I am the true vine

Good Promises

Posted on by Betsy

Can you think about a good promise that someone made to you that was kept? How did it make you feel? Do you keep your promises? Our integrity is tested by the promises we make and keep. I recently applied to become a volunteer chaplain for the Southern Shores Fire Department. Chaplains are called out in situations where a death is occurring or has just occurred. Our job is to help the family at the site of the tragedy make their way to the next step. It is a job I hope I never have to do. I asked the current chaplain all kinds of questions about what to say and do, and then finally asked her what not to do. She quickly responded, “Never make a promise that can’t be kept.”

This is a good reminder to us today about promise making and keeping. I think it is especially important when dealing with children, who take things literally and remember everything we say.

God is an awesome promise maker and keeper. In our lectionary passage today, Jeremiah wrote about the good promise God made to Israel. This Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent, and this is a great place to start. Christmas readings should always begin with the Old Testament prophecies that foretold Jesus’ birth:

Jeremiah 33 (New International Version)

14 “‘The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will fulfill the good promise I made to the people of Israel and Judah.

15 “‘In those days and at that time
    I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line;
    he will do what is just and right in the land.
16 In those days Judah will be saved
    and Jerusalem will live in safety.
This is the name by which it will be called:
    The Lord Our Righteous Savior.’

The picture of the coming Messiah that is painted here describes him being a righteous branch sprout from David’s line. Jesus had a lot to say about branches and vines (see John 15) where he identifies himself as the True Vine. Jesus invites us as his branches to abide in him, and he will abide in us. He also warns us about what will happen if we fail to produce the fruit of love. I love the use of the word sprout in today’s passage, and I have to admit I have never noticed it before. That word conjures up an image of brand new baby growth. Indeed, our Lord, the Messiah, came to us as a brand new baby sprout. His righteousness will not only restore Judah and Jerusalem but will restore the world. Come Lord Jesus, come!

God fulfilled and is fulfilling his good promise to us through Jesus. How about you? Are you fulfilling your promises to your loved ones? To God?

May we be faithful to the Righteous Sprout who calls us by his name.

Sunrise Glow by Michelle Robertson

Abide in Me

Posted on by Betsy

It is said that in life, success comes more from who you know than what you know. I think there is some truth to that. When we are pursuing a new job, a raise, a promotion, finding an appropriate mate, a good outcome at court, a favorable loan rate, a lower price on a new car, etc., the people at the other end of those transactions make all the difference in the final result. If you know them and if they like you, your chances of success might be increased. It’s all about knowing the right people.

Jesus’ famous “I AM” statements reveal who he is, using a series of metaphors and analogies. In today’s passage, Jesus tells his disciples that he is the True Vine of Israel. He makes this statement while they are on their way from the last supper in the Upper Room to the impending arrest, trial, and crucifixion. He is trying to reassure them that even when he dies, their connection will never be severed. They, and we, are the branches to his vine, and it is that connection that gives us strength, hope, and determination. Knowing Jesus makes all the difference in our lives.

John 15 (New Revised Standard Version)

4 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. 5 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.

If you read this entire chapter in John, you will see that the word “abide” is used ten times. Jesus surely wants us to understand how to abide in him! And there is a reciprocal blessing here. When we abide in him, he abides in us.

So, how do we abide in Jesus?

Abiding means, first of all, studying the word of God. “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” (v.7) When we look into the word of God and see the Son of God, we are changed by the Spirit of God into the image of God, by the grace of God, for the glory of God.

That is what abiding is all about. 

This is a good time to stop and consider your daily practice of studying the word. Do you take time in the morning to read Scripture? Do you meditate on his word as you pray? So many times we think God has not heard or answered our prayers when the truth is, we haven’t been abiding in his Word, where the answers can be found. Do you need a better daily practice of abiding in the Word?

Second, abiding also means doing the work of God. Jesus said in v.5, “He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit.” We know what God is concerned about. He is in the fruit-bearing business. That is His work; that is what He desires for us. And so when we do the work of the Lord through our serving and our giving, we bear the fruit of the father. 

Third, abiding is obeying the will of God. Jesus said in v.10, “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.” When the branch lives out its life in connection with the vine, it then reproduces the fruit of the vine. Are you obeying God’s will for your life? If the answer is no, I bet the fruit you produce reflects that.

How can you better abide in Christ? He longs to abide in you.

Fruit of the Vine by Kathy Schumacher

True Vine

Posted on by Betsy

I am working on a writing assignment for a publisher that has me exploring the seven “I am” statements of Jesus. You may have noticed this already! These statements are all found in the book of John and were Jesus’ way of revealing God to his followers in manageable metaphors. They speak to our spiritual needs as we seek to understand our Savior. In practical terms, these statements represent a kind of resume, or CV, that quickly outlines the attributes of our Lord. Of course as you experience each one, you delve farther and farther into the very heart and mind of God. Here are the seven “I am” statements:

I am the bread of life.

I am the light of the world.

I am the open gate.

I am the good shepherd.

I am the resurrection and the life.

I am the way, the truth, and the life.

I am the true vine.

When I read that last one, I immediately thought of the vines that keep threatening to overtake our house. We have a neglected and abandoned raised flower bed that grows vines and weeds with great purpose and vigor. Over the winter, I considered cutting it all back but then I noticed that it seemed to be filled with sleepy bees. I read that such places are wonderful habitats for bees in the cold weather, and you shouldn’t cut them back until after the temperature is over 50 degrees and the bees have somewhere to go. I even thought about getting a sign that read, “Betsy’s Bee Garden” to explain to the neighbors why this eyesore of a mess was bee-ing left alone. I’m not lazy, I’m simply doing my part for the environment!

Thinking of my wild and wayward vines as a dwelling place for the bees gave me comfort. It also falls into line with today’s Scripture. Notice that as Jesus described being the true vine, he invited us to remain (or dwell) in him:

John 15 (Common English Bible)

15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vineyard keeper. 2 He removes any of my branches that don’t produce fruit, and he trims any branch that produces fruit so that it will produce even more fruit. 3 You are already trimmed because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. A branch can’t produce fruit by itself but must remain in the vine. Likewise, you can’t produce fruit unless you remain in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, then you will produce much fruit. Without me, you can’t do anything. 

Jesus is very clear about what our purpose is. We are to produce fruit. If we stay attached to the vine, if we dwell with Jesus, we will perform our function as the branches from which the fruit grows. But woe unto us if we don’t remain in Jesus:

6 If you don’t remain in me, you will be like a branch that is thrown out and dries up. Those branches are gathered up, thrown into a fire, and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified when you produce much fruit and in this way prove that you are my disciples.

And what fruit are we to be producing? Paul gives us a beautiful list in Galatians 5:

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against things like this.

Notice that love is the first thing on the list. Everything begins and ends with love. Read the rest of Jesus’ “I am the true vine” statement:

9 “As the Father loved me, I too have loved you. Remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. 11 I have said these things to you so that my joy will be in you and your joy will be complete. 12 This is my commandment: love each other just as I have loved you. 13 No one has greater love than to give up one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 I don’t call you servants any longer, because servants don’t know what their master is doing. Instead, I call you friends, because everything I heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You didn’t choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you could go and produce fruit and so that your fruit could last. As a result, whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give you. 17 I give you these commandments so that you can love each other.

“I give you these commandments so that you can love each other.” In a world that spends so much time spewing hate, we need to grow the fruit of love everywhere we can, like a wild vine that has gone completely out of control. Where can you be the branches of love for someone today?

Go and bear fruit.

Bee-utiful by Kathy Schumacher