Daily Readings - Sun Apr 29 2018

²⁶When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple.²⁷But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.²⁸So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.²⁹He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him.³⁰When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.³¹Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.

1 John

Chapter 3

¹⁸Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.¹⁹This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence²⁰whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.²¹Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God²²and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him.²³And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.²⁴Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.

John

Chapter 15

¹"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.²He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.³You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.⁴Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.⁵"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.⁶If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.⁷If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.⁸This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter powerful messages about unity, love, and our connection to God. The first reading from Acts recounts Paul's journey as he joins the early Christian community in Jerusalem, with Barnabas's support, and his courageous preaching to the Gentiles. This passage highlights the unity and growth of the early church, despite the challenges they faced. The second reading from 1 John emphasizes the importance of expressing love through actions rather than just words, and the necessity of obeying God's commandments. The Gospel from John presents Jesus as the vine, teaching us that our ability to bear fruit depends on our connection to Him. These readings are interconnected through the theme of relationship and unity. Just as the early church found strength in their unity and faith, we too are called to live in harmony with one another. The second reading underscores that genuine love is demonstrated through our actions and obedience to God's will. The Gospel reinforces this by illustrating that our spiritual vitality and effectiveness in serving others stem from our abiding relationship with Jesus. In our daily lives, these teachings remind us to stay connected to God through prayer and community. By loving others through our actions and remaining faithful to God's commandments, we bear fruit that glorifies Him. Let us strive to maintain a deep connection with Jesus, allowing His love to flow through us, so that we may serve others and bring joy to God's heart.