Times-promoter., 1902-12-12
Beautiful Figure Which Illustrates
Deep Spiritual Truth.
Sermon, by the "Iighvny and BY
way" Preacher on One of the
Six Striking Sayings of
Jesus.
[Copyrlgnt 1902, by A. II. Kellogg News
paper Col

| III the SdfQeI-QeckeQ lanQ OF PaleS
tine, where the grape vine fourished in
all Of its splendid beauty and luXuri.
ance, came One from God Who declared
Himself the True Vine, that His Father
was the Husbandman Who planted the
Vine, and that His disciples in their re-
lations to Him were the branches of
the Vine. The vine was known and
fcultiyated from the earliest times in
Palestine and is very frequently re-
ferred to in the Old and New Testa-
ments. The short biography which
Gods word gives us OF Noah acquaints
US with the fact that he planted a
vineyard. 1t was wonderful sight
which greeted the eyes of the spies
when they had penetrated the Promised
Land as far as the Valley of Eschol
for we are told that they cut down a
branch bearing one cluster of grapes,
which two of them bore between them
en- 9. staff. And it was the vine
which Christ selected to illustrate the
close and intimate union which existed
between Himself and His disciples and
the relationship which His Father bore
to both the Vine and the branches.
He declares: 81 am the True Vine"
Nature in her gift to man of the vine
has but fOreshadowed the Christ and
strikingly illustrated what the Father
is to Him and He to His followers.
Nature sings a perpetual song OF
praise and testimony to God of His will
and purposes toward man. Always IN
perfect harmony with the Divine will
herself, Nature seeks to teach man,
who is out of harmony with God, spir-
itual truths which will bring his way
ward heart into sweet communion and
fellowship with its Maker.
Christ from the beginning to the end
of His ministry delighted to take His
illustrations from Nature. His crea-
tive hand had fashioned the worlds;
had piled the rocky heights down
which the refreshing waters coursed;
had planted the fertile valleys, and in
the leafy tops of thetrees He had nest
ed the happy birds. The busy hum of
Nature caught its music from the ac-
tivity of the Divine workshop. and is it
any wonder when Jesus came into the
world that the lilies of the field sang
to Him of the Fathers loving thought
and care; that the rolling bosom of
the blue Galilee should have given Him
refreshing and rest after many a
wearying day. and that the quiet Sc
clusion of the mountain retreats
should have become the sacred tenn
pies in which He met and communed
with the Father?
And He Who had lived in the realm
of Nature and had so forcibly taught
spiritual lessons from the pages of her
book. brings to His disciples as last
parting message this beautifully sug-
gestive figure of the vine and the
branches to comfort their hearts and
help them to realize that though their
Lore was to be no longer with them in
the flesh, still the union between Hin
and His disciples was not broken, |
but was more vital and intimate |
than ever before. This is the most |
striking of all the figures which Jesus
used, but it is interesting to note that !
it is not the only one which illustrates
the union of Christ with the believer,
for. as some one has said, they run
through the whole range of possible
figures of speech. There is the animal
kingdom, with its sheep and the shep-
herd; there is the mineral Kingdom,
with the building and the Chief Corner
Stone of Ephesians the second chap
ser; there is the human form with the
BODY and its members of the fourth
chapter of Ephesians; there are the
family and it's members, or the state or
and its citizens of the
third and fourth chapters of Ephesians;
there is the marriage relation with the
bride and the groom of the fifth chap
ter of Ephesians; and the climax is
reached in l Cor. 6:17: "He that is
Joined unto the Lord is one spirit" and
in Rom. S:35: "Who shall separate us
from the love of God?" The poem of
Frances r. Havergal comes to mind:
Joined TO Christ In mystic union.
We Thy members, IEou our HEAD,
Sealed by deep and true communion.
Risen with Thee, who once were dad
Saviour, we would humbly claim
All the power Of this, Thy name.
instant sympathy TO brighten
All their weakness and their woe,
Guiding grace their way to tighten.
Shall Thy loving members know;
All their SORROWS Thou dost bear.
All Thy gladness they shall share.
"Make Thy members every hour
F3r Thy blessed service meet;
Earnest tongues, and arms of power.
Skillful hands and fastening feet,
Ever ready to fulfill
All Thy word and all Thy will.
life Thou givest
Everlasting love to see;
They shall live because Thou livest.
-Ana their life is hid with Thee.
CO e sTh Tht. boT hai ha |