2. The closeness of Jesus

Aspects of Mission

10 May 2009

John 15:1-8

In this short series in the Wesley Theatre in Sydney, we are looking at the mission to which God has called us. We have studied the pastoral priorities and implications of the mission by focusing on Jesus, the Good Shepherd. We turn the pages of the Gospel of John and arrive at John 15.

Very often Jesus spoke in pictures and images. The power of his parables is well-established. He told invitational stories … and his teaching left people to make their own responses and to draw their own conclusions. It was not a world of secret communication, but an approach which demanded an engagement on the part of the listener.

John 15 is part of a final major teaching section in John and his opening section has been widely embraced as descriptive of the Christian’s close relationship with God through Jesus Christ. It is dangerous to lift this out of context and to consider it in isolation. The context is the preparation of the early followers for the post-Easter mission of the disciples in the world. Jesus has been allaying the fears of the disciples and this arresting imagery shows us the closeness of the relationship between Jesus and his followers … then and now!

In the wider setting, Jesus does three things:

He reminds the disciples of the crucial nature of mission – 15:1-17
He explains to them that there is a cost to mission – 15:18-16:4
He points to the resources of the Spirit available to them in mission – 16:5-33

The image of the vineyard is not uncommon in scripture. What is often not recognised is that it is a very familiar image in the ancient world. In the Old Testament, the vineyard is frequently used (Isaiah 5:1-7; Jeremiah 12:10-13; Ezekiel 15:1-8; Hosea 10:1-2).

Outside of Nazareth, where Jesus grew up, vines can be found on both sides of the road. They grow everywhere out of the dry, rocky soil. Such vines would require vigorous pruning to ensure strong growth.

One of the ways of looking at John 15 is to understand the chapter in terms of our relationships with each other, which constitute the heart of our believing and belonging:

Our relationship with God – v.v. 1-11
Our relationship with one another – v.v. 12-17
Our relationship to the wider world – v.v. 18-27

After looking at the pastoral priorities in the Good Shepherd, we now consider the devotional heart as an Aspect of Mission … and focus on the following text:

John 15:5 -
“… apart from me you can do nothing.”

Jesus uses the vine as an illustration of the relationship between himself, the Father and his disciples. The vine, in its frequent use in the Old Testament, served as a symbol of God’s people. Just as Jesus is the Good Shepherd rather than a bad shepherd, so Jesus is ‘the true vine’ or ‘the authentic vine’.

Our text reminds us that we must remain close to God. A vine-branch is useless if it becomes detached from the vine.

This truth is reiterated later by Paul when he writes:

“I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.”
(Galatians 2:20)
“I can do all things through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13)

We must live close to God if we are to grow in faith, expand our witness and be a community of the Risen Lord.

What does this text do for us?

It helps us to understand our involvement in His service

The illustration of the vine and the branches is intimate and emphasises the vital connection between the branches and the vine. It is soon going to be made clear to the disciples that his living presence is to be replaced by the Spirit of God. This has already been explored in John 14:16-18.

Just as we are called to affirm the pastoral priorities of our mission, we must also be alert to the fact that we are to attend to the devotional life. It requires nurture and commitment. If we are to be a people who are serious about our mission, we will live close to the One who calls us.

The vine is an essentially utilitarian plant; it exists to bear fruit. William Temple referred to the fruit-bearing function of the vine: “The vine lives to give its life-blood. Its flower is small, its fruit abundant, and when that fruit is mature and the vine has become, for a moment, glorious, the treasure of the grapes is torn down and the vine is cut right back to the stem.”

We are called to be part of the work of God and so the vine is a helpful picture of our mission because:

There is so much to do

The vine was the supreme symbol of Israel and it was minted on the coinage in the revolt against Rome. It was seen when entering the Temple porch – a great golden vine!

I had a friend who had a vine and I often called to say ‘Hello’. That vine worked so hard to bear a rich harvest. It was a long journey from when it was cut back to bearing heavy bunches of grapes.

There is so much to do in our day, if we are to be faithful to the call of God –

in the care of people, who feel they are forgotten.
in pointing people to the amazing grace of God in Jesus Christ.
in becoming an alternative community, where compassion and justice are to be our theme.

Because of this, we must live close to Jesus Christ himself. This is not an added extra to be a benefit, but the absolute essential of discipleship.

There needs to be, on our behalf, a frank recognition that the call of God is a large calling and, even if our contribution feels small, it is part of the wider work of God. Apart from the vine, we (the branches) are mere withering sticks, ready to be cast aside. The promise of God is that our availability brings the possibility of new life, once again.

There are so many required for this task

One of the greatest weaknesses of our ‘individualistic obsession’ in Christian living is that we fail to recognise the importance of the combined involvement that is required to live the Christian life.

Just as the Good Shepherd talked about ‘the other sheep’ to be cared for, so the vine indicates our dependence upon Jesus Christ … and the fact that a vineyard requires many workers with different functions to produce the best wine.

When Jesus spoke about vineyards, as he often did (Matthew 20:1-16; 21:28-32; 21:33-44), the first hearers would know what he was talking about. It was an industry that had been carefully cultivated throughout the country for centuries. It was a cash crop, as opposed to that which was used for their own consumption. When the crop was to be harvested, many were required to help.

The work of the kingdom of Jesus Christ requires the help of many today. I have often spoken about the ‘spectator complex’ which we must jettison … and ensure we become part of the main game, if we are to be effective.

There is a need to which we must respond. A man had a son and the large lawn at their house often needed cutting. He could say, ‘Son, can you see the need? The grass is high. It will be above my knees if we don’t attend to it!’ None of this will stir his son up, but the strong words, ‘Mow the grass!’ will. The need is that urgent.

There is a willingness required from each of us

To be involved in the mission of Jesus, there needs to be a willingness to be involved and a desire to live close to God.

God does not force himself upon us.
His mission requires co-operation on our part.
Our response to the challenges before us is a sign of our willingness (or otherwise!) to be used by God.

Very many people assess their service of God in terms of church work. At Wesley Mission, we see our service in a much broader context. In fact I think it is fair to say that some traditional church life is lacking in contact with life beyond church.

To be involved in this way requires a heart and life given over to God and a willingness to do whatever is required. My vivid memory of the film ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ is the scene in which the dwarfs shouldered their picks and marched off to work singing:

Whistle while you work.
Put on that grin and start right in,
To whistle while you work.

Unfortunately, for the vast majority of people, that attitude to work only exists in Walt Disney films. For them, daily work is monotony and drudgery. Joy and satisfaction are perhaps the last things that people equate with work.

Today is Mother’s Day here in Australia and North America. Very many people would say that their concept of ‘Mums’ is bound up with doing whatever is required for their family. The vast majority of Mums give themselves selflessly to their children … for it is a gift originating in love.

To live close to Jesus Christ involves, on our part, a willingness to count the cost and not to keep to ourselves.

This shows us the danger of being separated from Him

The vine supplies all the necessary nutrients for the branch to live and blossom. It is only by being connected to the vine that our lives remain healthy. This is not a pious additional extra … it is the heart of Christian living.

In the late 1980s, a fire destroyed a building on the lower east side of Manhattan in New York. An alarm was sounded and the trucks and personnel arrived in plenty of time to fight the fire. The exit doors worked properly. The steps were all clear. The people got out of the building quickly in an orderly fashion. However, the fire burned out of control and the building had to be demolished.

When the fire trucks arrived, the hoses on the wall were installed properly. There were hundreds of metres of hose … sufficient to dampen down the fire. However, it was discovered too late that the city water line had not been connected to the system in that part of the city!

There can be a separation because we refuse his ways

We are separated by our own intention, if we refuse the way of Christ and the principles of the kingdom of God. When I try to put this into the context of mission, I find our concept of ‘word and deed’ becomes absolutely clear.

Thomas Chalmers mused over the problem that there weren’t more spiritual results from his extremely popular ministry and he came to the conclusion that, according to Arthur Gossip, he was “trusting more to his own animal heat and activity than to the Holy Spirit.” The branch cannot bear fruit by itself; it must be connected to and fed by the vine.

In our individual lives, we can so easily refuse his ways because we feel somehow we can cope by ourselves. In a world of competing priorities, the spiritual purpose of our lives can be crowded out.

The opposite of refusing his ways is to fully and gladly accept them.

When Jesus asked Zacchaeus if he could come and stay with him, the roar of people’s interest and approval would be palpable, but when it had died away … Zacchaeus would consider his response and, for him, the decision to accept the way of God was clear: “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” (Luke 19:8)

Our link to God, the source of all life, makes all the difference and enables us to grasp the way forward by accepting his way!

There can be a separation because we reject his purpose

It is one thing to refuse his way because it does not suit; it is quite a different thing to reject his way. I find the whole concept of rejection a painfully difficult subject. To be rejected in life is one of the most destructive things a person can ever suffer. However, the destruction of rejection is also in the one who rejects. To choose to live without the source of life, the vital connection with God, is to choose to live without power, purpose and poise. The gift of the Spirit brings all these things into our lives.

This is one of the reasons why I like the Wesleyan description of Holy Communion as ‘a means of grace’. John Wesley never spoke of the Christian Church in abstract terms. For him, it involved participation in worship, the life and fellowship of the means of grace, which helps to form our Christian character. Such means are not ours to hold back, but they can never be forced upon a person.

There can be a separation because we rebel against his love

Rebellion is a word we associate with revolutionaries or people who are angry. Rebellion is a good example of the nature of sin and selfishness. I have found it in my heart and have observed it in many others’ actions over the years. To rebel against God’s love is hard to imagine, but understood when we consider what is at stake:

Rebellion because he calls us to see him at work in our lives.
Rebellion because he desires that we forgive the undeserving one or confess the wrong in our heart.
Rebellion because we have never truly placed our lives under the rule of God’s love.

I read of a man in San Francisco who marches on every picket line and engages in every campaign against issues, no matter what the cause. He carries a big placard which simply has one word on it: SHAME! He says, “I figure that covers everything, and it gives me a sense of belonging!” We can live apart from God by choice as a result of our rebellious nature.

This draws us into a place of real fruitfulness

Jesus is telling us in this passage that if we are to be fruitful, we must hang close to him. This is both the source and the conduit of our Christian living. We do this by the obvious life of prayer and worship, but we also do it by being with others who share that vision and, significantly, by those who bear fruit in their own lives.

There is an indication of the real meaning of fruit

It is important to recognise that these words are addressed to the disciples and followers. Martin C Scott comments: “Since Jesus’ whole mission is directed toward the glorification of God, the disciple will continue his work (15:8) by faithful commitment to the task. Only now does the nature of the ‘fruit’ begin to emerge … the mutual ‘agape’ of God, Jesus and the disciple (v.v. 9-10). This is an echo of the love command (13:34-35).”

Fruit is, therefore, closely linked to love. We bear God’s fruit as a result of the love that God has chosen to make real through us.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon once challenged his congregation with these words:
“I would put it to you dear hearer, have you been fruitful?
Have you been fruitful with your wealth?
Have you been fruitful with your talent?
Have you been fruitful with your time?
What are you doing for Jesus now?”

In these aspects, we discover the real meaning of fruit.

There is a need to consider the proper measure of fruit

The fruit borne is seen by others and is not a private part of our lives.

Such fruit will be pruned.
Such fruit will last.
Such fruit will always bear witness to Christ.

Our actions and our service disclose what is going on within our lives, in the same way that blossom and fruit on a tree is an indication of inner-health.

The pruning by the Father (v.2) is described by one writer: “The vine-dresser does two things to ensure that there will be as much fruit as possible – in the winter, he cuts off the dry and withered branches and in the spring he removes the rank and useless growths from the branches.”

The process of pruning is to help fruitfulness. The application in our own individual lives and in our life together is that God sometimes cuts back for the purpose of stronger growth.

There is, as never before, an urgency to manifest this fruit

If fruit is closely linked to love, then Jesus’ fruit within us is seen as a sign of the reconciling work of God in the world.

Bruce Milne reminds us, “The purposefulness is stated – ‘this is to my Father’s glory that you bear much fruit (v.8)’.”

We see so many examples of the ways in which God calls us to see and experience his grace in our service of others. We must reach beyond the narrow confines of much church life to bear fruit. However, we must remain, abide and keep close to Jesus Christ, who is the True Vine. We can do nothing apart from him.

William Cowper put it so well:

O! for a closer walk with God,
A calm and heavenly frame;
A light to shine upon the road
That leads me to the Lamb!
So shall my walk be close with God,
Calm and serene my frame;
So pure a light shall mark the road
That leads me to the Lamb!

Christian Life