Jesus speaks of what is involved in being vitally connected to God and, consequently,
to each other in ways that bring life and health. The lesson of the vine and
branches is familiar. But there are some issues raised here that seem to speak
in a particular way to postmodern persons who find themselves so disconnected
from each other and often from God.
Jesus says that He is the "true vine," which suggests that there
are other possibilities. How true that is in our world. There are nearly limitless
choices today. Modern spirituality has become a buffet of choices where we
are invited to go through and pick and choose according to our own preferences.
Jesus also makes a big deal in this passage about staying connected. Five
or six times we hear, "Remain in me." It has to do with persevering,
continuing, lasting, staying with it. Significant idea for us who live in
a world of constant change.
Jesus also warns about barren branches. There are some pretty frightening
words here for those who fail to "remain." Verse 2 pulls no punches.
This is an all-or-nothing proposition. If you stay vitally connected to Jesus
by living within the truth of His Word, you are alive. If you don't, you're
dead. Simple as that.
Electronically speaking, we are more connected than ever. The technology of
our age has enabled us to make connections with one another in ways we would
never have imagined just a few years ago.
And yet we know very well that in spite of all our wired connections, we are
having trouble staying meaningfully connected to each other. There is a terrible
aloneness in our world, which is different from being lonely. Aloneness is
an experience of the soul; you are surrounded by people but unable to connect
with them. So there seems to be today an almost desperate search for intimacy.
This familiar word picture of Jesus provides a comforting and inviting answer
to our longing for intimacy, belonging, and vital connection. The ache for
deep connection that exists within the heart of every one of us cannot be
met by just any old connection. It can only be met by vital connection to
the One who does radical, life-transforming work in us. It can only be met
by life-giving connection to the One who prunes and shapes us through the
struggles and trials of life until we conform to the image of Christ and live
to the glory of God.
The only appropriate response is to accept the invitation of Jesus to live
in vital connection to God through Him. It's really not so much a matter of
discipline or of patterning life in certain ways. At the heart, it's about
full surrender of my life to the Lordship of Jesus--finding the deepest needs
of my life met as I lose my life in Him.
(For a full manuscript of this sermon, go to www.preachersmagazine.org.)
In order for the simple truth of this text to refunction in the hearts of
our people, we will have to find a way to make the need here so acute that
it cries out for the answer. The preacher will need to work at painting a
picture of just how disconnected we have become in our time, in spite of all
our supposed connection technologies. It seems that E-mail, cell phones, and
voice mail have isolated us more than connected us. At the start I used a
humorous bit titled, "You know you're wired if . . ."
". . . if you've ever tried to enter your password on the microwave."
". . . if you have a list of 15 phone numbers to reach your family of
three."
". . . if you pull up in your own driveway and use your cell phone to
see if anyone's home." (The complete list is available in the PM web
site's downloadable manuscript.)
