Abiding Within

In a fascinating sermon this week, Rev. Pattiann Bennett provided a lesson on grafting fruit trees, and how one goes about doing so.  It tied in with the Gospel reading this week from John 15:1-17 where Christ says, "“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. 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."

The concept of abiding in Christ, of loving one another to the extent that the fruit borne from that love is good fruit, enriching humanity and the lives of those it touches, is both simple and requiring a commitment that is steadfast - and that cannot be accomplished alone.  We must reflect the love of God that nurtures the grafting to consistently produce good fruit as an outward sign of our own commitment to "remain" in Christ.  

So knowing that you have been grafted to the vine of Christ, what sort of fruit will you be producing this week?