The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1899-05-05
THE VINE AND THE BRANCHES.
n.tio1aI sundns school Lesson
for Na, Z. SSso-Texf. John io'
f.if-Menor, Verses, t-S-

COMPARE John 1915, Matt. 1860.
IJGHT FROM OTHER sCRlPlI RES
49, Illustration OF the Ninc.-Isa 5l-7:
- g.ai. Eek 1910: Psa- SO:s-lo: Hos.
T..i, Matt. 1888. The Tree and Its Fruit
Mat 1860. Luke 1863; Gal 5.l9-2J
TIME Thursday eve, April s, A. ID. 30.
me night before the crucinxion.
pLACE.-An upper room In Jerusalem
EXPLANATORY.
The Supges tion.--lt is uncertain
where this chapter and 10 ana IL were
spoken. Chap. ii closes with ohrists
words: "Arse. let us go hence" and in
ISL IL is said that they went forth. 1t
g. nrobable that at the close of chap
"A they arose from the table and pre-
nared 10 leave, but before they actually
,x.nt out of the room, and while stand
inc. The remainder Of the discourse was
snnkcn. Others think that IL was
sDoken somewhere on the way to Gcth-
semaue There was no need of any
thing outward to suggest the figure or
metaphor Of the vine and its branches
/ The True Vine is Christ.-Ns. l,5.
I. ~ am the true vine." The genuine.
the ideal. the perfect vine. As the vine
supports the branches. and its life flows
through them all and is their life, SO
Jesus is the sustaining power of the
Christian kingdom. and the source OF
the life in all His disciples.
III. The Owner Is Cody. l. my Fa-
ther is the husbandman:" Not the
hired laborer the vine-dresser, but the
owner OF the vineyard, the original
planter. possessor, and cultivator of the
vince. W. Clark.
III. The Branches Are True Chris
tians.-Vs. l. 8. Every branch
ve are the branches" A beautiful
theory has been established in yegeta-
lie physiology which illustrates In a
most striking manner the nature OF the
union between Christ and believers, as
svmbolized by a vine and its branches.
This theory proceeds on the assumption
that all plants. without exception, arc
strictly annual. A tree under which
class the vine. of course, is included, is
generally supposed 10 be single plant.
Ike primrose. or lily. only that II
does not fade in autumn and is pos
sessed OF perennial growth. tree ia
row found to be, not single indivld-
rs single plant. but. on the contrary.
aracgregate of individuals. body cor
poraie. The idea involved in a gen.
ta,ogicai tree is exactly that which
Is involved In a natural tree: the for
mer consisting Of living and dead per-
sons. as the latter consists OF living
and dead plants. In its full wealth OF
summer foliage and vigor, tree Is
literally vegetable colony. propagat-
Ing its individual plants vertically in
,he air. instead of spreading them out
horizontally over the earth's surface,
like herbaceous lants.'-IIugh Mac
milan. Ii. D.. +. Il. 5. +.
". The Fruitless Branches.-Ns- 2.
6. The branches cut oil are first with
cred and then burned. "Thorns VIII
generally burn Immediately" but the
vine branch must first wither and grow
dry before it is gathered into fagots
and cast into the fire. 1t is interesting
10 note that according TO n Jowish
authority. the fruitless and withercd
branches of the vine were not regarded
as fit wood for the sacred altar fires.
either TO save fruit-bearing trees from
yvanton destruction. or because bear
ing no fruit. they were common and
unclcan affairs. which might be used
for any common fuel. but still night
form no part OF the sacred contribu-
tion."-Sunday School Times.
Y. Pruning the Fruit : Bearin =
pranches.-ys. .. 2. Every branch
that bcareth fruit. lie purgeth IL:
Cleanseth II. There is a curious play
az words IN sound between the taking
away thairei) OF the fruitless branch
and the purring (kathaireD of the
fruitful branch.--Cambridgc Bible.
g. "Now ye are clean:" The same
word as "purge" in v. 2. Through the
word:" All Jesus teaching and training
for three years had been cleansing and
pruning the disciples. Imperfect as
they were. they were bearing good fruit
and were prepared 10 bring forth
great deal more and great deal bet
ter fruit. as we see in the Acts.
VI. The Fruit The fruit is the faith.
love and obedience referred to so often
81 our last lesson. 1t includes all the
fruits OF the Spirit-love. joy. peace
long-sufTering. etc (Gal. 5:22. 23.)
MI. Abiding in Christ the Means OF
Bearing Fruit.-N. 4. abide in Me
and in you:'' How may we abide in
Him? CD by faith; t2) by communion
with Him; CD by doing His viii; ca
by doing all with right motives for
His sake; CD by loving Him; t6rby the
means Of grace. the Word Of God
prayer. the sabbath; ca by letting liis
word abide ia us ". -, continuing ir
the school of Christ.
VIII. Some Blessings That Com,
from Abiding in Christ, and Bearing
Fruit-Ns. I'll. First. Y. T. The an
swer TO prayer. Second. V. s. The
glory OF God Third. $50 shall We b,
My disciples" Learners in tho schoo
of Christ, followers Of His teaching
enjoying His rewards. Fourth. The
branches are the means through which
God bestows His choice fruits upor
men. The branches are the conductor
of Gods life and blessing.-Dr. a. Mac
kenzie. Fifth. " 0. The love o