I Am the Vine

Description

Here are some worship resources which explore the image of Jesus as the one true vine.

Scripture

John 15:1-8
Ephesians 3:17

Prayers

Opening Prayer (based on John 15)

God of love,
plant us in the soil of your grace.
Nurture us with the strength of Christ,
the vine of everlasting life.
Enlighten us with the wisdom of your Spirit,
which flows through us today and all days.
Abide in us,
that we may abide in you
and live in your love.
In your holy name, we pray. Amen.

~ Adapted from The Abingdon Worship Annual 2012. Posted on the Worship Elements page of the Ministry Matters website.
http://www.ministrymatters.com/#axzz2WhKTr5N6

Prayer Reflection on John 15:1-8

Lord of the
one true
Vine,

in you we
live and move
and have our being.

We are your branches,
spindly and slight and fragile.

Please ask your Father to prune us
(though gently).

We want to bear more
of your fruit.

~ written by Anne Osdieck, and posted on The Sunday Website of Saint Louis University.
http://liturgy.slu.edu/index.html

Prayer of Confession (based on John 15:1-8)

We thank you, gracious God, for Jesus Christ the true vine, with his roots eternally grounded in you. We rejoice that by grace we have been grafted into him, to be branches on a vine which bears the loveliest of all the fruits of earth. Yet we confess that all is not well with the way we live.

Please forgive us for the occasions when
we have been the ones to introduce disease into the vine,
preferring its contamination to the vigour of health.

Forgive us for neglecting to draw deeply on the sap of Life,
for our tendency to wander instead of growing on the framework your provide,
for being content, and sometimes even proud of, a few sparse or undersized fruits,
for the apathy which lets us to go through some seasons without bearing any fruit.

Have mercy on us. Please do not lose patience or sever us completely from the true vine. Rather heal our diseases, discipline and train our wandering tendrils, prune our unfruitful branches and cut away our diseased ones. May we remain in Christ and he in us, through all the changing seasons of life. Let us delight in bearing the fruits of love which are our true purpose and joy. For your Name’s sake.

Amen!

Forgiveness
Jesus said: “If you reside in me, and my words reside in you, ask whatever you will and it shall be done for you.” Friends, we have asked for forgiveness and correction. It has been truly done for us. It is being done for us. And it will be done for us.

Thanks be to God!

~ written by Bruce Prewer, and posted on Bruce Prewer’s Homepage.
http://www.bruceprewer.com/

Closing Prayer (based on John 15:1-8)

God of harvest,
gardener supreme,
you place us at the centre,
feed us, equip us and,
having provided for us,
look to a different harvest—
a fruitfulness of lives
in service to you
and others.
God of harvest,
feed us
prune us
harvest us
that our lives
might bring glory to you.

~ Copyright © John Birch, posted on Faith and Worship – Prayers and Resources.
http://www.faithandworship.com/

Spoken Resources

Commission & Benediction (based on John 15:1-8, 1 John 4:7-21)

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
http://www.LaughingBird.net

Songs

Traditional Hymn: O to Be Like Thee!

Worship Together #535

Oh! to be like Thee, blessed Redeemer,
This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.

Oh! to be like Thee, oh! to be like Thee,
Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.

Oh! to be like Thee, full of compassion,
Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,
Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,
Seeking the wand’ring sinner to find.

Oh! to be like Thee, while I am pleading,
Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love,
Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,
Fit me for life and Heaven above.

~ Thomas O. Chisholm.

Contemporary Hymn: Fruitful Trees

Fruitful trees, the Spirit's sowing,
May we ripen and increase,
Fruit to life eternal growing,
Rich in love and joy and peace.

Laden branches freely bearing
Gifts the Giver loves to bless;
Here is fruit that grows by sharing,
Patience, kindness, gentleness.

Rooted deep in Christ our Master,
Christ our pattern and our goal,
Teach us, as the years fly faster,
Goodness, faith, and self-control.

Fruitful trees, the Spirit's tending,
May we grow till harvests cease;
Till we taste, in life unending,
Heaven's love and joy and peace.

Tune suggestions:
ALL FOR JESUS / STAINER (“All for Jesus, all for Jesus”)
PEACE (“Peace is flowing like a river”)
CROSS OF JESUS (“Cross of Jesus, cross of sorrow”)

Contemporary Song: You are the Vine

Worship Together #221

You are the vine
We are the branches
Keep us abiding in You
You are the vine
We are the branches
Keep us abiding in You

And we'll go in Your love
And we'll go in Your name
That the world will surely know
That You have power
To heal and to save
You are the vine
We are the branches
Keep us abiding in You

~ Danny Daniels, Randy Rigby. Copyright © 1985 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.). CCLI Song # 52538. If you use this song in worship, be sure to report it on your CCLI license.

Contemporary Song: As I Abide in You

You make my joy complete
As I abide in You
You fill my ev'ry need
As I abide in You
I will remain in You
For all of my days
You will shelter me
As I give You praise

I will sing of Your love
I will bring all of my love

You answer ev'ry prayer
As I abide in You
I feel Your love and care
As I abide in You
I will remain in You
For all of my days
You will shelter me
As I give You praise

~ Brian Doerksen. Copyright © 1989 Vineyard Songs Canada (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.); Mercy / Vineyard Publishing (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.) CCLI Song # 465833. If you use this song in worship, be sure to report it on your CCLI license.

Images

Notes

This worship resource was created/compiled by Christine Longhurst. You are welcome to use it free of charge, and where appropriate, please note the source. If you are printing any of the resources for distribution, please print the source as well. The content of the worship resource does not necessarily represent the views of the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches, which oversees the Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies. For more worship resources by Christine Longhurst, see http://www.re-worship.blogspot.ca or http://www.faithmatters.ca.

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