Sixth Sunday of Easter; 5 May 2024; Easter 6B (RCL); Acts 10:44-48; Psalm 98; 1 John 5:1-6; John 15:9-17.
This passage in John’s Gospel continues the “I AM the vine” speech. Just as we are to abide in Jesus in order to bear fruit, Jesus has abided in the Father’s love, and we are to love one another as Jesus and the Father have loved one another, and as Jesus has loved us — that is, to entrust our lives to one another. Notice that Jesus does not exhort us to obey his commandments (as does the author of the First Epistle of John), but rather to keep them. The verb used for “to keep” implies guarding or protecting something precious. Without too much of a stretch, we could translate this, “If you treasure my commandments.”
Continue reading “Fruit that lasts”