Show Notes
In John 5:1-11, Jesus says, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser... Abide in me... you are the branches. Whoever abides in me... he it is that bears much fruit.... If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” As I prepared to preach on these verses, I found myself getting angry. I think I must assume that Jesus is saying, “Have your ‘Quiet Times,’ do your devotions, say your prayers and everything will go your way.”
Nineteen years ago, I had never been more faithful in prayer, diligent in doing good deeds, and devoted to the practice of communion. And in the span of a few weeks, everything (or it felt like everything... my accomplishments) was stripped away. Perhaps you’ve been there?
Whenever I get mad at God, everything changes when I step into Jesus. Did Jesus say His prayers? Did Jesus do good deeds and celebrate communion? Actually... He had just instituted communion and washed the disciples’ feet and was about to pray the godliest of prayers when He said these words.
No one has ever been more devoted than Jesus on this day, and yet on this day He will appear to be utterly fruitless, debased, and cursed. This is the beginning of “Good Friday.” According to the definitions of this world, no man was ever, or could be, more cursed and unfruitful than this naked man nailed to this tree in a garden on the Holy Mountain. And yet, according to God, no man was ever, or could be, more fruitful or a greater blessing.
Maybe we’re confused about what fruit is and where and how it grows... 1) I think we often assume that Jesus suffered and died so that we don’t have to — which makes it rather hard to abide in the vine during certain seasons of the year. 2) And we assume that some branches go to heaven, and some are endlessly burned in Hell — which makes it kind of hard to be at home in the Vine and with the Vinedresser. 3) And we assume that the Vinedresser chooses to prune particular branches based upon the choices of those branches, our choices — which makes us all judgmental, competitive, and angry... which is the opposite of the Fruit of the Spirit. That’s called “the work of the flesh.”
In John 14:30-31, just before John 15, Jesus says, “I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim in me, but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.”
It reminds me of Job. Satan asked God, “Does Job respect you for no reason?” That is, “He only says ‘Yes’ to you for what you give him, not because of who you are.” Job is stripped of all and left sitting on a pile of dust and ashes. Job gets no explanation, and “NO” seems to be the only answer to his prayers. God appears in the end and asks, “Can you conquer Leviathan (Satan in the form of a dragon)?” God says, “Who has first given to me that I should repay him? ...Leviathan is king over all the sons of pride.” Job sees God, worships God, and confesses, “I uttered what I do not understand... but now my eyes see you.”
Job had asked for knowledge of God, and God gave no answer but himself, and Job became even more fruitful; he had faith while sitting on a pile of dust and ashes — that’s fruit. Job was God’s champion, conquered the dragon, and became even more fruitful. And, of course, he is a picture of the one speaking in John 15. He just said, “Rise, let us go from here.”
They’re on their way to a garden. In the Garden of Gethsemani (“olive press”), in great distress, Jesus prays, “Abba, Father... remove this cup from me.” And apparently the answer is “No.” Jesus is the Word and Will of God the Father! So... is Jesus asking, “in Jesus’ name”? Apparently not. I think He’s asking in my name and your name and hearing “NO” on our behalf. He did say, “Abide in me, and I in you.” He then prays, “Yet not what I will but what you will.” I find that to be incredibly hard to pray (to will what I don’t will),
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Sometime around 1968, I learned about germs in school. They can be found in dirt and most of all, in the very pinnacle of depravity: poop. So, I began to wash my hands... a lot. I washed and washed, but I am a producer of human excreta, and so is everyone I know. So, it felt as if I was never finished. I was driven to cleanliness and then to the doctor, for my hands were red, raw, cracked and bleeding — open wounds susceptible to germs! I had been better off with no knowledge of “germs” and “not germs.” The doctor looked at my hands and said, “Stop (Shabat in Hebrew)! Stop washing your hands.” They hurt like hell, but it was hard as hell to stop.
John 18:38-40: “Pilate said to [Jesus], ‘What is truth?’ After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, ‘I find no guilt in him. But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?’ They cried out again, ‘Not this man, but Barabbas!’ Now Barabbas was a robber [lestes: a taker].”