October 16, 2005

Fruitful Living

Deuteronomy 26:1-11
Colossians 1:9-14
John 15:1-8

I was hoping to find a catchy illustration to introduce this sermon on fruits and vines and branches, something horticultural perhaps, but, alas, I could find nothing. The only thing that's kept going through my head is that old rock 'n roll song, "I heard it through the grape vine" - but it doesn't quite fit. So, let's begin by digging in, looking for the root issues, and let's try to plant some seeds for future growth.

Perhaps you noticed in our three scripture lessons today a common element - the word fruit or fruits is used in each, in different ways, yet there is some commonality. From each of these three examples perhaps we can get some directions for living more fruitful, productive lives ourselves. The passage from Deuteronomy was probably originally recited in a liturgical context, a litany offered at the temple, maybe, since it is very God-centered. It asks the believer to do something quite specific, then reiterates the story of God's deliverance, and concludes with a suggestion for the right attitude for giving. The believer is to take "some" of the first fruits of the ground (other places in the Bible say a tithe or ten percent) to take some of the first fruits, bring them to the place where God's name dwells, and give them to the priest. The reciting of the story of Jacob and his children, their bondage in Egypt, their miraculous deliverance, and their arriving at last in the land flowing with milk and honey, reminds us of God's great mercy and care for the children of Israel, and for us as well. The passage concludes with the suggestion to worship and "celebrate with all the bounty which the Lord your God has given to you and your house."

This reading from Deuteronomy is more than just an interesting fragment from early Hebrew history. It's a word for us today as well. If we are to be faithful stewards, you and I must also offer our first fruits to the Lord, our offerings of time, talent, and treasure, gifts given out of our abundance. We indeed do live in a land flowing with milk and honey, and we have been blessed with much. So, we are to give to God out of our abundance, in gratitude for God's benevolent and always-present care. Our giving is to be from the best we have, and is to be a high priority.

"There was a knock on the door of the hut occupied by a missionary in Africa. Answering, the missionary found one of the native boys holding a large fish. The boy said, 'Reverend, you taught us what tithing is, so here, I've brought you my tithe.' As the missionary gratefully took the fish, he questioned the young lad: 'If this is your tithe, where are the other nine fish?' At this the boy beamed and said, 'Oh, they're still in the river. I'm going back to catch them now.'" (i) Here was a young Christian who took tithing of first fruits seriously.

For fruitful living our giving must be done with gratitude and out of our abundance - and such giving here in this place is not just to meet the needs of the church. This is why we separate our church's budget-making process from the stewardship pledging process. Of course we do need money to carry out our church's ministry and mission - this is why we've had our Stewardship Moments this year brought to us by representatives of our major boards - and our needs are significant. For example, Vision monies pledged some years ago are now all gone. But our hope and prayer is that our needs will be more than adequately met if each of us will prayerfully give in response to what God has already given to us. Our giving will hopefully be more than a fulfillment of an obligation, but rather, a joyful response to the blessings we've received.

In our second lesson from Paul's Letter to the Colossians, the Apostle refers to a prayer that he is constantly praying on their behalf. It's a prayer we could offer for ourselves, for us individually and for us together as the church. Let us pray that we too will be filled with spiritual wisdom and understanding. This is not something that comes easily. In spite of what we might think, it comes not so much from our diligent efforts, as from our willingness to be more open, more receptive, and more dependent upon God's grace. And for most of us, this is hard to do. But interestingly, when we are more open, more receptive, and more dependent upon God, we will automatically become more faithful.

Our prayers for more spiritual wisdom and understanding are for a very specific purpose - not to make us feel good, not to make us feel morally or religiously superior - but rather, so that we can lead lives worthy of the Lord, tat is, live as God wants us to live, and "bear fruit in every good work." Our faith, our spirituality if you will, is to be lived out in the good works we do. As the Letter of James puts it: "So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead." The fruitful life is one in which, because of our faith, we bear the fruit of good works.

In John's gospel, Jesus gives us an extended metaphor, beginning with the words, "I am the true vine..." Grapes and vineyards are important symbols in the Bible. The Hebrew prophets refer to Israel as the vine or the vineyard which, despite careful cultivation and pruning, has grown wild and is no longer capable of bearing good fruit. When Jesus declares that he is the "true vine," he is making a fairly radical statement. Here is a vine which will be capable of producing the sweetest grapes the world has ever tasted. There are several points that Jesus is making. But first, a word about viticulture, grape growing. Vines and branches are connected; this is how the fruit develops. The branches depend on the main vine for their sustenance. However, not every branch produces grapes, and those that do not are cut off, and in Jesus' time, used for kindling. The fruit-producing branches are kept short by pruning, so that they will stay close to the source, thus producing sweeter grapes.

Jesus refers to pruning, done by God, the vinegrower. This is the discipline, and at times the hardship, that is part of the Christian way of life. This way is often not an easy way. God never promises us a rose garden, but rather a grape arbor. And grape branches must be pruned in order to yield the best results, for as Jesus says, "the branch cannot bear fruit by itself." Sometimes Mother Nature does the pruning. I think it was about 18 years ago at about this time of year. We were in our previous church in Connecticut, and we had this huge snowstorm in early October that brought down many trees, mainly because of the weight of the heavy snow on the still leafy branches. At the parsonage where we lived, there was a beautiful apple tree in the back yard, and though it survived the storm, it lost a number of limbs, including one large branch that split off from the main trunk. The branch dangled from the trunk with just a few fibers and bark. Remarkably, leaves started sprouting forth the next spring, probably because of the sap still contained in the branch, but no apples ever appeared again on that particular branch. The reason - it was almost entirely separated from the trunk, its source of nourishment.

When you and I are not connected to the Source, to God, when we are so self-centered that we feel we can make it on our own without relying on God's help and guidance, our lives will not be as fruitful as they could be. Jesus drives home the point even more forcefully: "Apart from me you can do nothing," he says. And we may react, Oh, come on now Jesus! Isn't that a bit of an exaggeration? There are lots of things I can do on my own. This is true, but "the things that we do, the talents that we have, the goals we attain will be short-lived if we are separated from the source that can sustain us. Apart from Christ, even good things can become tainted, and our acts of service can become opportunities for pride, manipulation of others, resentment, or self-glorification." (ii) Like a light bulb that will not work until the cord is plugged into the electric socket, so our light will not be able to shine fully until we are connected to our power source.

Finally, Jesus says something that affects us as individual Christians and us together as the church. He says, "I am the vine, you are the branches." There can be no fruit without the branches. We are the branches for Christ the true vine as we live and work and play in God's creation. You and I are the branches. It is through the branches that the vine bears fruit. And together, you and I are the body of Christ - his feet that must run for him, his hands that must carry for him, his heart that must be compassionate for those in need - we are the body of Christ and through us God's will gets done. Jesus calls to us, "Come, help me in the saving of the world! You have it in you; just stay connected to me; I need you. Come, labor for me. Come, reach out to others. Come, be my people, follow in my ways, and let me be your Lord." The fruitful life will be the one that stays connected to the Source of all life, and the one that takes the responsibility of being a branch of the vine very seriously. What will be our motivation as we consider our financial pledge for next Sunday? Will we remember the rich blessings each of us has? Will we respond joyfully and gratefully with our very best, with our first fruits, not because we have to, but because we are thankful for all that we have, and want to share a portion to further God's kingdom? Will we pledge prayerfully, praying not only for ourselves, but for God's will to be done in our church? Will we pray for spiritual wisdom and understanding, for the strength to stay connected, to abide in Christ? Will we pray for God's guidance, so that what we decide to give will truly represent us, and will truly glorify God? Will we pledge responsibly, remembering that we are branches of the vine, and that it's up to us to bear the good fruit through our works? Will we pledge remembering that whatever we pledge, God, the benevolent vinegrower, will bless it and bless us, and love us unconditionally?

I believe that God loves this church, and God's will will be done through you and me. I hope that each of us will approach Stewardship Sunday by saying "yes" to each of these questions. If we do, we will be living fruitfully and giving faithfully. And if we do, I am confident, that with God's grace, our church will reach new heights in mission and ministry, and you and I will reach new heights of spiritual growth. Remember God's blessings and be joyful. Pray for wisdom. Stay connected to the Source. And be the living, fruit-producing branch that God wants you to be. Amen.

The Pilgrim Church of Duxbury
Rev. Kenneth C. Landall

i Parables, Etc., 4.11.4
ii The Clergy Journal, 5-6/87, p. 46.