New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1917-05-11
INTERNATIONAL
NNMSG1O0L
LESSON
(By e. o. SELLERS, Acting Director OF
the Sunday School Course of the Moody
Bible Institute.)
Copyright. 1917. Western Newspa per UnIon.)
LESSON FOR MAY 10
JESUS THE TRUE VINE.

the ~DrancneS.- l5.b.
This lesson chrOnolOgically follow!
that of last Sunday. Christ had riser
with his disciples from the supper ia
BILE IA BY, and the remainder of hi
discourse may have occurred in an up
per room, or in the courtyard Of thu
house before they left the city. or or
the way to the garden of Gethsemane
I. 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 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 f%ruitfulness. "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"
(Moffat'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 a double
ablding-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. 1T 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,
rs the source Of power, we shall miss
he secret of f%ruitfulness.
II. The Fruitful Life wv. 5-S).
If we abide in him we will bring forth
much fruit. Note the progression:
fruit" "m0re fruit" 'much fruit" If
he branch does not bear fruit it Is fit
only for fuel lisa. 27:11). "If We abide
n me, and my words abide in you, We
shall ask what We will, and 1t shall be
lone unto you" ". y. Our first fruit
s to glOrify God ". 81. The vine does
lot consume the fruit which it pro-
luces, though 1t does exist for its pro-
luction, thus clarifying God through
is fruit-bearing function. The Bible
lses 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 81" of verse four. "NOw We
ire clean through the word which I
spoken unto you" ". 81. Our
ruit bearing Is for Gods glory be-
ause 1t is an expression Of his grace
nd power, and it is made possible
through our Identification with his
ear son. Our fruitfulness attests u
christian character. We have not yet
ttained perfection In our conduct, but
We are making progress. Progressive
leliverance from the power Of sin is
ounterbalanced by corresponding
~. The Permanent Life wv. 9-13).
more fruit" 'much fruit"
wen as the life of Christ has increas-
ngly manifested itself through the
ges, so our individual lives are to
1crease In the fruitfulness which as
initiates them to his character and
Expresses his graces. AS the Father
as loved him, so has he loved US, and
his love he communicates to those
Tho abide in him. The evidence of
abiding is manifested by our Joy
l keeping his commandments, just as
delighted in keeping his fathers
Commandments. Obedience and Joy
re correlated terms. The fuller the
.edience the greater the JOY. Bush
ell said: "Heaven is nothing but the
~ of a perfectly harmonized being
lied with God and his love-" Instead
{ minute, detailed instructions re-
their conduct, the disciples
re here presented with love, the gov
rning principle. Love was to be the
ne sufficient impulse for both divine
nd human relationships. Our Lord
Ould have the world know his serv-
nts by the fruit they bear, which is
be a sufficient badge to identify
lem in the midst of its wickedness
nd perversity. The great fact of his
we toward us is to be the source and
easure of our love toward others.
My love can fulfil the royal law
.hOu shalt love thy neighbor as thy
If (James 2:S). "If We love me. We
i'll keep my commandments" said
esus (14:15 r. w. The evidence
lat we have this love is in having a
art for his commandments. II de-
yht to do thy will, o my God" (Psa.
:S) is the language of a love-flled
cart. Greater love hath no man
an this ;" said Christ facing the
agedy of the cross. He wanted his
to understand something of
Of that love which was
Illing to give itself to the death for
e life of a rebel world. Presently he :
Id down his life for his foes (Rom. :
But to his disciples he gave
pledge of his continued friendship '
his resurrection life to comfort