Reflections on "Life on the Vine" Jonah 4: 1-11; John 15: 1-8

This was the second sermon in the Lenten series that focuses on "engaging" God's story, our story, and the world around us.  the basic premise of the sermon was that God's love is the foundation of our stories, and that God's love sends us into the world to engage others.

The quote from Brennan Manning's Youtube Live at Woodcrest invited us to ask the question:  "Do you know how much God loves you?"  The quote from Donald Miller's Blue Like Jazz (well worth reading) pushed us to consider what stories we might tell about how we have discovered God's love through Christ.  Both of these quote were part of the "Engage" material we are using (a curriculum provided by the Presbyterian Church, USA).  Both questions are valuable ones to ask.

The Jonah section of the sermon did not come from the curriculum, but came from my own reflections on the question, "Do you know that God loves you?"  Jonah, of all the biblical characters, perhaps understands most clearly God's love.  In fact, his sure knowledge of God's grace sends him running away from God!

“Life on the Vine” FPC, Troy, OH; March 1, 2015; John 15: 1-8; Jonah 4: 1-11

Introduction: Brennan Manning in his YouTube video Live at Woodcrest reflects on what it will be like one day to see God face to face. Brennan feels like the one question God will ask him is "Did you know how much I loved you?" (Brennan Manning, Live at Woodcrest, referenced in “Engage” curriculum [PCUSA], www.pcusa.org/evangelism, 33)

This week's part of our Lenten journey calls us to reflect on how God's love is the foundation for our story. To ask of ourselves the question: Do I know who much God loves me.

As we seek to engage, we do so knowing God's love for us.

Move 1: Do you know how much God loves you?

     a. In his book Blue Like Jazz, Donald Miller tells about his friend Alan. Alan goes around the country interviewing leaders of different churches and religious organizations that seem to be doing well to figure out what they were doing.

Eventually Alan interviews Bill Bright (founder of Campus Crusade for Christ). As the final question of the interview, Alan asked the question: What does Jesus mean to you? He said Dr. Bright just tarted to cry. He sat there in his big chair behind his big desk and wept (p. 233 of Blue Like Jazz; as referenced in “Engage” curriculum [PCUSA], www.pcusa.org/evangelism, 33)

                 1. Miller notes that when his friend Alan told him that story, he wondered what it was to love Jesus that way.

                2. What might have been flashing through his mind as he sat there and tears rolled down his face?

                3. Maybe thoughts of resurrection? God's love that comes to us from Christ’s death on the cross and then resurrection?

3. The times he had experienced God's love through Christ's presence in his life?

4. a Critical moment in his life when he needed God's love and felt it.

5. A joyous moment when he felt God's presence.

    b. Do you know how much God loves you?

             1.  As we come to the Lord's Table today, is it one more ritual, or do you lay claim to the words we speak about God sending Christ to die for you?

              2. Are you like a child who moves into the world secure and confident because she knows that her parents love her. A love that frees her to risk and share herself with others?

              3.  Or are you more like a child that spends her life trying to prove herself and acting out because she does not know she is loved?

              4.  what stories might you tell that reveal God's love for you?

              5. Do you know how much God loves you?

Move 2: Jonah knew about God's love

     a. Jonah knows about how wonderful God's love is.

              1. We tell the Jonah story and remember Jonah running away from God, but do not forget that Jonah is running away precisely because he knows how expansive God's love is.

              2. Why? Because he knew that God was a “gracious God, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love”

                3.  He knew that God was the kind of God who would forgive the Ninevites, his enemies, so Jonah runs away for the God who loves.

               4. In that example, we are both reminded of God's great love for us, but also our tendency to appreciate God's love more for us than for others!

                5.  If Jonah were in one of our small groups, imagine the story he would tell if asked to share an example of God's love in their lives.  "You are not going to believe how much God loves me and how much God loves you! He even forgave the Ninevites! "

               6.  Again the question: What stories would you tell that reveal God's love for you?

Move 3: WE are also reminded that there is more to knowing God's love; we are also called to live in God's love

a. The Gospel of John gives us the image of the vine branches to describe how we are called to live in God's love.

1. In truth, I have looked at numerous images of grape vines and read all about grafting, vine branches, vine shoots, vine roots, and I still can't quite get it figured out, or at least the distinctions Christ was making between the vine and the branches.

2. some of those images might have made more sense to the people listening to Jesus, particularly if they were part of the Jewish tradition that had grown up with the prophets like Isaiah who uses the image

of a vineyard when he refers to Judah and the house of Israel.

3. Maybe if we lived in a place where walking down the road we could see vineyards everyday it would make more sense.

b. As we explore the image, it is clear that we each have our specific roles.

            1. Jesus is very clear about this.

            2. not one of those illustrations that you pick whom you want to be.

            3. Nadia Bolz-Weber April 30, 2012 By The Hardest Question 3 Comments
I Want To Be a Sunflower For Jesus by Nadia Bolz-Weber Gospel Reading: John 15:1-8

For Sunday, May 6, 2012 Year B—Easter 5

I’m nothing if not independent. Reportedly my first sentence was “do it self!” Yes, I will do it myself, thank you. Choices See, I want choices. And I want independence. But apparently I get neither. What I wish Jesus said is: “I am whatever you want me to be. And you can be whatever you want to be: vine, pruner, branch, soil…knock yourself out.” What Jesus actually says is: “I am the vine. My Father is the vine grower. You are the branches” Dang. The casting has already been finalized. I guess that even if we don’t get to choose our role—God has determined that we are branches, Jesus is the vine and God is the vine grower; I wish that at least I could choose what kind of plant to be. http://thq.wearesparkhouse.org/yearb/easter5gospe/

             4.  God is the vine grower; God is the one who plants and cares for the vine; God is the one who prunes the vine ( The Greek verb kathairo used in vs. 2 can mean"prune" or cleanse," which ties the vineyard image in to the theological image). We are not the one in charge of the vineyard.

               5.  Jesus is the vine; the one who brings sustenance and life to the branches.


               6.  We are the branches, the ones called to bear the fruit of God's love and Christ's care for us.

    d.  to live in this way means that our lives are so intertwined with Christ's that we bear Christ’s fruit in the world.

               1.  The Gospel of John uses the word “abide” to describe this way of living.

               2.  Greek word for abide is meno.

                3.  In an agricultural sense, it means "remain on the branch."

                4.  John adds a theological insight that gives it the meaning of an "inward, enduring, personal communion" to describe Christ's relationship with God and now our relationship with Christ. (Walter Bauer, A Greek -English Lexicon of the New Testament, 503-4;New Interpreter's Bible, Vol. IX: Luke, John,758). We are called to focus on abiding in Christ.

               5.  when we abide in Christ, we will bear fruit.

                6.  I may not know much about grapevine roots, branches, shoots, or vines, but I do know that the beautiful, tasty grapes are the end-product that the vine grower seeks (or at least that I seek when I purchase grapes!).

               7.  That is the end-product of knowing God's love for us and abiding in Christ – a life that shows forth God's love and shares God's love with others.

              8. In other words, when we tell our story of God's love, they propel us into the world to become examples of God's love in the stories other will tell of God's love in their lives.

Conclusion: grape image is particular powerful when we come to the our Lord's Table. Taste the juice and know God's love for you.

Abide in Christ.

Abide in love. Amen.