The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1905-05-04
THE VINE AND
THE BRANCHES
Sunday School Lesson Tor Asy7.lSO5
Specially Prepared Tor This Paper.

TlME.-Same evening as last lesson,
Thursday. The last evening Jesus was with
HIS disciples.
PLACE.-An upper room In Jerusalem.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCEs.-Th vine.
Pisa. O.S-16: lisa 5.I-5; Jer. 2:2i.22; 1910;
Eek 1850; Hos. 1851; Matt. 2O;i; Mark y;
l-s; John l5:l-l3 Cleansing the vine. Sol
Song 2;15, Amos Es: Joel IL.
THE TREE AND ITS FRUlT-Matt 4:
1919; Luke 1863; Gal. 5;1s-2S
Comment and Suggestive Thought
v. Il" Jesus. True vine" He
is a contrast to the false. unfruitful
Israel, and all human teachers, for he
alone can send His own life into His
branches. Moreover, as the ever-liv-
ing Christ, He can extend His power
to His people at all times. Husband
men" The owner, planter and Guilt
vator OF the vine.
va. "Beareth not fruit" Some
who are Christians In name show no
likeness to Christ in their lives. TAX
eth away" The vinedresseF pinches
of the excess of woody growth and SUI
periiuous branches. SO God removes
those who hinder others from being
fruitful Christians. 'Purgeth." Re-
moves dirt. insects. dried twigs. Thus
God removes bad habits from those
who give tneir hearts to Jesus. Many
Of the Christians trials, and what he
at first counts as losses, are Gods
pruning to prepare him for greater
fruitfulness.
Va. Clean through the word"
The disciples TO whom Jesus spoke
we're united by love to Him. and their
previous bad habits and wrong ideas
we're removed by His teaching.
V. 4. Abide in Me-" If we want
to be branches of Jesus. we must give
our hearts love 20 Him. II IN you"
We must open our hearts to receive
Jesus love- Every day and hour we
should love Him and rejoice in His
love for us. Cannot bear fruit of it.
self" A branch cut from the vine
may retain its color for some time,
but il cannot possibly bear fruit No
more can any soul bear fruit that is
pleasing 10 God or helpful to men, II
It does not abide in Christ. He is the
trunk and we are but the branches.
II we are to be helpful in this world;
If we are to do that which is pleasing
IN His sight. It must be through Him.
VS.. Much fruit" One who abides
in loving union with Christ manifests
in his life the fruits of the Spirit and
thus becomes a source of great good
to others.
V. s. Cast forth. withered, burned. %
A fruitless branch is cut of. and. after
IL withers, is burned. They who do
not abide in Jesus are separated far
Their and farther from Him.
" Z. ASK what ye will" A first
evidence of abiding union with Jesus
is given by answered prayers. One who
is in loving union with Jesus asks in
His name John 14:1D, and wills to
ask for just what Jesus wishes.
VS.. Father glorifed." The world
sees little Of Gods glory. especially
fails to recognize His glorious love, but
it is brought before ali by a fruitful,
Christian life. 80 disciples"
One must be a disciple-a learner-of
Jesus in order to begin bearing
then the more fruitful he is the more
he learns Of Christ
V. 9. AS the Father hath loved
me-" The greatest love we can think
of is that between the divine Father
and Son, but Jesus says this is the
measure Of His love for us. Con
tinue." Abide.
V. TO- Keep My commandments. =
A second fruit of abiding is obedience
the careful following Of His direc-
tions. We keep His commandments
because we love Him; and then, the
more we keep His commandments the
more we love, the closer we abide in
His love.
V. IL. These things spoken" Jesus
has taught all this for the express pur-
pose of lmparting to His disciples His
Joy" This joy springs from an un-
failing source God Himself. This does
not mean a selfish joy because we are
saved, but the Joy of acquaintance with
Cod joy in having a part in carrying
out His loving purposes. Your joy
full" The Joy which Jesus i'm
parts, though full to-day, will be great
er tomorrow, as our capacity for re-
ceiving Il increases. Earthly trials and
troubles will not diminish nor disturb II.
V. ~. One more direction about at
tanning this joy, becoming true fruit
bearing branches of Jesus, is: Love
one another" In plain language Jesus
says that the world will know, and we
ourselves will know, that we abide in
Christ, If we love each other in the
same way that Jesus loves us. AS we
live with Jesus in love, and abide in
Him truly. then our joy will be full
and will ever flow out in love, sym
patty and helpfulness toward others.
As it is peTsectly natural for a grape
vine branch to abide in the vine and
draw from il its strength, so Il Is for us
to abide in Jesus.
Practical Points.
V. l. One who belongs not to the
true Vine Is a weed, fitted only for
destructiOn.-Matt. 1913.
V. 2. BY trials and Affections the
Father lovingly promotes His chill
dren's fruitfulness.-Heb. 1911.
v 4. Good deeds, without love, are