30 Jul Christ-Centred Communities

CHRIST-CENTRED COMMUNITIES

Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. (John 15:4, Recommend reading the full text, 15:1-7)

The passage John 15:1-7 expounds about abiding in Christ with an analogy of the vine and its branches. The Bible speaks about the vine in many passages, such as “The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel” (Isa. 5:1-7), “Israel is a luxuriant vine,” said Hosea (Hos.10:1). “Yet, I planted you a choice vine” (Jer. 2:21). Thus golden vine became the symbol of Israel and Maccabees had it etched on their coins. So vine was an image of a theocratic community where Israelites are presumed to have a healthy relationship with reconciled God, but in the old testament, Israel is compared to the old vine, which doesn’t abide by God. A “degenerate vine” and a “Wild Vine” because Israel was self-righteous about being Jewish in every walk and in an apparition of living according to the law, their piety was very peripheral since they failed to be grafted with God, their father.

John 15:5 says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit because apart from me you can do nothing”. This verse shows the relationship between God and his children through the divine-human personality of Jesus. Here Jesus gives an open invitation to all his children to abide in him to bear good fruit to have a stronger connection with the author of life. Any branch that doesn’t abide goes sapless, dry, and inefficacious, which is to be thrown away and burned in the fire. This call is a stronger promise for mutual in-dwelling (I abide in you, and you abide in me). When fulfilled, it leads to a vital connection with a living source that bears good fruit. The living grace unifies with the believer’s life as a result of consistent faith. Severed from the true vine ends up in eternal condemnation.

A Christian must reflect Christ in his every walk of life, which can be attained through an inseparable connection with Christ daily. The word enriches the fellowship, and the prayer perfects the relationship with Christ. Jesus always had a good connection with Father God. We are mere humans, and since we are weaklings and often fall into the cobwebs of the world, we need a strong friend who reinforces, protects, and guides us from falling into the fiery pit. Our lives must be Christocentric to flourish. It begins with an individual living a life pleasing to God as a living sacrifice and a fragrant offering. This can be achieved only with a Christ-centred lifestyle. Achieving a Christ-centred society begins with a Christ-centred individual, a Christ-centred family, and a Christ-centred community that impacts a Christ-centred society. As Israel had the vine as their emblem, every Christian should have Christ as our emblem. Let us submit our lives to the divine vinedresser, the author of life abiding in whom gives the fruit of eternity severed from him we perish.

prayer

God, the true vine, author of life, help us to abide in you so that you abide in us. Severed from you, we perish. Help our communities be united with you so that Christ-centred communities will be a boon to society at large. In your name, we pray. Amen!

for further thought

Are we abiding in Christ in our every walk of life?

Kodali Moses Dayan

CSI Krishna Godavari Diocese