Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-05-11
DE. NATION MH. HULL.


DE. NATION MH. HULL.
After Judas left the room on that
memorable Thursday evening, Jesus
talked with great freedom 70 the eleven
who we're left; and after promising
them the Holy Spirit, He said. Arise. {!
let Ms 20 hence" Leaving the supper
table and probably as they passed near
one of the gates OF the temple over
which hung wonderfully OeautlIul
golden vine. which was symbolical OF
IsraeTs relationship 10 God, He said
an the true vine. and my father Is the !
husbandman." His heart was so full as
he realized that He would be with His
friends only q few hours more that lie I
had 10 say something else 10 them. anu
what He said follows in the fifteenth /
and sixteenth chapters OF John
His words are so wonderfully rich in
beauty OF expression and OF thought
that they should be read and reread /
and reread. Let US see now If we can
catch something of His meaning 10
them and what He desired for them as
He spoke OF Himself as the true vine, /
of God, the Father. as the husbandman. |
We must not carry the figure too lar /
No parable or allegory can be applied
IN every particular. II We do, in this /
case. for instance, we should have 10
admit ourselves as being as inanimate
as the branch of a grape vine and as
utterly devoid OF will power. What He
was trying to teach them was His re-
-Iationship TO them and their relation
ship 70 Him; beyond that the allesory |
of the vine and branches does not 80.
He had asked these men TO come 10 Him
as Saviour; to follow Him as Leader. 70
obey Him as Master. and now He asks
them to abide in Him as friends. As IL
hal - IN
abide in Christi" he uses the symbol
Of the vine. We know what il is 10
come TO Christ, We know what it * %
follow Christ, we know what IL is to
obey Christ To abide in Christ is TO
have Just that relationship 10 Him that
the branch has to the vine.
What Is that relationship II Is oneness /
and inter-ispsndence. D-I you ever study the !
structure II 4 viEe Wit. its bTanchess Some T
OF the fbs-s Of the vine extent on Up inzO
above the branch The f0-rs Of The branch /
and Of the vine aud the sane You /
cannot tear fl a stem from the vine WIKI !
itsslf. MS Is. IN a measure. what II means
TO abide in Christ. Is 70 be - definitely a
part OF Hin that his very life il pirt
OF our life. and cannot De separated from
Him without tearing away parts cf HIS life
itself S01e one asked an old lads II she
clip through His fingers She answered with
zssurznce. No. because Z OF tsrs Iiu-
geTE- <hc uraliE2d what ABIDING 'u fAEa~f
means. You cannot tear of one % the fingers
without Iniurius the structure u the body
ftseir- no .ou appreciate that II you arr .
believer in Jesus Christ Yen src really Part
Of Him a. she. branch i II the viuee
n is pnsl-ss 80 - FAR nouri>hncat
il concrrn,-i- lEr anne sap which flows
through the vine flows iIfH the branches
aud the vius. t. lsIr--hssl Is ia. Lranr'i-
To abide ia tLTi~r Walu= fH s-s with
Him, definitely q -a-g -s If'aI. that -iIs
Spirit Of God UEc "mF'l.srrri E5m AMI made 10
possible for Him to q" all tis,t 60. did ami O"
Be What He was-jllzJ sam" spirit viii 30 Tor
you fusr what te did f"- t1m- amt Enable yvu
10 do even -refter works than H. did.
Abiding in Christ means iutEr-sIepeudeucr ha
tween the siu. auI tIs branch. Each Is all
S0luIsly nsc~SsIry TO the "tIrr. me vine with
ont any Nr71rf-s l. nothing more t0- Tess than
= crooked ~ten-- y" 'le ever saw ETapF-
branches. Tie branch = necessary 10 tb. vim.
for tie purpose % fruit bearing. and the vine
f. necessary % the branch As Jesus said.
Apart from me or more tie-ally-at dlstance
from ne ye can Do nothing Tor does 81 taks
very great distance " tie branch is sep
srated from the vine hv the smallest fraction
q an inch. the sap csnnot flow from the
vine % he branch. and tie branch cannot
bear fruit; nut withe-s away. II docs Tot
fruitless- m very smallest sin might put -
80 distaure from Christ AMI a. the sourre
% our supply - life and strength for fruit
bearing Is -7oue- no matter how active may
be- our Tvs viU ne fruitlcsS-
one other matter j. necessary 20 abide in
Christ, but TIE sllegory ~ thc vine and
branches does not express g. II IS obedier~a.
IF ys keep ny commandments. ~ shall abide
in ny i've" Absolute ard implicit and mime
Of Col VIII follow when ono abides In Christ.
just a. the hand moves Immediately ami i'm
pIicitiy IN obedience 10 the impulse - the
brain.
THE HUSBAHpNAN.
But what about the hushlnfman's Tarfs How
xraciousIy an patiently He watches and c9rrs
FOR the vine, nay by day I'o sees n; His mint
is constantly upru &C. Even when Cd t. no.
necessary do anything for ir. Tie watches IT.
with greatest Interest Here We sees = branch
that = not hsaTiu= ruCch fruit there Is
little fruit &C.. brit Il corlf du much hrf-
Ter. There arn little tsndrIIs On 80 which are
leading ouT To- otner directions ant wastus
the strength ~ tie branch Carefully ga
urunes them. rutv Them or. not heraIs~ fIs
wants TO hurt tho branch. but bo-auS- r.
wants IL 20 bear more fruit. Eorr fruit. NOR"
fruit, Here He sees q branch upon which
lIe has hsstowed unusual care, but la spite ~
&c all there Is no fruit on II. 50 TIE cuts
il off 50 thar IL no longer Is useful
And whatever the vine snd the branches ns 90
He supples-water. nourishmrnt. everything
that He can give IT,
This is our Fathers relationship 80 ne IS
branches ~ tire True Vine. His Thought Is
ever upon When 81 j. net necessary 20 dn
anything f"T He is Stiu Watching over
v,s When He sees trudriIs reaching ont after
things thar would prevent from frIit-br-T-
fux. He prunes them. cuts them nff. not ho-
cause Tie wants IN hurt Us. but herausr lie
wants fruit. more fruit more fruit when he
sees a branch that IN spite % al % his wa tri-
care and pruning Will Tot hear fruit. Hc sets
Is aside useless. anil apart ~ distance
from Christ. IL withers away Note carefully
that He does not say that IT, hIrus them The
figure = ONLY expressing one truth - or-
lationship go Christ ami d"eS u"t '"s'rh -F'a
uu- salvation az sll-
AMI thsn TTe Definitely r-orrisrs o. vrrrIv
Whatever Ne need when He said n 70 abide
In me- AMI Uly WORKS abide be- YOU 70 shall
ask what ye WIZ ana u snah re none unt"
yOu." Our Father stards ready tn supply any