Vine and Branches

Revd Ian Griffiths was back this morning for his first morning service since his illness.  He is gradually getting back a step at a time.

There was a nice bit early in the service where Caroline became a new church member, and Ian said thank you to her for choosing this church out of all the churches in Abingdon

The hymn When we are living followed. It has a lovely tune...
When we are living 
we are in the Lord, 
and when we’re dying 
we are in the Lord. 

For in our living 
and in our dying 
we belong to God, 
we belong to God."

The sermon was very good, and followed a reading from John 15: 1 – 12 where Jesus said I am the Vine you are the branches.

Ian said he was not a great gardener himself but had been told how a branch can be grafted onto a plant by cutting a nick in the trunk, and cutting the branch, fitting them together and  binding them in the hope they take. He said that our relationship with Jesus was that close. And it is from being in Jesus that God can live through our lives.

He sang 'Lord please give me a Mercedes Benz' but he did not expect to get one. When Jesus said ask and it will be given, that passage had to be taken together with being part of the vine. When you are part of the vine you understand what God wants and God gives you what you ask.