Monday, September 30, 2024
Vine
You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it. Psalm 80:8
Please read Psalm 80 today, focusing on verses 8-18. As we prepare to look at the last of the seven “I AM” statements of Jesus this week (I am the vine, John 15), we will look at what the understanding of the vine imagery would have been for the disciples. Throughout the Ole Testament Isreal is referred to as a vine. See Isaiah 5:1-7 for example. Within Psalm 80 Asaph allows us to see Israel as a vine with a past, present and future imagery. God took Israel from Egypt and carefully and intentionally planted her within Canaan and the nation flourished. Then the people moved away from God, and he brought upon them the curses promised. The vineyard was ruined. Then the cry comes to restore the nation, and the song looks forward to a time when the vine again is restored. The prayer throughout the psalm is for the Lord to restore and to bless—let your face shine—prayed three times (see also Numbers 6:24-27 for the Aaronic blessing). Israel as the vine was a rich imagery that looked forward to a fulfilling by the Messiah (son of man). While the fulfillment of the imagery was not fully understood, it was imagery that was prevalent in Israel at the time of Christ. It was a symbol of national life. It appeared on coins that were minted in the Maccabean time—between the testaments. The temple had a rich ornately decorated vine that was placed there by Herod. The people saw themselves as a vine planted and cared for by God himself. Yet this vine did not bear the good fruit it was intended to produce. It was a vine that failed to produce. The disciples would have had this vine in mind when Jesus spoke to them. Reading Psalm 80 helps us know what may have been going through the disciples’ minds as they listened to Jesus speak.
Tuesday, October 1, 2024
Vine (part 2)
I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. John 15:1
Please read John 15:1-11 today. Looking at the imagery of the vine in the Old Testament as we did yesterday allows us to see the richness of the statement of Jesus. In the original language this would have read, “I am the vine—true. The imagery and prophetic word are fulfilled in Jesus. There is a fullness to Jesus as the vine. The fruit that comes from this vine will be amazing as the Father himself is the vinedresser of this vine. Remember that Jesus has said he is the way to the Father, and in some regard coming to the Father allows him to care for you as a vinedresser cares for the branches of the vine. Jesus is the true vine that will allow fruit to come that is good fruit. The nation of Israel was to reveal the one true God to all nations so that people would turn to the one true God. They failed at that. The fruit of that vine was not good. But the son of man who came (Messiah) was and is the vine that is true and the fruit that is born of this vine will be true. Israel did not rely upon God. They relied upon themselves, other nations, and other gods. They were an imperfect vine. Jesus is the perfect and true vine and the Father is the perfect and true vinedresser. What does it mean for you to consider Jesus as the true vine in light of what we have looked at together these past two days.
Wednesday, October 2, 2024
Fruit
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. John 15:2
Please read John15:1-11 today. The purpose of the vine is to bear fruit. The role of the vinedresser is to see that the branches are cared for in a way that allows for the most possible fruit. Throughout the verses that you read today notice the number of times fruit is mentioned. What is the fruit that we are to bear? It is fruit that is in keeping with the vine—fruit that represents Jesus and all he is. It is the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). It is the fruit of praise to God. It is the fruit of sharing his truth with others. It is a cruciform life that represents and reflects Jesus and the life that he lived. We bear fruit as we remain in the vine. This is not fruit we produce it is fruit we bear—his fruit pouring through us. The pruning that the Father does in our lives is so important and necessary if we are to bear the most fruit possible. And yet, we can resist this pruning and even rebel against it. It is sometimes quite painful. That which is of our old nature—our sinful self—must be cut away as we seek to be like Christ and bear fruit for him (Galatians 2:20). Some of the things that must be cut away are quite special to us and we have grown quite fond of them. Some of them are even harmful to us, yet we hold on to them. Unforgiveness, bitterness, selfishness, pride, greed, insecurities, unrealistic expectations, and more all need the careful pruning of a loving Father. But so do some other things that may have stood in the way of us bearing fruit. These things can be good when properly sought. Comfort, intimacy in human relationships, care for belongings, work in the church, and others. The role of the Father is to ensure that the branch is fully dependent upon the vine and anything that may cause the branch to look outside the vine must be pruned away—so that the branch may bear more fruit. Have you felt the pruning of the Father? Are there any ways you have resisted it? What are the ways that you have seen that pruning allows you to thrive in ways you never could have expected?
Thursday, October 3, 2024
Fuel
If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. John 15:6
Please read John 15:1-11 again today. John 13-17 provides context for this passage. Reading that at one setting can allow you to enter this setting in a greater way. Jesus is teaching that a branch connected to the true vine must bear fruit. It is not possible to be a branch and not bear fruit. The Father sees to that. It is true that the fruit may be minimal if the branch does not respond to the pruning. But it is also true that much fruit can come as the branch thrives from the pruning. There are other branches within the vine. These are not branches that are connected to the vine. Jesus is not teaching that salvation can be lost. Salvation connects a person to Jesus. Genuine salvation is a new creation. It is a conversion. It is a new birth. It is the exchange of a life of sin for a life of righteousness. It is an exchange of masters. It is to truly come in repentance and to ask for forgiveness and for indwelling. It is to ask for the presence of God to come into your life and take control. It is exchanging your sense of autonomy for a submission to the will of God. You belong to him and have been bought with a price. You are connected to the vine. While you may experience pruning and refinement, you will not be cut away. However, there are branches that are laying in the vine. These branches are not connected to the vine and they do not produce the fruit of the vine. They become fuel. These branches may look like they are bearing fruit, but they are actually producing artificial fruit on their own. They may look like connected branches, but they are not. Or they could be branches that are hidden away in the vine but are quite dead producing no fruit at all. Keith Green, in his song, “Jesus Commands Us to Go!” says this, “goin’ to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than going to McDonald’s makes you a hamburger”. Consider today if you are fruitful or fuel. Are you truly connected to the vine? Have you thought you were but actually have never fully given yourself to the Lord?
Check out the song here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptUy2rYzmEo
Friday, October 4, 2024
Abide
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. John 15:4
Please read John 15:1-11 and John 17 today looking for the word “abide”. In this verse alone we see it three times. John records many things that Jesus said on the night he was betrayed (John 13-17). One of the themes that is found prevalently throughout these teachings and his prayer is the intimate relationship that God longs for with his people. Jesus uses his relationship with the Father as the template for the relationship that he (and the Father) long to have with his sheep—his people. He is in the Father and the Father is in him. In the same way we are to be in him and he in us as followers of the Way. It is about so much more than just knowing some facts and doing some things. So many times, when I ask someone how its going with them and Jesus, they respond by telling me they haven’t been reading the Bible enough or they haven’t been praying enough or something along those lines. I used to be in that thought process as well. Those things are not bad, but they are if they are an attempt to gain an intimacy that can only come from genuine relationship. The genuine relationship lends itself to a full surrender and submission to the source—the vine. Christ in you is the hope of glory. You in Christ is the fulfillment of your design. Are you abiding in Christ? Is he in you? Do you know the intimacy with Christ that he knows with the Father? Do you dare allow yourself to consider what that could truly mean for your life? That is the life that bears the fruit that will last—lots of it. And that is the life that will be unmistakable to those looking on!!!
Saturday, October 5, 2024
Joy
These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. John 15:11
Just allow this verse to wash over you today. Consider full joy. What does that look like for you? It comes from abiding. It may be the greatest of all fruits. Joy that lasts. The joy of the Lord in you, flowing through you, impacting every corner of your life.
May you know the fullness of joy that comes from abiding in Christ and him in you this day in new ways that you have never experienced before!
Amen