John 15:1-8 - Stay Connected to Jesus - May 8, 2022

We are living in the most socially and technologically connected period in human history. Some might say over-connected. Nearly everyone owns or has access to a laptop, tablet, smartphone, or at the very least a TV, radio or landline that gives them an instant access to the rest of the world. This connectivity has changed the way we live. In the past, when you went home at the end of the day you left your work at work. That’s not the case anymore. Bosses and coworkers and customers can email, text, or call you any time of day or night and you’re expected to respond within hours, if not minutes – even when it’s Mother’s Day and you are spending a few precious hours with the woman who gave birth to you and changed your diapers and patched up your scraped knees. In the past, when students went home from school, they disconnected from their friends and reconnected with their families. That’s not the case anymore either. Through TikTok, Twitter, and texting – friends are always only a tap away. Sometimes, it all feels like too much. Too much pressure, too many texts and emails, too much connection. So why don’t we just pull the plug? Because we’re afraid if we do, we might miss something important. Here’s the question: do we feel the same way about our connection to Jesus? Do we worry that if we go a day without God’s Word we might miss something important? Do we get as anxious when we miss (or skip) an opportunity to worship as we do when the internet goes down for a few hours? Is the last thing we look at before going to sleep a word from God or a text from a friend? Our lesson this morning teaches us the importance of staying connected to Jesus.

These words about Jesus as the vine and believers as the branches are familiar. What may not be quite as familiar is the context: Jesus spoke these words on Maundy Thursday, the night before his crucifixion. For the apostles, three years of training was almost over; soon they would be on their own. In a way, Rayna, you are in a similar situation today. Your confirmation marks the end of years of Sunday school and 2 years of concentrated study of Christian doctrine. Soon you will leave grade school for high school where you will face new opportunities, new challenges and new temptations. But before you go, Jesus has a message he wants you to hear: I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him is the one who bears much fruit, because without me you can do nothing.

How can you be sure that you are a branch connected to Jesus? Because the words Jesus spoke to his apostles apply to you too: you are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Jesus spoke to you, Rayna, he connected you to himself when you were baptized (just like he did with little Mason today). And that’s really what this day is all about – it’s not about you, it’s about what God has done for you. Today you will publicly confess that you believe that God in his grace washed away all your sins and made you his child through Holy Baptism. Through the Word you have learned that because of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection you stand justified (not guilty) before God. No matter what happens to you tomorrow, next year or in 10 years – this is who you are, Rayna, you are a justified and beloved child of God; that is your identity which no one can take away from you.

But you didn’t get here all by yourself. Today is Mother’s Day. There is no overstating the importance of the mothers (and fathers) who take the time to bring their children to learn and grow at Jesus’ feet. It’s been said that an ounce of mother is worth a pound of pastor. I couldn’t agree more. While over the course of two years I might spend around 100 hours in class with confirmation students; who can count the endless hours mothers (and fathers) spend with their children, the invaluable conversations they have around the dinner table or in the car? What price tag can we put on the encouragement, the help with difficult issues and problems, the guidance and leadership and love parents provide for their children? Parents, and today, especially mothers, thank you for all you do to keep the children God has given you connected to Christ!

But this is also a time for us – especially mothers and fathers – to remember that our job is not done when we’ve gotten our child baptized or confirmed, that we have an ongoing responsibility to keep our children connected to Jesus. Think back to that day at the hospital when you first held that precious infant in your arms and you had no doubt in your mind that you were holding a miracle, a precious gift of God in your hands. Remember the baptismal promise – the oath, really – you made to help that child, in every way possible, remain a child of God until death. Christian children don’t just happen. They don’t raise themselves. When God blessed you with a baby boy or girl he also gave you a great responsibility. But he didn’t leave you alone; he also provided the Church to help you bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4). Use this great blessing we have here at Risen Savior called Sunday School. God has blessed us with dedicated and talented teachers; space to grow and learn in; and most importantly he has given us the pure Gospel message that leads to salvation (Romans 1:16). Mothers (and fathers) use these opportunities to plant your children deep in Jesus – the only true vine. But again, the Church can only do so much, the saying “an ounce of mother is worth a pound of pastor” is even truer in the years after confirmation when the bigger issues of high school, college, cars, boyfriends, careers and moving out of the house present themselves. Parents, this is not my advice, this is God’s command: take the time, expend the energy, help your teenager, 20 or 30 something stay connected to Jesus – in any way you can (Ephesians 6:4).

Why is this training so important? Why should you sacrifice your time and money and effort; why should you go through the Sunday morning battles to keep your children connected to Jesus? Because without [Jesus no one] can do [anything]. Our devices connect us to the world. But we also know that if we forget to pay the bill or charge our device we will lose our connection, the device is as good as dead. The same is true of our connection to Jesus. If we cut ourselves off from his life-giving Word and Sacraments we lose our connection, we are as good as dead. And Rayna, the temptations to let that happen will be all around you in high school and beyond. Sports, friends, unbelieving teachers, godless social media influences – Satan will use any or all of those things to break your connection with Jesus. He will use them to make it seem like being connected to Jesus is a bad thing. He will make it seem like Jesus just wants to take all the fun out of life. He will tempt you to think that true freedom means being free from the God’s Church and His Word. Jesus will never break his connection with you, but if you break your connection with Jesus, you will be a dead branch, you won’t be good for anything but to be thrown into the fire, and burned.

That’s not what Jesus or anyone else here wants. No one wants you or any child of God to fall away. So how do you stay connected? Again, the cell phone analogy works well. What do you have to regularly do with your cell phone to make it usable? You have to keep it charged and keep your bill paid. But you also know that it’s not really what you do that provides you access to your friends or the internet, it’s up to the wireless company. The same holds true for staying connected to Jesus.

Neither you nor your pastor nor your parents can take the credit for connecting you to Jesus. All the credit goes to him. He was at work in your baptism. He worked through the Bible stories you learned in Sunday school to show you that he loved you enough to suffer and die for your sins. In minutes you will confess that everything you are and ever will be is because of the mercy God showed you for Jesus’ sake. Never forget that. Never forget that God chose YOU to be his child when you were still dead in sin. Whenever you plug in your cellphone remember to take the time to plug into God’s Word. Remember that God has given you the tools to study the Bible on your own; he has given you the ability to separate truth from lies in your classes, with your friends, on social media and in your own behavior and thinking. And through faithful worship – and after today, through faithful reception of the Lord’s Supper – Jesus will recharge you, he will strengthen your faith, he will give you the knowledge and courage to face any trouble or temptation that will come your way.

For the rest of us (pastor, parents, leaders, friends) – our job doesn’t end here either, our responsibility to Mason and Rayna and to all of God’s children goes on (remember the oath we all just took?). We can continue to pay the bill – not the one that keeps God’s children connected to the internet – but the one that keeps them connected to Jesus. We pay that bill first and foremost by providing an example of staying plugged in to God’s Word ourselves – not only by faithfully attending worship but by reading our Bibles and catechisms and praying in our lives outside of these walls. We can pay the bill as a congregation by encouraging younger parents with our prayers, our advice, and – even our money. Maybe it doesn’t seem right that members without children should help those with children pay for a fulltime Christian education. Maybe there seem to be bigger or more important things we can accomplish as a church than teaching and training our youth – but children are God’s greatest gift to us and they are our greatest asset worthy of our greatest investment. Parents, I know it’s hard to convince teenagers to do anything on Sunday mornings, because we were all teenagers who once thought that the best time to sleep was when the sun was coming up. But consider this, we willingly pay hundreds for cell phones and summer camps; thousands for car insurance and college – never knowing for sure if that investment will pay off in the future. But the time, effort, and tears it takes to keep your child, teenager, and even 20-something connected to Jesus is not wasted. It will pay dividends long into the future – long after you and I are gone – that investment will pay off in eternity. You have Jesus’ promise: my Father is glorified by this: that you continue to bear much fruit and prove to be my disciples.

Rayna, you are growing up connected to your friends and the world in ways many of us have never experienced. But because we live in a sinful world I can guarantee that a time will come in your life when you will feel alone in spite of those connections. There will be a time when your friends won’t answer your texts; when logging on to Instagram or TikTok just makes you want to cry; when your parents just don’t understand; when the world seems like a cold, loveless place. Don’t leave here today without taking to heart Jesus’ final promise to you: if you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. You cell phone might break, your internet connection may be disrupted, but your connection to Jesus is always on – and nothing you do, no sin you commit, no poor boys broken heart will ever change that. Jesus will always be your best friend and he will always be waiting, ready to listen, and ready to forgive. So talk to him. Jesus has given you his direct line, use it – ask whatever you wish and Jesus will always answer you – it might not always be the answer you want or expect, but it will be the answer you need. In Jesus, God will do everything you need for this life and the next.

We are living in the most connected time in history. I don’t think I’m the only one who thinks that it is both a blessing and a curse to always be connected to work and school 24/7. But today, Jesus reminds us that through the Gospel in Word and Sacrament we are intimately connected to him. And that connection is always on. Rayna, mothers, and all of us – Stay Connected to Jesus: apart from him we can do nothing; but in him, he will do everything for us. Amen.