Abiding in Jesus’ Love and Joy

Devotional Reflection, Wednesday, April 23, 2025

Wednesday in Easter Week

The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D.

Key phrases for reflection from today’s Gospel reading:

5I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. 6Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.

9 As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. 10If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.

You will find the full text of today’s Gospel reading at the end of this reflection.

Daily Office Lectionary Readings (BCP, 958)

AM Psalm 97, 99; PM Psalm 115

Micah 7:7-15; Acts 3:1-10 or 1 Cor. 15:(29)30-41; John 15:1-11   

David's Reflections

During the months I served as interim vicar at Church of the Cross in Charlottesville, VA (August 2002-January 2003), I walked the nine acres of church property numerous times.  Two sets of grape vines grew on that walnut-covered hilltop site.  They wound their tendrils around the trellises and sprouted out those colorful and succulent little fruits.

Our Gospel represents God's people as a vineyard, an image familiar from Hebrew Scripture (See Isaiah 5;  Matthew 20:1-15.)  In this instance, Jesus compares himself to the central vine and the Christian community to the branches.  We live in a vital union with him, and our life flows to us from him, as the life of the branches flow to it through the vine.

Verse 9 contains a remarkable statement, "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you;  abide in my love."  Jesus' love for us is a given;  it simply is. He loves us with the same profound self-giving and intimacy as the Father loves him.  He does not love us because of what we do, even though a superficial reading of verse 10 would lead one to think so. Our relationships with each other have a similar dynamic. to verse 10. A parent, friend, or significant other or spouse loves us. Only if we distance from them and fail to tend the relationship do we lose touch with their love. It’s not that they stop loving us; rather, we simply become unavailable to that love. We could paraphrase verse 10—“If you continue being responsive and responsible, you will abide in my love.”

 Jesus' love for us is prior to any obedience we render and actually evokes and enables that obedience.  Isn't that what he says in verses 4-5?  "Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.  I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing." How foolish and transactional of us to believe God’s love is conditioned by our obedience. If Jesus loves us as the Father loves him, do we believe God loves Jesus because of his obedience?

Note another remarkable statement in verse 11, “that my joy may be in you.” Can you imagine how joyful Jesus was? Now, try to imagine that joyfulness within you as a consistent, constant dynamic energy that enhances your own joy and renews it in moments of darkness and distress.

One caveat--each time our translations render "in you" the underlying text has the plural pronoun. So, the more literal rendering would be "among you" or "in you all” (note verse 11)> The focus in the biblical documents moves from the corporate to the individual; our individualist cultural focus moves in the opposite direction. That Jesus' joy springs forth among us as a community does not eliminate the individual experience of Jesus' inner joy. Rather, the directional flow of the thought simply moves from the corporate to the individual. A community infused with the joy of Jesus would certainly spark the individual experience of inner joy.

His joyful love and presence make the difference between deadening religious activity and loving obedience.  His love calls us, enables us, guides us.  His joy renews us. Our biggest challenge is to live in the place where we already have been placed, wrapped in that love and joy.  We have all sorts of ways of short-circuiting that, one of the most notable being to assume that our being loved depends on our performance or obedience or worthiness.  Or, we simply fail to nurture the relationship and to remember that his loving presence is so much a part of our lives.

Henri Nouwen says it so well.  "God has given you a beautiful self.  There God dwells and loves you with the first love, which precedes all human love."+

+Henri Nouwen, The Inner Voice of Love, (New York:  Doubleday, 1996), p. 29,

Collect of the Day, Easter Sunday

Almighty God, who through your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ overcame death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life: Grant that we, who celebrate with joy the day of the Lord's resurrection, may be raised from the death of sin by your life-giving Spirit; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.  (BCP, 222)

Wednesday in Easter Week

O God, whose blessed Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread: Open the eyes of our faith, that we may behold him in all his redeeming work; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.  (BCP, 223)

A Collect for Grace

Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day: Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  (BCP, 100)

For the Diocese

O God, by your grace you have called us in this Diocese to a goodly fellowship of faith. Bless our Bishop, (name), our priest (name),  and other clergy, and all our people. Grant that your Word may be truly preached and truly heard, your Sacraments faithfully administered and faithfully received. By your Spirit, fashion our lives according to the example of your Son, and grant that we may show the power of your love to all among whom we live; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.  (BCP, 817)

A Prayer for Light

Lighten our darkness, we beseech you, O Lord;  and by your great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night;  for the love of your only Son, Jesus Christ,  Amen.  (BCP, 111)

A Collect for Mission

Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen.

(BCP, 101)

Daily Office Gospel, John 15:1-11

15:1’I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. 2He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. 3You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. 4Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. 5I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. 6Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.

9 As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. 10If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.

Daily Prayer Offices in The Book of Common Prayer

Morning Prayer, Rite 2, page 75, Book of Common Prayer

Noonday Prayer, p. 103, Book of Common Prayer

Order of Worship for Evening (Vespers), p. 109, Book of Common Prayer

Evening Prayer, Rite 2, page 115, Book of Common Prayer

Compline (Night Prayer), Page 127, Book of Common Prayer

Daily Devotionals, page 136, Book of Common Prayer