We begin this new month of May in what we do best, worship God together as families of faith.
This month is an exciting time in at least one of our cities! As the weather continues to offer beautiful blessings of fresh air and color, we gather around Word and Sacrament on this Fifth Sunday of Easter.
Remember we are Easter people, celebrating the resurrection hope of Jesus each and every day. When we forget, fail, or fall the gift of God is in new beginnings and fresh starts. This is what Jesus means as he teaches us today in John 15 “I am the Vine, you are the branches!” We bear fruit for the world as branches coming off the True Vine Jesus Christ.
In Galatians, Paul introduces the Fruits of the Spirit, these 9 habits and ways of living that bear fruit for God. They are: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control from Galatians 5:22! Let us bear fruit, friends, this day, this week, this month and always. Abiding in Christ we shall not fail.
Introduction
This Sunday’s image of how the risen Christ shares his life with us is the image of the vine. Christ the vine and we the branches are alive in each other, in the mystery of mutual abiding described in the gospel and the first letter of John. Baptism makes us a part of Christ’s living and life-giving self and makes us alive with Christ’s life. As the vine brings food to the branches, Christ feeds us at his table. We are sent out to bear fruit for the life of the world.
