Fruit from God, Fruit for God

John 15:5‭-‬8

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.  If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.  If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.  By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

Genesis 1:28

And God blessed them. And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth."

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What makes a fruit different than a vegetable? Fruit is what a plant produces. A vegetable is itself a plant or a root. Fruit is vibrant, sweet, living. Vegetables are starchy, dense, filling. It is no mistake that we call a lazy person a "couch potato" or someone who "vegetates," while we associate being "fruitful" with every manner of productivity. One is associated with life. The other associated with death. (You're welcome to all those veggie-haters out there!)

In John 15, Jesus uses yet another earthy metaphor to once again define who he is and who we are called to be, and this time it revolves around fruit.

Jesus tells us that he himself is like a vine, and that we are the branches. In John's typical style, the logic of the passage is not linear, but spirals back and forth, revolving around a central idea. The references to Jesus and to us his followers are intertwined, much like the Vine and branches he describes. With each spiral we get more clarity on what is meant, until finally the meaning is laid bare towards the end.

I am the Vine, you are the branches.

Abide in me, and I in you.

Apart from me you can do nothing.

Abide in my words, and I will abide in you.

My command is love, and you will prove you are mine by this love.

The greatest love is to die for a friend.

You are no longer servants.

I have called you friends.

It takes some mental energy to tie all these thoughts together, but it is very important that we do. Each thought hangs on the one that precedes. Pull one out, and the reality fades away. For example, we might agree that love is important. But if we do not begin with Jesus and our abiding connection to him and his word, we will quickly miss the uniqueness of the love that is required here. Not just any love will do. It must be a love that gives, a love that is like fruit emanating from the connecting vine. The personal connection to the living God must exist, for this is a kind of love that cannot be mustered or even imagined apart from his direct involvement.

I've included the passage from Genesis 1, because it occurs to me that this is not a new idea that Jesus is offering. He is simply restating God's good design which was there in the beginning. Humans are made in God's image, uniquely crafted to reflect God's nature. And that nature is to overflow in giving and creating.

The idea of being fruitful and multiplying should conjure images of rainforests, oceans teeming with life, and yes, bustling cities and thriving rural communities. The earth is brimming over with life and energy and ideas and plans being executed day after day.

And you and I are being called to participate in this global multiplication of new life. We are called to be more than consumers. Rather than spend our days taking from others, we should be drawing inspiration directly from a relationship with God and then spilling out his love into the world that so desperately needs to see Him.

Lord, convince me once again that I am made to bear fruit for you and so glorify you the ultimate Creator. Let me drink daily from your life-giving word, remembering the love you gave by dying for your friends. Let the fruit come directly from you and let it be all for you as well.

Condemned No More

John 3:17-18

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

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Condemned.

It's a word that is used a couple different ways in our world today.

For one, we call a building condemned when it falls into disrepair. Where once stood a grand Victorian manor home, now stands a hollow skeleton devoid of life. Time and elements conspire to wear away at the walls and ceiling, leaving their indelible marks. A chandelier covered in cobwebs, moldy wallpaper hanging down in strips, mantles covered in dust. Yellow light streams in through faded stain-glass. Underneath the cosmetic symptoms there are rafters and foundations beginning to crumble. Once condemned, a building becomes dangerous for anyone to enter. Squatters and graffiti artists take over at their own risk. Eventually, even these new purposes become impossible, and there arrives a day of collapse or demolition.

Likewise are the effects of our sin, at least in the passive sense. Each of us is born into a world that is decaying, a shadow of its former glory. Our bodies and souls quickly fall victim to the effects of man's curse - illness, tragedy, broken plans, and broken promises. As the elements wear against our souls, our own former glory becomes weak and tarnished. Without someone coming to renovate, we continue to degrade. In this condemned state of ruin is a glimmer and a memory of glory - the image of our Maker remains. But without intervention, we stand condemned and on the verge of collapse.

Another common use of the word condemned is for criminals. A criminal is any violator of the law of the land. Theft, drug deals, violent offenses, blue collar crime, white collar crime, tax evasion, treason - these acts tear at the fabric of social order and threaten the good of self and neighbor. A criminal stands condemned when arrested, tried, and sentenced, ideally in equal measure to the crime they have committed. He also stands condemned before his Maker.

This is the position of every man before God who has violated even one of his commands. This is sin in the active sense. We are not merely victims of a fallen world. We are also perpetrators in a grand treason against our benevolent creator and redeemer.

In John 3, we hear an extended description of how to enter the kingdom of God, and it is not what we would expect. Nicodemus is shocked to realize that neither his ethnicity nor his religious credentials offer any hope when God himself is standing in the room with you demanding that you be born again as a new person.

Then, John offers an oft-quoted promise of salvation for all who believe, followed by verses 17 and 18. Here we are told that Jesus did not come to condemn the world, but to save those who believe. It is tempting to see this as evidence that Jesus was excusing sin and sweeping it under the proverbial rug. But verse 18 states that outside of Christ we are condemned already. In other words, Jesus did not come to condemn us because he didn't have to - that job was already done. He could condemn us no further because humanity's hands were already stained with the blood of hatred and injustice and self-destruction.

Gladly, while he had every right to leave us in the darkness we chose for ourselves, instead he entered that darkness and took the curse and condemnation on himself. John the Baptist cried out, "Behold! The lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" The penalty and power of sin is forever removed for all who trust in this sacrificial lamb, who takes it all upon himself. Our condemnation is removed in every sense - we are criminals no more and new life is given to a home fully restored.

I pray that we can walk in the freedom and joy that comes from being condemned no more. Our renewed life and hope of heaven is as sure as the finished work of the cross and empty tomb. There is now a banner draped over our heads that reads "No condemnation!" as Paul so beautifully declared:

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:1-2)

The Definite Article

John 1:1-3, 14

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made....And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

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If Luke's gospel is primarily concerned with how to know the truth (epistemology), then it is equally fair to say that John's account of the life of Christ is all about the question of what or who is ultimate in the universe - what is above and behind the physical reality we see around us (metaphysics). I can say this with confidence because of the two purposes statements that bookend his account.

In the beginning...

The opening statement of John should give you pause and draw immediate associations with Genesis 1. This is not unintentional. John is bringing up ultimate questions about the nature of existence, of reality, of who or what is the first cause of all that we experience in the world. And the answer is something he refers to as the "Logos" or "Word."

What is the Logos? Aside from how the word was used by other Greek philosophers of the time, there are several clues in this text as to what John means.

1. The Logos is eternal.
2. The Logos is with God.
3. The Logos is God.
4. The Logos became man.
5. The Logos is the Son of God.
6. The Logos is God.

One thing I can agree with Jehovah's Witnesses about is that the rest of the Bible hinges on how you translate John 1:1. Is there a definite article in the passage, making it clear that Jesus was not merely a god, but was in fact THE God of the universe? Unfortunately, JW's ignore the manuscript evidence and deny that Jesus was uniquely God. The reality is that John used the definite article to clearly identify Jesus as the eternal, pre-existent, sovereign God and Maker of the universe.

Why does this grammatical debate matter? Because words matter. You cannot have meaning without them. And everything about John 1 is pointing to Jesus' unique deity, which makes the incarnation all the more unexpected and amazing. This eternal Logos became flesh and made his dwelling among us. But we don't have to rely on this passage alone. John's other bookend seals the deal.

...Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God...

Near the end of his account, John gives a direct answer as to the purpose of his book, and it is clearly meant to answer the question of ultimate reality. Who is God? What is His nature? Who is man? What is man's nature?

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (20:30-31)

If a book of the Bible gives you a clear thesis statement, or two bookend statements like this, it is your joy and responsibility to see every passage of the book through that lens. In other words, every chapter of John exists to answer these metaphysical questions about God and man. Every verse will point us to who Jesus truly is (the divine savior of man) and who we are in relation to him (made personally and uniquely in His image).

It is my hope to respond to each chapter of John's gospel account in this way. I pray that I see His power and person more clearly, and that by doing so I may believe with more certainty and "have life in his name."

Forgiven for His Glory

Psalm 25:7, 11

Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
according to your steadfast love remember me,
for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!...

For your name's sake, O Lord,
pardon my guilt, for it is great.

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There are many verses in this passage that could be dwelt upon and savored. The psalmist is speaking of his loneliness and affliction in the face of very real and fearful enemies. The psalm presents a heartfelt prayer that balances the depth of human need with passionate cries to the only One who is both strong and merciful enough to save him.

I picked out the verses above because at first they seemed counterintuitive. Pray for forgiveness for the sake of God's name and goodness? That's backwards, right? I tend to pray for forgiveness because of ME - my guilty feelings, my need to avoid God's judgment, my desire for cleansing and peace of mind. What does this mean to plead for forgiveness for the sake of God's reputation?

A friend explained this idea to me once, and I can't think of a better metaphor at the moment. Imagine you have fallen into a deep dark pit. You are helpless, alone, and afraid. The darkness wears on after hours of calling for help. You despair and wonder if anyone will ever find you in time. Then, suddenly, you see a rope thrown down and the voice of someone above saying they are here to save you. You wonder how he can manage to pull you up from so great a distance. Your wonder turns into gratitude as you grab hold and find yourself being pulled to safety in a feat of effortless strength. There are others present as well, a crowd who is equally amazed to see their friend who was feared dead suddenly emerge into the light of day, all thanks to the strong and steady arms of this rescuer.

So, who gets the glory in this illustration? The fallen victim? The watching crowd? Or the one whose arms look strongest when all other hope is lost?

This is a little bit like how we should pray when we feel the sting of sin and guilt within us - "God, help me for the sake of your name! Please show mercy to me and show the world how good and merciful you are by covering my sin, removing my sin, and making me new again!"

The psalmist says this another way:

Good and upright is the Lord;
therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
(Psalm 25:8 ESV)

There is something fundamental to God's goodness that involves forgiving sinners and teaching them to walk in his ways - restoring the image and likeness of God in them. In restoring that image, we find that forgiveness is really all about God's glory and reputation being more clearly and wondrously displayed in the simple miracle of repentance and faith. When weak and weary sinners turn to their good and powerful Savior, he gets all the glory - and there can be no greater joy for the Christian than seeing this good Savior magnified and shown for who he is. May our hearts be compelled by this kind of prayer, even in our moments of greatest need.