"Abide In Me."

There are two very important things stated by the Lord in John 15. verse 2:

"Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, He taketh it away: and every branch that beareth fruit, He cleanseth it that it may bear more fruit."

Let us think round these two a little further. You see the branch is quite useless if it fails to bear fruit, and it is only in the way, so the Husbandman, that is GOD the Father, must remove it from the Vine. A fruitless branch would only use up sap and take away sunshine from other branches that are bearing fruit, and therefore it would not be wise on the part of the Husbandman to allow it to remain in the vine He taketh it away.

What can He do with the fruitless branches which He takes away? Well, there is no useful service to which they can be put. Branches from a vine are of no service to the woodworker (see Ezekiel 15.2-5), all that can be done with them is to cast them forth where they wither, and then are burned. We have previously seen that the burning of these fruitless branches from the vine in no way suggests that believers on the Lord Jesus can ultimately find themselves in hell. The teaching of the Lord in this part of John 15. is that we may cease to be fruitful unto or for God. We may even lose all our life's work down here, it may all be burned up (1 Corinthians 3.15). This is a matter which should concern us greatly.

"Must I empty-handed be

When beside the crystal sea

I shall stand before the everlasting throne?

Must I have a heart of shame

As I answer to my name,

With no fruit that my Redeemer there can own?"

Paul prayed for those in the Church of God in Colossae that they might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, to walk worthily of the Lord unto all pleasing, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God (1.9, 10). Make this the main purpose in your life, young believer, to be filled with the knowledge of the will of God, and to walk worthily of the Lord, then there is sure to be fruit pleasing to the Lord.

The Lord further says, "Every branch that beareth fruit, He cleanseth it, that it may bear more fruit." You see there are many things that will harm the fruit unless they are dealt with. We have some plants in our garden that have not been doing well-tall hollyhocks that should be covered with beautiful bloom. As they have neither the height nor the bloom we expected we examined them to find the cause. Yes, there beneath those crumpled leaves we found the enemy. They were small, but they were present in clusters - parasites living upon the plant, and draining from it its vital energy. So we had to apply a solution to destroy the pests.

Young disciples beware of the small things that will hinder growth and spoil fruit for God in your lives. Remember Daniel and his three friends. When they were taken down to Babylon in captivity they might have reasoned in their hearts that eating and drinking of the king's dainties was a small matter, and could do no harm. But knowing the law of their God Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself. From this purpose of heart to remain clean there resulted great blessing.

Of course to-day it is not a question of eating and drinking, seeing that our Lord has made all meats clean, see Mark 7.19, R.V. But as an example of what may be deemed small things, we ask, That stationery which is your master's goods, do you take it for your personal use unknown to him? and what of your master's time? Do you waste it when he is not present to see what is being done? Eye service is common enough in the world, but disciples of the Lord should not follow the worldling in these matters. God says, "Servants, obey ... not with eye service, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing the Lord" (Colossians 3.22). "Not purloining, but showing all good fidelity " (Titus 2.10). Purloining may be in things big or small. In the case of Ananias and Sapphira it was a large matter, which led to lying to the Holy Spirit, and to their death. We require to exercise care in the small things of everyday life.

The Word of God, if applied to our hearts in the power of the Spirit, will have the desired cleansing effect. The parasite that will dwarf growth, and spoil fruit will thus be dealt with. It is thus that the Father cleanseth the branch that it may bear more fruit.

Let us also remember that to bear fruit there is need for light. We must know the life-giving rays of the Light of life. This means being much in the Lord's presence, and knowing the lifting up of His countenance upon us. Which will it be in your case, young friend, no fruit, fruit, more fruit, much fruit, abiding fruit ? All these are possible, but the Lord chose us, and appointed us that we should go and bear fruit, and that our fruit should abide.

unknown | Nov 1953
For Young Believers