the desire of ages-第144节

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Me　this　night：　for　it　is　written；　I　will　smite　the　shepherd；　and　the　sheep　of　the　flock　shall　be　scattered　abroad。〃　Matt。　26：31。　The　disciples　listened　in　sorrow　and　amazement。　They　remembered　how　in　the　synagogue　at　Capernaum；　when　Christ　spoke　of　Himself　as　the　bread　of　life；　many　had　been　offended；　and　had　turned　away　from　Him。　But　the　twelve　had　not　shown　themselves　unfaithful。　Peter；　speaking　for　his　brethren；　had　then　declared　his　loyalty　to　Christ。　Then　the　Saviour　had　said；　〃Have　not　I　chosen　you　twelve；　and　one　of　you　is　a　devil？〃　John　6：70。　In　the　upper　chamber　Jesus　said　that　one　of　the　twelve　would　betray　Him；　and　that　Peter　would　deny　Him。　But　now　His　words　include　them　all。

Now　Peter's　voice　is　heard　vehemently　protesting；　〃Although　all　shall　be　offended；　yet　will　not　I。〃　In　the　upper　chamber　he　had　declared；　〃I　will　lay　down　my　life　for　Thy　sake。〃　Jesus　had　warned　him　that　he　would　that　very　night　deny　his　Saviour。　Now　Christ　repeats　the　warning：　〃Verily　I　say　unto　thee；　That　this　day；　even　in　this　night；　before　the　cock　crow　twice；　thou　shalt　deny　Me　thrice。〃　But　Peter　only　〃spake　the　more　vehemently；　If　I　should　die　with　Thee；　I　will　not　deny　Thee　in　anywise。　Likewise　also　said　they　all。〃　Mark　14：29；　30；　31。　In　their　self…confidence　they　denied　the　repeated　statement　of　Him　who　knew。　They　were　unprepared　for　the　test；　when　temptation　should　overtake　them；　they　would　understand　their　own　weakness。

When　Peter　said　he　would　follow　his　Lord　to　prison　and　to　death；　he　meant　it；　every　word　of　it；　but　he　did　not　know　himself。　Hidden　in　his　heart　were　elements　of　evil　that　circumstances　would　fan　into　life。　Unless　he　was　made　conscious　of　his　danger；　these　would　prove　his　eternal　ruin。　The　Saviour　saw　in　him　a　self…love　and　assurance　that　would　overbear　even　his　love　for　Christ。　Much　of　infirmity；　of　unmortified　sin；　carelessness　of　spirit；　unsanctified　temper；　heedlessness　in　entering　into　temptation；　had　been　revealed　in　his　experience。　Christ's　solemn　warning　was　a　call　to　heart　searching。　Peter　needed　to　distrust　himself；　and　to　have　a　deeper　faith　in　Christ。　Had　he　in　humility　received　the　warning；　he　would　have　appealed　to　the　Shepherd　of　the　flock　to　keep　His　sheep。　When　on　the　Sea　of　Galilee　he　was　about　to　sink；　he　cried；　〃Lord；　save　me。〃　Matt。　14：30。　Then　the　hand　of　Christ　was　outstretched

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to　grasp　his　hand。　So　now　if　he　had　cried　to　Jesus；　Save　me　from　myself；　he　would　have　been　kept。　But　Peter　felt　that　he　was　distrusted；　and　he　thought　it　cruel。　He　was　already　offended；　and　he　became　more　persistent　in　his　self…confidence。

Jesus　looks　with　compassion　on　His　disciples。　He　cannot　save　them　from　the　trial；　but　He　does　not　leave　them　comfortless。　He　assures　them　that　He　is　to　break　the　fetters　of　the　tomb；　and　that　His　love　for　them　will　not　fail。　〃After　I　am　risen　again；〃　He　says；　〃I　will　go　before　you　into　Galilee。〃　Matt。　26：32。　Before　the　denial；　they　have　the　assurance　of　forgiveness。　After　His　death　and　resurrection；　they　knew　that　they　were　forgiven；　and　were　dear　to　the　heart　of　Christ。

Jesus　and　the　disciples　were　on　the　way　to　Gethsemane；　at　the　foot　of　Mount　Olivet；　a　retired　spot　which　He　had　often　visited　for　meditation　and　prayer。　The　Saviour　had　been　explaining　to　His　disciples　His　mission　to　the　world；　and　the　spiritual　relation　to　Him　which　they　were　to　sustain。　Now　He　illustrates　the　lesson。　The　moon　is　shining　bright；　and　reveals　to　Him　a　flourishing　grapevine。　Drawing　the　attention　of　the　disciples　to　it；　He　employs　it　as　a　symbol。

〃I　am　the　true　Vine；〃　He　says。　Instead　of　choosing　the　graceful　palm；　the　lofty　cedar；　or　the　strong　oak；　Jesus　takes　the　vine　with　its　clinging　tendrils　to　represent　Himself。　The　palm　tree；　the　cedar；　and　the　oak　stand　alone。　They　require　no　support。　But　the　vine　entwines　about　the　trellis；　and　thus　climbs　heavenward。　So　Christ　in　His　humanity　was

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dependent　upon　divine　power。　〃I　can　of　Mine　own　self　do　nothing；〃　He　declared。　John　5：30。

〃I　am　the　true　Vine。〃　The　Jews　had　always　regarded　the　vine　as　the　most　noble　of　plants；　and　a　type　of　all　that　was　powerful；　excellent；　and　fruitful。　Israel　had　been　represented　as　a　vine　which　God　had　planted　in　the　Promised　Land。　The　Jews　based　their　hope　of　salvation　on　the　fact　of　their　connection　with　Israel。　But　Jesus　says；　I　am　the　real　Vine。　Think　not　that　through　a　connection　with　Israel　you　may　become　partakers　of　the　life　of　God；　and　inheritors　of　His　promise。　Through　Me　alone　is　spiritual　life　received。

〃I　am　the　true　Vine；　and　My　Father　is　the　husbandman。〃　On　the　hills　of　Palestine　our　heavenly　Father　had　planted　this　goodly　Vine；　and　He　Himself　was　the　husbandman。　Many　were　attracted　by　the　beauty　of　this　Vine；　and　declared　its　heavenly　origin。　But　to　the　leaders　in　Israel　it　appeared　as　a　root　out　of　a　dry　ground。　They　took　the　plant；　and　bruised　it；　and　trampled　it　under　their　unholy　feet。　Their　thought　was　to　destroy　it　forever。　But　the　heavenly　Husbandman　never　lost　sight　of　His　plant。　After　men　thought　they　had　killed　it；　He　took　it；　and　replanted　it　on　the　other　side　of　the　wall。　The　vine　stock　was　to　be　no　longer　visible。　It　was　hidden　from　the　rude　assaults　of　men。　But　the　branches　of　the　Vine　hung　over　the　wall。　They　were　to　represent　the　Vine。　Through　them　grafts　might　still　be　united　to　the　Vine。　From　them　fruit　has　been　obtained。　There　has　been　a　harvest　which　the　passers…by　have　plucked。

〃I　am　the　Vine；　ye　are　the　branches；〃　Christ　said　to　His　disciples。　Though　He　was　about　to　be　removed　from　them；　their　spiritual　union　with　Him　was　to　be　unchanged。　The　connection　of　the　branch　with　the　vine；　He　said；　represents　the　relation　you　are　to　sustain　to　Me。　The　scion　is　engrafted　into　the　living　vine；　and　fiber　by　fiber；　vein　by　vein；　it　grows　into　the　vine　stock。　The　life　of　the　vine　becomes　the　life　of　the　branch。　So　the　soul　dead　in　trespasses　and　sins　receives　life　through　connection　with　Christ。　By　faith　in　Him　as　a　personal　Saviour　the　union　is　formed。　The　sinner　unites　his　weakness　to　Christ's　strength；　his　emptiness　to　Christ's　fullness；　his　frailty　to　Christ's　enduring　might。　Then　he　has　the　mind　of　Christ。　The　humanity　of　Christ　has　touched　our　humanity；　and　our　humanity　has　touched　divinity。　Thus　through　the　agency　of　the　Holy　Spirit　man　becomes　a　partaker　of　the　divine　nature。　He　is　accepted　in　the　Beloved。

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This　union　with　Christ；　once　formed；　must　be　maintained。　Christ　said；　〃Abide　in　Me；　and　I　in　you。　As　the　branch　cannot　bear　fruit　of　itself；　except　it　abide　in　the　vine；　no　more　can　ye；　except　ye　abide　in　Me。〃　This　is　no　casual　touch；　no　off…and…on　connection。　The　branch　becomes　a　part　of　the　living　vine。　The　communication　of　life；　strength；　and　fruitfulness　from　the　root　to　the　branches　is　unobstructed　and　constant。　Separated　from　the　vine；　the　branch　cannot　live。　No　more；　said　Jesus；　can　you　live　apart　from　Me。　The　life　you　have　received　from　Me　can　be　preserved　only　by　continual　communion。　Without　Me　you　cannot　overcome　one　sin；　or　resist　one　temptation。

〃Abide　in　Me；　and　I　in　you。〃　Abiding　in　Christ　means　a　constant　receiving　of　His　Spirit；　a　life　of　unreserved　surrender　to　His　service。　The　channel　of　communication　must　be　open　continually　between　man　and　his　God。　As　the　vine　branch　constantly　draws　the　sap　from　the　living　vine；　so　are　we　to　cling　to　Jesus；　and　receive　from　Him　by　faith　the　strength　and　perfection　of　His　own　character。

The　root　sends　its　nourishment　through　the　branch　to　the　outermost　twig。　So　Christ　communicates　the　current　of　spiritual　strength　to　every　believer。　So　long　as　the　soul　is　united　to　Christ；　there　is　no　danger　that　it　will　wither　or　decay。

The　life　of　the　vine　will　be　manifest　in　fragrant　fruit　on　the　branches。　〃He　that　abideth　in　Me；〃　said　Jesus；　〃and　I　in　him；　the　same　bringeth　forth　much　fruit：　for　without　Me　ye　can　do　nothing。〃　When　we　live　by　faith　on　the　Son　of　God；　the　fruits　of　the　Spirit　will　be　seen　in　our　lives；　not　one　will　be　missing。

〃My　Father　is　the　husbandman。　Every　branch　in　Me　that　beareth　not　fruit　He　taketh　away。〃　While　the　graft　is　outwardly　united　with　the　vine；　there　may　be　no　vital　connection。　Then　there　will　be　no　growth　or　fruitfulness。　So　there　may　be　an　apparent　connection　with　Christ　without　a　real　union　with　Him　by　faith。　A　profession　of　religion　places　men　in　the　church；　but　the　character　and　conduct　show　whether　they　are　in　connection　with　Christ。　If　they　bear　no　fruit；　they　are　false　branches。　Their　separation　from　Christ　involves　a　ruin　as　complete　as　that　represented　by　the　dead　branch。　〃If　a　man　abide　not　in　Me；〃　said　Christ；　〃he　is　cast　forth　as　a　branch；　and　is　withered；　and　men　gather　them；　and　cast　them　into　the　fire；　and　they　are　burned。〃

〃And　every　branch　that　beareth　fruit；　He　purgeth　＇pruneth＇　it；　that　it　may　bring　forth　more　fruit。〃　From　the　chosen　twelve　who　had　followed

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Jesus；　one　as　a　withered　branch　was　about　to　be　taken　away；　the　rest　were　to　pass　under　the　pruning　knife　of　bitter　trial。　Jesus　with　solemn　tenderness　explained　the　purpose　of　the　husbandman。　The　pruning　will　cause　pain；　but　it　is　the　Father