Life is Like a Rose Bush

John 15:1-17

(The second of two devotionals on this passage.)

 

 

We have a rose bush in our front yard. It was there when we bought our home. Although I’ve never been much of a gardener I have kind of adopted this rose bush. Every year it has produced tons of flowers. One harvest will come and go, followed by another.

 

But then last year I noticed that beetles were attacking it. They would swarm over a flower and eat it; eventually killing it. I bought some spray and would drench the bush but it didn’t seem to deter the beetles. Now if I see them swarm on a bloom, I prune the flower. Sometimes I flick them off with my finger sending them into orbit.

 

It’s become personal for me. Those nasty beetles attacking my poor defenseless rose
bush. I get angry at them and frustrated that they keep coming back. But we keep fighting them; the bush and I that is. Somehow the rose bush keeps budding and producing beautiful flowers. That’s what it was created to do of course.

 

In today’s passage Jesus said, ⁵ “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you

can do nothing… ⁸ This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”

 

Like the rose bush, bearing fruit is what we as believers are created to do. You might do this by serving as an usher, singing in the choir, teaching Sunday school, helping with VBS or serving on a committee. Or maybe you help with a homeless ministry or food pantry or go on a short term mission’s trip.

 

It could also mean that you show God’s love by word or deed with the cashier at Meijer or Walmart or Wendy’s. It might mean treating your mechanic or restaurant server or person that cuts you off in traffic the way Jesus would. Why do we do this?

 

From the same passage Jesus said, ^12 “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

 

As a disciple of Christ we are called to bear fruit with the same love that Christ showed us. He has given us gifts for us to bear fruit. And he has brought people into our lives for us to bear fruit with. People like our friends, co-workers, family members, people at church and others.

 

Like my rose bush, we have been created for this. We may need some pruning by the Gardener, or there may be spiritual attacks (probably not beetles though). But in the end, Jesus called his disciples to bear fruit in love. What will you do to bear fruit?

 

 

What’s This Song About Daddy?

John 15:1-17

(The first of two devotionals on this passage.)

 

When my daughter was about eight years old we had a conversation one day while driving in the car. The radio was on and she asked what the song was about. I told her, ‘It was about love’. The next song came on and she asked the same question. I gave her the same answer. Love is always a popular topic for songs. But what does it mean?

 

People say that they love the Buckeyes. Because of that, they spend hundreds, if not
thousands, of dollars on season tickets, tail gating, bowl games, clothing and memorabilia. Not to mention, hours watching the game and then hours talking about the game afterwards. Is that love?

 

Jesus gave us a standard, or measuring stick if you will, for love in today’s passage.

 

“I demand that you love each other as much as I love you. And here is how to measure it—the greatest love is shown when a person lays down his life for his friends; and you are my friends if you obey me.”           John 15:12-14 Living Bible

 

Jesus commanded us to love our neighbor. In his parable of the Good Samaritan, he taught us that our neighbor could be someone we really don’t necessarily like. For instance, let’s say that you are a diehard Buckeye fan and you meet a Michigan fan. Is it harder to love that person than a fellow Buckeye?

 

What about someone who breaks into your house? Could you love them? Or someone who harms a family member? What about that person? How do YOU define your neighbor? The Pharisees had certain rules that wouldn’t allow them to help a Samaritan. Do you?

 

Jesus spoke the above words before the crucifixion so that the disciples didn’t have that perspective to understand what he was saying. But, with the fifty-fifty hindsight that we have, his words have more significance don’t they?

 

As an eight year old, my daughter asked me a very profound question that day. The answer was just as profound. Jesus calls us, actually commands us, to love others like he loved us. I don’t know about you, but the measuring stick for love just got raised significantly higher.

 

 

Overspray and The Son of Man

John 3:1-18

 

At work, I park my car, a 2011 red Mitsubishi Eclipse, at one end of the parking lot, right next to the fence that surrounds the dumpster. Three foot tall poles were recently installed at each corner of the fence, and today - a very windy day, they were spray painted yellow.

 

This was not a light pastel yellow like you would paint a bedroom wall; but a bright yellow like you would use to paint lines in a parking lot. My car was parked less than three feet from the pole. I couldn’t see the wind blowing, but I sure could see where it went by the bright yellow overspray all over the side of my car.

 

Nicodemus was a religious leader who seemed to be sincerely searching for God even though he met Jesus at night so that nobody would see him. Jesus tried to explain things to him. First he told him how to see the kingdom of God. Then he told him how to enter the kingdom of God. Nicodemus didn’t get it.

 

If you listen closely, you might hear Jesus’ voice raise an octave as he seemed to get more and more frustrated with Nicodemus. He even made fun of him when he said, “You are Israel’s teacher and do you not understand these things?” Keep in mind, Jesus was a poor, uneducated carpenter mocking a highly respected, religious leader.

 

Finally, Jesus got very direct. He pointed to himself – the Son of Man. “No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.”  It’s as if He said to Nicodemus, “Alright, if you don’t understand this, how about this? Look at me. I’m standing right here in front of you. Do you get it now?”

 

In many ways, we’re no different than Nicodemus. We’re on a journey trying to find our way. Sometimes we stumble. Sometimes we don’t know where we’re going. Sometimes life feels out of control. We try to make sense of it, but we just don’t get it. Often times, it isn’t until after the fact, when we are looking back with twenty/twenty hind sight, that we can see how Jesus was at work in our lives.

 

We may not know where the wind comes from, or where it is going; but we can see the overspray. If we pick ourselves back up and keep following Him; if we return to Him when we miss the mark; if we reach for Him to hold us in His arms - there is hope. Jesus was the incarnation of the Living God. Let us continually seek the Son of Man.