Whirlpools into Abiding
You can listen to this sermon here
Gate Pa – Year B 6th Sunday of Easter, 2024
Readings:
Psalm Psalm
98
First Reading:
Acts
10:44-48
Second Reading:
1 John
5:1-6
Gospel:
John
15:9-17
What I want to say:
The writer of John’s gospel is not a linear Greek thinker. He presents Jesus using older circular ways of teaching – circling around a topic, with each pass going deeper into the abundance of layers of meaning, into the abundance at the heart of the message,
How does this help us be open to all the image of
Jesus the true vine, we are the branches offers as we continue this season of
having our minds blown and letting our imaginations run wild.
What I want to happen:
How might
we learn about love by supporting each other in this time of grief and loss?
How might that open us up to the possibilities
of this moment?
The Sermon
1. Introduction:
The way Jesus is presented in John can be quite
frustrating
For those of us shaped by Greek linear thinking
-
3 point sermons with intro, 3 points which add to the theme, conclusion.
I’m not sure how good at that I am
But John’s Jesus does not follow that layout
He’s more circular in his thinking
Indigenous people do the same
Many peoples are more like Jesus
Keep that in mind as you read John
2. Whirlpools
“I am the true vine
and you are the branches”
Some those I read
found his way of teaching frustrating
Not linear
Like a whirlpool
Going around and
around
pulling us deeper
into the image each time around
Deeper into the
image of “I am the true vine, and you are the branches”
Deeper into the
abundance that image holds
Deeper into the
abundance offered in Jesus
3. Trevor
Love and joy that orchard gave him
Grief at having to cut them all out because of
PSA
Care grafting new vines onto old stumps
His joy in working with and looked after those
vines
Careful pruning to ensure maximum harvest
Life giving for Trevor
Talks were full of love and joy and care
Why residents liked his talks so much
Wonder what kind of image we get for God out
of this metaphor of Trevor and his kiwifruit vines?
Hold that as we listen again to some of this week’s
reading
Remembering that we are branches in the vine
“As the Father loved me, I too have loved you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy will be in you and your joy will be complete. This is my commandment: love each other just as I have loved you. No one has greater love than to give up one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you." (John 15:9-14 CEB)
There is grace upon grace in this image if we
sit with it long enough
We are grafted into Divine love
Love is the sap the runs from the vine through
the branches
Both deeply comforting and life giving
And dangerous – Acts reminds us it will take
is well outside our comfort zones
4. Pastoral
This is all part of Jesus’ farewell speech
-
Deeply pastoral function
o For disciples in
story
o For John’s community
o For us
Invitation to be a community that remains in God’s
love
What then is love?
Where do we see love?
-
Talk to neighbour
-
Plenary
5. Conclusion
Jesus is God’s love embodied
We are community grafted into this love
Upholds and sustains us in our grief and loss
-
We did that during Covid
-
How might you consciously live that in the uncertainty that lies ahead
Community that has been shown what love looks like, are
empowered to love and are called to love
-
We are tendrils seeking new places to root God’s love
-
Even the oppressor in Acts (Roman Gentile)
-
Let your imaginations run wild with the possibilities that holds.
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