Branching Out

Fifth Sunday of Easter

Scripture: Acts 8:26-40 & John 15: 1-8

Watch the sermon on YouTube / View the Bulletin

Vines, Vines, Vines!  Are you ready to learn more about vines than you ever thought you wanted?  Just kidding. We have an image that Jesus uses with his disciples that requires a little information that maybe the regular non-gardener might need to know. And important to note: this week’s image of “the vine” would have been familiar to many early followers of Jesus:  Isaiah, Ezekiel, and the Psalms each make use of it. We shouldn’t forget that Jesus’ teachings are grounded in the Jewish scriptures.

In a vineyard, the best grapes are produces closest to the central vine.  And that really does make sense as the nutrients are closest to the vine! Left alone, vines will grow uncontrollably and result in one big tangles mess! A vine grower or a vinedresser is needed to keep the vines in orders.  The lateral branches need to be pruned and kept short.  

Jesus uses this image/example as a description of the life of discipleship. Jesus is the true vine, God is the grower and we are the branches.  

It’s a hard one to hear in some ways, isn’t it? It starts off like a word of judgement as we hear about branches being cut off—and some pretty hard pruning.  And there could be a pretty harsh sermon on this but I think you know me better to know that is not my way. When I look at this text—I think it’s important to think of the big picture here and try to understand why Jesus was sharing this with his disciples in the first place. Let’s leave the cutting of branches and pruning—to God—trusting that God knows what will help us to bear fruit! 

So what does this have to do with our faith life? 

In the gospel of John –where we find ourselves this morning-  Jesus is in the midst of what’s sometimes called his “farewell discourse” to the disciples, who are understandably distraught. Here was the Messiah, and now he's leaving? Now he's going to suffer, to be humiliated, and die? The disciples are a mess. Jesus is preparing them and offering excellent pastoral care, assuring his friends that his leaving them is not abandonment, but rather will make way for an even deeper relationship with him. It’s as if he is saying: Yes, I’m about to leave; but on a deeper level, I’ll still be with you, even closer than before. Don’t worry — trust me! And abide in me. 

The Message by Eugene Peterson puts it this way:  “Live in me. Make our home in me just as I do in you.”  

The vine metaphor can sometimes be used like this: “If you want to live, you’d better stay connected to me, or else”.  That’s not where I go. It’s, “Don't worry, we'll be together; your life itself and all its fruit will testify to our ongoing intimacy. Take heart: I will be with you, and our companionship will be even closer than it is now. Today we walk side by side — but in the days to come I will live in you, and you in me. Today, you walk in my footsteps — but in the days to come you will walk, so to speak, ‘in my feet,’ and I will walk in yours. Indeed, you will be my hands and feet for a world that needs healing and good news. Friends, I’m not abandoning you! On the contrary, I will abide in you, and you will abide in me. I will not leave you alone...” (SALT Project)

Now, let’s fast forward to Acts---and the disciple Philip.  What is interesting with Philip is that this is the disciple we learned more about this past week in The Chosen Bible Study! And one observation from someone in class was that Philip seemed to have such an easy going attitude---as he met people where they were. At least that is what was depicted in the movie---and actually what we see in scripture this morning here in the book of Acts.  We see yet another disciple living out the teachings of Jesus. 

So, what’s going on in Acts?  This week’s passage shows us the Jesus movement opening up also to include Gentiles (that is, non-Jews as well as Jews). The Ethiopian eunuch, is  an outsider. For Luke, an “Ethiopian” meant anyone from territories south of Egypt, a region some ancient writers depicted as the outer edge of the known world. As a Gentile whose status as a eunuch meant he traditionally could not become a Jew (a eunuch was a castrated male), his conversion foreshadows Cornelius’ conversion (Acts 10-11), which in turn inaugurates the official Christian mission to the Gentiles. Thus this text is setting up and expanding circle of inclusion within God’s good news of salvation. All such good news! (SALT Project)

Philip—as one who is clearly abiding in Jesus—is able to branch out and expand the circle of inclusion. And he does it in a beautiful, non-threatening/non-scary way. He meets the Ethiopian eunuch exactly where he is. He comes alongside him and shares the good news of Jesus. He takes this moment empowered by the Holy Spirit as the ultimate “teachable moment”. 

The question for us today is what does it look like to abide in Jesus?

Perhaps it looks like Philip---abiding in Jesus---listening to the Holy Spirit. 

Perhaps it looks like us being the people God made us to be. 

Perhaps it would look like love: incarnate, tangible, down-to-earth, growing, fruitful, love. 

“When the Ethiopian eunuch appears in the story, he already has a copy of Scripture. What he is missing is someone who will guide him in his reading of it, joining him where he is, to answer his questions with inspired conviction.” (Barbara Brown Taylor-Feasting on the Word). 

And then he was baptized. What is preventing me from being baptized? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. So Philip baptized him right then and there. 

“Walls of prejudice that had stood for generation came tumbling, blown down by the breath of God’s Holy Spirit, and another man who felt lost and humiliated was found and restored in the wideness of God’s grace in Jesus Christ.” (Thomas Long, Feasting on the Word).  

We have incredible stories today of the early church. May they inspire us and call us to abide in Christ-- to take our faith on the road, with the Holy Spirit guiding—and meet people where they and love them. 

May it be so. Amen.