We are attached to Jesus the vine and rooted in God’s love because Jesus has reached out to us in love. We did not choose him but he chose us to be fruitful. The initiative was and is his.

He chose us before the foundation of the world. Human beings were always going mess up and it was always part of God’s plan that Jesus would die in our place so we could be forgiven. He also uniquely chooses each of us as individuals. We are special.

We cannot come to Christ through our own efforts or baptism in water.  We cannot judge who is a Christian and who isn’t or when a person’s faith journey began. We cannot become Christians through being kind. There are plenty of caring people today who would hate to be called Christians. We cannot become Christians through going to Church, reading the Bible or praying, though they are all important if we are to remain abiding in Jesus. We can do all these things and still not have a relationship with God.

Some of you might be worrying that you haven’t been chosen by Jesus because Jesus doesn’t seem real to you. Jesus assures us that we are loved and chosen through his words. “God so loved the world (that includes us), that he gave his one and only Son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Eternal life is completely dependent upon God’s love, not our feelings. Jesus died upon the cross for each one of us, whether we believe it or not.

Jesus assures us that he loves us as much as his heavenly Father loves him. His relationship with his heavenly Father shows us what it is like to have a unique, trusting relationship with one who knows our deepest needs. He dwells close to the Father’s heart, having the

closest possible relationship with him. He is known through and through and knows the thoughts of God yet he makes known his longings and thoughts when he talks to God in prayer.

Jesus asks us to dwell in that love, having the closest possible relationship with him. He calls us friends. We don’t do what he wants us to do because we are slaves. We do it out of love.

Being the slave of God was a title of the highest honour. Moses, Joshua, David, Paul and James were all proud to be called slaves of God. Jesus has something better for us. He says, I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. When we dwell in God’s love he reveals what is on his heart and mind.Whilst we cannot become Christians through our prayers, there is no way we can remain in relationship with him without spending time with him, telling him we love him and listening to him.

We get to know Jesus by finding out as much as we can about him through reading the Bible, particularly the New Testament

When we dwell in love we are filled with joy.^“I have said these things to you,” Jesus said, “ so that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be complete.”

When two people are married they enjoy being in each other’s company. We are called to enjoy being in relationship with Jesus

Jesus doesn’t want us to be unreal. There will be times in our lives, just as there was in his, of deep sadness. Jesus remains with us, loving us through. Joy always comes from love. Real joy is attractive to others. They want what we have.

Just as a married couple can go their separate ways and divorce, we too, can separate from God. Once a Christian doesn’t mean we will always be one.

To stay close to him, Jesus says we have to keep his commandments by loving one another as he has loved us. When we disagree we need to learn how to do it in love. So much damage has been done because Christians have hated one another. No wonder, those outside the church haven’t wanted to belong.

The world needs to know what true love looks like; what God looks like for God is love. He calls us to be models of his love. Jesus showed us what true love looks like by laying down his life for us. He showed us love in action and calls us to go out into the world and love as he loves.

We will produce fruit that lasts when we keep close to Jesus, showing his joy and love. Christ’s church will never die while his life flows through us and we keep his commandments. When we do so Jesus promises he will give us whatever we ask.

The early Christian disciples were not going to share their faith with people who weren’t Jews because they believed Jesus had come to bring salvation to the Jewish people alone. In our Acts reading we God taking the initiative and reaching out to Cornelius, a Roman centurion and his family. Cornelius was god fearing, gave generously and prayed to God regularly but this didn’t make him a Christian.

An angel spoke to Cornelius in a vision telling him to send for Peter

Meanwhile, while Peter was praying he had a nightmare. Three times he was asked to kill and eat the animals that Jews believed to be unclean. His views about what was clean were being challenged through God’s initiative so that when servants from Cornelius arrived asking him to come to Cornelius house, he was prepared to invite them into his house as guests.

Peter listened to what he has been shown in prayer and showed love in action by giving non Jews board and food and by travelling with them the next day.

When he arrived he discovered Cornelius had gathered his friends and family to listen. He began his talk by saying, “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favouritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.” God is not racist. He then shared with the sizeable gathering the message that Jesus who died and rose from the dead was appointed as judge of the living and the dead and that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.

While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit came upon the gathering just as he had come on the disciples on the day of Pentecost and they spoke in tongues and praised God.

The Holy Spirit brought these Gentiles into a relationship with Jesus, not Peter, though he played his part.

The Jewish Christians were astonished. Whereas the usual pattern of coming to faith and being accepted as followers of Jesus was repentance, trusting Jesus, baptism followed by receiving the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands, God had shown that he draws people into his family and decides who is in and out.

Acceptance and love was shown by the Jewish Christians through baptising them, into their community of love.

As we like Peter and Cornelius pray “Thy Kingdom Come” over the next two weeks, may we experience and know the depths of his love for us, be filled with his joy, know how he would have us reach out in love for others and like Cornelius and his family be filled with his Spirit.