The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1891-10-30
TIE suNpAY.scHooL.


LEssoS ron NOVEMBER !. 1901.
ooi.prS TrxT.-Iicrcin Il Ny Father glori.
ned. that sc bear much fruit.-John IS "a
CENTRAL TnrTu.- Abiding Ia Christ Il the
source q the Christian life. is fruits and bless
Tugs.
TINE Thursday evening. April a A. d. %.
ten or eleven o'clock. Immediately after the
last lesson
Pf-AcE-An upper room IL Jerusalem.
CfHcuMsTAScEs-At the close u the last
chapter the whole company arose and prepared
70 leave the room. but Jesus had moro TO say.
and while they were standing lie spoke chap
tiers ~ AMI 10. and the prayer In chapter II.
HELPS OVER HARD PLAcEs-"Truc vines"
the source Of life 70 all Ills disciples. "TIus-
bandman;' ths planter and owner Of the vine.
who cares for Il. and whose Is the fruit. Z.
Every branch:" each individual Christian,
each church Is q branch. "Purgcth ~" cleans
eth IL; by pruning. by taking away any insects
or fungus that hinders II, BY culture. by new
life. SO Jesus does with His disciples. He
clcaEscth the soul % by tho operation OF the
law that right doing develops right feeling,
and opens Tic heart 70 higher influences lchsp.
s;iD: 81 BY the sanctifying influences OF tho
holy Spirit which il given 10 each soul In the
measure In which each proves itself worthy az
and willing 70 receive Him; 90 by the discipline
Of life which Is the manifestation OF Gods
special love 20 the soul Heb. ls:0). The object
VI 0lA luis ItNttnItlYt WOrK ~ IN OFNcI INuI the
soul ''may bring forth morn fruit" This prun-
Ing explains the reason for many Of our losses
and trials. 3. Now (alrcady) 80 are clcnn:"
clcnnscd as described In the previous verse.
Through" because Of on account Of 'rhc
word which have spoken unto you. You arc
already clcnnsed from past sin through your
acceptance OF and obedience to My word. Con
tcous u their impcrfcctions, their late strife,
their weakness. they might fear lest they were
mt 4Y4 ha 4frr4
them with the assurance that they are clcanscd.
that they are bearing fruit, though they may
need further cleansing in order that they may
bring forth more fruit. Z abide In Me-" BY
believing by loving by communion. by obcdi-
cnce- 4 Much fruit:" the fruits are holy
character. good life. noble deeds the CONVEX
sion OF others. the world made better. 7. ASK
what sc will" ETC.: this promise Is 70 those
who abide In Jesus and live according 10 His
word. for such will ask what Is right and wise.
D. Continue &c in My lovc:" BY obedience ".
iW II. MY joy:" JOY Of doing good. OF loving,
,ffrec healthy activity. OF communion with God.
Of faith and submission. OF Heaven aud all is
delights Is 'Hencsorth call you not scrv-
ants" they were 10 do His will, but not
IA a scryilc manner. because they must.
NOT merely from q sense Of duty. II have called
you friends:' lie tells them His plans. He
works with them as friends and they serve
lIin because they love Him. ID That your
fruit should remain" your work shall en-
dure-
LESSON COMMENT.
Jesus here uses the vine as a lifc-giving
thing. the lifc-giving power which lay
in Himself. Jesus says: II am the true
vine" This suggests that there are
vines that are not true" They are
spurious, and cannot rightly nourish
shc branches SO that they may bear
fruit. Those to whom Christ wns speak
ing were in danger Of thinking that
bccause they belonged 70 the vine Of
Israel therefore they were tall right.
Even the most selfish among the Jews
felt proud and self-satisficd in the claim:
I'VE have Abraham to our father. /"
Therefore Christ taught them plainly
that lie Himself alone was the true
vine" All other vines were false, !"
degenerate" strange"
Are there any such vines left in our
days? Alas. yes. The same vine Of
Journalism remains. There Is the vine
Of culture" and tho vino Of science"
and the vine Of philosophy" each Of
which Is laudcd by some enthusiastic
advocate. Gather all these together,
tic them up in one bundle and label
them al: False vines" For the Son
Of God Himself said: II am the
true vine" lie who wants spirit
nal life can never get il from any
degenerate vino. All that he will de-
rive rom such a vine Is untruth and
sclf-complaccncc. When men can gather
grapcs from thorns or figs from thistles
then only can they extract truth from
false hood.
All profcssed believers claim TO be
branches Of the true vino. But not all
who claim to be united 70 the true vine
are really branches. Low may we know
whether we arc true branches Of the
true vlnc? Jesus tells us in the lesson
that fruit bearing" Is the test. by
their fruits We shall know them lie
who claims to belong 10 Jesus must
bear the fruits Of such union. If there
Il no fruit Of the spirit in a persons
life. all the outward profession in tho
world cannot avail anything.
Now turn to the unfruitful branches
They really never belonged to the vine.
What became Of them? Jesus tells us
plainly III this lesson. They nrc cast
forth. withcr. are gathered and burned.
Love never threatens falsely. Since,
then. lie warns and threatens, we
know that that Of which lie warns men
has a real existence. All, therefore,
who arc not united to the ''truc" vine,
Jesus Christ. are certain to perish for
ever when he shall como to Judgment.
Rev. a. +. Schnufilcr, d. d.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
I. Much fruit. shows ~ that they
who bear much fruit are like Christ.
(al Ii shows that they abide in Him. or
they could not bear such fruit. t3) II
shows that they have learned Of Him.
"a 1t sho rs that they obey Him.
.. The Joy Of Christ. This Joy Is ~
the Joy Of free activity in doing right.
(a) The joy Of cntirc consecraticn and
submission 70 God. ts) The Joy Of
doing good. Of self denial for others.
~ The Joy Of perfect faith In wise
and loving God.
Q. How may VIC abide in Him? (D by
faith: (2) by communion with Him; 90
BY doing His will.
1. How may We have Him abide with
US? (f) lIy opening the door ofou hearts;
(c) by receiving the Holy Spirit; 90 by
,otts,,O nwnv All Tint Il rpuulsive "a