OTJ – OSMTJ MONTHLY DEVOTIONAL

April 2024

           

 

OPENING PRAYER

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

 Almighty God, we come to You today filled with praise and adoration for the life-saving gift of the resurrection. Help us to grow in our discipleship as we take the good news out into the world. As Your disciples, we long to bear good fruit that the whole world may see and experience the goodness of You. We ask this in the name of Your Son, Jesus. Amen.

READINGS FOR THE WEEK OF APRIL 28, 2024

Psalm 22: 25-31 (NIV)

From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; before those who fear you I will fulfill my vows. The poor will eat and be satisfied; those who seek the Lord will praise him — may your hearts live forever! All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, for dominion belongs to the Lord and he rules over the nations. All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before him — those who cannot keep themselves alive. Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord. They will proclaim his righteousness, declaring to a people yet unborn: He has done it!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

The Gospel:  John 15: 1-8  (NIV)

Jesus said to his disciples, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. 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. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.  

MEDITATION

THE BRANCH

(From The True Vine: Meditations for a Month on John 15:1-16 — Andrew Murray)

Here we have one of the chief words of the parable — branch. A vine needs branches: without branches it can do nothing, can bear no fruit. As important as it is to know about the Vine, and the Husbandman, it is to realize what the branch is. Before we listen to what Christ has to say about it, let us first of all take in what a branch is, and what it teaches us of our life in Christ. A branch is simply a bit of wood, brought forth by the vine for the one purpose of serving it in bearing its fruit. It is of the very same nature as the vine and has one life and one spirit with it. Just think a moment of the lessons this suggests. There is the lesson of entire consecration. The branch has but one object for which it exists, one purpose to which it is entirely given up. That is, to bear the fruit the vine wishes to bring forth. And so the believer has but one reason for his being a branch — but one reason for his existence on earth — that the heavenly Vine may through him bring forth His fruit. Happy the soul that knows this, that has consented to it, and that says, I have been redeemed and I live for one thing — as exclusively as the natural branch exists only to bring forth fruit, I too; as exclusively as the heavenly Vine exists to bring forth fruit, I too. As I have been planted by God into Christ, I have wholly given myself to bear the fruit the Vine desires to bring forth. There is the lesson of perfect conformity. The branch is exactly like the vine in every aspect — the same nature, the same life, the same place, the same work. In all this they are inseparably one. And so the believer needs to know that he is partaker of the divine nature and has the very nature and spirit of Christ in him, and that his one calling is to yield himself to a perfect conformity to Christ. The branch is a perfect likeness of the vine; the only difference is, the one is great and strong, and the source of strength, the other little and feeble, ever needing and receiving strength. Even so the believer is, and is to be, the perfect likeness of Christ. There is the lesson of absolute dependence. The vine has its stores of life and sap and strength, not for itself, but for the branches. The branches are and have nothing but what the vine provides and imparts. The believer is called to, and it is his highest blessedness to enter upon, a life of entire and unceasing dependence upon Christ. Day and night, every moment, Christ is to work in him all he needs. And then the lesson of undoubting confidence. The branch has no cure; the vine provides all; it has but to yield itself and receive. It is the sight of this truth that leads to the blessed rest of faith, the true secret of growth and strength: “I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me.” What a life would come to us if we only consented to be branches! Dear child of God, learn the lesson. You have but one thing to do: Only be a branch — nothing more, nothing less! Just be a branch; Christ will be the Vine that gives all. And the Husbandman, the mighty God, who made the Vine what it is, will as surely make the branch what it ought to be.  

CHRISTIAN POEM

CONNECTED TO THE VINE OF CHRIST

We must stay connected To the vine of Jesus Christ, The very source of our faith And the meaning for our lives

For we will produce much fruit As we draw from the vine The nourishment of the Lord, Which feeds our souls and minds But if we fail to stay Connected to the Lord And abide in His promises We long ago were taught

Then we will be cut off Unable to produce The lasting and abundant fruit That God so longs to use

For the Lord wants us to be Reflecting Jesus Christ So the world will clearly see The love of God inside

We need to allow the Lord To take our branches and prune The part that’s become withered So we’ll continue to bloom.

© By M.S.Lowndes

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen

BLESSING

Go now, and love one another, because love is from God. Proclaim God’s salvation to every generation. Remain in Jesus Christ, and like branches of a vine, draw your life from him. And may God the vine grower tend you and make you fruitful; May Christ Jesus abide in you and give you life; And may the Holy Spirit cast out all fear and fill you with God’s love. We go in peace to love and serve the Lord, In the name of Christ. Amen.

(Copyright © 2003 Nathan Nettleton)

Respectfully submitted by Lori Toro, Verger Chaplain Corp, OTJ