Pastor Scott
Jonas
John 15
I am the
Vine
3/3/18
John 15
continues a long time of teaching from Jesus.
Over four continuous chapters, Jesus is preparing his followers for what
is coming, the cross. He began his
speech saying “Love one another the way I have loved you.” His teaching is more than words. It comes from his relationship with his
students. Then Jesus says “I am the Way,
and the Truth and the Life.” He is a
teacher who is more than a teacher.
Jesus claims to be the path to the Father. He is going away for a while to prepare that
path. He doesn’t want his friends to
freak out when he is gone. Even when he
is elsewhere, their connection remains.
Now Jesus says, “I am the vine, you are the branches.” Connected.
I’ve read
this wonderful book called “The Vine Speaks” by Cindy Steinbeck and CPH. Cindy owns a vineyard and she wants to share
her insights into winemaking so that we can fully grasp this beautiful picture
Jesus is illustrating in John 15. I
actually know Cindy a little bit. Like
me, she was a Director of Christian Education in California. When I knew her 20 years ago, her father ran
the family vineyard up in Paso Robles.
Cindy was an educator in the church fulltime. Then as her Father got older she took on more
responsibility until she was running the operation.
Cindy goes
into detail how a vineyard works. Of
course, only specific places can grow grapes.
You need the right soil and climate.
Grapes are very tempermental.
Paso Robles is just one hour north of where we used to live in Santa
Maria. It’s in San Louis Obispo county
which is filled with vineyards. There
the grapes can flourish.
It starts
with the roots, specifically something called rootstock. The rootstock goes down as far as 15 feet
below the surface. It creates a web of
roots that absorbs all of the nutrients of the soil. Those roots take years to grow
initially. The vineyard owner wants to
make sure that the root system is complete before any fruit is grown. In fact for the first few years, all of the
branches and fruit are constantly cut away, so all of the growth is in the
roots. Cutting allows the growth to go
where the vineyard owner wants it. And
in the beginning, he wants the roots to grow.
Then, when
the roots are strong and healthy, the vineyard owner brings in a team to graft
branches onto the roots. A nursery has
been growing these branches for some time.
In cindy’s case they chose a cabernet Sauvignon. The team cuts the branches, cuts the root
stem and binds them together, flesh to flesh.
The root stem is cut in a V. The
branch is cut in a V. One V goes into
the other. Then something like a band
Aid is used to bind the wound. Over time
the root and branch become one. They
grow into each other. Eventually fruit
is made and wine is produced.
Jesus says, “I
am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that
does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he
prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the
word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. 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. Whoever abides
in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can
do nothing.”
Here is what
I learned from reading John 15
#1
Anyone can be grafted into God.
It doesn’t matter where you come from.
Anyone can be chosen by the vine dresser. The Jews thought that they had it made
because they were born in God’s vineyard.
They thought only their people could be connected to the Father. But God chose the Hebrews to start the
vineyard. Once the vineyard was started,
once the roots ran deep, then God could take a branch from anywhere and graft
it into his field. God chose a
prostitute from Jericho to be grafted in.
God picked a Samaritan woman to be connected. Jesus chose a roman centurian and a
fraudulent tax collector. You never know
who he is going to chose to connect to.
Which is good news for you and I.
God has chosen you. Even though you have deep rooted flaws God
sees past those. He says all you need is
the right root. You were connected to
the things of this world that are unhealthy for growth. But when you became joined with God that all
changed. You were still exposed to elements
that can abuse you but now you are one with the source of all power, love and
Joy. If I can be grafted into God, if you can be grafted into God, then anybody
can. The Gospel calls everyone.
#2
Pain leads to growth. Our pain
has a purpose. In order for a branch to
be grafted into the vineyard it needs to be cut from it’s original stem,
transported from it’s old home and jammed together with its new rootstem. Pain and death are an opportunity for
life. One of the phrases Cindy uses in
her book is that flesh needs to be connected to flesh. The flesh of the branch needs to be pressed
upon the freshly cut flesh of the stem.
To the branch it seems so violent.
The branch is wounded and the root is wounded. Then through those wounds they are healed
together. The blood of the branch seeps
into the blood of the root.
Through baptism your old self was cut
off, killed. There were parts of you
that needed to be removed. You were torn
from your sinful nature and you were grafted into Christ. Doesn’t that sound painful and scary, our
old nature dying and a new self emerging.
This became possible because Jesus was wounded through the cross. He voluntered to be cut so we could connect
with him, flesh to flesh. Maybe that is
why Jesus created communion. Our flesh
connects with his flesh. His body
connects with our body. Our blood
mingles with his blood. It reminds us
that we are grafted into Christ.
That connection between us and Jesus
is everything. We need to keep that bond
otherwise we lose everything. He is the
source of life. If we abide with him
then we have life. If we cut ourselves
off, then we will wither and eventually die.
That’s how vines work.
#3
Be fruitful. How do we know that we are
connected to Christ? By the fruit that
God produces through us. We know that we
can count on God’s roots. Jesus is the
source of life. He can’t help but make
things grow. We are seeing that on
Wednesday nights as we study the 6 days of creation. God says let there be vegetation and there is
vegetation. He commands trees to sprout
and they obey. If we are connected to
him then we will grow spiritually, and the people around us will see that
growth. If you are in Christ then good
things sprout around you. Love
spreads. Truth flows though you. But if you see no evidence that you are
connected to Christ, then you better get connected. Repent and ask God to abide in you. Open his word and grab a hold of your life
source. It’s not too late.
You
and I are part of a beautiful vineyard.
God began it long ago and adds to it every day. One day it is going to be the harvest. We are going to be transported to a new
heaven and a new earth. It will be
fruitful. It will be glorious.