Image of God and bearing fruit

Debbie:

Today’s lectionary passages have a theme of God’s image running through them.

Psalm 99:1-9

I didn’t get much past the first few words of the psalm today. This psalm begins with the words, “The Lord is king”. Sometimes I think it is difficult to comprehend what exactly that means. We don’t live in a monarchy, so we don’t really understand what all that would entail. But more than that, do we let anyone or anything really have total power, control, or say over our lives, all of our lives? I hear people say, “you can’t tell me to do that, you’re not my boss”, or “if they think they are going to get that from me, they have another thing coming.” But we sing hymns and recite prayers, and affirm our faith and say, “The Lord is king” so how can we live this more fully in our daily lives?

Micah 7:7-15

In Micah we get another image of God, that of Shepherd. We are familiar with the shepherd image, “The Lord is my shepherd . . .” leading us through green pastures and beside still waters. And this passage has similar overtones the flock that lives in a forest in the midst of a garden . . . The interesting connection between the biblical king and shepherd is that both a king and a shepherd would be willing to risk their own life for that of those in their care. Especially when we are talking about the good shepherd. So, in the Psalm and in the prophet we are given a glimpse into the character of God: A king, holy and forgiving; a shepherd who will bring salvation.

Acts 3:1-10

In this passage it may appear that there isn’t a clear image of God given. However, I think it is there in the story of healing. It is not Peter who heals the man who is lame, but rather God through Peter who heals the man who is lame. The man, who remains nameless, is given an identity as one who is healed. He becomes the one who can walk and who praises God. God is the Healer. Peter didn’t have anything to give the man except his faith that God could do something for him. Sometimes it is as simple as that. God’s power comes to us through our trust and faith that God can make those who struggle for steps, walk; those who cannot or will not see, open their eyes; those who are dead alive again, for, “There is a Balm in Gilead, to make the wounded whole.” The Lord is king, the Lord is my Shepherd, and God is the one who heals and makes things possible.

John 15:1-11

So what about John? He talks about the Vine and the Vine-grower, but here, I want to focus on the work that the disciples of Jesus are called to do. It is simply put: bear much fruit; keep the commandments that Jesus gave (mostly to love one another); and these words were said so that we might have joy and our joy may be complete. Perhaps the verse that grabs me the most in this passage is “Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.” How often do we attempt to go at life on our own? How often do we attempt to run the church on our own? How often do we attempt to do service on our own? Abide in me, Jesus tells us, so “that your joy may be complete.” We are God’s people, the sheep of God’s pasture, the ones whom God has redeemed and is redeeming and as such we are called to live thankful lives bearing much fruit, loving one another, sharing the good news, reaching out to those who struggle, and praising our God. This is great news.