The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-08-28
The Sunday School.
BY REV. G. L. DEMAREST, DID.
LESSON FOR SEPTEMBER 5, 1886.
JESUS THE TRUE VINE.
John XIV. 1-16.]
TIE VINE AND THE BRANCHES.

Chapter xiv. closes with these words,
"Arise, let us go hence" But from chapter
xiii. IL to xviii. appears to be one continuous
discourse. Chapter xviii. begins, when
JESUS had spoken these words, he went forth
with his disciples over the brook Kidron,
where was garden into which he and his
disciples entered" The parabolic discourse,
of which our Lesson is a part, and the sub
lime prayer for that spiritual union which the
discourse commended, contained in chapter
xvii, appears to have been spoken between
the direction to go out and the final depart
ure of JESUS and his disciples from the Sup
per room to the Mount of Olives and the gar
den of Gethsemane. If, however, according
to DIR. LANCE, the discourse was spoken on
the way to the garden as the company passed
the vineyards that bordered the valley of
Kidron, and beheld the fires that were con-
summing the withered branches that had been
cut from the vines by the vine dresser, the
scene might have suggested the discourse
and would give life and impressiveness to
the porable upon which it was based. The
reference to the fruit of the Vine during the
Supper may have suggested the metaphor
figure of speech to the well-informed and de-
vout Israelite (See Psalm Xxx. 8; Jeremi-
ah ii. 81 and ISAIAH v. LID But wherever
the discourse may have been spoken, JESUS
continues the previous exhortation that the
disciples dwell in his love, and that of the
Father which was manifested in him. he
reiterates over and over again this necessity,
that they might not fall away from their
faith in him when he should be taken out of
the world by violence. His glory, and that
of the Father in him, could only be complete
through their continued faithfulness. He
tenderly and touchingly converses with the
disciples as they sup together for the last
time, and devoutly prays that they may not
stumble or fall away from him, the source of
their hopes of eternal life and blessedness
in the kingdom of the MESSIAH
The spiritual oneness of Christ and his fol-
lowers, and his relation to them as the source
of all their spiritual life and fruitfulness, is
strikingly set forth under the figure of vine
and its branches. The culture of the vine
and care of vineyards were SO we'll under
stood that the disciples could hardly have
failed to comprehend the full force of the
teaching. In the proper care of his vineyard,
the vinedresser cut off from the vines every
unfruitful branch, which, separated from the
vine, the source of its life, soon withered and
dried up, and was burned either for fuel or
as rubbish. The fruitful branch he prunes
(cuts partially that it may be more fruitful.
or that the fruit may be more perfect. The
branches that remained on the vine after
dressing (cleansing) would make vigorous
growth and bear abundant and luscious fruit.
JESUS called himself the vine and his disci-
pies the branches. The Father was the hus-
bandman who owned and cultivated the vine.
An abundant fruitage would be expected as
the result of his care and culture To be
fruitful branches, the disciples must continue
steadfast in their faith and fellowship with
the Master, the vine, and source of spiritual
life. The kingdom which he came to estab
fish could only be perpetuated through their
fidelity aud faithfulness as mis- disciples. In
this, they, their Master, and the Father who
sent him, would be glorifed together. In
the Fathers culture of his vine the unfruit-
full branches would be taken away. Judas
had already been separated from his Master
and disciples. Those who remained
would be severely disciplined (pruned). His
instructions we're process of culture. They
should be farther disciplined by the trying
experiences through which they would soon
be called to pass; but, continuing faithful in
their discipleship and fellowship with the
Lord tabiding in the vine), they would be
sustained by his spirit dwelling in them,
L. than
nourishing every branch and part) and
would finally and fully realize and enjoy all
their desires and hopes IN him and his king
dom. Dwelling in JESUS, the disciple is so
near the Father, who dwells in the Son, that
he may ask and receive anything of God.
The unity of the spirit insures unity of desire
and will, and fulness of joy.
AS the sap that is in the trunk of the vine
lows out through the branches, so the same
spirit is in the heart of the Christian as in
CHRIST, and he will therefore ask only what
ia in harmony with the will of CHRIST, and
accordingly will not ask in vain.-Reu. VII
Der r. Crafts.
And JESUS said, 'As the good husbandman
prunes his vine, thus doth the Father prune
US, that we may bring forth more fruit. |
am his vine and he means that should bring
forth much fruit: therefore he Will cut away
all dead branches, and cut off part of many
living ones. We are the branches and l am
the Vine. Continue in me- and draw nour-
ishment from me, and you will bring forth
much fruit. And be not afraid or confound-
ed when the Father of us all prunes you Sc
verely and you bleed, and are in anguish: for
it is done that you may bring forth more
fruit. So long as | am here and talk with
you, you are clean by the power of my words;
you feel full of courage, and only love what
is good. But when you see me no more, con-
tinue in me and still partake of my life; for
shall be with you always, even to the end
of this age."-Legend of Thomas Didynus,
James Freeman Clarke.
"A similar truth, with similar purpose, is
set forth concerning the Church, by the Apos-
tie Paul, under the similitude of a body, the
head and the members. "Ye are the body of
Christ and severally members thereof. "If
one member suffers, all the members suffer
with it, or if member il honored, all the
members rejoice with it.' "We being many
are one body in CHRIST, and every one men,
bers one of another" HE is the head of
the body, the Church, from which all the
body being supplied and knit together
through the joints and ligaments, increaseth
with the increase of COP" Il Corinthians xii.
26, 81; Romans xii. 5; Oolossians i. Is and ii.
49,. CHRIST is the head of the Church. Its
truth and life are from him. Its usefulness