(* Ephesians 2:5~6 and Revelation 3:20)

Introduction : Even though South and North Koreans are living together on the same peninsula, they don´t share anything together. The reason is because their beliefs and political systems are totally different from each other. Even when we live together, love, faith, and understanding are needed to pursue the same goals and values to share life together.


1. Sharing family life together.
    1) Parents and children have the same life goals and values in a group called family.
        Health of family, success, happiness. etc. (Ps 127:3).
    2) Understanding of life between parents and children is harmonized (2 Co 12:14).
    3) Parents and children are connected by a blood relationship; they love and trust each
        other (Ge 3:16; Ps 103:13). Therefore, parents and children are not only living
        together, but they live a life of sharing with each other (1 Ti 5:4).

2. A husband and wife sharing life together.
    1) Even though a husband and wife were not related before, they share the same
        goals and values. So, they seek success and happiness together (Ge 2:24).
    2) A husband and wife have the same understanding because they live together
        (1 Co 7:3).
    3) A husband and wife have not only a legal relationship but they live a life of love and
        faith together (Eph 5:22,25). herefore, it´s more than living together; a husband and
        wife share everything in each other´s life.

3. Sharing life together with Jesus Christ.
    1) God came as a human being and became one of us (Jn 1:14; Php 2:6-8).
    2) He carried our unhappiness as His burden.
        (1) Burden of sin (Isa 53:6).
        (2) Burden of faults (Isa 53:5; Eph 2:1).
        (3) Burden of sickness (1 Pe 2:24; Mt 8:17).
        (4) Burden of the curse (Gal 3:13; 2 Co 8:9).
        (5) Burden of death (Heb 2:14,15).
    3) He was resurrected for us (Eph 2:8,9; Ro 4:25).
    4) He is seated in heaven for us (Eph 2:5,6).
        Therefore, we are always sharing our life with Jesus (Jn 14:23; 1 Jn 4:13).

4. A successful life of sharing.
    1) The role of a leader is to guide a life in sharing together.
        (1) Parents must lead their children (Dt 5:16; Col 3:20).
        (2) A husband must lead his wife (Eph 5:33).
        (3) The Lord must lead us (Jn 10:3; Eph 1:22).
             The leader should have the ability to do various things for the group as well as
             bear the responsibility for it: to protect it, to nurture it, and to guide it
             (Ps 127:1; Mt 11:28; Jn 10:28,29).
    2) The role of a follower.
        (1) Obey with gentleness (Dt 30:20; Mt 11:29; Jn 15:5).
        (2) Believe and trust (Ps 37:5; Heb 11:6; Mt 7:11).
        (3) Serve the leader (Pr 23:17,18; Jn 12:26).


Conclusion : The grapevine and the branches share life together. The trunk of the grapevine must protect the branches and be responsible for supplying nutrition. The branches must rely on the vine with complete obedience and blossom by following the will of the vine. The Bible says that Jesus is the vine and we are the branches in the life between Jesus and us.