John chapter 15 contains one of the most important metaphors Jesus shared with us – the vine and its branches. Each of the branches is connected to the vine. Jesus does not include twigs, leaves, etc., in this metaphor. There is a reason for that. If he had created a metaphor patterned after the world system, he would have said something like this: “I am the vine, pastors are the branches, you are the twigs, and your wives are the leaves.” You see?
Instead, each of us directly downloads our life from Jesus. We do not depend on an intermediary to “feed us.” Going to church to “get fed” by a preacher is antagonistic to what Jesus is saying here. As part of this same discourse, Jesus washes his disciples’ feet and tells them to follow his example and serve one another. Elsewhere he enjoins them to forget lording it over each other; instead, the greatest will, in fact, be a servant.
This is not to say that you should not get any “food” from preachers. You just need to recognize that all the branches are connected directly to the vine, and you can learn from all of them, not just the ones who are preachers or leaders.
Instead, each of us directly downloads our life from Jesus. We do not depend on an intermediary to “feed us.” Going to church to “get fed” by a preacher is antagonistic to what Jesus is saying here. As part of this same discourse, Jesus washes his disciples’ feet and tells them to follow his example and serve one another. Elsewhere he enjoins them to forget lording it over each other; instead, the greatest will, in fact, be a servant.
This is not to say that you should not get any “food” from preachers. You just need to recognize that all the branches are connected directly to the vine, and you can learn from all of them, not just the ones who are preachers or leaders.
