Loving God, your Spirit gives life, just as the vine gives life to the branches.  Keep us rooted and grounded in Christ, and empower us to share your love, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

           Sometimes, when a relationship is about to change, people pass on some instructions or words of wisdom to those whom they love.  A parent who is sending their child to school for the first time might give them some instructions or advice.  The same might be true when a child moves away from home for the first time.  Parents seek to equip them for the challenges of being out on their own.  At other times, somebody who knows that they are dying might give some instructions, or impart some wisdom, or reassure their loved ones in some way.  This is pretty much what is happening in today’s gospel, as Jesus shares with his disciples the things that will be most important in the days and weeks ahead.

         He is preparing them for a change in their relationship, as Jesus will be arrested, and crucified, and then raised to life on the third day.  Soon, he will not be with them in the same way.  They will see him for a while after his resurrection, but once he ascends into heaven, his physical presence will no longer be with them.  They will need to figure out what comes next, and a new way of being.  And so, Jesus gives them this image: “I am the vine, you are the branches” (Jn. 15:5).

         It is an image that suggests growth, and life, and interconnectedness.  It is an image that illustrates all of this talk about “abiding,” as branches need to remain connected to the vine in order to grow and bear fruit – just as we need to remain connected to Jesus in order to grow, and bear fruit, and have abundant life.  It is an image that might have helped sustain those first disciples through the grief that was to come.  It is also an image that can help sustain us when we are feeling alone or disconnected or even at loose ends.

         The thing is that even though Jesus is not physically here with us, all of his followers have been provided with a means of being intimately connected to him through the Holy Spirit.  This same paraclete, or helper, or advocate, was promised by Jesus on that last night before his death. It is through the power of the Holy Spirit that we enter the presence of God in prayer, live in and through Jesus, and produce those things that are described as the “fruit of the Spirit” (Gal. 5:22-23).

         Meanwhile, for those of us who might be having trouble imagining how this works, we are given the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch in today’s reading from Acts.  This is one of the many amazing stories in the book of Acts in which those who formerly were outsiders are brought into the body of Christ.  In this case, it happens through Philip the evangelist, who has dedicated his life to Jesus and is open to God’s direction by the power of the Holy Spirit.

         Initially, it is an angel that directs Philip to head out on the road from Jerusalem to Gaza (yes – that Gaza), as an opportunity to share the good news awaits him there.  Philip is nudged by the Holy Spirit to go and join a chariot that is traveling toward Gaza, and as he does so, he hears an Ethiopian eunuch reading a passage from the prophet Isaiah.  Given this stunning opportunity to start a conversation, Philip asks if the man understands what he is reading.  This leads to an invitation for Philip to join him in the chariot.  As it happens, this particular passage from Isaiah points to Jesus, and beginning from this passage, Philip tells him about Jesus the Messiah, who suffered and died and was raised from the dead in order to bring forgiveness and eternal life for all people.

         While we are given the abridged version in Acts, it is likely that this conversation went on for quite some time.  For, by the time they reach some water, the eunuch has put his faith in Jesus as Lord and Saviour, and already knows that baptism is the logical next step.  And so, they stop, and Philip baptizes him, and the eunuch goes “on his way rejoicing” (Acts 8:39).  Because Philip abided in Jesus and remained attentive to the direction of the Holy Spirit, a man who was not allowed into the Temple or synagogue for worship (Dt. 23:1) becomes part of the body of Christ.  This is what it looks like to abide in the vine and to bear much fruit.

         This is also what it looks like to love – to love God and to love the world – and both Jesus and his followers are needed in order to make that happen (workingpreacher.org).  The vine needs to have branches in order to bear fruit.  Jesus needs followers who serve as his hands and feet in the world, for this is how people encounter the good news about Jesus and the love of God.

         All of this is possible when we abide in Jesus, just as he abides in us.  For when the Holy Spirit is allowed to be at work, all manner of growth is possible, and we fulfill our purpose:  to share God’s love with all people, and to bear much fruit – especially the fruit of love.  Thanks be to God!  Amen.

Easter 5(B)                                        John 15:1-8

April 28, 2024                                   Acts 8:26-40

St. Luke’s Zion Lutheran Church  1 John 4:7-21

Pastor Lynne Hutchison

© 2024 Lynne Hutchison  All Rights Reserved