The Green Forest tribune., 1917-05-11
LESSON FOR MAY 13
JESUS THE TRUE VINE.

discourse may have occurred in an up- per room or in the courtyard of the house before they left the city, or on the way to the garden of GethSemane.
 I. THE ABIDING LIFE (vv. 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 Chrsts 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 (Moffats 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 (l7: ID. 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 Tt 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 (vv. 5-S). 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 Qsa. 27 :1D. "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and It shall be done unto you' (v. D. Our first fruit is to glorify God (v. S). The vine does not consume the fruit which it pro- duces, though it does exist for it's pro- duction. thus glorifying God through it's fruit-bearing function. The Bible uses many figures to illustrate the in- innate relationship between root and fruit. Without me-" emphasizes Christ, "ye can do nothing" The "word' of verse three is equivalent to the word q" of verse four. "Now ye are clean through the word which have spoken unto you" (v. B. Our fruit bearing is for Gods glory be- cause it is an expression of his grace and power, and it is made possible through our Identification with his dear son. Our fruitfulness attests our Christian character. We have not yet attained perfection in our conduct, but we are making progress. Progressive deliverance from the power of sin is counterbalanced by corresponding fruitfulness.
 TIT. The Permanent Life (vv. 9-13). Fruit" more fruit" much fruit" Even as the life of Christ has increas- l ingly manifested itself through the ages, so our individual lives are to increase in the fruitfulness which as- similates them to his character and expresses his graces. AS the Father has loved him, so has he loved us, and this love he communicates to those who abide in him. The evidence of our abiding is manifested by our joy in keeping his commandments, just as he delighted in keeping his fathers commandments. Obedience and joy are correlated terms. The fuller the obedience the greater the joy. Bush- nell said: "Heaven is nothing but the joy of a perfectly harmonized being l filled with God and his love-" Instead of minute, detailed instructions re- garding their conduct, the disciples are here presented with love, the gov erning principle. Love was to be the one sufficient impulse for both divine and human relationships. Our Lord would have the world know his serv- ants by the fruit they bear, which Is to be sufficient badge to identify them in the midst of its wickedness and perversity. The great fact of his love toward us is to be the source and measure of our love toward others. Only love can fulfil the royal law "thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy self Games 2:8). "If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments" said Jesus GA: :15 R. V.). The evidence that we have this love is in having a heart for his commandments. q de- light to do thy will, o my God" (Psa 40:8) is the language of love-filled heart Greater love hath no man than this :" said Christ facing the tragedy of the cross. He wanted his disciples to understand something of the measure of that love which was willing to give itself to the death for the life of a rebel world. Presently he laid down his life for his foes Rom. 5 :6-10). But to his disciples he gave I the pledge of his continued friendship in his resurrection life to comfort them in the trials which he foresaw would test them. He called them friends" even as he had called Lazarus tour friend" q1-11). He never calls them slaves because a