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go here to buy my stock photography Alan Creech
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aaron klinefelter
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 Jesus said to his disciples: "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you. Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples." -John 15:1-8This was the Gospel reading from yesterday. This is always a little treat for us as Vine & Branches Christian Community, when this reading shows up in the cycle. This passage is so much the core of what our whole Faith is about. That's why I chose the name for this community. It's the center - He is the Vine, we are the branches - us being in Him is how we get Life and without Him we can do nothing. I think of that verse very often. Remain in me, He says. OK, I'll just do that... uh... mm, uh, theeuhh, how do I do that again? Well, you just sort of, remain, you know. Thanks. That answer was very helpful (rolls eyes). Hmm, He did say that bit about not remaining didn't He - something about withering, etc. Yeah, that's not good. So, there is such a thing as being a branch of the Vine and the Life not just automatically flowing into you. You can somehow cut it off or now "allow" it to flow properly. You can choose to not remain in Him. In many, probably most, cases this is not a matter of spitting in God's face and saying you do not wish to remain in the Life of the Vine. I don't think that happens much. I think it's a matter of putting yourself on automatic, expecting that remaining to just happen. We find ourselves there sometimes. Well, it's not automatic. The whole statement there is about telling us to "remain in me" and is followed by some ifs - "if you remain in me..." And of course the "if nots." By the way, I'm not really talking about heaven and hell here, so don't get into that. I'm talking about living the Life of God here and now (forever is when forever is). I mean, we have this Life now in Jesus - through Him we have been grafted onto the Vine. It is because of this grafting that we have Life. It is because we have any of that Life in us that we can even do anything that is required to keep that Life flowing, to remain in Him. So, what are the 5.7 things we must do in order to remain? We like having answers like that but I'm afraid there are not any, at least not quite that mathematical. There are a few basic things though, universal things that apply to all branches. None of us are some how allowed to opt out of being a living and participatory member of the Church expressed in a "local" faith community. There is no option there. That's how branches are designed to live. We have no where to go in order to find an out on prayer, on constant relational connection with God. Prayer is part of the mechanism that keeps the Life flowing into the branch. Why do you think anyone, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, would say something as intense as "pray without ceasing?" The Word of God contained in Scripture is a big part of that communication - seems like. We can't jump on that band wagon. "I just don't get the whole Bible thing, it's too confusing." No, you don't get to go there and keep your Vine Life pump open. The Grace of God given through the Sacraments in the life of the Church are normal ways of constant remaining. Let's see, "unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you..." - something like that - Oh, and this is relevant, "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him." (John 6:53-58) I really don't think we can afford to sluff off the Eucharist as part of this remaining business. Of course, that is by no means an exhaustive list of "how to remain in Him." I think what I mentioned there are some core things, though. Even within a statement like "pray without ceasing" there is much ground. There are so many ways to pray, ways we should pray and can pray. I think you see what I mean. The big point being, the core thing, the main thing is to be in Him, in the Vine, and to do what belongs to remaining in Him, because without Him we can do nothing. I think I'll leave it at that for now. Hopefully that has made some sense to somebody. Peace be with you. technorati tags > vine and branches, remain in me, church, christianity, spiritual formation, discipleship Labels: spiritual formation :::
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