The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-10-06
Sunday, Oct. 7.

John 15:1-16.
Golden Text-Abide in me, ana
T in YOU. AS the branch cannot
bear fruit of itself, except 1t
abide in the vine; so neither can
We, except we abide in me'-John
1874. .l,o
In his farewell discourses to the
anostIes in the upper room at
Jerusalem on the night before
his crucifixion, Jesus, perhaps
pursuing the thought in connec,
ton with "the fruit of the vine
set forth in a most significant
metaphor "the spiritual oneness
of Christ and his people and his
relation to them as the source OF
all their spiritual life and fruit
fitness"
SOURCE OF FELLOWSHIP:
VINE
am the true vine, and my Fa-
ther is the husbandman.
2, Every branch in me that
beareth not fruit he taketh away;
and every branch that beareth
fruit, he purgeth it, that 1t may
bring forth more fruit.
Life From Christ, the source
of fellowship with him, is pic
tured in the vine. Jesus is the
perfect vine; not merely the vine
stock (says Hovey), but the stock
with it's branches. So intimate IS
the union and so absolute the
identity of Christ with his fol,
lowers. Observe that our Lord
does not compare himself to some
monarch of the forest, like the
Cedar of Lebanon, but the more
common, less pretentious, gen.
orally cultivated, fruit-bearing
vine. The Father is not only the
vine dresser but the owner OF
the vineyard. He planted, pro-
vides for, protects, and prunes
the vine, in its branhes, to its
highest efficiency, plucking in
due season the precious fruitage.
The connection Of the branches
with the true vine is vital. There
from we draw the nourishment
necessary to the larger and high
err life and it is through the
branches that the vine bears fruit
on earth. For this purpose the
vine was planted and cultivated;
and for this purpose the branches
are filled with living sap and
crowned with verdant foliage.
And yet pruning is necessary IN
order that the vine through its
branches may bear more and
richer fruit. True to the picture
there must be the cutting off of
certain branches, not so much be-
cause they are lifeless but be-
cause they are fruitless. With
the useless limbs removed there
follows the cleansing and stimu-
lation of fruitful branches. The
hand of the husbandman may at
times be painful, but it is always
salutary and helpful.
SECRET OF FELLOWSHIP:
BRANCHES
Life in Christ, the secret of fell
lowship with him, is pictured in
the branches of the vine. After.
the pruning process has taken
place, the Saviour could say to
his disciples that they were clean
through the word which he had
spoken unto them. But in order
to maintain the life thus begun,
it was necessary for them to
abide in him and for him to abide
in them. INTERPRETATION and
identity are thus exhibited and
inculcated. If there is no union
with the vine. there can be no
fruit for the husbandman. But
if the union with Christ is init
mate and sincere, the result Isl
sure to be satisfactory. While
the severed branch is Of course
powerless, those abiding in the
vine are to bear, not few light
punches, but numerous and
clusters of luscious fruit.
Those who neglect or spurn this
vital union with Christ are either
double-faced or deluded. Profess
sion of faith in Christ amounts
to nothing unless it be genuine.
The branch that is simply tied on
to the vine must be torn away
and shaken into the consuming
fire. But in contrast with the
doom of the fruitless, mark the
be sung and a brief sketch of
each will he piyen.