Have you noticed friends, society as a whole seems to say more often than not “Do we really need Christ?” When the prophet Isaiah wrote “Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight. Every valley shall be filled And every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight And the rough ways smooth”, could not our current political and economics of the world make things straight and no longer crooked? We got man to the moon or created a medication to help certain diseases!
Society also seems to be full of schemes to claim social betterment and human brotherhood where when faced with a problem, give us a little time and we can ‘solve’ the problem attitude! That seems to be the worlds view of fixing things.
British Prime Minister in the late 1930’s Earl Baldwin wrote this quote once “This is the most irreligious age since Christ was born!” Oh how true that is, even for today!
When you look around us today in 2021, what is the world truly missing? What exactly are we lacking?
A 18th Century Scottish Minister Thomas Chalmers quoted “That he was trusting more to his own animal heat and activity than to the Holy Spirit.”
I can’t really explain it much more friends than to repeat what Christ tells us “Remain in Me, and I in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself but must remain in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me.”
In my opinion, this parable of the True Vine not only is clear and relevant to date, but it strikes to the heart of every area and circumstance we, the human race, can ever encounter or devise. It not only gives clear and precise instructions, it even gives God’s promise that continues to be kept throughout the centuries.
In Eastern Europe in a town called Bordeaux, France, there lives the oldest known grape vine exceeding 400 years. Not only does this vine exist, but it still produces some of the best grape for wine making anywhere.
One would think this vine exists in a large field maybe, or in a very secluded area where growth is more prominent. Actually it is located in front of a house which served as part of the city’s wall, the old vine survived. Just think, it outlasted the Napoleonic empire’s tour of Europe and continued producing grapes even as allied forces bombed the town when Nazi’s invaded during WWII. It survived the ages of drought, famine, pestilence and even war! Now one might think being as old as it is, it wouldn’t produce much fruit or the taste would be rather good for being such a old vine. In 2016 it has been reported the vine yielded between 75 and 130 pounds of sweet grapes each year. Some would say, the older the berry, the sweeter the juice.
Today we will be taking communion, and as you may remember what Christ tells us “For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”
Notice he will NOT drink of this fruit until the day he will drink it NEW with you! New refers here to not aged or fermented long, but rather strictly newly made. Even if the vine is old and grapes are flavored well, things are new each time wine is made.
So how does all this relate to us today?
A women that was having problems with her computer contacted technical support to hopefully fix the problem.
Technician started , “How may I help you?"
"I'm having trouble with my computer. I was typing along, and all of a sudden the words went away. It went blank, as if it disappeared."
Technician asked, “So what does your screen look like now?"
"Nothing.” She replied.
Technician asked “ Can you move the cursor around on the screen?"
"There isn't any cursor. I told you, it won't accept anything I type!"
Technician asked "Does your monitor have a power indicator?"
"What's a monitor?” She replied.
"Well, then look on the back of the thing you look at and find where the power cord goes into it. Can you see that?"
"Yes, I think so."
"Great. Follow the cord to the plug, and tell me if it's plugged into the
wall."
"Oh, I can’t see it because its dark"
"Dark?" said the Technician.
"Yes, the office light is off, and the only light I have is coming in from
the window."
Technician said "Well, turn on the office light then."
"I can't." she said.
Technician asked "Why not?"
The women said, "Because there's a power outage in my area."
The technician being very perplexed I’m sure said to himself a few choice words that demonstrated his frustration of the women and her circumstance.
Now I know that sounds harsh for a humorous story, but there is some rather interesting truth to it as well! Not that the women was too ignorant to own a computer, but it truly shows us if we are NOT plugged into Christ, we can do nothing correctly! Even if we give it our best try!
A branch cannot bear fruit of its own self! The branch has to be wholly connected to the vine. The vine being rooted in the earth where nutrients and water are, it comes all the way to the branches. Jesus tells us clearly we will bear much fruit if we are connected to him and him alone!
Jesus tells us though, Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.
Here friends, is a rather great concept. When we think about God prunes our branches that don’t bear fruit, it does NOT always mean punishment. How about removing the dead branch to help you produce a new and better fruit. Maybe a promotion, or a circumstances that address’s a concern or fault in your life to make you produce better fruit.
Sometimes we do forget that if we ask God for patience for instance, does he always give us patience, or put us into circumstances that help us practice patience?
Does God always give us faith, or put us into a situation where we learn to apply faith?
These are just a few examples friends!
In the Gospel of Luke, Christ tells us clearly “It is your fathers good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”
It is in Gods best interest and plan to have us, his children inherit his kingdom and live eternally with him. He has huge liberality and goodness in his heart towards us, and keeps heaping more on more.
“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
In Closing,
Friends, we need not be afraid of life! It is often puzzling I know. Slippery and steep. We as Christians need to always focus on God in everything we do. Plug into God, through prayer, his word and ultimately your relationship with him. Stay connected, and let the vinedresser give his whole life into the vines as he tends them, which should include you.
We are nourished by His Word, and cultivate our relationship with Him through prayer (John 15:7). The proof of our Christian faith is found not in our words, nor in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, but in our possession of the fruits of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). When we are spiritually fruitful, God the Father is glorified, and we are seen to be the disciples of Jesus (John 15:8). Amen.
In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.