Life Connected to the Vine: Rooted, Growing, Bearing Fruit

Sunday Readings: John 15: 1-5, 8 & Matthew 25:1-13

American sociologist Ray Oldenburg coined the term “third place” to refer to a location beyond home and work where a person finds community and belonging, where a person feels welcomed and can be themselves.  The 1980s sitcom Cheers is a quintessential example of a third space.  As the theme song goes it’s a place “where everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came!”  Other TV shows have them too, like the 90s sitcom Friends had the coffee shop called the Central Perk where the friends would always hang out.  Oldenburg gives examples of bodegas and barber shops in inner cities-places people in the neighborhood go even if they don’t need to buy food or get a haircut, just because that’s where their friends hang out.  And the most common example of all third places are churches and other houses of worship. 

Oldenburg wrote his book in 1989 to discuss the decline of third spaces in America.  He notes the shift from community culture to commodity culture.  From going somewhere just to be there, to our modern habit of only going to places when we need to get something.  Particularly since the covid-19 pandemic and the rise of people working from home, sociologists have recognized just how important third spaces are for a healthy society.  They’ve noted the impact that the decline of third spaces is having: trends like the devaluing of empathy, the erosion of certain democratic norms, and the rise of mental health issues like loneliness and depression.   

Another scholar, Charles Taylor, one of today’s leading philosophers, wrote a book called The Secular Age where he describes Western civilization’s movement from the premodern era of enchantment to the European Enlightenment focus on rationalism to today’s secular age.  Taylor articulates the need for what he calls enchantment and rationalism to coexist in a healthy modern society.

These two factors, the importance of third spaces and the importance of integrating the enchanting and the rational sides of life—highlight the value of spiritual community, even and especially in today’s world.  A place of connection where a community gathers to encounter the divine mystery.  A place where we hear the truth of God’s love for us, are empowered to grow, and called to participate in God’s mission for the world.   

Today we heard two Gospel readings.  What I just read from Matthew 25 is the lectionary text assigned for this Sunday.  And what Kathy read earlier from John 15 is the scripture theme of this year’s annual stewardship campaign.  Today is also our fall Reception of New Members, and as I reflected on what it means to belong to the church in general and to this church in particular, I was drawn to explore the image Jesus uses in John 15: that He is the Vine and we are the branches.

This tree metaphor is something we find a lot in the Bible.  It provides a great metaphor for understanding both the individual Christian spiritual journey and the communal life of the church.   It’s a good image of what we try to be about here at St. Matthew.  1.) We are rooted.  2.) We are called to grow.  3.) We are called to bear good fruit. 

1. Rooted, grounded, connected

First let’s consider the idea of being rooted.  Of being strongly connected and firmly grounded to the True Vine.  At St. Matthew our mission is first and foremost to establish spiritual grounding, to dig deep roots in Christ, to connect with God and with one another, and to help Christians of all ages establish a firm foundation of connection to our Divine Source.

It all starts with the Good News of God’s love and grace.  With the redemption we have in Christ.  With the freedom of knowing we don’t need to do anything to earn God’s love, forgiveness, or salvation.  That we are already saved by grace and loved unconditionally.  We don’t need to strive or grow or bear fruit or do anything to make God love us.  We are already as infinitely loved by God as we ever could be.  That’s our starting point.  That’s the promise that grounds us.  That’s our root.  And from there, even though we don’t have to, we get to grow and produce good fruit as we mature on the Christian spiritual journey, as we grow up into the mature children of God we are called to be. 

2. Growth, Healing, and Pruning

Second, at St. Matthew we recognize our call to spiritual growth.  The biblical tree metaphor emphasizes growing just like it emphasizes the importance of being deeply rooted in good soil. 

Spiritual growth is both a private matter and collective priority.  Every Christian is called to grow as a branch on Christ the Vine.  And the church, the Body of Christ, is called to encourage and create space for the deepening of our relationship with God.  Encountering God in worship, participating in Christian education opportunities, bible studies, spirituality groups, prayer circles, and service projects are all opportunities to deepen our roots and grow on the Vine.  Likewise, committing ourselves to our own individual practice of prayer, reading scripture, daily devotions, daily time for silence and complementation—all help us grow and mature on the Christian spiritual journey. 

In nature, at the same a tree grows taller, it’s roots also grow deeper and stronger.  Eventually it will become a sturdy and strong tree that is not easily toppled when a storm comes. 

Growth can be challenging though, painful at times.  Sometimes our growth means healing and sometimes it may mean a certain amount of pruning.  But we trust that the Holy Spirit is at work in us and we trust that the Spirit’s pruning will free us, heal us, and transform us.

3. Bearing Good Fruit

Part 3 of this tree metaphor, after the roots and the growth, is the fruit.  When we’re planted in good soil with a strong root system in place.  When our branches are sturdy and strong.  Then fruit emerges.  Our fruits are the things we do, the actions we take on the outside because of what’s on the inside. 

What does human fruit look like?  Everyone’s fruit is unique based on their own talents and interests.  For some it may be volunteering at a homeless shelter or advocating for policy changes to help the poor or oppressed.  Others’ fruit might look like teaching Sunday School or cooking meals for Grace Lutheran.  It might take the form of collecting cans for the food bank drive we had last month.  It might look like packing shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child next week.  It might mean using your talent and expertise to assist St. Matthew’s finance committee, or property committee, or stewardship committee—all of which are looking for new people join their efforts!

And bearing fruit isn’t just about doing things, it’s also a way of being.  The fruit of a healthy relationship with God can manifest as the gentle calmness we feel in the midst chaos, the peace we have with life.  A simple acceptance of what is.  This fruit can come in the form of improved relationships with others.  Or increased compassion and kindness.  Humility and open-mindedness.  St. Paul lists the fruits of Spirit as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). 

And remember, the fruit we bear isn’t something that earns us God’s favor or salvation.  The good works we do don’t set us right with God.  The good works we do are the result of our already being set right with God.  Just like a healthy tree naturally bears good fruit, so a person connected with God will naturally manifest goodness and love.

At St. Matthew we recognize that when we bear fruit, we are manifesting God’s goodness and love in the world.  We are following Jesus embodying the Kingdom way of being.  Seeking to align our wills with God’s will and to produce the unique fruit we each have to offer.  This congregation is a community that hears God’s call to be rooted, to grow, and to bear fruit.  That’s our calling as Christians.  To be branches on the True Vine.  To be rooted and connected, to grow and mature, and to produce good fruit and share it with the world.

And so, on this Sunday when we celebrate the reception of new members, let us all remember what it means to be called as the church together.  In the coming weeks as we discern our stewardship commitments, let us remember what it means to be the church together.  And as we reflect on this image of Christ the Vine this morning, let us remember that each of us individually and all of collectively are called to be rooted, to grow, and to bear fruit on Christ the Vine.

In a society that lacks connection, it is a blessing to be grafted on Christ the Vine.  At a time when third spaces are disappearing, it is a blessing to be part of the best kind of third space: to have a place in God’s family.  A community where we encounter the Good News of Jesus as our root.  A community where we are challenged to grow and heal and transform.  A community dedicated to producing good fruit, to manifesting God’s goodness and love to a world in need.   Thanks be to God that we are called to be the church together. 

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen. +

Pastor Brian | 24th Sunday after Pentecost & Reception of New Members | November 8, 2026