The Vine Opens a Branch in Philippi

Fifth Sunday of Easter

May 3, 2015

Acts 16:14

The Vine Opens a Branch in Philippi

In the name of the Father and of † the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

A woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God, was listening. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was spoken by Paul. (Acts 16:14)

I.

During the week, Lydia ran made good money selling purple cloth. But on the day of rest, she went down to the river to pray. And this is where Paul found her. He preached Christ to her and through His Word, God opened her heart so that she was able to see that Christ is the vine that gives life to the branches.

She trusted that the direction of life is from God to her through Christ Jesus. And as a branch she understood that she was alive. And a branch that is alive makes fruit. So naturally her fruit was inviting Paul and his fellow travelers to stay with her. They needed daily bread; she had daily bread and gave them what they needed.

Some might see Lydia's fruit and end up thinking that Lydia would never do anything as good as helping Paul and fellow pastors and travelers. But they'd be wrong; after Paul and company continued their journey, all the daily bread that Lydia provided for her loved ones in her household was just as important and cherished by Christ as what she had done for Paul.

Having the pastor over for Sunday supper is an important occasion, but just as important (and sometimes a heavier cross) is feeding the other members of your family on a Tuesday morning.

Christ is the vine; we are His branches. And as branches of the vine, all our fruit is good in Christ.

Christ through His Word grafted Lydia into Himself, a new branch onto the ancient vine. Then she became alive and bore much fruit. Praise Christ for Lydia and her whole household, baptized into life!

I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)

II.

Sadly we face troubles in our own households. Some who have been grafted into the vine through Holy Baptism and who have received Communion at least once have come to believe that a branch can stay green and living outside of the vine.

Since Christ wants to be found only in His Word and that Word is given into ears and tongues at church, staying away from church cannot bring life. One cannot be a Christian outside of Christ and His Church.

Out of love for souls and out of love for the truth that life exists only in the Vine, caring churches and pastors cannot go on pretending that branches that have cut themselves off of the vine are still alive. Caring churches and pastors cannot go on pretending that people who never come to church and won't talk to their pastor are still members of the church.

Pretending that these missing souls are still living branches of the vine is not truthful. Pretending that these branches are still branches only hurts these former branches. Keeping names on a list at church will not save them. The only thing that saves dead branches is the Word, not in abstract way, but in actually pruning them with the Truth and watering them with the Water of Life.

The only way to help dying or dead souls is to preach to them. Preach who we all are and who Christ Jesus is for us. This is why Lydia was filled with joy and why she delighted to serve those who brought her this good news that He was crucified, died, and was buried for all sinners and that He's risen, He's risen indeed!

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. Alleluia! Amen!