Eastertide
May 2, 2015

Scripture Reading: John 15:1-8

‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine-grower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. 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. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.  –John 15:1-6

I have spent more time studying the Hebrew Bible during the last year than I probably ever have. It was not by any pre-arranged design of mine; I have wondered if it was God’s intent. First, last summer, my Sunday school class explored in depth 1 & 2 Kings with a little Chronicles thrown in for good measure, and to get both sides of the story. My Bible study group decided to explore Isaiah in the fall and upon determining the fertile wealth of knowledge it contained moved so slowly we had to continue it into our spring session. The question this infusion has raised in my mind is this: Is the greatest challenge faced by we who chose to follow God our ability to continue in God’s love and service within the gift of God’s abundance? I like to describe that in biblical terms as what happens when the oppressed becomes the emperor? History does not give it a good rating.

1 & 2 Kings describes a roller coaster of good and bad kings that follow the great King David. Putting self and wealth and power above God, the bad kings drove the Israelites into desperate straits until a good king would arise and guide them back into God’s fold. This was repeated until the bad kings finally succeeded in losing the kingdom altogether. But God even delivered them from exile and promised them a leader who would help them stay on course. We Christian see that leader as Jesus the Christ defined in our scripture today as the true vine.

I fear we today are reacting very much like our ancestors in faith who once they gain wealth and power, tell God, “We’ve got this now. We can take it from here.” Of course, we cannot. Our nourishment must remain with the vine and we must do his work of not gaining wealth and power, but abundance for not only us but all of God’s children.

Prayer: Lord, continue to nourish us in our faith. Give us the vision we need to see what real abundance is and help us live into it. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.