LESSON IV.—SABBATH, JANUARY 27, 1900.
THE HEAVENLY VINE AND ITS FRUIT.
Near the Base of Mount Olivet, A. D. 31.
1 I AM the true Vine, and My Father is the Husbandman. 2 Every branch in Me that beareth not fruit, He taketh it away; and every branch that beareth fruit, He cleanseth it, that it 3 may bear more fruit. Already ye are clean because of the 4 word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch can not bear fruit of itself, except it abide 5 in the vine; so neither can ye, except ye abide in Me. I am 6 the Vine, ye are the branches; He that abideth in Me, and I 7 in him, the same beareth much fruit; for apart from Me ye can 8 do nothing. If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a 9 branch, and is withered; and they gather them, and cast them 10 into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in Me, and My 11 words abide in you, ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall be 12 done unto you. Herein is My Father glorified, that ye bear 13 much fruit; and so shall ye be My disciples. Even as the 14 Father hath loved Me, I also have loved you; abide ye in My 15 love. If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My 16 love; even as I have kept My Father's commandments, and 17 abide in His love. These things have I spoken unto you, that 18 My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be fulfilled. 19 This is My commandment, that ye love one another, even as I 20 have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a 21 man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are My friends, if ye 22 do the things which I command you. No longer do I call 23 you servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth; 24 but I have called you friends; for all things that I heard from 25 My Father I have made known unto you. Ye did not choose 26 Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that ye should go and 27 bear fruit, and that your fruit should abide; that whatsoever 28 ye shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give it you. 29 These things I command you, that ye may love one another. 30 If the world hateth you, ye know that it hath hated Me before 31 it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love 32 its own; but because ye are not of the world, but I chose you 33 out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember 34 the word that I said unto you, A servant is not greater than 35 his lord. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; 36 if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these 37 things will they do unto you for My name's sake, because they 38 know not Him that sent Me. If I had not come and spoken 39 unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no excuse 40 for their sin. He that hateth Me hateth My Father also. If I 41 had not done among them the works which none other did, 42 they had not had sin; but now have they both seen and hated 43 both Me and My Father. But this cometh to pass, that the 44 word may be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated 45 Me without a cause. But when the Comforter is come, whom 46 I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, 47 which proceedeth from the Father, He shall bear witness of 48 Me; and ye also bear witness, because ye have been with Me 49 from the beginning. These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be made to stumble. 31 "Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended in Me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad." 33 "But Peter answered and said unto Him, If all shall be offended in Thee, I will never be offended. Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, that this night, before the cock crow, 35 thou shalt deny Me thrice. Peter saith unto Him, Even if I must die with Thee, yet will I not deny Thee. Likewise also said all the disciples." NOTE.—The texts inclosed in marks of parentheses, while not essential to the lesson study, will be found to throw much light upon the lesson, and are suggested for those who wish to study further. 1. After leaving the Passover chamber, to what did Jesus call the attention of His disciples as a fit symbol of their relation to Him? John 15:1-5. (Jer. 11:16; 1 John 2:6.) 2. If one abides not in Christ, what is sure to be the result? Verse 6. 3. By living in Christ, what great benefit is secured? Vs. 7, 8. Note 1. (John 8:31.) 4. How may we abide in Christ? Verses 9, 10. Note 2. 6. To what extent are we commanded to abide in the love of Christ? Verses 12, 13, 17. (John 10:11, 15.) 7. If we follow this command, what relationship shall we sustain to Christ? Verses 14-16. Note 3. (John 17:16.) 8. Will friendship with Christ shield from the rude touch of the world? Verses 18-21. (2 Tim. 3:12.) 9. How was Jesus treated by the world? What did His treatment signify? Verses 23-25. (Ps. 69:1-4.) 10. What mission were the disciples to fulfill? By what were they to be prompted in their work? Verses 26, 27. (1 John 5:6.) 11. Why had the Saviour thus instructed His followers? John 16:1. 12. What did Jesus say His disciples would soon do on His account? What scripture did He quote as evidence? Matt. 26:31. (Matt. 21:1-5, 6.) 13. What reply did Peter make to this sweeping prediction? Verse 33. 14. How did the Lord meet these boastful words of Peter? Verse 34. 15. What did Peter and the others still confidently affirm? Verse 35. Side Lights.—"Desire of Ages," chapter 75; "Spirit of Prophecy," vol. 3, chapter 6. 1. THE abiding in Christ is being as closely connected with Him as the branch is to the vine, which draws all its life and growth through the vine from its roots. The branch is but an extension of the vine itself. To have such close connection with Christ is to receive life from God through Him, and to bear only that fruit which is the product of His life,—in short, to be the extension of Christ in humanity. 2. TO ABIDE in Christ, then, is to abide in His love; not simply to accept forgiveness through His love, but to make His love our own, and live in it. This is the transforming power of Christ, which changes life's ambition, and directs the thoughts from a self-center to seek the upbuilding of the distressed and wretched. 3. HOW DIFFERENT is a friend from a servant? No servant is made a confident of family secrets; he has not the freedom of the family circle, does not participate in its united joys, and is not consulted in matters of family interest. He is just a servant, nothing more, doing what he is told, regardless of results. But a friend is welcomed in the family circle, is made a bosom companion, and given the place of honor as a guest. Matters of importance are confided to him, and his counsel sought. His is an enjoyable position. How much more so when we are counted friends of the Lord Jesus! And yet the humble child of God is happy to count himself the Lord's bond-servant. Rom. 1:1; James 1:1. It is the Lord that calls us friends. See Rom. 6:16.