The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1917-05-12
INTERNATIONAL
SUNn&S0l1OQ.
LESSON
(By E. o. SELLERS, Acting Director OF
the Sunday School Course of the Moody
Bible Institute.)
Copyright, 1917, Western Newspaper Union.)
LESSON FOR MAY 10
JESUS THE TRUE VINE.

| IEAI-l am the vine, ar
the branches.-John 1916.
This lesson chronologically follow.
that of last Sunday. Christ had riser
with his disciples from the supper ia
bic GA 3D. and the remainder of his
discourse may have occurred in an up
per room, or in the courtyard of the
house before they left the city, or Oh
the way to the garden of Gethsemane
l. THE ABIDING LIFE wv. 1.4).
Under the figure of the vine Jesus
teaches spiritual truth by natural
analogy. The vine is composed of
roots, stem, branches, tendrils, and
fruit. There is no separate life: the
branches are one with the vine. Christ
is the head of that body which is the
church to it's least member. The life
lived by the Christian is Christ's life
humanized, the purpose of which is
fruit bearing. Discipline is in order
to fruitfulness. "He (My Father, the
vine-dresser) cuts away any branch on
me which is not bearing fruit, and
cleans every branch which does bear
fruit to make it bear richer fruit"
(Moffat's translation). Paul tells us
that mo Christening for the present
seemeth to be joyous but grievous:
nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth the
peaceable fruit of righteousness unto
them which are exercised thereby"
The Word is the cleansing agent III:
10. Verse four suggests double
abiding-We in him, and he in us
the branch depending upon the vine
for life, and the vine depending upon
the branch for fruit. Jesus had just
been talking about his approaching
death, and his disciples were full of
anxiety. He tells them not to be trou-
bled, and by this figure assures them,
that, though he would leave them, he
would still be joined to them. Al
though they had been made clean,
they are taught that the only way to
keep clean is by "abiding," which is,
to be continued through the eternal
spirit after his decease and ascent to
the Father. sit is given to us to hold
fellowship with both the root that
twineS itself about the cross and the
tendrils which stretch upward to
glory."-A. J. Gordon. So long as we |
think of ourselves, and not of Christ, |
as the source of power, we shall miss
the secret of fruitfulness.
II. The Fruitful Life CIV. 5-9). |
If we abide in him we will bring forth
much fruit. Note the progression:
fruit "more fruit" much fruit" If
the branch does not bear fruit it is fit
only for fuel elsa. 81 ny. eff We abide
In me, and my words abide in you, ye
shall ask what we will, and it shall be
done unto you ". y. Our first fruit
Is to glorify God ". 81. The vine Goes
not consume the fruit which it pro-
1uces, though it does exist for it's pro-
1uction, thus clarifying God through
It's fruit-bearing function. The Bible
Uses many figures to Illustrate the in
innate relationship between root and
'ruit. Without me-" emphasizes
Christ, I'VE can do nothing" The
word" of verse three is equivalent to
he word ''I' of verse four. "NOw We
Ire clean through the word which I
nave spoken unto you" ". 81. Our
,ruit bearing is for Gods glory be-
,ause it is an expression of his grace
ind power and it is made possible
through our Identification with his
lear son. Our fruitfulness attests our :
Christian character. We have not yet
attained perfection in our conduct, but :
We are making progress. Progressive ]
from the power of sin is
by corresponding
ruitfulness.
III. The Permanent Life wv. 9-13).
Fruit" more fruit" "much fruit"
even as the life of Christ has increas-
ngly manifested itself through the
Iges, so our individual lives are to
Increase in the fruitfulness which as
initiates them to his character and 4
Expresses his graces. AS the Father
las loved him, so has he loved us, and
his love he communicates to those
Who abide in him. The evidence of 1
ur abiding is manifested by our joy
n keeping his commandments, just as
e delighted in keeping his fathers
commandments. Obedience and joy
re correlated terms. The fuller the
bedience the greater the joy. Bush
ell said: "Heaven is nothing but the T
oy of a perfectly harmonized being
lied with God and his love-" Instead
f minute, detailed instructions re- :
arding their conduct the disciples T
re here presented with love, the gov :
rning principle. Love was to be the II
ne sufficient impulse for both divine
nd human relationships. Our LORD
Toud have the world know his serv-
nts by the fruit they bear.
Three things are mentioned as re-
llting from the abiding life; power u
} bear much fruit; transform lives
nd change circumstances through an
wered prayer; and fullness of joy-a
JOY unspeakables and full of glory" Z
he world with its poor cOunterfefts
as nothing like it to give, but all of
lese gifts are contingent upon our
in Christ, the source Of ev- :
y blessing. The personal pronoun
lggests peculiarly intimate relation
lips: ''My Father" wv. 1, s, 10); L
Ny love-" ". 81; "My disciples" ".
!; "My commandments" ". 10Y;