"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."

            Prayer Week marks the beginning of a new emphasis in our church. Our Natural Church Development survey last summer indicated that it would be good for us to focus on the theme of "Passionate Spirituality." The Council and the Deacons have been busy this fall meeting with our "coach," Bruce Lawson, in order to develop a strategy to carry out our theme.

            I must confess that we have run into one problem. So far, no one likes the title. There are two reasons for this, I suspect. The first is that "Passionate Spirituality" is not our language. It is not biblical language, nor is it a phrase that we would ordinarily use in church. It sounds funny to our ears.

            The second reason is that "Passionate Spirituality" feels judgmental. It seems like we are being told, "You don't measure up." That either means that you are lukewarm (not passionate enough), or it means you are not very spiritual. Neither feels good to us.

            So I have been searching for a new title, one that is readily understandable and biblical, and also one that is inviting rather than critical. Last September, at our Council retreat, Brian led us to John 15, and the central theme of "remaining in Christ." The more I think about it, the more it seems to me that "Remaining in Christ" is the title we want to use for this emphasis in our church. I am going to recommend that change to the Deacons when they meet next to complete the strategy planning part of this process.

            Here is the definition that we have put together in thinking about this area of prayer and devotional reading of scripture.

            "Remaining in Christ is our spiritual intimacy with Christ, which is grounded in scripture study and prayer. When we remain in Christ, we both recognize that God has acted in the past, and we develop an unwavering belief that God will continue to act in powerful ways in the future. This godly vision can only be accomplished through a living faith in Christ by which we become attuned to the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Effective ministry flows out of remaining in Christ."

            We begin, then, in John 15. Jesus gives a very simple, and yet profound image to his disciples, that of the vine and the branches. In these eight verses he uses the word "remain" 8 times. Disciples are to remain in Christ, in the same way a branch remains in a vine in order to bear fruit. The word "remain" can also be translated as "abide," "dwell," "continue," or "rest." One definition that I especially like is "to be in a close and settled union."

            Jesus says that he is the vine, the Father is the gardener, and disciples are the branches. The gardener's job is cutting and pruning. This keeps the vine fruitful. The cutting seems to refer to eliminating the false teachers who try to take over the church for their own gain. They do not have the love of Christ in them. The pruning that the gardener does is a different procedure. It is not punitive, but rather stimulates growth and leads to good fruit.

            Pruning is not God punishing us by taking away that which we love in order to teach us a lesson of some kind. Pruning in the spiritual life is God's work to direct your energy and interest into fruitful service. I have been talking to a number of people these days who are finding something to do in life that fits them well, that uses their gifts, their experience and their love for God. God is focusing their lives on one area of service and they are finding great joy and satisfaction in it. One woman we talked to last week retired from working in the schools a few years ago, but now has taken a position in her church's thrift store. She loves the opportunities she has to help people who have needs, and as she finds a few items for them, they tell her their story, and she often is able to pray for them. I am hearing more of this type of experience both here and in other places. Pruning is God's work in your life as he leads you to a more single-minded focus, using your spiritual gifts and experience, to His glory.

            But pruning is not enough. Jesus says that the pruned branch is to remain in the vine, even as the vine remains in the branch. The relationship of the vine and the branch begins with the assurance that it is the vine that remains in the branch, the vine holds on to the branch. The basis of our prayer life is that Christ remains in us, Christ is faithful to us. He will never leave us or forsake us. Life in Christ is life in which we are confident because the Holy Spirit is in us as comforter, as counselor, as advocate. We do not search for God "out there" or wonder how we stand with God. Rather, we know Christ who is with us and for us.

            Remaining in Christ begins in the assurance that the One who is in us is faithful to care for us, to counsel us, to lead us to life. So prayer begins in communion. We receive the bread and cup and in receiving we remember his death, his resurrection, his presence in us and in our midst. In that confidence, we are bold to pray.

            One part of St. Patrick's Prayer, or "Breastplate," goes like this:

            That is how we pray because Jesus says that the vine remains in the branch. It is only then that we can hear the instruction to "remain in me." The branch need to be in the vine. So we renounce a self-reliant life and a self-reliant ministry. I find it very interesting that Jesus says, "No branch can bear fruit by itself." That must have been a temptation for the disciples. We also seem to have a strong desire to do the ministry of Christ by ourselves. When we try to serve Christ in our own strength and through our own plans and thinking, we end up chasing good ideas rather than bearing fruit. The branch must be connected to the vine.

            In our personal lives we have so many pressing responsibilities day to day, and we are not sure how to pray and when to pray or even what to expect from our praying. So our praying becomes like that quick cup of coffee we have as we race out the door into the work of the day. We try to squeeze in a short word of prayer to begin our busy days. How different from Martin Luther, who would say he had so much to do on a given day that he would have to pray an extra hour in the morning.

            So we, like the old Gospel song, find ourselves "standing in the need of prayer." Can we learn to pray? Can we, even in our busy lives, experience what it means to be formed by Christ, so that we not only know what we are accomplishing in life, but also who we are becoming? The branch must remain in the vine.

Remaining in Christ is a life of discovery, of learning from the Master, of walking with the Lord of life, of becoming fruitful in that which is eternal. In this word about remaining we discover a great deal of grace. This is a welcoming word. Jesus is glad to have us near him.

            Amen.