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I AM the True Vine
- Greg Waybright
- John 15:1-9
- I Am - The True Identity of Jesus
- 32 mins 7 secs
- Views: 577
Study Notes
The True Identity of Jesus: I Am the True Vine
John 15:1-11
We come to the end of our series on The True Identity of Jesus with a claim Jesus made about himself that seems to speak directly into what Jesus intends for his followers to be in the midst of a world as divided as our own – whether it comes out through terrorism in Spain or police officers being shot in Florida or the racism in Charlottesville. It’s the seventh and final time he said “I am” and this time what he said was “I am the true vine.” The setting of this final “I am” statement is very important. Jesus was on the eve of his death and he knew it. He and his disciples had just left their last dinner together and apparently were on the way in Jerusalem to the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus spent his last hours of freedom in prayer. In route, they probably passed the Temple and saw the large ornate vine on the entrance there. When that happened, Jesus was surely reminded of the Scriptures’ teaching about vines as he talked.
You see, often Israel was called a vine in the Scriptures -- a vine planted and cared for by God Himself. In Psalm 80:8, we read, “Lord, you brought a vine out of Egypt. You planted and nurtured it.” This kind of statement was said so often that by the time of Jesus, the vine had become a national symbol for Israel like the eagle is for us or the maple leaf is for Canada. That’s why a vine was engraved on their coins and temple gate.
With that in mind, think of walking along the street on that solemn evening and hearing Jesus say, “I am the true vine.” Jesus was saying, “Now, to be God’s people, to be in the family of God, you have to be in me.” The family of God from now on will be determined not by bloodlines going back to Abraham but by “faith-lines” going to me. When you believe in me, you will have a new identity, i.e., you will be a child of God.”
After my message is over, a number of our people will be baptized in the name of Jesus. They’ll be saying that Jesus is their lord and savior. They’ve come to God by being connected to Jesus. So, this final “I am” from Jesus is very important for them – and for us too. So, let’s go to the passage’s end (v.11) as we begin:
The Goal: Why Jesus tells us he is the true vine – I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete (15:11).
If we take v.11 out of its context and say it into our world, we might think Jesus is promising that when we follow him, we will never have any problems and that our lives will be non-stop fun.
But, let’s look at it within its context. Jesus speaks of “my joy” being in you. Jesus says this just after all the political and religious leaders have rejected him. Just a few hours earlier, one of his close followers, Judas, had left the dinner to betray him. In a few hours, others would keep falling asleep when he needed them to pray with him and then would deny him out of embarrassment. And, of course, soon he would die – and he knew it. Think about it: In the midst of all this, Jesus spoke of giving “my joy”, this kind of joy, to us. Do you want it?
Of course, you might think, “That was just his life. It’s not what I might be called to if I follow him. He would die to take all that kind of painful stuff away from me.” And, I believe, he sometimes does take difficulty away from us. But, please note that in the verses immediately following today’s passage, Jesus said, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first (15:18).” And, “If the world persecutes me, they will persecute you also (15:20).”
“Augghh!!” you might cry out like Charlie Brown often did. “What kind of joy is that?”
What Jesus meant by “joy” is very different from what we usually mean by it – and it is better in every way. He meant something very similar to what he promised in John 10:10 when he said, “I have come that you may have life to the full.” That life is a life in which every part of your being is whole: Your relationship to God is genuine and growing. Your relationships with people are filled with love and integrity. Your inner emotional being is healthy and free from shame, guilt, anxiety and depression.
Jesus alone lived life this way. His life alone was characterized by perfect shalom. And, in John 15, this one whose life was marked by joy said that it was his great joy to lay down his life so that you might have joy. You and I were made to have this kind of joy but we, as Isaiah 53 says, have wandered away from God and gotten into things that separate us from God – and wreck our lives. On our own, we are not ready to meet a Holy God. But, it was Jesus’ joy to lay down his life for our forgiveness – to die so that we might truly live. That’s what Jesus means when he says, I want “my joy to be in you and your joy to be complete.”
The Key: How to be joy-filled, whole and productive -- Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine (15:4).
Jesus makes the key to living as God made you to live so simple: “Remain in me.” As those being baptized today will give testimony to, this life on the vine begins by repenting of your sin and placing your faith in Jesus. Jesus spoke of this in v.3 as “being made clean by the Word”. When you believe in Jesus, you are cleansed from your sins and brought into it a living connection with God – only through Jesus.
Jesus goes on to tells us that the way to have this “filled-with-joy” is to remain intimately connected to him. It’s that simple. In this vine metaphor, Jesus says it is a life of bearing fruit. Fruit means experiencing healthy growth in every part of your being -- and then bearing fruit through your witness and deeds. It’s growing as Jesus grew in Luke 2:52, “Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and people.”
Let me show you a visual portrayal from the research done by Dr. Christine Osgood of Bethel University about how this relationship to Jesus as the center of your life might should affect everything else.
So, what should happen when you place your faith in Jesus is that all that is broken inside you should begin to find healing. All that is anxious within you should begin a path toward peace. And, all that seems out of control should come under control as you submit all things to God. Fruit is what happens in and through a life connected to Jesus. It involves moral living, emotionally health, bearing witness to salvation, caring about the needs of others, working for justice, etc. It’s the way Jesus lived his life.
The key to this happening is a close and intimate connection to Jesus. Jesus used the word “remain” or “abide” 11 times in this passage. He said, “You must be connected to me – every day you live and in every place to which you go.” Note this please! Jesus isn’t talking about true followers losing salvation when he says you must remain. That’s an issue taken up in other places in the Bible. He’s talking about how to tell the true believers from the fakes. Jesus’ point is this: If you are not growing in your love for God, if you’re not experiencing an ever-greater love for all people, and if you see no evidence of and growing desire for obedience to God, you aren’t connected to him.
So, if you want to live a joy-filled, fruit-bearing life, every day get on your knees and tell Jesus you need Him. You need him to guide you in your business, your school; you need Him to remain pure and to have good thoughts rather than bad. You need Him to help you with your temper. Nurture your relationship with Him. The fruit of your life will shrivel the moment that relationship with Jesus becomes distant.
And, for this sermon, my final point is this: There is only one vine. But, there are many branches.
One Huge Implication: When you are in the Vine, you become connected to many branches. “I am the vine; you are the branches [plural] (15:5).”
Of the many things I would like to say about this text, I think this one helps us see what Jesus intends for a church like ours to be in a world filled with the kinds of hatred and division as we’ve seen in our country and all around the world. He calls us all to be branches connected to one another through our connection to the Vine, i.e., to himself. When we’re connected to him, we become connected to one another.
Notice that Jesus speaks specifically of branches in the plural. A part of that is so that you will know that much of the nourishment of Christ comes through his people. God teaches, blesses you and strengthens you through connection with his people in the church. And you need that connection. A baby gets its nourishment in the womb through the umbilical cord. If it loses connection, it loses the ability to grow. From the day you’re are conceived to the day you die, you need connection to others. The main connection you need is to Jesus. No branch can bear fruit apart from the vine. But also, no leaf can survive apart from the branch.
But, from the context of John 13-17, there is clearly something else Jesus is saying here about us being together as branches in the one Vine. I want you to listen very carefully to me now. We have been struggling for almost two weeks in our country with the reemergence of overt racism as it erupted in Charlottesville, VA. Let me tell you that the overt racism was just the public appearance of a racism that people often try to hide. It seems to run deep in the hearts of fallen people. I have seen it everywhere I have ever gone. I saw it when I lived in Japan toward people from Korea and I saw it in Korea toward people from Ghana. I saw it in Germany toward people from Turkey and I’m sure I’d see it in Turkey toward someone if I lived there long enough. I saw it as a boy growing up Appalachia and I saw it when I moved to Chicago. And, it’s here in Southern CA too. It’s here because what I’m talking about is a Genesis 3 reality. It’s our human anthropology. In our fallen state, people made in God’s image do not treat others made in God image in the way the Maker commands us to do so, i.e., to love them as we love ourselves.
But, from John 13-17, Jesus calls us to a different way. In Chapter 13, Jesus said he had to leave to deal with the sin that was keeping people from life with God. But, he leaves us with one another and commands us to love one another. He said, “This is how this broken world will know you are my followers –when you have love for one another (13:34-35).” Then, in chapter 17, Jesus prays for all those he knows will believe in him after his death and resurrection. He sees people from every tribe, language and nation living in communities like ours all over this fractured world and he prays “that all of them may be one… May they be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and that you have loved them… (17:21,23).” If the world doesn’t see our love for all races in the midst of this racially divided world, how can they truly believe that all this is real – that God loves all people? They must see it in us and how we work through the problems and misunderstandings.
John 15 stands right in the middle of those two great messages from Jesus. It’s saying that we must remain connected to Jesus and to his people. When we do, we will grow into unity and we will commit to loving one another no matter what happens in the world. And, this broken world will see it in us and believe. That is Jesus’ vision for us. It is my vision for us. I believe that this time of emerging overt racism – this time against people of color as well as anti-Semitism -- is a great opportunity for us as a church like this one is to give witness to the truth of Jesus.
Do not be surprised when you see evil like racism all over the world. Jesus saw it and came to heal the divisions and to rescue us from it. When you see it, stand with those who are treated or spoken against unjustly as you have opportunity. Speak out against it as God gives you wisdom and voice. But most of all, refuse to disconnect either from Jesus or from the local branch into which he’s situated you. With the presence of power of God’s Spirit and the humility we all have because we know Jesus had to die for us – a church like ours is the place where we can work through disagreements and misunderstandings because we love Jesus and have heard him commanding us to love one another and to live in unity. Don’t work out your worldview only from CNN, Fox News or any online website. Work it out together within your family of God’s people. Let’s share our perspectives openly – and work through them toward unity – together. And let’s listen to one another with respect. When you disagree with what you hear, say so. Do so truthfully but humbly. And, listen with “intellectual hospitality” when others disagree with you. And stay connected.
In the early church, the Roman Centurion didn’t want to be in a branch with a synagogue leader. A Pharisee didn’t want to be in a branch with a prostitute. A wealthy business woman would surely have struggled being in a branch with a tax collector. I could go on and on about the kinds of people Jesus has brought into branches and placed together in relationship to one another and to him. So, stay connected to Jesus – and to us.
Jesus said, “I am the true vine. You are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit (15:5).”
And now, we will celebrate with some who are making it known publicly that they are joining us in this branch as a part of the Vine. Make yourself ready now to experience the joy of baptism.
Thoughts on Baptism
I believe that baptism helps us in another big issue that is dividing many in our nation, i.e., the place of monuments. There is a big difference between a monument and an artifact, as a man named Allan Bevere has written about. A monument is erected to celebrate and express ongoing affirmation of what that monument depicts. Artifacts remind us of the values that many who went before us embraced. When a community places a monument in public, it is a declaration of what the people who put it there valued is what we still value. An artifact often is found in a museum reminding us of something that we no longer want to be a part of our lives.
Several years ago, I visited the Genocide Museum in Cambodia where many statues and articles of the awful genocide have been placed. At the entrance were these words, “Placed here so that this may never happen again.”
I’m afraid that the confederate statues in places like Charlottesville are monuments celebrating a past that some people want again. I do not think they should be destroyed as we see the Taliban and Isis doing to works of art in countries where they are located. I believe they should be placed in a museum with the words, “Never again.”
Baptism is profound. It points back to our old way of life and says, “Never again.” The old is gone. I have died with Christ.” And then it points forward to the fact that the life I now live I live by faith in the Son of God who loves me and gave his life for me.
Chinese Study Notes
耶穌真實的身份:我是真葡萄樹
約翰15:1-11
這周,我們來到了耶穌真實身份這個主題系列的尾聲,耶穌在這些經文中總結了自己所有的身份。這是耶穌第七次,也是最後一次說到“我是……”,這一次,祂說:“我是真葡萄樹”,耶穌這最後一次總結的背景非常重要。祂知道,這是在祂受死的前一晚。祂和祂的門徒剛剛吃完了最後的晚餐離開,顯然,他們要在去耶路撒冷的途中到客西馬尼園,就是耶穌花了幾個小時禱告與祂最後享有自由的地方。在途中,他們可能路過了會堂,在入口處看到了一片華麗的葡萄樹:vine.jpg。這個時候,耶穌在說話時一定想起了經文的教導。你知道,在聖經中,以色列人經常被稱為葡萄樹,就是神自己栽種和照顧的葡萄樹。在詩篇80:8中說:“你從埃及挪出一棵葡萄樹,你栽種和澆灌它。”在耶穌的時代,這種說法非常普遍。葡萄樹成為以色列國的象徵,就好像鷹是我們國家的象徵,而楓葉是加拿大的象徵一樣。也正是因為如此,葡萄樹被刻在了他們的硬幣和會堂的門上。
明白了這一點之後,請大家想像一下,在那個莊嚴的夜晚,當你走在街上,聽到耶穌說:“我是真葡萄樹”,祂說:“現在,你們若要成為神的子民,進入神的家中,你們就要在我裏面。從現在起,進入神的家不再由亞伯拉罕的血統決定,而是藉著信仰而通向我。當你相信我,你將會有一個新的身份,那就是,你將會是神的子民。”
在我的信息結束之後,有一些人會奉耶穌的名受洗。他們會承認耶穌是他們的主和救主。他們藉著與耶穌連結,而來到了神的面前。因此,耶穌所說的這最後一句的“我是……”,對他們來說非常重要,對我們也是如此。在開始的時候,讓我們一起來看一看這一段的結尾(11節):
目標:為什麽耶穌告訴我們說,祂是真葡萄樹 ----這些事我已經對你們說了,是要叫我的喜樂,存在你們心裏。並叫你們的喜樂可以滿足(15:11)。
如果我們把第11節從文脈中拿出,放在當代的背景之中,我們可能會認為,耶穌是在承諾,當我們跟隨祂的時候,我們永遠不會有任何問題,我們的人生會一帆風順。
但是,讓我們來看看其中的內涵。耶穌說,要叫“我的喜樂”存在你們心裏。 耶穌是在所有的政治和宗教領袖拒絕了祂之後說的這句話。就在幾個小時之前,一個與祂親近的追隨者,猶大,在晚餐之後背叛了祂。在幾個小時之內,當祂需要其他門徒與祂一同禱告的時候,他們卻都昏睡不醒,之後又都為了避免尷尬而矢口否認了祂。當然,在那之後,祂很快就會受死,祂明白這一切。想一想:在所有這一切之中,耶穌說到要將“我的喜樂”賜給我們,你想要嗎?
當然,你可能會想,“那只是祂的人生,如果我跟隨祂,那有可能不是我要過的人生。祂受死,為要除去我生命中一切的痛苦。我也相信,有時候,祂的確可以幫我們除去困難,但是請註意,緊接著今天的經文,耶穌說:“世人若恨你們,你們應該知道,在恨你們以先,已經恨我了(15:18)。”“他們若逼迫了我,也要逼迫你們(15:20)。”
“啊!!”你可能會像查理布朗那樣大叫。那是什麽樣的喜樂呢?”
耶穌所說的“喜樂”與我們通常所說的意思非常不同,而且祂所說的意思在各方面都是更好的。祂的意思與祂在約翰福音10:10中所應許的一樣,祂說:“我來,是為要讓你們得生命,並且得的更豐盛。在那生命中,你生命的每一個部分都將是完整的:你與神的關係是真實與逐漸成長的。你與人之間的關係充滿了愛與誠信。你內在的情感是健康的,是遠離羞恥、內疚、焦慮和憂鬱的。在身體上,你是原本應該有的樣子。
耶穌就是這樣生活的。祂的生命充滿了完全的平安。在約翰福音第15章,這個生命充滿喜樂的人說,祂樂意舍命,為要使你得到喜樂。我們被造,原本當有這樣的喜樂,但是,正像以賽亞書53章所說的,我們遠離神,陷入使我們與神分離的事物之中,我們的生命遭到毀壞,我們本身也沒有準備好去見神。然而,為讓我們得到赦免,祂捨去了自己的生命,並以此為喜樂,祂受死,為要使我們得到真正的生命。當耶穌說“叫我的喜樂,存在你們心裏。並叫你們的喜樂可以滿足”的真正含義。
關鍵是:如何滿有喜樂,完全而又富有成效----你們要常在我裏面,我也常在你們裏面。
枝子若不常在葡萄樹上,自己就不能結果子;你們若不常在我裏面,也是這樣(15:4)
這是你按照神的心意去生活的關鍵,耶穌將它如此簡潔地表明出來:“常在我裏
面。”今天受洗的人將會作見證,這與葡萄樹連結的生命,將開始於認罪悔改,並相信耶穌。 耶穌在第3節中提到了這一點,就是“被神的道清潔了”。這‘道’就是充滿在整個約翰福音之中關於耶穌的全部信息。 當你相信耶穌,你的過去將會被清潔幹凈,並且
在你和神之間形成一種生命的連結。
所以,耶穌在約翰福音15章中所說的,這使生命日益成長的方法,就是與耶穌保持緊密的連接,就這麽簡單。耶穌說,這樣的生命才會結果子。 結果子意味著你生命的每一個部分都能健康成長。這種成長就像路加福音2:52中所描述的耶穌的成長那樣:“祂的智慧和身量,並神和人喜愛他的心,都一齊增長。
讓我向大家展示一下伯特利大學的Christine Osgood博士所做研究的解說圖形,來說明讓耶穌成為你生命的中心,將如何影響你的一切。
所以,當你相信耶穌的時候,你內心一切破碎的部分都會開始得到醫治。你所有的焦慮都會在通往平安的道路上消失。 而且,當你把一切事情交給神時,所有看似失控的事都將受到控制。 生命所結的果子正是藉著生命與耶穌的連接而產生的。 它涉及到道德生活,健康情感的成長,救恩的見證,關心別人的需要,持守正義等等。耶穌生命的道路就是這樣的。
做到這一切的關鍵,是與耶穌有親密的連接。 耶穌在這段經文中使用了“保持”或“留下”這個詞11次之多。 祂說:“在你生活的每一天,和你每一個所到之處,你必須與我連接。 請註意! 當耶穌說到,你必須留在祂裏面時,祂的意思並不是說,如若不然,真正的門徒就會失去救恩。 這是我們在聖經中其它章節要探討的一個問題。 祂指的是如何在假門徒之中分清真正的門徒。 耶穌的意思是,如果你對神的愛沒有增長,沒有經歷到對人日漸加深的愛,並且在順服之中成長,你就與神沒有連接。
所以,每天都要花時間更新與耶穌的連接。 對於任何真正有果效的基督徒來說,
他首先要做到的是,與基督建立深厚、謙卑的關係,並信靠祂。
如果你想擁有一個富有果效的生命,那麽,你每天都當跪下,告訴耶穌你需要祂。你需要祂引導你的生意,你的學業;你需要祂幫助你保持純全,有好的心思意念。 你需要祂幫助你管理自己的脾氣、 培養你與祂的關係。而當你與耶穌的關係疏遠的那一刻,你生命中的果實將會枯萎。
我這篇講道的最後的一個重點是:只有一棵葡萄樹,然而卻有很多的枝子。
一個極其豐富的含義:當你進入葡萄樹裏,你得以和許多的枝子相連。 “我是葡萄樹,你們是枝子(復數)(15:5)。
這段經文還會幫助我們看到,耶穌想要讓我們這樣的教會在這充滿了仇恨和分裂的世界中的使命。祂呼召我們互為枝子,藉著葡萄樹彼此連接,也就是與祂連接。當我們與祂連接的時候,我們彼此就有了連接。
請留意,耶穌在這裏用的是復數形式,讓我們可以知道,許多基督所賜的養分,都來自祂的子民。 神教導我們,祂會藉著我們與教會之中祂的子民之間的連接賜福並剛強我們。 你需要這樣的連接。母親腹中的嬰孩通過臍帶在子宮內獲得營養,如果失去了連接,也就失去了成長的能力。 從你在母腹之中的那一天,直到你離世的日子,你都需要與別人連接。最重要的連接就是你與耶穌的連接,離開了葡萄樹,沒有枝子可以結果子。 同樣的道理,離開了枝子,也沒有葉子可以存活。
但是,在約翰福音13-17中,當耶穌說到我們為同一棵葡萄樹上的枝子時,祂還有另一層的意思。我希望你能仔細地聽我說下面的話,在最近的兩周之中,我們的國家在弗吉尼亞州夏洛茨維爾的種族主義再度公開爆發的混亂之中掙扎。讓我告訴你,這是大家一直以來想要隱藏的,但其實深深地運行在那些墮落之人心中的種族主義的公開露面。 凡我去過的地方我都看到過它的存在:我在日本居住的時候,看到過日本人如此對待韓國人,在韓國我看到韓國人如此對待加納人, 在德國我看到德國人如此對待土耳其人,我相信,如果我在土耳其呆的時間足夠長的話,我會看到土耳其人也如此對待其他某個種族的人。 當我還是一個孩子時,我在阿巴拉契亞(位於美國東部)曾看到這些,後來當我搬到芝加哥後,我仍然看到同樣的事。在南加州也是如此。我這麽說是因為我所說的是創世記3章裏的真實情景, 這是真實的人類學。在我們墮落的光景裏,我們這以神的形像被造的人,不按照創造者吩咐我們的那樣,去對待其他有著神形象的人,祂所吩咐我們的,就是“愛人如己”。
但是,在約翰福音13-17節中,耶穌以一種不同的方式呼召我們。在第十三章,耶穌說,祂必須離開,去對付使人們從屬神的生命離開的罪。但是,祂留下我們彼此在一起,並命令我們彼此相愛。祂說:“當你們如此行的時候,這個破碎的世界就會知道你們是我的門徒:“你們若有彼此相愛的心,眾人因此就認出你們是我的門徒了(13:34-35)。”然後,在第17章中,耶穌為所有那些在祂死而復活之後相信祂的人禱告。祂的異象是由生活在如此破碎的世界中的、各個社區裏的各個部落、各種語言和各個國家中的枝子組成的一棵葡萄樹。祂禱告說: “使他們都合而為一… 使他們完完全全地合而為一,叫世人知道你差了我來,也知道你愛他們如同愛我一樣…(17:21,23)。“如果世人看不到我們在種族分裂的世界中對所有種族的愛,他們如何能真正地相信這一切都是真實的?他們如何能相信“神愛世人?他們必須要在我們裏面看到這一切,看到我們如何解決處理問題和消除誤解。
約翰福音15章正好處於耶穌的兩個重要信息之間。 也就是說,我們必須要與耶穌和祂的子民保持連接。 當我們如此行的時候,我們就會共同成長,無論世上發生什麽,我們都將彼此相愛。並且,這個破碎的世界會在我們中間看到並相信這樣的愛。 這就是耶穌對我們的期望, 這也是我的異像。 我相信,在這種公開的種族主義出現的時刻,對於我們這樣的教會來說,是一個為耶穌的真理作見證的好機會。
當你看到在世界各地都有種族主義這樣的邪惡勢力時,不要驚訝。耶穌看見了,祂會醫治一切分裂、並拯救我們。當你有機會看到這樣的情景時,你應與那些受到不公待遇的人站在一起,藉著神給你智慧和聲音,對這種邪惡勢力發出譴責。但最重要的是,不要切斷你與耶穌或其它“枝子” 的連接。要藉著聖靈的能力,和我們所有的人因著認識耶穌為我們受死而存的謙卑之心, 使我們教會可以穿越分歧而達到以合一,因為我們愛耶穌,也聽到祂要我們彼此相愛的吩咐。不要只從新聞電視臺或任何在線網站的信息中,來形成你對世界的看法,應當與你的大家庭中的人們一同行動起來。“讓我們公開分享我們的觀點,讓我們彼此聆聽”。當你聽到你不贊同的觀點的時候,真實、卻謙卑地說出來。而且,當別人不同意你的時候,請用智慧與熱情好好傾聽,並繼續保持連接。
在早期的教會裏,羅馬百夫長不想和猶太教堂的領袖成為一棵樹上的枝子。 法利賽人不想與妓女成為一棵樹上的枝子。一個富有的女商人如果成為與一個稅吏成為一棵樹上的枝子,他們就一定會起衝突。 還有很多類似的例子,都說到耶穌將許多不同的人放在一起,形成在一棵樹上的枝子,與彼此以及和祂自己建立美好的關係。所以,請保持與耶穌的連接,以及和彼此的連接。
耶穌說:“我是葡萄樹,你們是枝子;常在我裏面的,我也常在祂裏面,這人就多結果子。因為離了我,你們就不能做什麽。”(15:5)
現在,我們要與公開成為葡萄樹的枝子的人們一同慶賀,讓我們準備好去經歷洗禮的快樂!
關於洗禮的一點心得
我們相信,洗禮可以幫助我們解決一個分裂我們國家的嚴重問題,那應當成為我們的紀念碑。一個名叫Allan Bevere的人曾經寫道,紀念碑與紀念物有很大的不同。紀念碑的建立,是為著慶祝和表達它所描繪之事的正面肯定。而紀念物則提醒我們許多古人所擁護的價值觀。若一個社區公開樹立紀念碑,那麽他們是想要聲明,他們仍然珍視所立之人的價值。而紀念物則常常放在博物館之中,提醒著我們,那是一些已經淡出我們的生活的過時的事物。
幾年前,我參觀了柬埔寨的種族滅絕博物館,那裏有很多關於種族滅絕的雕像和紀念物。在進口處寫著這些話:“這些東西存放此處,提醒我們這樣的事情永不要再發生。
我怕像夏洛茨維爾這樣的聯盟雕像,成為某些人慶祝歷史的紀念碑,當我們看到塔利班和ISIS對古代文物的所作所為,我不認為這一切應當被銷毀,我相信,它們應當被陳列在博物館裏,並且註明:“永遠不要再發生”。
洗禮是一件意義深刻的事,它指出了我們舊有生活方式的不足之處,並指明:“永遠不要再重復。”舊事已過, 我已經與基督一同經歷了死亡。“然後它會指出,如今,我是藉著信靠那位愛我、又賜給我新生命的神的兒子而活。
榮耀歸給神,
Greg Waybright 博士
主任牧師
Small Group Questions
Read John 15:1-9
- Jesus said, “I am the true vine.” What does it mean to you that Jesus described himself as the “true vine”?
- Read verses 1 and 2. Jesus talks about bearing fruit. Why do you think the Father has to prune the branches of the vine so that they bear fruit? Why does he have to take away branches that do not bear fruit?
- A key command from Jesus is that the branches “remain” in him. What does this command to “remain” mean to you?
- Jesus says in verse 5, “apart from me you can do nothing.” A lot of people in the world have done great things without having a relationship with Jesus. What do you think Jesus means by this?
- In verse 8 Jesus gives two reasons why we should bear fruit. What are they? If Jesus is the vine in your life, what are one or two ways that you are bearing fruit?
- In verse 9, Jesus says, “Remain in my love.” What do you think he means by that command? Doesn’t remaining in God’s love come naturally for every believer?