GREETINGS TO GOD’S IMAGE BEARERS,
In John’s gospel there are 7 times Jesus uses “I Am” statements.
Here are the “I am” statements and with a frame of reference for context:
After the feeding of the 5000, Jesus says, “I am the bread of life” (6:35);
After the woman is not condemned for adultery, Jesus says, “I am the light of the world (8:12);
After the blind man is healed, Jesus says, “I am the door (10:7), and “I am the good shepherd.” (10:11, 14);
Before Jesus calls Lazarus out of the tomb, he says, “I am the resurrection and the life (11:25);
And while Jesus bids his disciples farewell, preparing them for the days ahead, he says, “I am
the way the truth and the life (14:6) and I am the true vine” (15:1).
It is only in this last “I am” statement where Jesus also says, “you are the branches”. In all the others the relationship is assumed or we are invited into.
We are the ones who eat the life sustaining bread and we are given life.
We are the ones who flourish in Jesus' light.
We are the ones who pass through the threshold of the door in abundant life.
We are the sheep who follow the good shepherd.
We are the ones raised to life again and anew because Jesus is the resurrection and the life.
We are the ones who follow Jesus' way, truth and life, a way leading through suffering, death, resurrection and ascension.
But in this I am statement, Jesus tells us clearly that we are branches. We are the branches connected to Jesus, the vine. This is plural. Not I am the branch. We are the branch. The “you” throughout this text is all plural. I am not a branch but we are the branch and we are intimately connected to Jesus the vine. This is how Jesus thinks of his disciples. This is how Jesus comforts and prepares his disciples. This is the risen Christ and Christ’s relationship with us. This is how connected Jesus is to us and if that’s not enough, God is the good gardener that tends to the vines and branches. God is the master gardener who knows what he is doing and knows how to take care of us. God knows what will bring us life and what will help us to grow tending to our relationship with Jesus as we abide all together.
Hold this intimate image before yourselves as you read John 15:1-8 trusting Jesus and trusting God so that we can hear these words of grace as we also hear the words of pruning, bearing fruit and branches being thrown into the fire. Words heard as law. We trust that God has a hold on us and that hold brings us through all the pruning, helping us bear fruit and God is glorified.
Bold Inquisitive Belief Loving Expansively,
Pastor Connie Spitzack
