Missionary Renegade: Sent, a devotional from Abingdon Press "Affection, Not Activity" John 15:8 from The United Methodist Communications of Nashville, Tennessee, United States for Christmas Day, Friday, December 25, 2015

Friday, December 25, 2015

Sent, a devotional from Abingdon Press "Affection, Not Activity" John 15:8 from The United Methodist Communications of Nashville, Tennessee, United States for Christmas Day, Friday, December 25, 2015

Sent, a devotional from Abingdon Press
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Friday, December 25, 2015
"When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father. "[John 15:8]
Jesus is teaching his disciples in the Upper Room about the necessity of staying intimately connected to him. The Father tends the garden. Jesus is the vine. The Holy Spirit is the sap. The collective "you" are the people of God-that includes us—who together produce much fruit. Notice it doesn't just say fruit but "much fruit"—a bumper crop, the maximum harvest. All this glorifies the Gardener, the Father.
Jesus never defines what this "much fruit" is. Preacher types like me want to make this about church activity, and I'd imagine there is some truth in that. As collective followers of Jesus-also called the church-we pray, pay, and plan for activity that glorifies the Father and helps people. From Sunday worship to Saturday outreach events, we seek to do God's bidding. But I wonder if Jesus had something completely different in mind.
The very next thing Jesus says is that we are supposed to remain in his love. Then he says: "This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends" ( John 15:12-13 NLT). Could Jesus mean that our collective "much fruit" is our collective sacrificial love for one another?
We want to make the "much fruit" about activity when it seems that for Jesus it was about affection. Love for one another defines, refines, and identifies us as God's people. Activity without affection is sheer drudgery anyhow. It's joyless.
Several years ago, a server at a national chain restaurant commended our men's small group for meeting there every Wednesday morning. Just our faithful gathering together for study, encouragement, and support was a witness of Christ's love. That is "much fruit."
What is the "much fruit" in your life? How is God calling you to join others in sharing Christ's love?
Lord, help me to join your people in your love revolution on this planet. As we are sent and we serve together, may it splash out of us onto everyone we meet. Forgive me for making fruit-bearing an individualistic thing when you intend it to be a collective demonstration of our sacrificial love. May the truth that your love changes everything revolutionize our world! Amen.