What is a preacher to make of a parable or extended allegory about a vine in an urban and industrial culture? If you are living in a small town or a rural area, people might know something about growing grapes. They might know about the need to prune back old growth since the grapes only form on the new growth. But how many in a large city would know about cultivating a grape vine so that it produces a good crop? For them grapes are something you buy in the produce section of the supermarket.

Perhaps a more meaningful allegory might relate to electricity. After all, most of us are heavily dependent upon electrical current. We know that electricity is generated somewhere else. It has to be transmitted over an extensive network of lines to reach us. We can tap into it by plugging various de…