The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1917-05-10
LESSON FOR MAY '13
JESUS THE TRUE VINE.
LESSON TEXT-Jobn 15,-,a

|
BILE Q4:3D, 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 on
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 Chrlst's life
humanized, the purpose of which is
fruit bearing. Discipline is In order
to frultfulness. "Hc (My Father, the
vine'dresser) cuts away any branch on
me which lis not bearing fruit, and
cleans every branch which does bear
fruit, to make 1t bear richer fruit"
| (Mofats 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 Q7:
10. Verse four suggests double
abldlng-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, ho
would still be Joined to them. AL.
though they had been made clean
they are taught that the only way to
keep clean l. by abiding" which ls
to be continued through the eternal
spirit after his Aacease and ascent to
the Father. at given to us to hold
fellowship with n the root that
twines itself about -uc cross and the
tendrils which Strct h upward to
glory."-A. ]. Gordon. 50 long as we
think of ourselves, and NOT of Christ, |
as the source of power, we shall miss |
the secret of fruitfulness.
u. 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 lisa. 27:lD. "If We abide
In me- and my words abide in you, We
shall ass what ye WILL and it shall be
done unto you" ". y. Our first fruit
Is to glorify God ". 81. The vine does
not consume the fruit which it pro-
duces, though 1t does exist for its pro-
duction, thus glorifylnG God through
Its fruit-bearing function. The Bible
uses many figures to illustrate the in
innate relationship between root and
fruit. "Witbout me- emphasizes
Christ, "ye can do nothing" The
word" of verse three Is equivalent to
the word "r' of verse four. "NOw We
are clean through the word which |
have spoken unto you" ". 81. Our
fruit bearing is for Gods glory be-
cause 1t Is an expression of his grace
lnd power, and 1t 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 !
lelivcrance from the power of sin is !
'ountcrbalanced by corresponding
[
III. The Permanent Life (vv. 9-l3). ;
Fruit" "more fruit" "much fruit"
even rs the life of Christ has increas-
ngly manifested itself through the
ges, so our individual lives are to c
Increase in the fruitfulneSs which as {
initiates them to his character and 1
his Sraces. As the Father '
Ias loved him, so has he loved us, and
his love he communicates to those 4
rho abide in him. The evidence of
ur abiding is manifested by our joy n
n keeping his commandments, Just as Il
e delighted in keeping his fathers il
commandments Obedience and Joy n
re correlated terms. The fuller the G
bedlence the greater the joy. Bush h
ell said: Heaven is nothing but the b
~ of n perfectly harmonized being Il
lied with God and his love" Instead Is
minute, detailed Instructions re- Il
nrdlng their conduct the disciples
re here presented with love, the gov N
rnng principle. Love was to be the
ne sufficient impulse for both divine Ol
nd human relationships. Our Lord J..
ould have the world know his serv- eli
1ts by the fruit they bear, which is n
be n sufficient badge to identify
lem In the midst of its wickedness A
I'd peversity. The great fact of his
We toward us is to be the source and tn
easure of our love toward others. th
My love can fulfil the royal law bit
hou shalt love thy neighbOr as thy m;
If (James 2:S). "If We love me, We sa
Ill keep my commandments" said cli
sus (14.15 II. w. The evidence tai
at we have this love Is in having Il sh
art for his commandments. 81 de- pc
,ht to do thy will, o my God" (Psa. hil
:S) Is the language of love-filled
art. "Greater love hath no man ma
an this - said Christ facing the so
lgedy Of the cross. He wanted his
Sclples to understand something of is
e measure Of that love which was
ling to give itself to the death for tho
. life of rebel world. Presently he Al,
d down his life for his foes (Rom. sue
i-10) But to his disciples he gave ars
, pledge of his continued Friendship GrI