The Vines and the Branches: An Essay on Christ

Lately I've been reading through John and just picking it apart piece by peace. Today my focus was John 15:1-17. The analogous comparisons Jesus uses in this passage aren't new to me, but the Spirit chose to unpack them in a new form this afternoon.

First I just want to flush out more of this analogy that he uses. In Verse 5 Christ says, "I am the vine; you are the branches..." so lets start there. What is He really saying here? He goes on to say that only through connection to him can the branches bear fruit. It's cause and effect. Stay connected to Jesus = fruitful. So the purpose of our lives is to bear the fruit that Christ has enabled us to do. So why do we live apart from the vine?

I fear that Christians today get their spiritual "fertilizer" once or twice a week at church. They quite often aren't connected to the vine, Jesus, but rather they connect themselves to other sources that claim to offer growth and life. Christ says, also in verse 5 "apart from me you can do nothing." So if the purpose of our life is to bear the fruits that Christ has equipped us to bear, without him we bear nothing. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but a vine without fruit is dead. Without any signs of life why should it be assumed that it is living?

This works the same way for "camp highs" or good feelings you get from serving someone on a mission trip. Initially, small fruits may begin to form, but without connection to Christ they will undoubtedly wither and decay. Thats a reason why I'm not a fan of most camps and most mission trips. Hear me out first. Neither one is bad, and both can have tremendous results for God's glory. BUT: Christian culture today seems to send a message that you go on the trips and to these camps to experience Jesus. Again, that is a GOOD thing. BUT: The emphasis that is placed on experiencing Jesus at a lake, on the beach, in a foreign country is not relayed back to everyday suburban living. The truth is that the branches should be connected to the vine all the time, not just on weeks during the summer. As LeaderTreks always is quick to remind me; We are not called to go on mission but to live out missional lifestyles every day.

I'm not saying that most Christians don't live like complete Pagans during the school year and throw Christ to the side (although some do). I merely would like to examine what Christ has to say in this chapter. He tells us that we are either in or out. He says we are to "remain in [him] and [he] will remain in [us]" Being a Christian doesn't allow for half way doing it. And thats a sad truth that I am afraid might not be being conveyed as it should. To be a Christan you must give your life away. You must literally become a SLAVE to Christ as it says throughout Romans and the rest of the new testament. Jesus wanted our lives to be completely consumed by him. To all Christians who would argue that living a life for Jesus is anything but complete surrender and obedience I would say this: you are lukewarm, not fully connected to the vine that is Christ Jesus.

Look, the reality is that none of us, myself included, is as connected to the vine as we need to be. For Christ says also in verse 13 this: "Great love has n one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." That references the atoning sacrifice the He would make on the cross only four chapters later. The greatest act of love is to give yourself up to a friend. That is what we were called to in
His death. The fruit we bear should lead others to see lives which point to the cross. Jesus calls us his friends because He is connected to us even today through the Holy Spirit. It's going to be tough. Jesus speaks at the beginning of this chapter of the pruning we must go through as we approach righteousness. But, He warns later that the branches that are not connected to him are cast into the fire: dead.

There are many people alive today that have never experienced life. Bear fruit so that this may be changed.

To the Glory of the Most High,
-matt

Love is Here

You are great
Even when I flee
You pursue
You love
You save

Beautiful feet come from Nazareth
A cry in the desert preludes your song
The world will never be the same
God is here
Love is here.

No longer must I fear men
Love has entered
to save all
Savior lives
Hope is true
Love is here.

I do not endure the enemy alone
You fight for me
"Praise the Lord" shout the nations
Love is here.

-matt

I Saw Jesus

Christ always had a plan for us. When he taught, he didn't bring a philosophy. He brought truth. The truth of Jesus Christ is that he came down from heaven and became a man. As a man he was abused and murdered on the Cross. He then rose and beat death forever. Why? So that we could have life.

So what does that life look like? We are called to be the body of Christ. To bring the Spirit with us wherever we go. We are called to be Jesus to the world. I experienced that today. I was in a rough patch, times were alright. But nothing special, not chasing demons, but not sprinting towards Christ either. Just altogether a valley of sorts. I guess thats how the low times happen, we don't even realize completely how far from God we think we've gone, but we just can find the nerve to turn and run back to him, it just feels weird.

But today was different. I saw Jesus. Ok, I didn't see the scarred hands or the punctured side, but one of my friends did show me the love of Christ in his/her actions. We'll call them Taylor. Taylor came to me today and showed me in a tangible way how God loves us even when we aren't on fire for him. Taylor, like Jesus, invited me to restore a relationship that had been in regression. When I was with Taylor today I didn't see any forced attempt to be a "Super-Christian". There was no attempt to coax me in the right direction. I saw Jesus today. Taylor was living out the call that God gives all of us. We are told to love our brothers and sisters. Even when I hadn't reached out to Taylor as I knew I should have, Taylor reached out to me. God's love is relentless.

And that really is where it all starts. Choosing day by day to answer to the mandate that God has placed upon all of us. I saw Jesus today. Not through miracles or supernatural phenomena, but through a Christan answer the call of Christ and living as Jesus did. Taylor probably didn't even realize just exactly the message that they conveyed to me today, but that is ok. Christ never promised that we'd have all the answers, that we would know just exactly what we did for the kingdom. But, I do know this: through Taylor, a Christian living their life for God, Jesus spoke to me a message of grace. I mess up, I'm forgiven. I desperately needed to hear that message. Thank you *Taylor*. Even if you never know, you've changed my trajectory, righted my direction straight back onto Christ.

So through what God has shown me today I leave this challenge. Be Jesus. Don't try and be perfect or act out the holier-than-thou life. Simply walk in the ways of the Greatest Teacher. Love people. Give grace. Let the Spirit work. Someone was my Jesus today, now its my turn to be Jesus to others. A life for Christ is the only life worth living. Godbless

-matt