The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1891-10-28
THE SUNDAY.SCHOOC.
Christ tho True vine-John 1osl'o'
M Memory Verses, = D.
ffspec,ailv Arranged from 8. s. Quarterly

Especially Arranged irOm o D. S"s'vo's'i
LESSON ron NOVEMBER !, 1881.
GoLpEN TEXT Herein Is My Father giorl
fed, that We bear much fruit-Jonn 1913
CENTRAL TRUTH Abiding IN christ u Nno
source OF the Christian life its fruits and bless
ings.
TME-Thursday evening, April Q, A. d. 30
ten or eleven o'clock, Immediately after the
last lesson.
PLAcE.-An upper room in Jerusalem.
CIRCUMSTANCES AT the close OF the last
chapter the whole company arose anu prep"to'
to leave the room: hut Jesus had more 10 say
anc while thcy were standing He spoke chap
tiers 10 aud 49, and tho prayer in chapter H.
HELPS OVER HARD PLAcEs.-"True vlnc''
the source OF life to all His disciples. Illus
bandman:' the planter ana owner OF tue Nii'o'
who cares for it. 'ond whose Is the fruit :.
EVERY branch" each individual Christian,
each church is branch. ''Purgeth IT." cleans
eth it; by pruning. by taking away any insects
or fungus that hinders 1t, by culture, by new
life. SO Jesus does with His disciples, He
cleaEseth the soul ID by the operation OF the
law that right doing develops right feellng,
and opens the heart to higher influences tchap.
7:l7): 90 by the sanctifying influences OF the
Holy Spirit which is given to each soul in the
measure in which each proves itself worthy oil
and willing to receive Him; (3) by the discipine
of life. which is the manifestation OF Coo $
special love to the soul Heb. 1870. The object
of all this redemptve work is in order that the
soul may bring forth more fruit" This prun-
ing explains the reason for many Of our losses
and trials 3. Now already We are clean;"
cleansed as described in the previous verse.
Through because OF. on account OF, 'thc
word which have spoken unto you. You are
already cleansed from past sin through your
acceptance OF and obedience to My word. Con-
scious Of their imperfections, their late Strife,
their weakness, they might fear lest they were
not branches of the true vine. Jesus comforts
themwith the assurance that they are clcansed
that they are bearing fruit, though they may
need further cleansing in order that they may
bring forth more fruit. 4. abide in Me- by
believing, by loving, by communion, by obedi.
ence b Much fruit" the fruits are holy
character good life. noble deeds, the CONVEX
sion of others, the world made better. z. ASK
what We will" ETC.: this promise is to those
who abide in Jesus and live according to His
word, for such will ask what is right and wise.
8. Continue ye in My love-" by obedience ".
l0). II. my joy:' JOY Of doing good, of loving,
offree, healthy activity, of communion with God,
of faith and submission, of Heaven and all its
delights. l5 "Hencforth I call you not serv
ants" they were to do His will, but not
in sovic manner, because they must,
nor merely from a sense Of duty. II have called
you friends" He tells them His plans He
| works with them Us friends, and they serve
| Him because they love Him. IS. ''That your
| fruit should remain:'' your work shall en
dure.
LESSON COMMENT.
Jesus here uses the vine as a life-giving
thing, the life-giving power which lay
in Himself. Jesus says: 81 am the true
vine" This suggests that there are
vines that are not true" They are
spurious, and cannot rightly nourish
the branches SO that they may bear
fruit. Those to whom Christ was speak
ing were in danger of thinking that
because they belonged to the vine of
Israel therefore they were ''all right
Even the most selfish among the Jews
felt proud and self-satisfied in the claim;
''We have Abraham to our father. y
Therefore Christ taught them plainly
that He Himself alone was the 'true
vine" All other vines were 'false,
degenerate, strange"
Are there any such vines left in oul
days? Alas! yes. The same vine Of
Journalism remains. There is the vine
of culture and the vine of ''science'
and the vine of philosophy" each OF
which is Landed by some enthusiastic
advocate. Gather all these together
tie them up in one bundle and labe
them all: False vines" For the Sor
of God Himself said: 81 am the
true vine.' He who wants spirit
ual life can never get it from any
degenerate vine. All that he will de
rive from such vine is untruth ant
self-complacence When men can gather
grapes from thorns or figs from thistles
then only can they extract truth from
falsehood.
All professed believers claim to bt
branches of the true vine. But not al
who claim to he united to the true vine
are really branches. How may we know
whether we are true branches of the
true vine? Jesus tells us in the lessor
that fruit bearing" is the test. "By
their fruits We shall know them Ht
who claims to belong to Jesus mus
bear the fruits of such a union. If there
is no fruit of the spirit in person,
life, all the outward profession in tn,
world cannot avail anything.
Now turn to the unfruitful branches
They really never belonged to the vine
What became of them? Jesus tells IL.
plainly in this lesson. They are cas-
forth, wither, are gathered and burned
Love never threatens falsely. Since
then, lie warns and threatens, W.
know that that of which He warns mer
has real existence. All, therefore
who are not united to the "true" vine
Jesus Christ, are certain to perish for
ever when he shall come to Judgment
Rev. A. +. Schauff1er, ID. ID.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
/. Much fruit. Shows 1) that the,
who bear much fruit are like Christ
(2) 1t shows that they abide in Him, o.
they could not bear such fruit. (3) i
shows that they have learned of Him
(4 1t shows that they obey Him.
.. The JOY of Christ. This joy is Il
the Joy of a free activity in doing right
(2l The Joy of entire conservation an.
submission to God. 81 The Joy O
doing good, of self denial for others
az The joy of perfect faith in wis,
and loving God.
5. How may we abide in Him? (1) B,
faith; (2) by communion with Him; g
by doing His will.
4. How may we have Him abide will
us? ~ BY opening the door of our hearts
(2) by receiving the Holy Spirit; (S) b,