Vine pruning.

Led down a garden path-to a vineyard
This so captured my imagination, that my sermon wrote itself today. I was thrown for a loop when I realized that this was the Episcopal reading not the RCL. My thoughts included both material, so I decided that I would extend my Gospel reading to the beginning of chapter 15.

I was pruning my roses today, which is why the vine so captures my imagination. They aren't very fruitful. Father John came over to take a look at them. He is involved with the gardening extendtion program. He said that they need more sun and that the big one (which was taller than me) should be cut back to about two and a half feet so that it can become bushier. I could only do a little at a time, but today I made some drastic cuts. When I was done I sat looking at the plant feeling sad.

Here is how I see the sermon running.
I. The Spirit is Promised

A. Comforter

B. Pentecost foreshadowed (How can a good Pentecostal preacher ignore this?)

II. Love is the fruit of the Spirit

A. Love one another is commanded

B. If we love Jesus we do what he commands (See A)

III. We are vines

A. Union with Christ and the Father

B. We are to be fruitful

I may also do something with the structure to include the movement John nuances with "Let us go." Do I smell a narrative? Hmm.

Love and Witness(Easter A6)

Paul is so intense in this picture from Preaching Helps. He looks angry. Paul has a reputation as a pretty intense evangelist who will step on toes and feelings. I don't like to think of him that way. I wouldn't like him. I don't get along well with evangelist type colleagues, I am more concerned with the mystical, spiritual formation, and nurturing side of ministry. Not so much the in your face scowl on the surprisingly well-dressed Paul above.

I read Paul as a mystic and a lover of people with a purity of doctrine and a defender of the sheep. Here he takes a route the purist zealot would not. He acknowledges truth behind their religious desire. He introduces the unknown God they have been worshiping.

All this comes back to Jesus' greatest commandment, "Love one another."

Like Peter says, Paul gives a defense for the hope he haves with reverence and love.

The . Psalm talks about being tried and tested. Peter says "Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? ... It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil."

If we must suffer at the hands of men, let it be because we love