The Vine: July 28, 2025
“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”
This is a weekly reflection on the previous week’s sermon text. Each week there will be a devotional related to the scripture for the week, along with questions for reflection/discussion, as well as prayer. Feel free to make this a part of your individual spiritual growth throughout the week or utilize in small group settings (growth groups, Sunday school, etc.)
“The LORD had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.
“I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.”
So Abram went, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran. He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Harran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.
6Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. The LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.
From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD.
Then Abram set out and continued toward the Negev.”
This week we are beginning a six-week sermon series from the book of Genesis. Genesis is the first book in our Bible and can be divided into two main categories: primeval history (the world) and the patriarchal history of the people of Israel. Genesis 1-11 deals with the primeval history (creation narratives, nature of humanity in relationship to God, the flood, etc.). Genesis 12-50 focuses on the origins of the Israelite nation through the stories of its patriarchs and their families: Abraham (chapters 12-25), Isaac (chapters 21-28), Jacob (chapters 25-36), and Joseph (chapters 37-50).
Our text from today is the very first part of the history of the people of Israel. It is the story of God calling a man named Abram to leave his country, people, and family to go to a land that God would “show him.”
One of the most powerful verses in this story is found in verse four, “So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him.” So Abram went - it would be easy to skip over that verse but when we take a closer look, we realize that having faith is being obedient to what and where God is calling us, especially when we do not know what lies ahead. In our human limitations we cannot help but be anxious about the future, especially when it involves leaving everything behind that gives us a sense of security and comfort. The irony in it all is that when we follow God’s lead, we are trading a false sense of security in the things we leave behind for the only thing in life we can count on – God’s presence with us through it all.
Abram would be in for a wild ride and would even have his name changed to Abraham (meaning “father of a multitude”). Abraham probably thought about many things in the last days of his life, not the least of which was gratitude for God calling him in the first place. We should be grateful as well.
Prayer:
“Loving God, you call us to many different places and situations. Sometimes we listen and other times we close our hearts and minds. Help us to remember that being faithful to your call is not in having all the answers or being certain of the future, but in simply going - knowing that you always go with us and even ahead of us. Amen.”
QUESTION FOR REFLECTION:
Imagine yourself in Abraham’s position. How would you respond to God calling you out of the blue? What questions would you ask? What would be your biggest fears? Doubts? Excitement?
Christianity is a revealed religion. In other words, God reveals God’s self to us in a variety of surprising ways. How has God revealed things to you in your life? How have you responded?
How does this passage lay the groundwork for understanding the rest of the Bible, and in particular, God’s calling of people to follow?
PREVIOUS WEEKS
To view all previous devotions go to https://fumc-rr.org/the-vine