READY:
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.” — John 15:1
“I am the vine; you are the branches . . ..” — John 15:5a
SET:
Everyone on a team has a role. Some are official roles like point guard or first base or mid-fielder. Some are unofficial roles like encourager or hype-man. Knowing your role on the team helps temper expectations and things flow smoothly. When roles are unclear or someone steps into a role they are not ready for things don’t go well.
Your role is clear: coach. You have the game plan, the practice itinerary, the whistle and the coaching voice. You are in charge. If you let a player usurp your role, how do things go? Usually not well. There is a reason you are the coach – your years of experience, leadership and heart for the game all make you more qualified than a young athlete.
In John 15, Jesus lays out everyone’s role very clearly.
- Jesus is the true vine. His role as the vine is to provide what the branches need to be fruitful. Other things might pretend to be the vine: money, entertainment, success, awards but these things are not truly life giving. Only Jesus can do that.
- God is the gardener. His role as the gardener is to make sure the vine and the branches are healthy. He has to prune and remove branches that are not really connected. This seems harsh but it is the reality. Without a true connection – a life surrendered to Jesus, the branch is not fruitful and therefore is cut away. God also prunes meaning He helps the connected branch be more fruitful by eliminating distractions and things that may draw you away from Jesus.
- We are the branches. Our role as the branches is to be fruitful. The Vine does this, we just have to have a secure connection. The branch itself cannot produce fruit. Only when the branch and vine remain connected is fruit produced.
Keeping these roles in their proper place in our life will help us be fruitful. If we try to take the role of Vine or Gardener, things will not go well. There is freedom in knowing we simply need to “remain in” the Vine and the fruit will come.
GO:
- How do you communicate roles on your team? What is the most important role of a coach?
- Do you find freedom or fear in knowing your role on God’s Team? Explain.
WORKOUT:
OVERTIME:
“Lord, thank You that you made the roles clear. Help me to embrace my role as a producer of fruit, as a branch connected to the Vine, Your Son, Jesus. Correct me when I forget my role. Guide me as I teach the team their roles on the team and on Your team. In Jesus’ name, amen.”