Sunday Sermon 2nd May 2021
John 15: 1 Today is Easter 5 and the readings for the Easter season have always struck me as a little odd. Five weeks ago we read of the death and resurrection of Jesus, and now we return to the eve of Jesus death, and the occasion of the sharing of the last supper with his disciples. In scripture, there are over 200 names given to Jesus: “the bread of life, the good shepherd, the prince of peace etc.” And today we look at another one – the vine. Jesus said “I am the vine”, which is the last of seven “I am” declarations in John’s gospel, and he shared this with those friends who were closest to him. Whenever I read of Jesus’s conversations with people, I am always impressed by how well Jesus understands his audience. When he speaks with Nicodemus and the Pharisees, he speaks of deep theological matters. When he meets a rich young man, he tells him to rethink his priorities. And when he first meets Simon Peter, he speaks of fishing for men. And now, three y