John 15,1-8. Jubilate

John 15,1-8         3120 

Jubilate 038  

The Discovery of the Cross by Helena in 329

3. Mai 2020

1. O Lord Jesus Christ, Living Savior, give more light to our intellect, grant our will a greater conformity to Yours and implant in our heart a more sincere intention to do everything for Your glory, so that the Old Adam daily dies in our Baptism and we rise each day as the New Adam, a new creation in You.  Amen. (Starck 87 ¶ 1) 

2. »I am the True Vine and the Father is the Vinedresser. Every branch in Me that is not bearing fruit He takes away, and every branch that bears fruit He prunes so that it may bear much fruit. You are already clean through the word He continually has spoken to y’all; abide in Me, and I in you. Just as the branch is not able to bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, thus neither are you unless y’all continually abide in Me. I am the Vine and you are the branches. The one abiding in Me and I in him he bears much fruit, so that apart from Me y’all are unable to do anything. The one who does not abide in Me, he was thrown away like the branch and was withered and are gathered and were being thrown into the fire and were being burned. If you simply abide in Me and My word simply abides in you, then ask whatever you desire, and it will be done for y’all. In this My Father is continually glorified, so that you continue to bear much fruit and simply be My disciples.« 

3. Last week we heard Jesus proclaim: »I am the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep.« Today we hear Jesus promise: »Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My Name, He will give it to you.«  

4. A chapter earlier, Jesus lays the foundation of His promise in chapter 16. The Father will give to you what you asked because you’re connected to Me. Jesus is the True Vine and we are the branches of this Vine; the Father is the Vinedresser who takes care of the branches. These are powerful promises Jesus gave to His apostles several hours before they would face the most heart wrenching events that would rob them of their joy and lead them to the depths of utter despair. Jesus spoke these words at His last Passover. This is one of the holiest and joyous festivals in Judaism: remembering the Lord’s deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage. But this particular Passover soon became one they would never forget. One of the apostles, Judas Iscariot, would several hours later betray Jesus to the Jewish authorities, Peter would deny he even knew Jesus, the apostles would scatter in fear of the authorities finding them and killing them for being conspirators with Jesus, who would be brutally executed the next day. 

  5. How we empathize with these apostles from Friday morning to Sunday morning! Our lives have been upended. Perhaps you’ve been furloughed, you have difficulty finding simple things like toilet paper and cleaning supplies, you cringe when you hear someone nearby cough, people you know have gotten sick, some have died and you can’t even grieve with the family because you cannot gather at the funeral home, the churches are barren because we still cannot gather to worship. It is in despairing times as these that Jesus’ promise brings great comfort. Before we heard this promise and acknowledged it, but we didn’t give it much thought because we often heard this promise from the situation of comfort and ease. Today we hear it with discomfort and uncertainty lurking close in our thoughts and hearts. 

6. We might be tempted to think God is far removed from us and our concerns: He’s up in heaven resplendent in majesty while we are down here struggling with pandemic and isolation. The Holy Scriptures assure us: the Lord has never been completely removed from us even though it may often seem that way. Throughout the pages of Scripture He has revealed His presence to His people; now He has given us His own Son (Hebrews 1,1). Jesus promised His apostles on Maundy Thursday that though He is about to be taken from them for a brief moment, and they will sorrow, yet they will see Him again; no one will take their glory from them. This is fulfilled at His resurrection: their sorrow turned into joy and nothing took that joy from them, not even persecution and martyrdom. Does this mean the apostles and Christians never had/have bad days, sorrow or disillusionment? No, we are human beings who deal with the tribulations and trials of a fallen creation, but our joy is never taken away because Jesus is never taken away. He never leaves us nor forsakes us. To be sure, we can take ourselves away from Jesus as the prodigal son left his father in Jesus’ parable in Luke 15, 11-32. Jesus taught this parable as a relationship that God the Father has with us. While a person may remove himself or herself from God, God does not remove Himself from them. He daily waits for them, looks for them and when they return back to him He joyfully runs to greet them and celebrate at their return. This is an appropriate image that bookends last week’s pericope where Jesus called Himself the Good Shepherd who goes out and brings home those who have erred or became lost. God’s great, unfathomable love far surpasses all the things we think keep us separated from Him. His mercy and grace overflow upon us, particularly when we feel ourselves suffering or separated from Him. Jesus tells us these things and reminds us of His promises so that we may have peace; in the world we will have tribulation, but we take heart for He has overcome the world (John 16,33). 

7. Today we have heard that the Father will give us what we ask on account of Jesus. Next week we will hear Jesus’ promise to send the Holy Spirit to his apostles. Let us shout for joy in Christ! Jubilate!  Amen.

8. Let us pray. O Lord, our Loving Father; preserve the lives of Your people during these tumultuous times of plague and pandemic, so that we trust in You for providence and protection.  Amen. 

To God alone be the Glory 

Gode ealdore sy se cyneþrymm

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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 28. Revised Edition © 2012 by Deutsch Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart. 

ELKB. Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche in Bayern. www.bayern-evangelisch.de/www/index.php. Copyright © 2019 Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche in Bayern. 

VELKD. Vereinigte Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche Deutschlands. www.velkd.de. Copyright © 2020 Vereinigte Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche Deutschlands. 

Starck, Johann. Starck’s Prayer Book. Copyright © 2009 Concordia Publishing House.