The Lutheran Seminary of Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States "God Pause Daily Devotion" for Friday, 1 May 2015 - Scripture: John 15:1-8

The Lutheran Seminary of Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States "God Pause Daily Devotion" for Friday, 1 May 2015 - Scripture: John 15:1 “I am the real vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 Every branch which is part of me but fails to bear fruit, he cuts off; and every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes, so that it may bear more fruit. 3 Right now, because of the word which I have spoken to you, you are pruned. 4 Stay united with me, as I will with you — for just as the branch can’t put forth fruit by itself apart from the vine, so you can’t bear fruit apart from me.

5 “I am the vine and you are the branches. Those who stay united with me, and I with them, are the ones who bear much fruit; because apart from me you can’t do a thing. 6 Unless a person remains united with me, he is thrown away like a branch and dries up. Such branches are gathered and thrown into the fire, where they are burned up.

7 “If you remain united with me, and my words with you, then ask whatever you want, and it will happen for you. 8 This is how my Father is glorified — in your bearing much fruit; this is how you will prove to be my talmidim.[Complete Jewish Bible]

When Jesus uses the grapevine as a metaphor for understanding our relationship to Him and to God, included in the image is that bearing fruit becomes our purpose. The fruit that Jesus has produced is love for all of the branches who are grafted into him. We branches exist to reflect God's love for the world.
I was not brought up by my parents and community to be a lover. I was raised to be able to make it on my own. Success was not measured by how much I loved others, but by how much I was able to achieve in studies, athletics and the working world. When I accepted the call to be a pastor, I heard Jesus say to Peter as if it were me, "Do you love me? Then love my brothers and sisters." If this is the call and commission of the Risen Christ to all of us, then we must stay close to Jesus and His words and actions, because it is a quite different message than the one we receive from our world.
Craft me deep into your vine, Lord. It is your love that must flow through me so that I might let it flow through me to the world around me. Amen.
Franklin Lee
Pastor, Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Naples, Fla.
Doctorate of Ministry , 1965
John 15:1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower.
2 He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit.
3 You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you.
4 Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.
5 I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.
6 Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.
7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
8 My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.[New Revised Standard Version]
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