One Vine, Many Branches

Mississippi State University Baptist Student Union Retreat
September 1997
John 15:1-11

What is the connection we have with the Father? Love. What kind is Jesus talking about? verse 9: "..as the Father has loved me", verse 10: "..obeys His commands". So love and obediance are strongly connected -- putting our will aside. This is agape love, covenant love.

Eros = desire for reunion of the separated. God wants to be reunited with us (the separated).

Psalm 73:25, 26. There is no obligation to obediance here, but instead earnest desire to be one with God.

Matthew 22:34-37. Love God with all your heart, soul, and mind. What does this look like? Consider what we act like when we fall desparately in love with a human:

very willing to make sacrifices
relationship becomes all consuming
stop thinking logically, make decisions based on emotions
plan whole life around them
relationship affects every aspect of life.

Is this an immature type of love? Like that kind of feelings-based relationship doesn't seem to last in marriages. Is it supposed to last? Is this type of love a good thing? Do we humans just fail at keeping that type of love alive like we should? Is this the type of love that should hold us to God or does it need to be more "mature" in some way?

Discussion questions:

Is there a problem with the claim "I don't choose to fall in love, it just happens"? Can you choose to fall in love with God? What can you do to start the process?
Do we as Christians over-emphasize rational thought and exclude emotion?
Characterize your personal relationship with God:
- Madly/passionately in love
- Just friends
- Acquaintance
- Want to fall in love and am learning how

Focus on John 15:5-8
Unity does NOT equal uniformity. God champions diversity. He wants the spectrum of people in one family. Romans 12:3ff and 1 Corinthians 12:21.

"Bear much fruit" means what?

bringing other people to Christ
using spiritual gifts
demonstrating the fruit of the Spirit
our actions and works (Matthew 25:42-43)

Matthew 7:15
John 15:10 obediance keeps us in the Vine
John 15:12 the command ... love each other. This is "the fruit"...the love for each other.
John 15:13 lay down life for another is the greatest love, is sacrificial. Laying down you life requires personal loss to meet the nees of the have-nots. Matthew 25:41-43. Isaiah 58:1-10. Meeting nees is NOT above-and-beyond, but is fundamental, is cornerstone, is foundational. Religiosity doesn't cut it.

Discussion questions:

Who are the "have-nots" in my life?
What keeps you from caring for these people?
What does it mean when Jesus says He is one of the "least of these"? Why is that important to us?

So, what to do with this information? Champion diversity: accept people as they are, draw people in. Learn to bear fruit by sacrificing to the "have-nots" of the world (physical, emotional, spiritual). The common theme is self-denial. Get out of the way to learn to let God work through us. Mark 8:34-35, deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow. Lose your life for Him, then you will gain life... God will take care of your needs.

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