Sermon podcast from the Sunday, 5-2-21 online worship service - St. Paul's UCC in Downers Grove, IL. John 15:1-8
Showing posts with label John 15:1-8. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John 15:1-8. Show all posts
4/30/2018
Branches
Sermon podcast from the Vine and Branches Bible reading from John 15:1-8. It's also from yesterday at St. Paul's UCC in Downers Grove, IL. You're not a stick.
Sermon preview video
"Branches" podcast
Sermon preview video
"Branches" podcast
5/05/2015
Abiding
Last week's Bible reflection (Stick) formed the beginning section of last Sunday's Confirmation Day Sermon at St. Paul's UCC in Downers Grove, IL.
"Abiding" podcast
"Abiding" podcast
4/27/2015
Stick
I’ve been a minister for more than 25 years. Several years ago I was part of a youth group talking about this week’s Bible reading from John 15:1-8 – the one with the vine and the branches. I was pointing out how branches do what they do – they bear fruit. They do it because it is . . . just what they do.
We talked further about the part that says “Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.” I asked, “What’s a branch when it’s not part of the vine?”
“It’s a stick.”
Of course, it’s easy to go from there to focus on the words:
“He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit . . . such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.” And then say, “I know that I’m not one of those “gathered and burned” things – but I sure know who is! How dare they be so much like a stick. God’s clear on what’s gonna happen to them!"
When we do stuff like that we miss what I think is one of the most important pieces of this week's reading.
“I am the vine – you are the branches.”
Not, “I am the vine, and will be branches if you do it right” or “I am the vine and you are in real danger of not being branches,” but YOU ARE THE BRANCHES.
I know that there continues to be a tension between the presence of God’s unconditional and unending love and this stick burning or branch cutting stuff.
I’ll just let that tension stay. We don’t have to figure it all out. l haven’t. I’ll just leave it at this:
“Don’t be a stick. Because you’re not.”
We talked further about the part that says “Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.” I asked, “What’s a branch when it’s not part of the vine?”
“It’s a stick.”
Of course, it’s easy to go from there to focus on the words:
“He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit . . . such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.” And then say, “I know that I’m not one of those “gathered and burned” things – but I sure know who is! How dare they be so much like a stick. God’s clear on what’s gonna happen to them!"
When we do stuff like that we miss what I think is one of the most important pieces of this week's reading.
“I am the vine – you are the branches.”
Not, “I am the vine, and will be branches if you do it right” or “I am the vine and you are in real danger of not being branches,” but YOU ARE THE BRANCHES.
I know that there continues to be a tension between the presence of God’s unconditional and unending love and this stick burning or branch cutting stuff.
I’ll just let that tension stay. We don’t have to figure it all out. l haven’t. I’ll just leave it at this:
“Don’t be a stick. Because you’re not.”
5/04/2012
Abiding in Love
This week's Bible reflection (Vine) gets more parts in Sunday's sermon at St. Paul's United Church of Christ in Downers Grove, IL.
"Abiding in Love" text
"Abiding in Love" podcast
"Abiding in Love" text
"Abiding in Love" podcast
5/02/2012
Vine
This week's Bible reading from John 15:1-8 has some memorable verses. Like this one:
I am the vine, and my father is the vinegrower. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes so that it bears more fruit.
And there's this one:
He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit . . . such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.
I think that part is all we hear sometimes from this reading.
If you’re not doing it right, God’s gonna cut you off and you’re gonna burn.
And then we take it even further.
I know that I’m not one of those “gathered and burned” things – but I sure know who is! How dare they be so “un-branchy.” God’s clear on what’s gonna happen to them!
And when we do stuff like that we miss what I think is one of the most important pieces of this week's reading.
I am the vine – you are the branches.
Not, “I am the vine, and will be branches if you do it right” or “I am the vine and you are in real danger of not being branches,” but YOU ARE THE BRANCHES.
What are your thoughts?
5/09/2009
Vine and Branches
This week's Bible study blog entry for i.ucc (Don't be a stick) begins and provides more questions for what is now tomorrow's sermon at Union Congregational United Church of Christ in Somonauk, IL.
5/04/2009
Don't be a stick
Here's this week's Bible study blog entry for i.ucc
I’ve been a minister to youth for more than 20 years. Several years ago I was part of a group talking about this week’s Bible reading from John 15:1-8 – the one with the vine and the branches. I was pointing out how branches do what they do – they bear fruit. They do it because it is . . . just what they do.
We talked further about the part that says “Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.” I asked, “What’s a branch when it’s not part of the vine?”
“It’s a stick.”
We talked even further, discussing how since we are branches on the vine of God’s love, we aren’t sticks. We even talked (probably remembering the Bible reading that we talked about here last week, John 10:1-11-18, that we are one flock – no exceptions – EVERYONE enfolded in God’s love.
But that part in this week’s reading about whoever not abiding in Jesus being thrown away crept right into the conversation. There was (and continues to be) a tension between the presence of God’s unconditional and unending love and this stick burning stuff.
We didn’t ease the tension or figure it all out. I still haven’t either. What did we say about it?
“Don’t Be a Stick.”
What are your thoughts?
I’ve been a minister to youth for more than 20 years. Several years ago I was part of a group talking about this week’s Bible reading from John 15:1-8 – the one with the vine and the branches. I was pointing out how branches do what they do – they bear fruit. They do it because it is . . . just what they do.
We talked further about the part that says “Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.” I asked, “What’s a branch when it’s not part of the vine?”
“It’s a stick.”
We talked even further, discussing how since we are branches on the vine of God’s love, we aren’t sticks. We even talked (probably remembering the Bible reading that we talked about here last week, John 10:1-11-18, that we are one flock – no exceptions – EVERYONE enfolded in God’s love.
But that part in this week’s reading about whoever not abiding in Jesus being thrown away crept right into the conversation. There was (and continues to be) a tension between the presence of God’s unconditional and unending love and this stick burning stuff.
We didn’t ease the tension or figure it all out. I still haven’t either. What did we say about it?
“Don’t Be a Stick.”
What are your thoughts?
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