John 15:1-15

Jesus the True Vine

 15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. ² He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes^[a] to make it bear more fruit. ³ You have already been cleansed^[b] by the word that I have spoken to you. ⁴ Abide in me as I abide in you. Just 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. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. ⁷ If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸ My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become^[c] my disciples. ⁹ As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. ¹⁰ If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. ¹¹ I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.

¹² “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. ¹³ No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. ¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command you.

Lois A. Cheney, Ph.D. was a professor emeritus at Bowling Green State University. In addition to her teaching responsibilities (33 years), Lois led numerous religious and educational retreats and conducted communication workshops for professionals throughout the country. Lois was the author of God is No Fool. She attended Muskingum College and received her master’s and doctoral degrees from Kent State University and Michigan State University, respectively. Lois was very active for many years with the First Presbyterian Church of Bowling Green where she served as a Deacon and an Elder. She also served as a Sunday school teacher for teens and adults locally and nationally.

From God is No Fool:

Is Jesus real? I mean really real? Did a group of men just sort of get together and pull off the biggest con trick of all time? And did they write down some stories — quite alike, but not too much alike? And are they sitting on some fat cloud somewhere laughing themselves sick?

I could believe that. But what would I do with all those people who talk to me in gentleness, those with Christ twinkling in their eyes? If he didn’t exist, how’d he get inside so many people? Over and over, people drop their lives and walk in Christ. Spend a day looking for Christ living in others. He’s in the most unlikely people and places. If Jesus isn’t real, then you’re going to have to exterminate thousands who live in him.

I love it when people argue that there is no love, and then stand stupid before an act of love. I love it when people argue that there is no mercy, and then whistle and glance the other way when an act of mercy looms in front of them. I love when people say that there is no Christ, and then frown and mumble at the life that lives in Jesus, who is stalking the world.

I wonder what people see living in me? “But whom say ye that I am?” And Simon Peter answered and said “Thou are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

“But whom say ye that I am.”

Prayer

I thank You, God, that Christ dwells within me. Let others see Jesus in my daily walk, as I help my Savior stalk the world with love and mercy. Amen.