Messy Church is tonight, Wed. Oct. 5 at 5pm.

Our theme this month comes from the Gospel of John. Jesus is teaching his disciples and us about being in relationship with God. God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, is the vine and we are the branches. When we are connected to God our lives are enriched and we are well. When we recognize that all that we are and all that we have comes from God, then we cannot help but be thankful. When we know that we are called to love one another as God loves us, we cannot help but to reach out to help those around us. When we realize that we are part of God’s creation, we cannot help but think beyond our ‘wants’ and look beyond ourselves.

When we turn our back on God and we become disconnected from the vine, and we spiritually wither and die. We may look the same on the outside, but inside we are hollow, seeking more and more things to satisfy a hunger that cannot be satisfied, destroying the world around us in a desperate attempt to ‘get more’. We are creatures of body, mind and spirit. When the spirit suffers, the mind and body suffer as well.

Our good works flow from us, not as a duty, an obligation, but as something that reflects our love of God

In this story Jesus tells his followers that those who live in him and he in them, bear much fruit. Our good works flow from us, not as a duty, an obligation, but as something that reflects our love of God and the love God has for us, it is part of who we are. Each of us is unique and our interests, our passions reflect that uniqueness. We are not required to do everything by ourselves. You may be interested in the environment and that will be the focus of your good works. You may be interested in the homeless, in refugees, in the poor in the world. Your good works are an outpouring of your concern. It is the place where God has led you to serve.

There is another aspect to bearing good fruit. In our day to day lives we reflect the love that God freely gives us. A smile rather than angry words when we are frustrated by long line ups. A kind word to those around us. Listening, rather than talking. A small act of kindness can mean the world to someone.

God is the vine, we are the branches. Our good ‘fruit’ marks us as people of God.