July 7, 2024
Yesterday, on the final day of our vacation, Marie and I rented a car and drove to Hampstead Baptist church in Hampstead, North Carolina. We went because we wanted to worship God on the Lord’s Day and we went to meet a couple of Pastor friends I have known via Facebook for several years but had never met in person. Thanks to Marie’s excellent navigational skills, we were able to maneuver through Myrtle Beach and up the North Carolina Coast almost as if we lived there. When we arrived at our destination and went inside the building, we knew immediately we were in a Baptist Church because within five minutes three different couples told us about the ice cream social they were having that evening and the fellowship meal they were having Wednesday night! All kidding aside, they were a very welcoming, friendly group who made us feel like family and as I write this, it dawned on me the reason we felt like we were with family is because we were. That’s what Jesus does for us. He brings us into His family. Whether we are in Fairview, Tennessee or Hampstead, North Carolina or London, England or anywhere else on the planet, we are related because as Christ-followers, we all have the blood of Jesus flowing through us. Pastor Joey Canady did an excellent job unpacking John 15:1-11 as he fed us from God’s word. While I am not going to re-preach his sermon, there are a couple of phrases in this text that have stayed with me and have caused me to ponder over them. First, Jesus tells us, “I am the true vine, and you are the branches.” Right off the bat, Jesus reminds us it isn’t about us, but about Him. HE is the true vine. Why should we feel like family when we are among church folk? Because we are branches connected to the same vine. A little further in the paragraph, Jesus makes a starling statement. He tells His disciples (and us), “Apart from me you can do nothing.” Let that sentence sink in for a minute. Humbling, isn’t it? Do y’all realize what the word “nothing” means? Jesus didn’t say “Apart from me you can’t do much.” He said apart from Him, the true vine, we, the branches, can’t do anything at all. What does a branch disconnected from the tree do? It falls off and dies. That’s what happens to us when we try to do anything (yes, anything) under our own power. So how do we make sure we stay connected to the vine? I’m glad you asked because Jesus tells us, “Abide in me and I in you.” The word abide means to live, dwell, or reside. We as Christ followers must empty ourselves of our will so the Holy Spirit can fill us with Jesus and only then, can Jesus do His work through us. So, thanks Pastors Joey Canady and Chris Canuel. It was great to meet you both and worship God with you guys and your flock. Thanks for the meal of God’s word Brother Joey and to use a phrase I picked up yesterday from our visit, it really is all for God’s glory and for our good. Let’s be intentional where we abide and let’s stay busy pointing others to the true vine, Jesus.
Be blessed and go be a blessing . . . Bro. Andy
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