unlike some of the ones we purchase in the supermarkets.
God takes us as we are, but he doesn't leave us there. I remember reading that in one of Max Lucado's books and I thought, yeah, how true that is.
He picks us up at the beginning exactly where we are, but he changes us into the people that he wants us to be, so that we can go and bear fruit, fruit that will last.
God breaks into our lives and when we're called, he calls us for a reason and a purpose. Our lives are here to glorify God and to bear fruit, to actively serve him and bring others to know him by the way we live our lives.
However hard we try, we can't bear fruit on our own. David reminded me of that on my way in. He said, we can't do anything unless God does it through us, and therefore our roots and our whole being need to be in the vine.
So we need to be connected, we need to be grafted into the vine from which we receive everything we need to bear that fruit. So in practise, what does that look like?
First of all, I would say stay close, keep on the path, find your permanence, your security and your safety in God. Keep your gaze on Jesus.
I'm reminded of the story of Peter in his fishing days in Matthew 14. And Jesus says, come on, get out of the boat. He invites him to walk on the water.
And he was absolutely fine, he did it, until he took his eyes off Jesus. And then the raging waves seemed very close and he began to sink. And we know that experiences, our environment, life's curveballs often encourage us to take our eyes off Jesus. Or ask the question, well, where is he when I need him most? And the branch pulls a little bit away from the vine and then we become detached.
We can't do it, unlike Frank, our way. He sings a lovely song about that, doesn't he? I did it my way. Well, we can't. It doesn't work. We cannot be independent from the vine.
Any more than a coal survives if you remove it from a hot fire. It's not long before it goes dull. The closer we are to God and the more time we spend with him, the more we will reflect his light and his glory and bear the fruit.
And in parallel, we are reminded that we are never either out of the sight or the gaze of God. If you walk on the beach in a couple of weeks at Sizewell, as the moon rises over the water, you will find, because I've tried it, that whichever way you move, left or right, you do not get outside what they call the moon glade, the reflection of the moon on the sea. You cannot escape it.
And we are never outside of God's gaze. What a security that brings. What a joy that brings.
He's got his eye on us all of the time. That can also be frightening because he's knowing what we're doing at any moment of any day, and he knows what we're thinking too. Psalm 1 says: Blessed is the one who doesn't walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water which yields its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither and whatever they do prospers.
That's part of being in the vine and collecting all the things we need to lead a fruitful life. So if the closeness and the connection is strong, then the fruit will grow.
And over the last few weeks you've been reflecting on what that fruit looks like in our daily lives. Our dependence, our relationship, our closeness to the life and the nutrients of the vine will be what makes us grow. Not only will being made in the image of God be true, but we will be growing more and more like him.
We will develop characteristics that are God-like. So, when someone cuts us up at the roundabout, the window does not go down, we do not shout, we will exercise the fruit of self-control - most of the time!
When we're aware of a difficult situation, we will show kindness. And kindness often will cost us, but we will do it because that's the fruit that's growing on the branch.
I had a phone call last week “Will you go and see our mum? We think she's dying.” So I said “yeah, I'll go” and then I thought, hmm, I've said that, but when on earth am I going to fit that in? And I thought, I can't leave it till Monday because she may not be there.
So I went between a couple of things thinking I'm going to be late for something, but I went. And the family who were in there just cried. And I thought, what a good job I came.
And they said “You will pray with her, won't you?” And I said “Yes, of course”. But as far as I know, they're not churchgoers, but what they needed then was somebody to bring them that comfort and that hope. And I thought, what a good job I didn't worry about whether I was late to the governess meeting. I went to see the lady.
And that is what happens as the fruit grows, not because it grows in me particularly well, but because that's the answer to God's call and what we're meant to do.
And when there's temptation in front of us, we'll turn our gaze on Jesus and stay faithful to him. And if we stay close, then God will use us to bring his healing in our very diverse and broken world. It's part of our fruitfulness.
And the closer we become to Jesus, the more aware we are of the needs of the world around us and the need for God's love and compassion for everyone. And as we share God's love with those people, we share from the life of God within us. It's feeling the heart of God.
And apart from me, he says you can do nothing. Nothing that's going to be lasting, nothing that has any eternal significance. But when we're obedient, first of all, to God's call on our lives, and we keep close to him and bear fruit, then we offer in some very small way our love and devotion and trust for God.
And in turn, we believe and pray that others will be drawn to the power and the love of God. Part of loving God involves remaining in the vine and in keeping the lines of communication open, the channel between you and God. Like any relationship, there needs to be dialogue.
It's what builds friendship and intimacy. And of course, it doesn't happen overnight. It takes time to grow that relationship.
You will probably, as I do, remember during COVID that when all those normal routines didn't happen, and we didn't have to be anywhere or do anything, and work outside the home was restricted, life in general was far less busy.
And we were at home once more doing things together. We possibly even talked to each other because there was time. Pressure was off. And it brought deeper appreciation of those relationships that we have but sometimes get pushed to one side because we're running about like headless chickens.
But we began to value those people that were in our bubble.
And maybe it taught us how to pay attention to the people who really matter in our lives as well as God. And our spiritual life and fruit depends on the attention we give to our communication with God, our abiding in the vine, our longing to get closer and deeper into that relationship. But it does take time and it does require our attention because so many things crowd in and take over.
So the question: Is he Lord? Is he Lord of our lives? If he is, not only will we stay connected, but we will be prepared then for the pruning which takes place. The pruning is the removal of the parts that are no longer of any use. The things that take our time over our relationship with God.
Most of you or anybody who knows me will know that I am no gardener. But I am quite happy to wield a pair of secateurs and cut shrubs right back down, especially if they look a tad untidy. So I will cut them and I probably don't do it correctly, but I do know that mostly when you cut things right down, they grow far better the next year.
They become bushier and much better looking. So in effect, when God prunes our lives, it's to make us more fruitful. God does that with us.
He ensures our lives don't just bear fruit, but it gets stronger and better. And how does he do it? Well, he often uses, as in the words of that song, just little things that just take root in our minds. And you think, I hadn't thought of that before.
I wonder what God is saying. It could be from a sermon, possibly not this one. But he does use what God says through people, through the voice of trusted friends.
But most of all, through this, through our Bibles. That's God's word to us. The words of the song.
Or the little voice that sometimes says, I don't think that's what God would choose for you. And you think, ah, maybe not.
I don't know if any of you have read a book by Tony Horsfall about the vine. And he wrote that pruning often centres around key areas:
Who is really in control in my life?
How do I use my time?
What claims my affection?
And what are the sources of my significance?
And that's a year's worth of sermons, probably. Because there's an awful lot in there.
But God needs to be first in what we think, we say, and we do. In order for us to be really fruitful and honour and glorify him.
And I think it was my sister that reminded me. She's very good at reminding me about what I should be doing and not. And she said, sometimes you are very busy working for God, but has God actually asked you to do it?
OK. Fair enough.
But it's true, isn't it? We think being busy for God means that we love him more and we're really doing well. But actually, has God asked us to do it? Because we'll be most fruitful in the places where he's asked us to be and in the things that he's asked us to do for him.
Sometimes our sense of worth comes more from what we do than from who we are in Christ. It's a hard question. But we remind ourselves that God is the one doing the pruning. He's our father and he absolutely loves us.
And the reason for him doing it, even when it's painful, will be that we are more fruitful, we become closer to him, and more deeply grafted into the vine, who is Jesus himself.
I had an interesting conversation, as you do when you're walking the dog, just the other day, and I came across a couple that had just come back from holiday with their little boy. And I said, did you have a good time? And she said, yeah, we had a really lovely holiday. But she said, really when I thought about it, it wasn't the holiday that was lovely, what was most important was we had a wonderful time together as a family.
We're so busy at home, we actually had time to spend with each other. And she said it made us think of what's really important in life.
And we decided it isn't a bigger house with more bedrooms, it isn't a better job with more money, it was time together, enjoying being family.
And I think for us as Christians, it's about abiding, staying close to the vine, but also appreciating and loving our family in Christ. Encouraging them and us to grow together, walking the path with them, and allowing God to ask the question, do you really love me? Do you truly love me? And am I Lord of your life, family life, church life, personal life? Because love is at the heart of our relationship with God.
It's love that draws us into the grafting in the first place. And it will be love that will hold us there. Love is the foundation on which Jesus will build his church.
And Jesus asked that question of Peter after his resurrection, Peter, do you love me? Do you truly love me? Because love is at the heart of everything we do and say that's honouring to God. As we know, Peter had given up a bit, gone back to the fishing boat, and thought, enough. Things are too difficult, I'll go back to my old life.
He got back in his boat and he left behind what he knew and had loved. And so Jesus says to him, do you love me more than your occupation, more than your fishing boat, more than your life? Am I really central to you? And Peter, of course, answered, yes, Lord. You know I love you.
And sometimes I mess up, but deep down I love you more than anything. And these words were written by a lady called Barbara who said: My hands were full both of useful and necessary things, but also of broken sentimental things that I've kept from habit. Clutter I cling to, giving it value it does not merit.
And he said, there is more. But first you must loosen your grip. And he took what I had held so tight, my treasure. And empty I waited, mourning my losses and tears without measure. But then I was ready. And into the sad aching void there poured a new blessing, undreamt of. A glad tomorrow and priceless bounty that I could not have held until my hands had let go of what need not be there.
Jesus' commission was for Peter to feed his sheep. A call to love God first with every ounce of his being and then love others like he loved himself.
And I believe that when we do that in our churches there will be transformation. There has to be because it will come from our life in the vine. It won't be anything to do with us. It will be from God. It will be the fruit that will grow because the heart of God will have sustained us, refreshed us and made us more fruitful.
The fruit you've been reflecting on will grow for God, for each other and for those we've yet to meet. Family will matter when we remain and abide in Christ because it will be the outworking of the love we have for God and the love God has for us.
I read the other day about an Iranian lady who arrived home one day to discover that all her fellow house church leaders had been arrested and taken to prison. And instead of thinking, as I think I would have done “Amazing, I’ve escaped!” instead she thought “Actually, I need to be with my family”.
And she called a cab and voluntarily was driven to prison in Tehran to be with her family, the family that she loved, the family that she was such a big part of. That's an example of radical love and maybe one we would struggle to live up to. But if we're firmly rooted in the vine, one of the fruits will be a sacrificial and enduring love for one another.
Sometimes we just need to look around and think, I love you. You matter to me. I care for you. Whatever you go through, I'll walk alongside it with you because that is what God would ask us to do. And that's the fruit of the vine. So to abide in Jesus means staying close to the vine.
It means taking time to rest with him, be with him, enjoy his presence and remind ourselves that however hard the wind blows, the roots of the vine are deep into the ground and it will not be moved. Reminding ourselves that everything we need for day-to-day living in order to grow fruit is to be found when we're grafted into the vine, into Jesus.
He says in the Gospels, I am the bread of life. Come to me and you won't ever be hungry. I'm the living water. Come to me and you'll never again be thirsty. Drink from the well of love that never runs dry and you will be satisfied. But then from you will flow streams of living water. Out of you will come the fruit of the Spirit.
And sometimes we have to remind ourselves, I do, that we rightly spend a lot of time reaching out to those in our neighbourhood. But they will often be looking to us and how we are with each other. How we treat each other, how we talk about each other, how we are with each other.
And as I came in, it was lovely to see there was a little group of people out there. I can't tell you who they were but they're in here somewhere. And they met each other with a hug and smiles and chatter which is lovely.
That's part of meeting up with the family. And people outside look to see how much love is shown to each other in the church family. And when people see Jesus in our relationships and see the fruit growing, that's when they may well ask the question, what is it that makes you people tick? There's the fruit. I want to be part of it.
Remind yourselves that you are loved beyond measure and that God longs for us to love him in the same way that he loves us and that love can then be shared with those around us. The fruit will grow when we stay close to the vine. And bearing fruit is the mark of a true disciple.
So, what have we got to do? We've got to love him with everything that we have and make him Lord. Do you love me? Am I Lord of your life? We've got to remain and abide which means stay close, keep in there, both with God and with each other.
Walk together as a family, stay connected with God and with each other. Like the coal, if things don't go quite right, you think I'm done with these people, don't go away. That's when you need them most.
Come in and be loved and encouraged and then find your security and permanence in the vine because if you do, you will bear fruit and it will be fruit that will last. Amen.