Articles - Miscellaneous

Snippets from Tuesday house group

Jesus said: I am the vine and you are the branches. If you live in me and I in you - you will bear much fruit. John 15:5a

Recently the Tuesday house group deliberated on what these words mean. Is it true that we can't live productive lives without Jesus? Are we guilty of attempting this? The culture in which we live promotes an insidious alternative to Christianity modelled on a vague moral code aligned to political correctness. Are we influenced by this? Do we try to stick our individual branches on to God in an attempt to design our own religion for a more comfortable fit?

Spiritual health check 1: Are you living in Jesus and is he living in you?

Jesus tells us we're dead wood if we don't live in him. On the other hand if we do we can expect a bumpy ride. Some of what we consider to be our best bits - which may not be what God considers to be our best bits - will be cut down to size.

Spiritual health check 2: Is your life comfortable? If the answer is yes -in which areas might God be asking you to become less comfortable?

What sort of pruning do we need? Someone reflected that he used to consider driving a gismo-laden flash car as a high priority - but this no longer seemed important. Could the fast car phase have arisen from pride? Another offered the insight that this could be a good example of what Jesus meant by cutting back the non productive bits. Is our part in this to allow diagnosis and surgery?

Spiritual health check 3: Consider one aspect of your spiritual life in which you might be resisting diagnosis and surgery

Living in Jesus is about living in his love which starts with being on the receiving end. He who saves us from all our messes is totally united with the father in offering us the amazing gifts of love and forgiveness. Could this be the speed bump that we tend to trip over? Swallowing pride and coming before God empty handed?

The power to live fruitful lives then comes as a gift in response to our obedience to the command to love Jesus - and each other - in the same way that God commands Jesus to love him. Reality check: If you think you can love God and others solo (without living in Jesus) read 1 Corinthians 13!

What's the spin off for living in Christ?

Persecution - globally many Christians are suffering dreadful persecution for their faith.

Spiritual health check 4: Do we suffer persecution for our faith in the UK? If not why not? Is it because we are not attempting to be fruitful evangelists? Are we adept at avoiding all sorts of subtle persecutions?

Demonstrating - the kind of "fruit bearing" lives that mark us out as his disciples.
Spiritual health check 5: Is it obvious to your friends, family and work colleagues that you are a "fruit bearing" follower of Jesus?

NB: Galatians 5:22 identifies the characteristics of a "fruit bearing" life as love; joy; peace; patience; kindness; goodness; faithfulness; humility; self control.

Jesus said: apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5b

Eileen Padmore

26 February, 2006