Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1917-05-12
INTERNATIONAL.
,SUNDlYSQD]0L
LESSON
by z. o. SELLERS. Acting Director of
the Sunday School Course OF the Moody
Bible Insttute)
Copyright. 1917, Western Newspaper TnionD
LESSON FOR MAY 10
JESUS THE TRUE VINE.
LESSON TEXT-John 15:1-12

5 that Of last Sunday. Christ had risel
with his disciples from the supper tn
Die 04:31), and the remainder of hi
discourse may have occurred in an up
per room, or in the courtyard of til,
house before they left the city. or OF
the way TO the garden of GethSemane
|. THE ABIDING LIEE wv. La
Ci,der 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 its least member The life
nved 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 1t bear richer fruit"
(Moifat's translation. Paul tells rs
seemeth to be joyous but grievous:
nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth the
peaceable fruit of righteousness unto
thom which are exercised thereby"
The Word IS the cleansing agent M.
10. Verse four suggests q double
abiding-we IN him, and he in us
the branch depending upon the vine
Tor life, and the vine depending upon
the branch for fruit. Jesus had inst
been talking about his approaching
death, and his disciples were full of
He tells them not to be trou-
Dled, 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.
hey are taught that the only wov 70
Keep clean is by abiding" which is
o be continued through the eternal
pirlt after his decease and ascent 70
he Father. at is given to us TO hold
fellowship with both the root that
wines itself about the cross and the
endrils which stretch upward to
lory."-A. ]. Gordon. So long as we
link Of ourselves, and not of Christ.
the source Of power, we shall miss
he secret of frultfulness.
u. The Fruitful Life wv. 5-s).
we abide in him we will bring forth
luch fruit Note the progression:
'ruit," more fruit" "much fruit" If
lie branch does not bear fruit It is fit
nly for fuel Elsa. 81 ~. "If We abide
me, and my words abide In YOU. We
lall ask what We will, and 1t shall be
one unto you" ". y. Our first fruit {
TO glorify God ". 81. The vine does i
Ot consume the fruit which it pro- ,
ices, though it does exist for its pro-
lction, thus clarifying God through
fruit-bearing function. The Bible
les many figures TO illustrate the in
nate relationship between root and
nit. without me-" emphasizes
lrist. "ye can do nothing" The B:
'ord' of verse three is equivalent to q
e word "r' of verse four. "Now We ,
G clean through the word which l "
Ve spoken unto you" ". 81. Our =,
lit bearing is for Gods glory be- 3.
use 1t is an expression Of his grace d
d power, and 1t is made possible u
rough our classification with his n
ar son. Our fruitfulness attests our II
ristlan character. We have not vet h
aimed perfection in our conduct. but !,
are making progress. Progressive -.
iverance from the power of sin Is =,
by corresponding :,
itfulneSs. ~
IL. The Permanent Life wv. 9-1S). q
ruit," more fruit" much fruit" =
en- as the life of Christ has increas- S
~ manifested itself through the
IS, so our individual lives are to
rease in the fruitfulness which as VI
lilates them TO his character and
'resSes his graces. AS the Father
loved him, so has he loved us. an0
love he communicates to those
, abide in him. The evidence of ;
abiding is manifested by our Joy he
keeping his commandments, Just as lot
delighted in keeping his fathers zee
lmandments. Obedience and 10Y az
correlated terms. The fuller the ,ior
dience the greater the joy. Bush
said: Heaven Is nothing but the
OF a perfectly harmonized being T
d with God and his love-" Instead on,
minute, detailed instructions re- h
ling their conduct, the disciples
here presented with love, the gov ~
ng principle. Love was to be the Gu
sufficient impulse for both divine mat
human relationships. Our Lord D
Id have the world know his sery- vcrl
by the fruit they bear. ire.
lree things are mentioned as re- "a
ne from the abiding life; power =.
'ear much fruit; transform lives
Change circumstances through an ~ .
ed prayer; and fullness of joy-a ~
unspeakable and full of glory" IDOL
world with its poor counterfeits
nothing like 1t to give, but all of
sifts are contingent upon our wr,tf
ling" In Christ, the source OF ev- xidr,
blessing. The personal pronoun ness;
csts peculiarly intimate relation Nolel
): My Father" wv. 1. s. 10Y: lief. ,
love-" ". o.; my disciples" ". .Ig b
My commandments" ". 10y faai;.
JOY" ". III. 80
oyer Food for Weak stomachs. n