We Are The Branches
This morning we looked at another aspect of our identity as the people of God: Jesus described Himself as the Vine, His disciples as branches, and God as the gardener. (John 15:1-17) The metaphor describes connection and relationship, intrinsic elements of our identity with God.
Pruning is the first thing mentioned by Jesus and seems counter-intuitive to us in the natural realm, but has a positive purpose (increaesd fruitfulness.) In the same way, the trials and testing which we find so difficult in life are ways that God refines and purifies us (see James 1:2-3, Romans 5:1-5). He is able to use all circumstances for good (Rom 8:28) and wants us to bear much fruit.
In order to be fruitful, we must learn to abide or remain in Christ. This means to dwell in Him, to make our home in Him (rather than in the world.) Great things are promised to us in prayer if we learn to abide in Christ.
Love and obedience are highlights of our relationship with Christ. As Jesus said in Matt 22:37-40, love for God and for others are the cornerstone of all the commandments, and the reflection of our identity in God.
Dependence on God is a sign of maturity, which again seems odd to us, as we spend so much time teaching our children independence and craving independence! The story of Mary and Martha illustrates the need for relationship over distracted busyness (Luke 10:38-42) Our identity as branches of the vine means we must learn to live in close relationship with Jesus, depending on Him and living out our faith through love and obedience. We accept the difficult times because we know we have moved from being servants to being friends of God, and we know that God is working for good in all circumstances, even when we may feel pruned back and exposed to the elements! To live with God as our permanent home means we cultivate time with Him and seek to sit at His feet, listening to what He says. That is the way to fruitfulness, joy and a life worth living.
Agents of Transformation (2)
Transformation sounds very posh! What does it mean to be an agent of transformation?
- We seek to live out the Beatitudes and the Sermon on the Mount, living according to values that make little sense to the rest of society. (Matt 5:1-14)
- We seek to do to others what we would like them to do to us. (Matt 7:12)
- We seek to love our enemies and pray for them, instead of cursing them and seeking revenge. (Matt 5:43-48)
- We seek to forgive instead of holding onto bitterness and resentment. (Eph 4:32)
- We seek to do good to all, not just to those people we feel deserve kindness. (Gal 6:9-10
- We seek to live honourable, pure, holy lives, turning our backs on sexual promiscuity and lust (Matt 5:27-30, 1 Thess 4:3).
- We seek to work hard and give up ways that dishonour God, such as stealing. (Eph 4:28)
- We seek to give up bad language and profanity, speaking only the truth in love which has the power to build people up. (Eph 4:25, 29) Words are important; there’s no way we should talk as the world does, using swearing and cursing in our speech. God wants us to honour Him in how we talk.
- We seek to put off falsehood and lies and live truthfully. (Eph 4:25)
- We seek to get rid of bitterness, rage and anger, knowing that human anger does not bring about the righteous life God requires. (Eph 4:26, James 1:20)
- We seek to give up anything that would master us (addictions, alcohol, drugs, smoking, greed, gluttony and so on) because we want only to be mastered by God. (Rom 6:11-14)
- We seek God so that fear, anxiety and despair do not master us and so that we can point others to hope and life. (Matt 6:25-34)
- We understand that who we are is the wellspring of life and that no amount of doing will ever replace the importance of being. We understand also that transformation comes as we spend time with God and allow His Spirit to reign in our lives.
Agents of Transformation
This morning we looked at another description of God’s people in the Bible: our identity as agents of transformation. Ian Coffey writes that “every one of us can be an agent of transformation to our own families, our own communities, our nation and our world.” (Ian Coffey, ‘The Contemplative Minister,’ P 33), a point of view Paul illustrates when he writes: ‘Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.’ (2 Cor 3:17-18)
We are not secret agents (like James Bond or George Smiley!) but are nonetheless working for God, seeking to be salt and light in our communities (Matt 5:13-16) God is the One who transforms us; our part in this process is to spend time with Him, contemplating His glory, learning from Jesus who sought only to do His Father’s will (see John 12:27-28, John 8:29). The way to be an agent of transformation is to live humbly for God’s glory, marrying faith with obedience to God’s word. (Matt 7:21-26, James 2:17-25)
Transformation comes one person at a time! When we look at some of the historical changes wrought in society through Christians, we see how it all starts with one person on fire for God. Christians have built hospitals, started schools, worked to alleviate poverty, fought against slavery and prostitution and worked to bring God’s love into every part of the world. Charities such as Open Doors, One By One, Tear Fund, MAF and the Salvation Army to name just a few have brought great transformation to our world as individuals followed Christ’s rule. We all have a high and holy calling, and yet this starts small… in the home, in our families, in our communities, where we model Christ’s constancy, love and kindness to those around us.
Our identity today as an agent of transformation starts with our contemplation of Christ, with our personal relationship with God, but then it spills over into our attitudes, our thoughts, our words, our actions. What matters is that we seek God’s face, listen to His heart, and respond to His word. He is the one who transforms, but He is looking for willing servants whose aim, like Jesus’s, is to glorify the Father in every possible way.
Dedication Photos
Here are some photos from last Sunday’s dedicaiton service:
Succession Issues
1 Kings 1 looks at another of David’s sons (Adonijah) who decided to take matters into his own hands and proclaim himself king. Adonijah seems to us to be arrogant and worldly, looking at the idea of hereditary rule from a purely selfish point of view, a fact that the writer seems to think is partly because David has not disciplined him enough as a parent (1 Kings 1:6) The balance between love and discipline, encouragement and rebuke, is not easy; parents can easily embitter or exasperate their children, causing them to become discouraged and disillusioned, but as Hebrews 12:5-11 reminds us, discipline and training are necessary if we are to be trained in righteousness and holiness. Adonijah clearly felt entitled to become king and rallied around him those who could support him (Joab and Abiathar, the priest), but others (Zadok, Benaiah, Nathan the prophet and others) remained loyal to David. Nathan and Bathsheba made David aware of this potential coup, and David – despite being old and frail – acted decisively to make Solomon king, as commanded by God.
This long chapter reminds us of many important principles:
- God’s word takes precedence over human ways (we may not understand why God chose Solomon to be David’s successor, but we cannot argue with God and win!)
- Character matters (and Adonijah’s good looks could not compensate for his arrogance and selfishness)
- People tend to be fickle (Adonijah’s supporters soon melted away when they heard David had crowned Solomon). Loyalty (such as that shown by Zadok and others) is to be prized dearly.
- We need to keep our promises! David did what he had promised as commanded by God. God is faithful in keeping His promises to us (Heb 10:23), and we should be faithful to keep our promises and fulfil our vows too.
The Indignities of Old Age
As we approach the end of David’s life, we see that even a great king such as this suffered the indignities of old age. In 1 Kings 1:1-4, we read about the cold he felt which meant no amount of blankets could help him stay warm, and how the solution came in the form of a beautiful young woman named Abishag, who essentially became his personal carer, sleeping in his bed to keep him warm and tending to his needs (without being sexually intimate with him.)
Old age brings with it frailty and infirmity, and, just as a baby needs help with every area of life, at the end of our lives, we too may need much care. Such jobs lack glamour and are often poorly paid. We may well feel frustrated at needing help, and the indignity and loss of independence which old age can bring are often hard to bear. This passage reminds us of the value and worth of the individual: both the one needing care and the one giving it, a value which is often ignored in our modern societies. We may well feel our lives lack significance or value or that our service is unappreciated and unnoticed, but Abishag reminds us that the eyes of the Lord are everywhere (Prov 15:3) and that He sees everything we do; even a cup of cold water offered to someone is noticed. (Matt 10:42)
To all struggling with either caring or being cared for, do not lose hope but remember that when we do everything as to the Lord, He sees and cares
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