Take a look at this block I am holding up. Now, I am going to drop it. Why did that block fall to the floor? I knew you’d say gravity pulled it down, and you are right. Gravity acted on the block and pulled it down to the floor, but there’s another way to look at why the block fell. Do you know what it is? There is a principle of science which says matter tends to exist in its lowest energy state. When that block is lying on the floor there, it is in it’s lowest energy state under these circumstances. It doesn’t want to be up in the air because that requires more energy. For instance, if I bend down and pick it up, I am exerting the energy it takes to keep it elevated. If I set it here on this piece of wood, the wood is actually exerting energy to keep it aloft. Once I take such things away, the block falls right back down to the floor. It seeks out the lowest energy state unless something else acts upon it.
Now, what does this have to do with you and me? Could this principle of science actually have something to tell us about human nature? Well, maybe it does. Maybe there’s a connection. Let’s think about it for a moment.
How many of you have ever tried to loose weight? Anyone out there? There are a few hands being raised into the air. For those of you who have tried to lose weight, have you ever hit a plateau? Quite a few hands there as well. I know this very well in my exercising. At first, there’s a decent weight loss, and then wham! I hit a wall. For weeks, I’ll stay at the same weight level, and it’s monumentally frustrating. Why the plateau? Well, perhaps, just perhaps, our bodies have hit an energy state they are very comfortable in, and the only way to break through into the next level is to exert more energy. And for those of us who have exercised in this manner, you know when we change the routine and do things differently–change the amount of energy we expend, we break through into the next level.
Let’s apply this principle of science to some human behavior. If you could have everything you needed given to you without working for it, how many of you would take it? Be honest now. I know most of us grew up with a hard work ethic instilled into us by our parents and others, but if you could get money just by sitting on the couch, would you do it? Yep, I guessed so. Most of the time, we’d like to accomplish a lot by doing the least amount of work. Abraham Lincoln’s wonderful quote about tree chopping comes into play here. He was once asked what he would do if he had to chop down a huge tree, and he replied, "I’d spend half of my time sharpening my axe." It’s easier to sharpen an axe, and when the axe is sharp it takes less time to cut through wood. Plain and simple and right in line with this principle of science.
Another application. How many of you in your work environment or other place like it when some person full of energy and vitality comes in and starts challenging you or others to do things differently? How many of you react positively and jump at the chance? Most of the time, not so much. Most of the time we’re happy staying right where we are because we are functioning in the lowest energy state. Whenever someone comes in to challenge things, it makes us more than a little uncomfortable.
It’s really not hard to see that even as people we like staying at the lowest energy state possible. We put off doing things we know we should do. We tend to find the paths of least resistence. We tend to slip into the same habits and same tendencies that we have always done. It is only when we find some sort of motivation, some sort of extra energy that we finally make changes, and this, my brothers and sisters, is where I believe our faith comes into play.
Jesus tells us this morning in our Gospel lesson that He is the vine and we are the branches. He says, "4Abide 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. 5I 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. 6Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples."
Abide in Jesus. Why?
Because apart from Him we cannot bear fruit? Why?
Bearing fruit is hard work and it goes against our nature. It’s our nature to take things easy–to find the path of least resistence–to stay at the lowest energy state.
But take a listen to the fruits of the Spirit which are listed in Galatians chapter six: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, generosity, gentleness, and self-control. Those traits are not easy traits to incorporate into our lives. In fact, the fruits of the flesh tend to come more easily. Those are listed there in Galatians too.
19Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, 20idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, 21envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these.
I mean, whenever someone does something you don’t like, do you find yourself acting in a spirit of love. Do you seek to understand why the person might have done what he or she did and give allowances, or do you get really, really ticked off? Which is easiest? Whenever an issue arises within a congregation, an organization, a community, a nation, do we tend to seek patience in working things out, or do we draw lines and have factions? Whenever we see someone get a reward, do we have a spirit of joy for that person, or do we slide into envy? When life throws devastating curve balls at us, is it easy to remain faithful, or do we turn to that age old stand-by of drunkenness, carousing, and things like these? What do you see most of when you look around society? Which is the easier path?
And which one are we, as followers of Jesus called to take? Are we called to stay in the lowest energy state, or to rise above it? Are we called to go to a higher level?
Of course we are, but where will the energy come from to get there? Where will we find the strength to rise above what comes naturally? Will it come from us? According to Jesus, no. Not by a long shot. We will not bring ourselves out of such things–only He can do it. Only He can give us the strength to bear fruit. Apart from Him we can do nothing.
And so we pray this day that we may be found to be abiding in Him. We pray that we may find ourselves rooted and grounded in Christ that we may overcome our natural tendencies and produce fruit which is pleasing to our Father in Heaven. Amen.
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