The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1937-11-25

? ACoSON 1EAI-JOnn l0s1-lO.
GOLDEN TEXT-Herein is my Father
glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall
ye be my disciples.-John 1873.
PRIMARY TOPIC-Jesus' Rule of Love.
JUNIOR ToPIC-The Loyalty of Love.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
What May We Expect to AchieveP
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
How Christians Become Fruitful.
Thanksgiving day has just afford
ed each one of us a special oppor-
tunity to return praise to God for
the fruitfulness of Americas broad
acres. 1t is appropriate that we
think today of the Christian life as
manifesting itself in the bearing of
fruit.
Christian work of which we spoke
last Sunday may Eat least in a meas
ure) be initiated, but fruit cannot be
initiated. 1t is the result of life and
only those who know the new birth
bear the fruit of Christianity.
The chapter before us is a portion
of Scripture which has been the Pc
culiar favorite of Gods children in
all generations. It is at the center
of our Lords words with his disci-
pies Immediately before his death
on the cross.
Many are the expositions of this
passage, but beautifully simple
one which came to the writer from
DR.. w. Graham Scroggie is suggest
ed as most helpful.
I. Life and FruitfuIness wv. 1-8).
Life results in fruit and there can
be no true fruit where there is no
life. Christ is the vine, the Fa-
Their is the keeper of the vine. We
who are Christ's are the branches
abiding in him, that is, living our
whole life in and for him in such
close union with him that his life as
the vine brings forth fruit in us as
the branches. That is real Christian
living.
But, alas, there are branches that
seem to belong to the vine but they
lack the one indispensable evidence
of life which is the normal bearing
of fruit. These the Father must
take and cast away to be destroyed.
While we must not read into these
words more than our Lord intended,
let us beware lest we explain away
their serious import. These are
grave words of warning to false pro-
fessors of Christianity, but they are
not spoken to distress and disheart-
en- true followers of the Lord Jesus
Christ.
Fruit in the Christian is undoubt-
eddy first of all the fruit of charac-
ter but that character is also to
show in conduct. Note the progress
fruit" ". p, "more fruit" ". q,
i"much fruit" ". 81. In order to
bear more fruit there is need of
pruning and cleansing wv. 2, 81.
Pleasant? Not always, but always
profitable. Let us thank God for
even the pruning knife when its work
is needed.
Do not miss the prayer promise
in verse 7. It is an unlimited prom
Use with a closely limited condition.
Let us meet the condition and claim
the promise.
II. Love and Friendship wv. 9-16).
"This is my commandment that
We love one another" In verse 10 we
read that to abide in the love of
Christ we must keep his command
ments and now we learn that it is
his command that we love one an
other. We are not to await the
impulse prompted by the beauty or
kindness or propinquity of someone,
but we are to love one another.
Many a Christian who has obeyed
the commandments against steal
ing, adultery, and blasphemy has
never noticed that he is commanded
to love.
The joy of Christ was fulfilled on
the eve of Calvary by the love of his
disciples for one another and for
him. He rejoices today when we
love the brethren and love him, for
thus we enter upon the beautiful
relationship of friends.
: DR.. Scroggie says, "We may be
Gods children without being his
friends; the one is based on his gift
OF life to us; the other, upon our Of
fering of love for him. Are you a
friend of God? You cannot have
God and the world for friends at
the same time. The friendship of
the world is enmity with God. The
world hates Christ, and therefore
will not love you if you are like
him."
, But, oh! the sweet intimacy of
fellowship with him. Read verses
IA to 16. Chosen and appointed by
him, for che first loved u.s." we are
not kept in the distant position of
servants but are brought into his
circle of friends with whom he
shares the glorious secrets of
his Father, and our Father. It is
a great thing to be Christian, a
friend of the Saviour.