Love Train: Conjunction Junction Pastor Jeff Jaynes May 17,

Love Train: Conjunction Junction Pastor Jeff Jaynes May 17, 2009 Southern Hills UMC, Tulsa, OK Schoolhouse Rock --how many remember that wonder of children's educational programming: Schoolhouse Rock? --if you grew up in the 70's or 80's, or had a child in those years, you probably watched it --even some into the 90's...and, I hear they are doing a new series on Earth this year --Schoolhouse Rock began as a fun way to teach kids basics --multiplication tables, grammar, etc. --my generation--children of the Rock and Roll Baby Boomers--rocked out and learned at same time --we learned how a bill becomes law in "I'm Just a Bill" --went to the solar system with "Interplanet Janet" --and we learned grammar at "Conjunction Junction" Love Train: Conjunction Junction --so today our Love Train is going to stop at Conjunction Junction for a little review --look at what a conjunction is, how it relates to us, how it relates to today's Scripture --yes, that's right, we're going to connect trains, vines, and us all in 30 minutes or less --that's what we do at conjunction junction, after all --connect things together --to do this, I'm going to need three volunteers at first...more later Conjunction Junction --in the 3 minute episode called "Conjunction Junction," Schoolhouse Rock taught kids grammar --specifically what a conjunction is...anybody know? --examples...And...But...Or volunteers hold up signs --examples in congregation...spouses, families, comparisons --conjunctions hold people together (and), give choices (or), or offer contrast (but) --of course, all of these can be important in our life --my uncle always tells me I need to use the conjunction "but" more when I play golf --that was a horrible shot...but at least I get to walk through these beautiful trees, etc. --choose healthy food or junk food --and of course there's and...this is how we know couples, how we group people and other things --I don't know about you, but and is probably my most often used conjunction --features most prominently in the schoolhouse rock video too..."words and phrases and clauses" --and and, not surprisingly, is probably most important for Christians too but and or can sit down, leave signs Vine and Branches --after all, Jesus doesn't tell us he is the vine but we are the branches

--not confused about vine or the branches --he is the vine and we are the branches --in fact, starts earlier than that, saying he is the vine and the Father is the vinegrower --whole vineyard is the Father's, and each branch is connected to Father through the Son--vine --Father and Son and Holy Spirit--all connected, all interwoven --and, through the saving grace of the Son that we can be connected to this vine --Christ tells us in John that if we abide in him--stay in him, remain with him--we are his branches --if we hold tight to him, he will hold tight to us --connected to the Son of God, and through him to whole of Trinity --Jesus and ________, Jesus and ________, Jesus and ________, Jesus and ________, etc. Focus on Fruit --often that's the focus of preaching on this passage --how we are connected to Jesus --especially in churches that emphasize personal relationship with Jesus --nothing wrong with that...important--crucial--to have a personal relationship with Jesus --we need to stay connected with the one who gives us life, otherwise we will die --like a branch disconnected from the vine--cut off and not able to get proper nutrients --it's important to talk about our personal relationships with Jesus --that's, in a way, what we did last week, when we talked about obeying and walking with Christ --but this passage looks beyond the branches, doesn't it? --it looks at what's at the end of the branches...the fruit --it looks at the function of the branch...to bear fruit --what is a grapevine without grapes? not good for grape juice, no wine, no grape jelly "What's Your Function?" --the chorus for "Conjunction Junction" asks, "What's your function?" --teaching element for the function of a conjunction (the function of "and" is to connect) --just as the function of a branch is to connect to the vine so that fruit might result --not much point in a grapevine that doesn't produce grapes --same goes for a train...what is the function of a train? --the train goes from Oklahoma to the West Coast so that our wheat might go abroad --the train goes from Wyoming to Oklahoma so that we might have coal --not much point if they never stop, is there? --if there's no fruit from the journey? --same is true for us and our faith Fruit is Function of Faith --the function of our faith, of our connection to Christ, is to bear fruit --Christ tells us that clearly in this passage from John --the branches that don't bear fruit are removed from the vine and thrown away --they obviously have poor connections to the vine, because they bear no fruit

--if we abide in Christ, if we have a strong connection to the vine as its branches, we will bear fruit --that makes God happy...if we have a strong connection, and if we bear fruit What does that mean? (1 John) --but what does that mean? that we should all plant vineyards? start gardens? --what does it mean for us to bear fruit? --for that we turn from John to 1 John --1 John 4 in many ways explains this metaphor from John's Gospel --as Jesus said he is the vine and the father the vinegrower --1 John says that God is love, and that love is shown in the life of the Son --we connect to the Son--and thus to the Father--through our love --if we love, we live through the Son, and connect to God who is love --just as branches connect to a vine which makes up the vineyard --but look carefully at the end of the branch in 1 John --he tells us "since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another" --in fact, in one way or another, this short passage tells us several times to love one another --v. 7, v. 11, v. 12, v.21 --and it tells us if we don't love our brothers and sisters (v. 20) we cannot love God --we cannot be connected to the vine if our branch doesn't bear fruit --what this means is that our function is to love God and love our neighbor --stay connected to the vine in love for God, but channel that love outward to our neighbors --in doing so, connect them to the vine as well --connect them to Christ Who connected you? --take a few moments and think about your own life --who connected you to the vine? who was the "and" in your life that tied you to Christ? --Jesus and _________ and ___________ --or who connected you to this church? --Howard and Ruby connected Larry and Wendy...they were the conjunction for that couple --who was your conjunction? who was the branch that connected you? --or, better yet, who is your fruit? who have you connected to the church, or to Christ himself? --how have you been a conjunction to your neighbors, to your brothers and sisters, in love That's Our Function --after all, that's our function, here at Conjunction Junction --to constantly be connecting to others, to our neighbors, to those in need of connection to the vine --like the operator at the railyard, we are to be constantly connecting the cars around us --like branches on the vine, we are to stay connected ourselves, but connect with a purpose --connect so that we bear fruit and make disciples The Unconnected

--friends, there are many in our world who are not connected to the vine --they don't know the nourishment that comes from God's love in their life --they are fellow passengers on the train of life --they are those we hang out with, those who live next door, or in the next room --they are our neighbors, and our brothers and sisters --Christ is calling us to reach out to them, to connect to them, to love them --this is how we bear fruit, this is our "function" that we connect others to the love of God --as a church, we are always trying to find new ways to bear fruit, to connect the unconnected --to become the connection they need to find Christ and his love --how are you bearing fruit in your own life? --how are you connecting to those who you hang out with? --I pray that you might become a conjunction, a point of connection, of intersection, for Christ In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.