"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5
John 15:5 is a familiar verse. Pastors have taught on this verse countless times. We all know the analogy that if we dwell in Him (the Vine), we will bear much fruit. I saw this verse a different way the other day. I thought I would share my thoughts with you.
Christianity and the Church has gotten a bad rap. You can read about Church history and see that this is not a new concept. The Church pushes back on culture and sometimes does it in such a way that it turns people off to the faith. There is no question that this is true. Ask most non-parishioners and they will tell you that most church-goers are hypocrites and the reason they do not attend. I think I may know at least one reason why this holds true.
We are trying to be the vine and not the branch.
When Jesus came onto the scene, he turned this whole faith movement upside down. He did things in such a way that the religious elite had him crucified. One of the areas he went rogue was love. He loved so fiercely and so relentlessly that the Pharisees (religious teachers of the day) did not know what to do with the guy. Jesus' love frightened them. Their were no confines to his love. Rules did not apply. His love was endless and even covered the worst of offenders.
I believe there are more of us acting like Pharisees than like Jesus. We are scared to love without borders thinking that will steer people wrong and somehow someway we will be held accountable to and responsible for their eternal damnation. So, to remedy this, we try to be the vine; a portion of the tree that was never meant for us. Instead, we are called to be the branches: the very ones who lead others to the vine.
We battle the tension between love and judgment. We read the Word and see on one hand, the merciful love of Jesus. On the other hand, we read Scripture that discusses what happens when we live apart from the Lord. It is a conundrum. How do we manage the tension between loving someone unconditionally while also speaking Truth into their lives?
It's easy.
Be the branch.
It is time we stop trying to be the vine and give that position back over to God. We must refocus our attention on being the branch stretching out and reaching towards others bringing them to the vine. We do this through love. And our example of love is Jesus.
He was always bringing people back to the Father. Always. Story after story shows Jesus being the branch reaching out to the unloved, marginalized, forgotten, criminals, outcasts, and rebels and bringing them back to the Vine through his love. He reached out to and loved the ones who hung him on the cross asking the Father to forgive them (Luke 23:34). He went out of his way to meet with the woman at the well knowing what he was doing was against the grain. He did this to bring her to the Vine. Jesus stepped up and loved the adulterous woman reminding her of her value and worth in the Father through forgiveness. Story after story shows how Jesus' love brought people to the Vine.
We are not the Vine. He is. We are the branches: the means to bringing people to the Father. The branch brings hope where there is none, value where there is inadequacy, healing where there's pain, forgiveness where there's judgment. It's time we remember our place. We are the branch. We are the ones who stretch out until we reach the one who needs the Vine most.
Reach out and be the branch.
Love relentlessly.
And let the Vine do His great work.
Love & Blessings,
Meg
John 15:5 is a familiar verse. Pastors have taught on this verse countless times. We all know the analogy that if we dwell in Him (the Vine), we will bear much fruit. I saw this verse a different way the other day. I thought I would share my thoughts with you.
Christianity and the Church has gotten a bad rap. You can read about Church history and see that this is not a new concept. The Church pushes back on culture and sometimes does it in such a way that it turns people off to the faith. There is no question that this is true. Ask most non-parishioners and they will tell you that most church-goers are hypocrites and the reason they do not attend. I think I may know at least one reason why this holds true.
We are trying to be the vine and not the branch.
When Jesus came onto the scene, he turned this whole faith movement upside down. He did things in such a way that the religious elite had him crucified. One of the areas he went rogue was love. He loved so fiercely and so relentlessly that the Pharisees (religious teachers of the day) did not know what to do with the guy. Jesus' love frightened them. Their were no confines to his love. Rules did not apply. His love was endless and even covered the worst of offenders.
I believe there are more of us acting like Pharisees than like Jesus. We are scared to love without borders thinking that will steer people wrong and somehow someway we will be held accountable to and responsible for their eternal damnation. So, to remedy this, we try to be the vine; a portion of the tree that was never meant for us. Instead, we are called to be the branches: the very ones who lead others to the vine.
We battle the tension between love and judgment. We read the Word and see on one hand, the merciful love of Jesus. On the other hand, we read Scripture that discusses what happens when we live apart from the Lord. It is a conundrum. How do we manage the tension between loving someone unconditionally while also speaking Truth into their lives?
It's easy.
Be the branch.
It is time we stop trying to be the vine and give that position back over to God. We must refocus our attention on being the branch stretching out and reaching towards others bringing them to the vine. We do this through love. And our example of love is Jesus.
He was always bringing people back to the Father. Always. Story after story shows Jesus being the branch reaching out to the unloved, marginalized, forgotten, criminals, outcasts, and rebels and bringing them back to the Vine through his love. He reached out to and loved the ones who hung him on the cross asking the Father to forgive them (Luke 23:34). He went out of his way to meet with the woman at the well knowing what he was doing was against the grain. He did this to bring her to the Vine. Jesus stepped up and loved the adulterous woman reminding her of her value and worth in the Father through forgiveness. Story after story shows how Jesus' love brought people to the Vine.
We are not the Vine. He is. We are the branches: the means to bringing people to the Father. The branch brings hope where there is none, value where there is inadequacy, healing where there's pain, forgiveness where there's judgment. It's time we remember our place. We are the branch. We are the ones who stretch out until we reach the one who needs the Vine most.
Reach out and be the branch.
Love relentlessly.
And let the Vine do His great work.
Love & Blessings,
Meg
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