The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-05-12
LESSON FOR MAY 10
JESUS THE TRUE VINE.
1EssoN rExT-John 15.1.1s.

.
with his disciples from the supper ta-
BILE (14:31), 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.
1. 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, tendrlls, 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
lived by the Christian is Chrlst's life
humanized, the purpose Of which is
fruit bearing. Discipline is in order
TO frultfulness. "He (fy Father, the
yine-dresser) cuts away any branch on
me which is not bearing fruit, and
cleans every branch which does bear
fruit, to mike 1t bear. richer fruit"
tNoffat's translation). Paul tells US
that mo Christening for the present
seemeth to be joyous but grievous:
nevertheless, afterward 1t yieldeth the
peaceable fruit Of righteousness unto
them which are exercised thereby"
The Word is the cleansing agent az:
~. 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'
bted, 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 wny/to
keep clean is by abiding" which is
to be continued through the eternal
spirit after his decease and ascent to
the Father. at is given to US to hold
fellowship with both the root that
twines itself about the cross and the
tendrils which stretch upward to
elory."-A. ]. Gordon. So long as we
think of ourselves, and not of Christ,
rs the source Of power, we shall miss
the secret of frultfulness.
II. The Fruitful Life wv. 5-s).
If we abide in him we will bring forth
much fruit. Note the progression:
fruit" ''nore fruit" "much fruit" If
the branch does not bear fruit 1t is fit
only for fuel lisa. 27:1D. "Tf We abide
in me, and my words abide In you, ye
shall ask what We will, and 1t shall be
done unto you" ". y. Our first fruit
is to glorify God ". 81. The vine does
not consume the fruit which 1t pro-
duces, though 1t does exist for its pro-
duction, thus clarifying God through
Its frult-bearing function. The Bible
uses many figures to illustrate the in
Innate relationship between root and
fruit. "Without me-" emphasizes
Christ, Eye can do no.hlnC." The
Z sword" Of verse three is equivalent to
the word 'I' of verse four. Nov ye
are clean through the word which /
have spoken unto you" ". 81. 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 frultfulness 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
frultfulness.
III. The Permanent Life wv. 9-13).
"Fruit," "more fruit" "mucE fruit"
Even as the life Of Christ has lncreas-
ingly manifested itself through the
ages, so our individual lives are to
increase in the frultfulness which as
Stimulates 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 keeplng\ his fathers
+. commandments. Obedience and JOY
are correlated terms. The fuller the
obedience the greater the Joy. Bush
pell said: "Heaven is 'ng but the
. .loy Of a perfectly hari Ied being
/, filled with God and his love-" Instead
Of minute, detailed instructions re-
gardlng 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.
Three things Nre mentioned as re-
quilting from tie abiding life; power
sto, bear much fruit; transform lives
and change circumstances through an
Ewered prayer; and fullness Of joy--a
ttoy unspeakable and full Of glory"
The world with its poor counterfeits
has nothing like 1t to give, but all of
these gifts are rontingent upon our
s'ablding" in Christ, the source of ev-
cry blessing The personal pronoun
suggests peculiarly intimate relation
ships: my Father" wv. 1, s, 10Y;
aAiy love-" ". 9); "NIy disciples" ".
81; MY commandments" ". 10);
INV ioY.n Y. ~.