The fruit you bear

John 15:1-8New International Version (NIV)

The Vine and the Branches

15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

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. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Today’s sermon is going to be a little different than most.  There aren’t going to be any Griffin stories.  There aren’t going to be any football, basketball or farming references.  Based on the current events of this country we need to have a serious conversation this morning.  A conversation that will most likely be uncomfortable for us.  One that will make us think, even question, but one that is necessary.  It is necessary because if we aren’t willing to tackle the tough questions and events of this life here, in the comfort of these walls, then we will never be able to tackle the same obstacles once we leave here.  The Church is called to be a light in the world.  We are called to bring wholeness in a fragmented world.  We are called to bring Christ’s teachings to the world.  Most importantly, we are called to show others that there is a God who loves them, a God who is with them no matter what.  With these things considered, life, and faith, are not so simple.

I had a lot of time to think this week and there was one phrase that kept coming to me as I watched and read about the events currently going on in Baltimore: there are two types of people in this world, far left liberals and fundamental conservatives on the one hand and everyone else on the other.  Headlines are sensationalized and our attention is focused where the drama is highest just so cable news gets viewers and their websites get traffic.  The rest of us are caught in the middle.  Sucked in by the drama because we cannot draw our attention away.  Then we get caught in the comment section on social media for the younger generations and at coffee time for the older generations.  No matter our age or beliefs, issues like the one in Baltimore create divisions because we are made to feel like we have to have a “perfect argument” for what we believe.  We don’t really know how we have come to the conclusion we have.  We just did.  That conclusion causes us to argue and ultimately it causes division unless we start to approach things differently.  

There is phrase that I have seen a lot this week on social media.  “White privilege” has been in a headline, comment or post more times in the past week than I have seen it my entire life.  At first, this phrase made me angry but the more I thought about it, I am privileged.  I am privileged to be born into a family that loved me.   I am privileged to have parents that are still married.  I am privileged to be born in Iowa.  I am privileged to be able to provide for my family.  I am privileged.  But a lot of people, including my parents, grandparents, many other generations, my wife and myself have worked our tails off to help me get where I am today.  I have no more control of being born in Des Moines, Iowa to parents that love me than does the African-American boy does who was born in South-Central L.A. to a mother on drugs and a dad in prison.  Neither one of us had a say in where or to whom we would be born.  My chances of what we would label as being successful are higher than the boy in L.A.  I am ignorant if I think otherwise.  I am close minded and just plain wrong to think that I have to face the same issues that boy has to face.  I am privileged.  But I am not going to let someone make me feel guilty because of it.  I refuse to feel guilty for the situation I am in.  I refuse to raise my children in a way that they feel guilty for having parents that love them, that they grew up in a middle-class home, and that they have food on the table and clothes on their backs.  

However, my refusal of this guilt is not so I can sleep at night.  It is not to keep a clear conscience.  I do it so I can bear fruit.  My chances of hearing how much God loves me are much greater than that boy born in L.A.  My parents drug me to church even though I wouldn’t sit still.  Again, I am privileged.  But because of these things, I have a great responsibility.  If I am to remain in Christ, and He in me, then I must bear fruit.  “No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.”  No person can bear fruit by themselves, we must remain in Christ.  The branch and the vine have a relationship.  The vine without the branches bears no fruit and the branch without the vine withers.  The relationship between the two is the most important thing because without it, neither can accomplish anything.  

Today’s faith lesson is found in that relationship. My privileges that I have laid out before you are not because God loves me more than others.  I am privileged that I have three healthy, wonderful kids and my wife had three near perfect pregnancies.  I do not know what it feels like to lose a child.  I do not know what it is like to grow up as an African American boy.  I cannot speak to the difficulties of either situation but am I spreading Christ’s message of love and grace if I ignore those affected by loss, poverty, or race? No.  As Christians we are called to be in relationship with God and with one another.  I am not loved more by God because of my situation but it is my duty to show God’s love and grace to others.  It is my duty, not based on guilt, but based on the love that Christ first showed us.          

On the other hand, to be so consumed by the feeling that others cannot accomplish anything without our help is prideful.  Our version of success is different than how others see it.  This is not an excuse for complacency but we need to be careful to not let our version of success be the only one we see.  Again, here is why the relationship is so important.  How can I understand what someone else views success? Ask.  Understand.  

In closing, I absolutely do not excuse the violent protests and looting, nor should anyone.  But I should do my best to understand the underlying issues of why that is taking place.  Form your own opinions from many different sources and seek relationships that provide the answers you are looking for.  I read an article by an African American pastor and activist this week and what I got was completely different than what I expected.  I was expecting rage, bitterness and blame because this what I so often see.  What I got was a point of view that helped me to better understand.  He says, “We are all image bearers.  We’re all made on purpose.  Race was God’s idea.  He made us different on purpose, and our differences are part of the story of redemption.”  We are all image bearers and my question to you is what kind of fruit is your image bearing?  Seek truth in the sense of understanding and love, not truth as being correct. The author went on to say, “.., If you are an Anglo-American, you are a part of a system of privilege.  You didn’t ask to be a part of it, but you have inherited privilege.  You have access to things the rest of us do not.  It’s not something you need to sit on or apologize about or explain away.  None of those work.  You have it, so use it as a tool.”  The same could be said for your relationship with God: you have it, so use it as a tool.  There are going to be polarizing figures and headlines that will try to divide.  They will try cut the branch from the vine.  Instead, I encourage you to focus on the relationship.  Focus on empathy and empowering the embattled.  You have the tools and God has called you to use them.  Make the choice for understanding and love to be the fruits you bear.  Amen.