Grace Evangelical-Lutheran: John 15,1-8. Jubilate

✠ One Message: Christ crucified and risen for you ✠

The Word of the Lord Endures Forever

se cwide þæs béaggiefan ábireþ ferhþ

John 15,1-8 2515

Jubilate (3. Sonntag nach Ostern) 038 weiß

Cletus, Bishop of Rome 89

26. April 2015

1. O God our Creator, by Your will life springs forth from the earth by the power of Your Divine Providence. The budding trees, the green grass and the singing of the birds all bear witness to You and that everything is now renewed. Amen. (VELKD, Prayer for Jubilate § 1)

2. »Jesus said to His disciples: „I am the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser. Every branch of Mine that does not bear fruit He takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit He prunes, so that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 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. I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. 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. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be My disciples.“

3. The Holy Scriptures divide all people into one of two categories: believers or unbelievers. Believers abide in Christ, but unbelievers are separated from Christ. The difference between these two groups is faith in Christ. The Apostle Paul proclaims: »Faith comes by/from hearing the Word of Christ, so that everyone who calls upon the Name of the Lord will be saved« (Romans 10,17.13). This Word of Christ is that Jesus was crucified, died, was buried and rose on the third day to redeem the world from sin. The Holy Spirit creates faith in this Word when it is preached, but a person can reject this Word and refuse to believe in Jesus. Jesus used the image of the Vine and the branches to exhort us to remain faithful. We should and must highly treasure this gift of faith, allow our faith to be nurtured and watered by regularly hearing the preached law and gospel of God, by regularly receiving the Holy Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, and by appropriating the Absolution that declares all sins forgiven as our very own forgiveness merited by Christ and freely given to us.

4. Jesus is the Vine, and we are the branches. Those who abide in Jesus and Jesus in them bear much fruit. The Apostle Paul lists nine fruits: »The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control« (Galatians 5,22-23). Paul could have listed more, but we get the point. Faith in Christ leads to fruits of Christ. Jesus lists some specific examples of love, joy and peace in His Beatitudes: »You have heard that it was said: „An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.“ [Leviticus 24,19-21] But I say to you: „Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone laps you on the right cheek, then turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, then let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, then go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. You have heard that it was said: „You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.“ [Leviticus 19,18] But I say to you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you« (Matthew 5,38-44). Jesus exhorts us to such actions regardless of whether the person is our friend or our adversary.

5. This fruit that is born from faith in Christ we call good works. The Holy Scriptures use the phrase „works of mercy“ (διακονια) to describe these good works. From this we get the English word „deacon“ and „deaconess“ which generically mean „one who waits on a table“ but in the New Testament is used to describe an act of service or ministry to another.

6. Jesus performed such an act of mercy on Maundy Thursday, where John records for us in his Gospel: »Jesus rose from supper. He set aside His outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around His waist. Then He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around Him.« (John 13,4-5). Jesus then explained His action, saying: »I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you« (John 13,15). Jesus did acts of mercy to His disciples and He wants us to do acts of mercy for others.

7. Works of mercy are for others, because God does not need these works. Our neighbors, however, desperately need works of mercy performed for them. Just as the fruit of the vine is used to make wine for mankind’s enjoyment, so too the works of mercy born from Christian faith are meant to assist our neighbors who are burdened by the cares and worries of this world. Our works of mercy uplift our neighbors who are distraught and depressed by the world around them. Wherever our neighbor is in need, there our merciful actions are given out to lift our neighbor out of their dilemma. Jesus does not differentiate between friend and foe. He says both our friends and our enemies need our works of mercy. Jesus teaches: »Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, for your Heavenly Father makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and He sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous« (Matthew 5,44-45).

8. Last week ISIS broadcast a video where they martyred 30 Ethiopian Christians in Libya because of their Christian faith; two months earlier they had released a video showing how they had martyred 21 Egyptian Christians. ISIS derisively calls these Christians „the People of the Cross“. A media company called Mighty (mighty.la) recently responded to these ISIS videos by releasing a video on Aleteia (a Roman Catholic website) to exemplify Christ’s exhortation to do works of mercy for one’s enemies. It is entitled A Letter from the People of the Cross to ISIS, and in it they say: „Love is chasing after you, brother. An army goes forth, with no tanks or soldiers, but an army of martyrs faithful unto death carrying a message of life. The People of the Cross go to die at your gates. For every throat you slit, for every man you burn alive, there is blood on your hands, brother, but draw near with your bloodstained hands. Though your sins are like scarlet, they can be washed white as snow. You die for your god, but our God died for us. Christ has been crucified once and for all, to make sinners like you and me into brothers. Even you. Even now“ (http://youtu.be/uSv4vBcFyvo).

9. Jesus proclaimed: »Greater love has no one than this: that someone lay down his life for his friends« (John 15,13). Jesus laid down His life for both His friends and His enemies, yes, Jesus died for the whole world, for those who would believe in Him and for those who would reject Him. He then became the first fruits of those of the resurrection, for by His resurrection we will also be resurrected on the last day. His love, His forgiveness, is for you, for all believers and also for all who reject Him. Jesus exhorts us to testify of His love and forgiveness with words and works of mercy. The world may hate us, but the world hated Jesus before it hated us (John 15,18). If they persecuted Jesus, then they will persecute us; if they keep His Word, then they will keep ours too (John 15,20). Whoever hates Jesus also hates God the Father; but whoever loves Jesus also loves the Father (John 15,23). Beloved in Jesus, our friends love us, but our enemies hate us; nevertheless, Jesus wants us to do works of mercy for both friends and foes alike so that they may see the love of Christ, and in seeing that love may believe the gospel when they hear it: that Jesus loves them and died for them in order to forgive them and save them. Amen.

10. Let us pray. O Lord Jesus Christ, Thou preserve the lives of Your Christian people. Give us Your life and strength so that we live and move and have our being in You alone. Amen.

To God alone be the Glory

Gode ealdore sy se cyneþrymm

✠

All Scriptural quotations are translations done by The Rev. Peter A. Bauernfeind using the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, 4. Edition © 1990 by the Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart, and the Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 27. Edition © 1993 by Deutsch Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart.

aleteia.org/en

http://youtu.be/uSv4vBcFyvo

mighty.la

Grace Evangelical-Lutheran

Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church

Monday, April 27, 2015

John 15,1-8. Jubilate

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