We bear fruit.

4 While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. “This,” he said, “is what you have heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

“You will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” - Jesus goes on in Acts 1:8

Acts 1:8 NRSV

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

The last couple of times I preached I spoke about: “How should we live?”

The two points I helped us see - from 1 John -

Was 1 John 1:7

1 John 1:7 NRSV

7 but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

- See the world in the light of Jesus - Have Fellowship - Let the Blood of Jesus cleanse us from sin

The next was from 1 John 3:3

1 John 3:3 NRSV

3 And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.

The hope we have is the hope that we are becoming Christ like - 1 John 3:1

1 John 3:1–2 (NRSV)

1 See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are… 2…when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is.

“From How shall we live?” To “How shall we love?”

A few practical steps:

We bear fruit (John 15:1-8)

We love one another (John 15:9-17)

We share Christ (John 17:6-19)

Looking at the scripture today - from 1 John 4:7-21 and from John 15 - we see that there is a huge emphasis on the importance of loving one another and loving God.

But I think we need to speak a bit about what this love is - what it looks like is it that important?

Then there is the illustration of John 15 - will that help us with learning to love?

Love?

Jesus and the Bible talk about it quite a lot - we think about the importance of loving God. Loving our neighbours… A few scriptures from the gospels:

Matthew 22:37 NRSV

37 He said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’

Or Luke 6:35 a reminder from Jesus - about the difficult and self sacrificial task of love:

Luke 6:35 NRSV

35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.

Jesus is talking to his disciples about being ‘prefect’ as God is ‘perfect’ and that perfection - is perfect love - fully loving God; fully loving our neighbours and even our enemies.

Or Luke 11:42 -

Luke 11:42 NRSV

42 “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and herbs of all kinds, and neglect justice and the love of God; it is these you ought to have practiced, without neglecting the others.

Where Jesus harshly condemns the pharisees for focussing too much on little matters of the law but not on the most important things: Justice and the love of God.

You can imagine having a whole lot of laws that you should follow - and that is what we understand the best… Do this, and do that. It is often how we measure love.

But what about this emotional side - this heart side… We are invited to love God.

Toward the end of Matthew’s gospel when Jesus speaks about the end of the age:

Matthew 24:11–12 (NRSV)

11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because of the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold.

“The love of many will grow cold.”

Such a horrible description of the way we are - worn out - not bothering to love any more. Hardened by the world we live in.

Not loving God that much.

Not loving ourselves that much.

Not even loving our neighbours.

Just going through the motions - tireingly and drudglingly going through the motions of life.

We’re called to something greater.

A love of God.

Which leads to a love of ourselves and our neighbours.

And even to a love of life.

Love that turns the world upside down.

Love that hasn’t grown cold.

This is the kind of love we need.

One that is re-invigorated. So we go to the vine illustration.

John 15

1 John 4:7-21 has reminded us how important love is - maybe John 15 will give us some clues to help us from allowing our love to get too cold. In the simple story of the vine and the branches:

John 15:1–2 NRSV

1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. 2 He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit.

And John 15:5

John 15:5 NRSV

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.

These words are among Jesus’ last words to the disciples before he dies.

In chapter 13 Judas Iscariot leaves the upper room on his way to betray Jesus. Jesus also predicts Peter’s denial.

Jesus gives the disciples a new command:

“Love one another. Just as I have loved you.” (John 13:34)

Jesus tells them that he is the way to the Father - and he tells them about the Holy Spirit who is to come.

Then he gets to this verse that we’re reading now.

John 15:1–2 (NRSV)

1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. 2 He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit.

Paired with John 15:5

John 15:5 NRSV

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.

We get a picture of a

Vine = Jesus Vine Grower = God the Father Branches = Disciples Fruit = ....?

Well the fruit part isn’t really defined in the parable - it is assumed. And it is used often in the gospels…

Matthew 7:16 “You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles?”

Again - speaking about bearing fruit in Matthew’s gospel:

Matthew 12:35 “The good person brings good things out of a good treasure, and the evil person brings evil things out of an evil treasure.”

Your fruits I suppose - are the outward signs of what you are on the inside.

Now I like this illustration because my fruit is not always that sweet… It is a work in progress. Sometimes my branches are bear. But thats when I’m out of season. Sometimes I’m all leaves - Greeks will eat them. But sometimes my fruit is sweet.

But how does this illustration help us.

1 - You’re not the farmer!

For me - the number 1 thing…

You’re not the farmer. (God is the one who gets to cut off the branches.)

I’m not sure how you know if you’ve been cut off or not - but I’m pretty sure that if you are here, you haven’t been chopped off.

1 - You’re not the farmer! 2 - You’re not the vine!

It is a little bit of a relief to know this. But it is also a bit of a blow to the ego -

But I think the main point of what Jesus is getting at for his disciples. Especially considering that within the next 24 hours of telling them this he will be killed.

You can not do this on your own - and don’t even try.

Stay connected to ME - I am the vine.

The vine holds us all together.

But also functions as the conduit for all our nutrients. For all the liquid that we need to be our selves. The nectar that gives us life.

All of this is not us - it is not in our power.

Your love will grow cold as Matthew 24:12 warns:

Matthew 24:12 NRSV

12 And because of the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold.

Especially if you try to love without God’s help.

But with God’s help - with God’s love poured into your heart - you can pour yourself out.

1 - You’re not the farmer! 2 - You’re not the vine! 3 - You are the branches!

Branches draw their strength from the vine - and from the sun that shines on them. They don’t get much joy out of their fruit.

In fact branches just produce this beautiful fruit as an act of offering and sacrifice.

They expect no praise.

And they can’t help bearing fruit - because they are supplied in every way by the vine that they are a part of.

What’s Next?

1 - So Jesus offers us a new way of seeing.

He’s talking to his disciples - in the last hours of his journey to the cross. He has washed their feet. He has received their betrayals with grace. He has not stopped pouring out love for them.

The new way of seeing that he is offering is a way of seeing ourselves… no longer as individual little plants. Trying to love our neighbours… Trying to be good… Trying to make sweet fruit…

But as part of something greater than us.

Drawing strength from the vine. Bearing fruit of love and grace presenting it all as an offering…

A way of seeing ourselves that is not so horribly wrapped up in selfishness and pleasing our selves.

But seeing ourselves as a part of him.

In all your loving hold that image in your head — I’m not the vine - I’m just a branch.

If you think you are the vine go out to the garden dig a small hole - 2 ft deep 2 ft wide - stand in it and ask someone to water you.

2 - Jesus offers us practical power.

This Easter season is preparation for Pentecost - a reminder that we do not work alone - Jesus promised in John 14:26 - “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name will teach you…”

Acts 1:8 NRSV

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

In 1 John 4:13 -

1 John 4:13 NRSV

13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.

1 John 15:4

John 15:4 NRSV

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.

Conclusion

Loving is something that we should be doing - and that love should not be growing cold.

It often does.

Remain in the vine.

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