Sermons

Her name was Grace.  She was one of the first folks I met as I arrived with my friends in the small village in South India.  In the caste system of India, Grace is an “untouchable.”  She is poor, her skin is dark, she is literally “out-caste”—out of the caste system…beneath it.  Grace also had the unhappy circumstance of being unmarried; her family had no money for a dowry and, as a result, Grace was destined to be on her own, with little or no support from anyone else.  But we learned as we talked with her—in broken English—that she made a way for herself by doing sewing for folks in the village. She shared her home, a ten by ten foot cement dwelling, with six other family members.

Our Liberation Theology seminary group from Yale Divinity School came to this village to experience an Indian community that was predominantly Christian—a rarity in a country that is only 2-3% Christian (and this one was also a community of “untouchables” or “Dalits”).  We were planning to stay overnight in the church building that was on the small dirt square of the community.  But late in the day, after we had worshiped at an evening Bible Study, Grace approached me with an astonishing offer.  This woman, who barely had enough to feed and care for herself, invited me into her home.  She invited me to stay with her for the night.  And so I did.  She gave me tea and shared stories of her life.  And that night, I slept on the hard dirt floor of that ten by ten room with seven other people and chickens.  In the morning, Grace boiled water (a rare and precious commodity!) for me so that I could brush my teeth.  I don’t know that I’ve ever received such an invitation before or since or experienced such sacrificial hospitality and care.

Grace invited me into her home, into her life.  And as I left, she called me “sister.”

Today, Jesus invites us into his life.  Jesus says, “Abide in me.”

We learn today that Jesus is like a vine, green, full of life, reaching down into the depths of the earth and soaring upward toward the light of the sun.  Jesus is like a vine and we are like branches of the vine.  When connected to that strong, green, vital stem, we flourish and grow. We produce fruit.  But we know that the branches only bear fruit because they receive nourishment through the stem, through the vine.  If they are cut off from that source of life and strength, they grow dry and lifeless; they die; they produce no fruit.

This powerful image teaches us about what it means to abide in Jesus Christ.  “Abide” is not a word that we hear that often these days.  And because of that; some modern translations of scripture choose to use other words instead.  But this word “abide” is a great word, a rich word.  To “abide” means more than to “be with,” it also means to “stand with,” to be “faithful to,” to “stand firm,” and “never to leave.”  And in the image of the vine and the branches, we hear Jesus’ words to us as an invitation.  “Abide in me” and receive everything you need for life and for growth and for fruitfulness.  Stand with me, be faithful to me, never leave me, because, if you do, you will cut yourself off from the gracious gifts of God that are your source for strength and life.

While it is our choice whether to accept this invitation to stay connected and receive grace and life in Christ—we also learn today that Jesus invites us to do what he is already doing for us.  Jesus says, “Abide in me as I abide in you.”  (“We love because God first loved us.”)  Everything we do in relationship with Christ is a response to what Christ has already done or offered to us.  Jesus “abides” in you…Jesus stands with you, in solidarity with all that you struggle with, or suffer; Jesus is faithful to you even when you have lost faith in yourself, others, or God; Jesus will never leave you, even when you turn your back.  This is the grace of God.  It is nothing that we deserve because of who we are or what we have accomplished.  It is just given to us free, this love of God.  You didn’t make the first move—God did.  God chose you and has invited you in to share the bounty, the beauty, the fruitfulness of life in Christ.  In United Methodist circles, the way we talk about the grace of God that is present and active in our lives even before we know anything of God is “prevenient grace.”  This is the grace of God that is present and active in our lives before—or even if we never!—“confess that Jesus is the Son of God.” (1 Jn. 4:15)  It is the Holy Spirit calling and nudging and working in our hearts and minds and relationships to encourage us to receive the invitation to life in Christ and all that flows from that life.  I invite you to turn in your hymnal to page 341 where you will find poetic words that express what I am talking about.  Let’s read the lines together aloud:
I sought the Lord, and afterward I knew he moved my soul to seek him, seeking me.
It was not I that found, O Savior true; no, I was found of thee.

Thou didst reach forth thy hand and mine enfold; I walked and sank not on the storm-vexed sea.
‘Twas not so much that I on thee took hold, as thou, dear Lord, on me.

I find, I walk, I love, but oh, the whole of love is but my answer, Lord, to thee!
For thou wert long beforehand with my soul; always thou lovedst me.

Sometimes, in the course of human life, folks decide that they no longer believe in God.  They wish to renounce their faith, to renounce God.  Jesus doesn’t say that such a choice will not have a consequence—all our choices have consequences, and to deliberately cut ourselves off from the source of life and love will be harmful to us.  How could it not be?  We can renounce our Baptism, we can choose to not receive the sacrament of Holy Communion, or we can just take these things for granted and go through the motions as though they didn’t mean anything.  We can choose to do all in our power to ignore, deny, and renounce God and God’s gifts.  But the promise Jesus makes is that grace abides with us no matter what.  You may choose not to believe in God, but God believes in you and has chosen to love you.  And that won’t change.  Ever.

Nineteen years ago, as I left that village in South India, I was embraced by Grace.  Her love and hospitality and sacrificial giving will forever be for me symbols of the free gifts of God.  I didn’t do anything to deserve her attention, her trust, her love, her floor space.  She just offered it all, freely.  Grace invited me into her home, into her life.  And as I left, she embraced me as family; she called me “sister.”  Today, Jesus invites us into his life.  Jesus says, “Abide in me.”  And we are embraced by grace.  And we are called “children of God,” those who are sent into the world to embrace other members of God’s family and to share with them the amazing grace of Jesus Christ.