The Sovereign Love of God

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T he S eason from E aster to P entecost

Fifth Sunday of Easter May 2 - 8, 2021

WEEK 23

For forty days after his resurrection, Jesus revealed himself alive to his disciples. On the fortieth day, he ascended to heaven to take his place as Lord and Christ at God’s right hand. Ten days after this, on the fiftieth day after his resurrection, he would send to us the promise of the Father – the Holy Spirit, the pledge of our salvation. Here we ponder the wonder of God’s working, from Easter Sunday to the Spirit’s descent at Pentecost. Jesus of Nazareth speaks of his intimate relationship with his people perhaps most clearly in his depiction of himself as the true Vine, his Father the gardener, and we who cling to him are the branches. The Father prunes the branches in order that they might be able to bear more fruit. We abide in him, and he in us. He is the source of our strength; we simply cannot bear fruit on our own apart from his indwelling power and supply. Nothing can replace the need for us to abide in Christ, our strength and supply. THIS WEEK’S THEME I Am the True Vine, John 15.1-8

Daily Devotional Guide

Preparing Our Hearts

Invocation: Our Prayer of Acclamation Eternal God, the great Gardener and Vinedresser of the Vine, thank you for your constant care of our souls. You have united us to Christ, who is the True Vine, the source and strength of our lives. Only through your careful pruning and our Lord’s constant supply can we grow and bear fruit. Show us, dear Father, how to abide in Christ, how to allow you to prune and cleanse us, in order that we might bear much fruit, and glorify your name. In Christ’s name we pray, amen.