An Emerging Sermon Outline!

Text: John 15:1-8—Spring Eco-Sunday (Easter 5B)

Love for/care of creation starts with the same between people.

Some Background: Vines

• The branches of vines are entwined, twisted together. Not so much like tree branches, which are arguably more independent structures.
• Interconnectedness of creation
• But the interconnectedness of creation begins with the interconnectedness of humanity. Just as diseases or parasites on one branch can negatively impact neighboring branches, so can animosity anger spread from one person or group to others.
• Connection to the vine allows each branch to live.
• A branch may intersect with new branches as the vine continues to grow and climb.

Page One (Law in the Text)

• Literary Context: Farewell Discourse, John 14-17. John is the only gospel where Jesus teaches extensively at the last supper. He speaks almost nonstop for four chapters. You'd think he would be in a hurry, but this doesn't appear to be the case.
• Unlike the vast majority of scenarios in the gospels, the problem at hand is not poor conduct or lack of understanding or faith on the part of the disciples. No, the problem at this juncture in the Gospel of John is the impending repercussions of something Jesus is about to do—namely, dying on the cross so that all who believe in him may not perish, but have eternal life.
• The problem is that Jesus' death will cause him to be physically separated from the disciples.
• So, Jesus develops his analogy of vines and branches to illustrate the closeness that is to exist in the Christian community despite his physical absence. Elaborate here on the illustration, maybe begin to draw in tech...
• With all the content here, it is difficult for the disciples to focus, and it takes the community a long time trying to figure out what Jesus means—hence the reason for the three letters of John in the NT, which helped the community continue the discussion.

Page Two (Law in the World)

• Unfortunately, it's still difficult for us to understand and embrace what Jesus is talking about in today's gospel lesson.
• Tensions and conflict between denominations, religions, nations, and neighbors
• Liken this to disease in a vine—starts somewhere, then spreads
• Certainly, the world today appears to be full of blighted branches.

Page Three (Gospel in the Text)

• The Gospel of John, along with all the other NT writings, demonstrates that the interconnectedness and harmony of the Christian community (not to mention the world at-large) is far from perfect when left to its own resources.
• The branches do not flourish and bear fruit without Jesus, the true vine, but Jesus reveals how he intends to keep everything together. This is through the community abiding with him, or—probably more clearly stated—living each day with faith in him.
• And the branches—the people and churches—rely not only on the vine but also on the vinegrower. As the vinegrower, God trims from the branches the afflicted and unproductive parts, that the branches may bear more fruit. I'm not much of a biologist, but by definition, fruits are vehicles for transporting seeds. Some are sweet and delicious, while others are inedible, but the long and short of Jesus' insistence on the branches bearing fruit is that the branches—those in the church—will transport the seeds of the good news of Jesus to new people and places.

Page Four (Gospel in the World) & Conclusion

• Jesus' words speak as clearly to us as they spoke to the early Christians. Like them, we are branches with much growing to do and much fruit to bear, and we do these things by loving our neighbors as Christ has loved us. We can and should invite people to church, and we can and should selflessly pray, advocate, and provide for people in need. In doing so, we abide with Jesus and enjoy the abundant life that he, the true vine, provides.
• So as we observe this Eco-Sunday, let us delight in this message of hope that Jesus has constructed from the earthiest of metaphors. We are indeed connected with the natural environment and all creatures, in that we share God as the creator of us all, and we respect this interconnectedness by living gently with the earth. But appreciating how God has entwined all of creation begins with cultivating relationships with the human branches with whom God has surrounded us.
• And so, beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Amen.