Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1917-05-11
INTERNATIONAL
SUNDAySQlO0L
LESSON
(By f. o. SELLERS. Acting Director OF
the Sunday School Course Of the Moody
Bible Instituted
Copyright. 1911 Western Newspaper unionD
LESSON FOR MAY 10
JESUS THE TRUE VINE.
LESSON TENT John i5:l-l3

with his disciples from the supper tn
bic 0i.3D. and the remainder of hi
discourse may have occurred in an up
per room, or In the courtyard Of III,
house before they left the city, or OF
the way 10 the garden of Gethscmunc
I. THE ABIDING LIFE wv. l.D
Under the figure Of the vine Jesu'
teaches spiritual truth by nutura
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 ChrlSts life
humnnzcd, the purpose of which Is
fruit hearing Discipline is in order
10 fruitiulness. ale (My Father, the
vne-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"
(Motat's translation. Paul tells us
that mo Christening for the present
Scemcth to be Joyous but grevouS:
nevertheless. urterwurd II yieldeth the
peaceable fruit of righteousness unto
them which are exercised thereby"
The Word is the cleansing agent az:
~. Verse four suggests II 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 he trou-
bled, and by this figure assures them,
that though he would leave them. he
would still be- Joined 10 them. AZ
though they had been made clean,
they are taught that the only way to
keep clean IS by abiding which is
10 he continued through The eternal
spirit after his dpcraSc and ascent 10
the Father III is given 10 us 10 hold
fellowship with both the root that
twincS itself about the cross and the
tendrlS which stretch upward 10
glory A. j. Gordon, So long MS We
think Of ourselves and not Of Christ,
aS The source of power We Shall miss
he secret of fruitfulncSS
II. The Fruitful Life wv. 5-S).
If we abide in him We will bring forth
much fruit. Note the progression
fruit" more fruit "much fruit" II
the branch does not bear fruit 1t is fit
only for fuel lisa 27:lD. III We abide
in me. and my words abide in you, ye
shall ask what We will, and ii shall be
done unto you" w. y. our first fruit
is TO glorify God w. S) The vine does
not consume the fruit which II pro-
duces, though it does exist for It's pro-
thus clarifying God through
its fruit-bearing function The Bible
uses many figures to illustrate the in
innate relationship between root and
fruit "With0ut me emphasizes
Christ, I'VE can do nothing" The
word Of verse three is equivalent to
the word az Of verse four "Now We
are clean through the word which |
hnye spoken unto you" a. 81 Our
fruit bearing is for Gods glory be-
cause il is mn expression Of his grace
and power and 1t is made possible
through our Identification with his
dear son. our frultfulness attcstS our
Christian character. We have not yet
attained perfection in our conduct but
we are making progress. Progressive
delyerunce from the power of sin is
ronntcrbaanced by corresponding
III. The Permanent Life wv. 9-13).
Fruit" more fruit" 'much fruit"
Even MS the life Of Christ has increas-
Ingly manifested itself through the
ages, SO our individual lives are to
Increase IN the fruitulncsS which as
them TO his character and
expresses his graceS. As the Father
has loved him, so has he loved us. and
his love he communicates to those
who abide in him The evidence of
our abiding Is manifested by our joy
n keeping his commandments. just as
ne delighted in keeping his fathers
commandments. Obedience and JOY
ire correlated terms. The fuller the
obedience the greater the joy Bush
iell said: Heaven Is nothing but the
10y of perfectly harmonlzed being
He'd with God and his love" Instead
If minute, detailed instructions re-
yarding their conduct, the disciples
ire here presented with love, the gov
,rning principle. Love was to be the
me sufficient impulse for both divine
md human relationships. our Lord
would have the world know his Serv-
lnts by the fruit they bear. which Is
o be sufficient badge TO identify
hem in the midst of its wlckedness
md perversity. The great fact Of his
owe toward us is to be the source and
measure of our love toward others.
)nly love can fulfil the royal law
thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy
elf (James 2:S). III We love me- We
viii keep my commandments" said
'esus (14:15 II. W. The evidence
hat we have this love is in having I
eart for his commandments. 81 de- |
light to do thy will, o my God" (Psa. {
0:S) Is the language Of a love-filled
cart. "Greater love hath no man |
han this :. +. :" said Christ facing the
ragedy Of the cross. lie wanted his !
lsclples to understand something of
he measure Of that love which was
filling to give itself to the death for
he life of rebel world. Presently he
nd down his life for his foes from.
:6-10). But to his disciples he gave
he pledge Of his continued friendship
4 his resurrection life to comfort
hem In the trials which he foresaw
'ould test them. He called them
even ms ha Ind coIIad