The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1905-05-04

FLAcE.-An upper room IN Jerusalem.
SCRIPTURE REFER ENcrs.- vine
fsa Se-S-ie. lisa. S.f-9: J~r 2.21. u. i2.ia.
rs.N. l.;s-io; Hos ie:i; Matt. wi; Mark T.
~ John i5i-l2 Cleansing the vine, Sol
song. 2.l4s Amos as. Joel III
TIE TREE AND IT'S FRC1T.-Nfatt Z.
le--p, Luke iS.e-3. Gal s:fe-z3
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
'. II" Jesus. True vine" He
Is a contrast 70 the false. unfruitfui
israel. and al human teachers. for he
aione can send His own life into His
branches Moreover. as the ever-Iiv-
ing Christ, He can extend His power
10 His people at ali times. Husband.
men, The owner. planter and cnlti-
vator OF the vine.
V. ? Beareth not fruit" Some
who are Christians IN name show no
Z likeness 70 Christ in their lives. TAX
ete away. The vinedresser pinches
/ on the excess Of woody growth and SUI
/ pcrhuous branches. So God removes
I those who hinder others from being
/ fruitful Christians. "Purgeth.' Re
moves dirt, insects. dried twigs. Thus
I God removes bad habits from those
VINO give ,heir hearts TO Jesus. MANY
o. the Christians trials. and what ne
az first counts as losses. are Gods
pruning 70 prepare him for greater
/ fruitfulness.
v 3. Clean through the word"
ths disciples 70 whom Jesus spoke
were united by love to Him. and their
previous bao habits and wrong ideas
were removed by His teaching.
v a. abide in Me" II we wan,
10 Poe branches OF Jesus. we must give
our hearts love TO Him. Il in Won
we must open our hearts 20 receive
Jesus love. Every day and hour We
should love Him and rejoice I'm Ills
love Tor us Cannot bear fruif ~ i,-
self A branch cut from IN, VIM
may retain its color for some time
t.t Dc cannot possibly bear fruit No
more can any soul bear fruit that Is
pleasing tc God or helpful 10 men II
90 Goes not abide In Christ lie is the
trunk and we are but the branches
il we are 10 be helpful en- this world.
d. We are 10 do that which IS pleasing
in his sight. So must be through Him 4
v. 8. "Much fruit" one who ahiaes
Do loving union with Christ manifests |
in ms 1910 The fruits of the Spirit and |
'h"' becomes source OF great good |
10 others.
v. o.. Cast forth. withered. burned
irniticss branch is cut OF. and after |
10 withers Is burned. They who do
nor abide ia Jesus are separated far. !
lher and farther from Him.
v z ASK what ye Will" A FIRST
evidence of abiding union with Jesus /
ls aivon by answered prayers. one who /
is in loving union with Jesus asks in
ibis name John 1910. and villa M
ask Tor just what Jesus wishes
VS. Father slorned.~ The world
-~es htlo of Gods glory. especially
Tails to recognize His glorious love nut
% is brought before all by fruitful
On lstian lfe SO disciniss ;,
One must De a disciple-a learner-of
Jesus iu order TO begin fruit-bearine.
Then the more fruitful ne is the mora
he learns OF Christ
v. 9. AS the Father hath iovea
me- The greatest love we can think
OF -s that between the divine Father
ana son. hrt Jesus saws this is the
measure of His love for as. Con.
unue" Abide.
" 90. Keep AIy commandment o..
a second fruit OF abiding is obedience
the careful following Of His air.
lions 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.
" H. lhese things spoken" Jesus
has tansht an this for the express pur-
pose OF imparting 70 His discinles His
lof This joy springs from an nm
raining source, God Himself This docs
not mean a selfish JOY because we are a
saved, but The JOY Of acquaintance with 9
Coo JOY in having a part in CARRYING !
'Nt Ills loving purposes Your jov
full The JOY which Jesus i'm =
parts. though fun to-day. will be preat-
er 20 morrow, as our capacity for -
oeiving 81 Increases. Earthly trials ana
troubles win not diminish nor disturb, A.
" - One more direction about NJ.
.anning this joy, becoming true fruit-
bearing branches OF Jesus. is, .Iove
one another In plain language Jesps
says that the world viii know. and We
ourselves Will know. that we ahisa IN
Christ IL we love each other In the
'ame way that Jesus loves MS. AZ We
i've with Jesus in love. and abide in :
HIN truly, then our joy will be fuu i
ana VIII ever flow out in love. SYM 8
iathy and helpfulness toward others
As it is perfectly natural for a Crane :
Inc branch to abide in the vine ana
iraw from Il its strength, so il is for ms
o abide IN Jesus.
Practical Points. Il
v l. One who belongs not to the 81
rue Vine is a weed. fitted only for
.estruetion.-Matt 1913
v ? BY trials and affections the E
@'net loNinsiy promotes His chill +
ren's fruitfuiness.-Heb. 1871.
v T. Good deeds. without love. are =,
ut counterfeit fruit, satisfying neither NJ
iod nor mani Cor. 1872 n