What a wonderful image, or set of images around love! "As God has loved me, so I love you; abide in my love, or abide in that love that I pour over you!" "I tell you these things so that joy may be in you, or so that you may live in my joy." "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. This is the kind of love that allows us to lay down our loves for one another." I have chosen you so that you may live in this love and live out this love by bearing fruit!"

You may have already gathered that this is a continuation of the passage from last week about Jesus as the true vine, God as the vine grower, and Jesus’ followers as the branches that bear fruit. (Read that passage.) This passage continues and builds upon that image.

The Gospel of John offers us eight of these delightful, beautiful and poetic images of Jesus. You may remember some of them: I am the way, the truth and the light, I am the bread of life, Jesus as the Word, etc. I have long been amazed at John’s ability as a theologian and an interpreter of the meaning of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection to his early Christian community. We have been fortunate enough to inherit these images or metaphors. But while they are indeed a glorious gift, they may not have the power they had in John’s time, or without careful examination they may come across as pebbles worn smooth. * Also, we are of course some distance from our agrarian roots so that this image is not a part of our daily life experience. As a matter of fact, when I used this passage with both the Tuesday Morning Bible Study Class and with the Covenant Class, they tended to zoom right past the vine image and went on to other topics.

So I propose another image to help us understand Jesus’ message to us through this passage. I propose the image of the Jazz Player. + Well, there is an American and contemporary Image for you! And whether you are a jazz fan or not, it is such a part of our heritage and culture that each of us has some acquaintance with it. So, let’s think about it together for a moment. The jazz bandleader often chooses who gets to play in the band. Does that sound familiar – as in "I have chosen you." And, as the bandleader, he or she gives direction to the band in terms of the selection of music, the kinds of things the band will and will not do and often sets the tempo for the tunes. But, jazz music needs mutuality, respect and freedom to adventure along new paths. And so, after the bandleader introduces and plays a new song for a while, he or she steps back and lets one of the others take the lead. Then another takes a turn and so on around the band so that each one has had a turn to "take a break" or in a sense show off their skill and develop their own "tune" so to speak. In this process, each one gets to play at their very best while supported by the others. And then, somehow, at the end it is all brought back together, and rather than seeing each individual, one sees and appreciates the whole.

While I am not a great jazz fan, I love this image of or metaphor for Jesus’ relationship with his followers and with us. I love the idea that all of us in the band have all the talent we need to play God’s music with Jesus. And I love the idea that I do not have to do it all, but that I can do what I am best at, with all the support I need from others, and then support the next one in what they are best at. And I love the idea that we are free to go in new directions as times change and different ministries are needed (or, if one continues with the image, new songs arise from the situation.)

And so, living out this image, I invite you now to play along. I invite you to reflect on the image of God’s will as being music, with yourself being invited to play along, to harmonize, and occasionally to step forward and play your tune. You have been given 3 x 5 cards. You may, if you wish write the answers to the following questions on your card so that you can refer to these thoughts later if you so choose. How might this image of God’s will as being music and yourself being invited to play along, harmonize and occasionally lead work for you? (Pause) How in tune are you with God’s will? (Pause) What helps when you find yourself out of tune? (Pause) How do we harmonize with those whose response is wholly different from ours? (Pause)

Another way we might use the image or metaphor is to think about love as the music, with us being invited to play long with God’s love song. This takes seriously Jesus’ commandment to love one another as he has loved us, and encourages us to think about just how he loved us, and how we might live out that love. In The Power of Love, Paul Tillich speaks about a woman who helped prisoners during World War I. Because of her work, she eventually was arrested and placed in a concentration camp. Tillich says, "It is a rare gift to meet a human being in whom love – this means God- is so overwhelmingly manifest. It undercuts theological arrogance as well as pious isolation. It is more than justice and greater than faith and hope. It is the very presence of God in the form of a human being. For God is love. In every moment of genuine love we are dwelling in God and God is in us."

During the 1980’s when there was so much unrest in Central America, many church folks went down to assess the situation and to see what kinds of help and support might be needed. One member of such a group was told that if he were to sleep in the doorway that night they would all be safe, because American’s would not be bothered. He wondered how folks would know he was an American. But he had also heard stories of people being taken out of their homes at night and never being seen again. He had heard of so many atrocities and horrors on this trip. After thinking about it, he decided to stretch the hammock in the doorway, and sleep there that night. Sure enough, the next morning, all were safe. I do not know what happened after he left. But while he was there, he took Jesus’ command literally and laid down his life for others.

Perhaps you have a similar story of someone you know or have met who exemplifies God’s love. But we must be careful not to limit God’s love to that. Sometimes making God’s love manifest only means speaking up for some one, or being the best parent you can be at the moment. There is room for all kinds of love songs and expressions. What is required is fourfold: first, we must be convinced that we are a part of the jazz band and that we are to live out God’s love as Jesus commanded. Second, you do not always get to be the star of the show, but when you are called on, you have what it takes to do so, and others will be supporting and backing you up. And third, when it is time for you to play a supporting role, that is just as important as starring. Fourth, living and participating in a supporting, caring community or band, makes great love music possible.

+Jazz Player – image and some ideas from Seasons of the Spirit

*John, Interpretation Commentary, page 178