Being True to Our Calling

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"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 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. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you." John 15:1-3 New International Version

Jesus speaks these words in the upper room with his disciples as he awaits his pending betrayal, trial and crucifixion. He has been on the way to the cross from the time of his baptism until now.

This Passover celebration confused the disciples. Jesus tells them that one of his chosen would betray him. He gives the bread and wine of the feast and declares these to be his body and blood.  He wraps a servant's towel around his waist and washes his disciples' feet.

If they understood what Jesus was saying they might have been nervous.  Was Jesus going to cut them off? Would they not be allowed to sit in his glory when he conquered the Romans. That is why he came, right?

Among all this confusion, Jesus declares his disciples to be clean.

By declaring them clean, that is forgiven, Jesus also declares that they will not be cut off, but they will be pruned. Their calling was to bear fruit. Their calling was to change the world around them by the proclamation of God's love for them. This pruning would produce more fruit in their lives.

And such is our calling too. God has declared us clean through the Word made flesh as he died on his cross. And since we are clean, the Holy Spirit continually prunes us that we might be even more fruitful.

There are a lot of coconuts in this tree in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. One day the coconuts will fall and those living close to it will benefit from its fruit.

Others will benefit from the fruit we produce on our life's journey and hopefully come to faith in the one who declares them clean.

We are true to God when we're true to our calling.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2015 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR.