Bearing fruit (John 15:1-8)
As ministers, we’re reminded not to get too sentimental about motherhood (nor to idolize mothers) because for some:
(a) motherhood is an accident, and not always a welcome one;
(b) for some, biological motherhood isn’t possible;
(c) for some, mothers weren’t all that nice;
(d) for some, motherhood under the very best of circumstances is still less than a bed of roses.
For all its stumbling blocks, motherhood is a beautiful part of God’s creative plan to bring love and caring to to the world. Motherhood is God’s gift, an earthly example on how to love and to bear good fruit. Our text today is written in the context of a farm. Jesus explains an agricultural metaphor, about the relationship between vine, branches and fruit. He says “Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you. I am the vine you are the branches. Whoever abides in me will bear much fruit.”(1-5)
The figure of the vine is often used in the OT to refer to Israel. Isaiah 5: 7 says “the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel and the men of Judah are his cherished plant.” This means that God delighted in Israel. God considered Israel a cherished plant because this plant is the means by which God will reach out and bless all the nations.
But in the New Testament, there is a change. Jesus is the true vine. And those who believe in Him become the branches. If we abide in the vine, we will bear much fruit and become the means for others to receive God’s blessing. Notice that the purpose of the vine is to bear fruit. We know that bearing fruit is important for Jesus. Remember the parable of the sower and the seed and the parable of the talents? Remember also how he cursed the unfruitful fig tree (Matt21:18-19). Bearing fruit is to be in a position of being able to share a blessing to others.
Our purpose as Christians is to abide in Christ so that we might bear fruit. Not just any fruit, but a special fruit, a fruit of the spirit. As we abide in Christ, Jesus Christ becomes evident in and through us. And as we manifest Christ, others are blessed. He is seen in us as we manifest His character (Gal 5:22-23). He is evident in us as we carry on the work He began when He was on earth (see Acts 3:6, 12-16; 4:13). Being fruitful, then, is manifesting Christ in our lives and becoming a blessing to others.
Second, the branches are the instrument through which the fruit is produced. While our Lord produced much “fruit” when He was physically on the earth, He now produces “fruit” through those branches who believe in Him. Through the believers who manifest His Lordship.
Third, these branches only bear fruit in union with the vine. The branches obtain life through the vine; they are sustained by the vine; they produce fruit through the vine. The only way to bear fruit is for the branches to abide in the vine. I am sure that we have produced all sorts of fruits. Bad fruits as well as good fruits. Perhaps it is time to examine our fruits and see if we are still connected with the vine? Can we recognize our fruits as pleasing to God?
Fourth, the Father is the gardener, who tends the vine. He removes the lifeless, fruitless branches—which were never truly “in the vine”. He “prunes” the fruitful branches, so that they will bear even more fruit. When our temporal interests become paramount, rather than God’s glory, then we may fall short of what God’s Word teaches. Our purpose in life is not to “fill our cups” with good things; it is to abide in Christ so that we may bear fruit for Him.
Fifth, the Word is the instrument which God employs to tend the vine. The Word is the instrument which God employs to cleanse the branches. Put in different terms, the Word is the sharp cutting edge by which God prunes us and “removes” the unfruitful branches.
And this is where motherhood comes in. In the verses which say “Abide in me, as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, neither can you. If you abide in me you will bear fruit. “Apart from Me, you can accomplish nothing.” We can probably produce many things on our own, but we can produce nothing that pleases God if we do not abide in the vine. Wealth per se, great honor, prestige, great accomplishments, per se, do not please God. What pleases God are the fruits of the vine that we bear — love, compassion, mercy because we abide in the vine.
The secret is in the word abiding. In John’s Gospel, abide is used in the sense of “dwell in a place”, stay in one’s dwelling place, dwelling at home. And here we honor mothers who bear the fruits of love, who teach us how to dwell in and make homes. We can understand Jesus words, I am the true vine and my father is the vine grower, better because we have mothers who are the home makers. Mothers are home makers, who first teach us about love and caring.
Someone said: The most creative job in the world involves fashion, decorating, recreation, education, transportation, psychology, romance, cuisine, literature, art, economics, government, pediatrics, geriatrics, entertainment, maintenance, purchasing, law, religion, energy and management. Anyone who can handle all those has to be somebody special, a special blessing. Mothers are homemakers.
Home is the center of the universe. Home is where we feel comfortable, and can really be ourselves. Home is a place of safety and security. Home is our base of operations; it is at the center of what we do. Home is where you find your strength for life; it is where you eat and sleep. Home is where the people and the things we love the most are found. Home is our dwelling place.
After appreciating our earthly mothers as examples of love by virtue of their being home makers, we can then take one higher step and say, The Lord is our spiritual dwelling place — the true vine, the true home for our souls. The true source of our life and strength. The true dwelling place of refuge and security. Jesus is the reason for our fellowship and community. He is where our heart is. When we abide in the Lord, when the Lord is our dwelling place, then we certainly will bear His fruit and become a blessing to others.
Thank God for our Mothers who lead us to the Lord Jesus.!
(Sermon delivered in Silliman church, 9 am, May 10, 2009)
