这是约翰福音最发人深省的其中一章经文。在第十三章，基督用替门徒洗脚的榜样，让我们知道祂要不断洁净我们的污秽。在第十四章，祂为到祂的离去安慰信徒，并应许祂必定再来。来到第十五章，基督告诉我们，祂是葡萄树，我们是葡萄树上的枝子──是永远连着祂的。还有比这更清晰的图画，可以勾划出祂与我们的关系是何等亲密吗？

基督并非说：「我是根，你们是枝子」；祂是说：「我是葡萄树，我是整棵葡萄树；我是完全和完整的，你们乃是我的一部分。」这个真理岂不是很宝贵吗？

因此，枝子若要结出葡萄，就必须容让葡萄树的汁液在它里面流通；这样才能结出果子。我们如何将这个道理应用在自己身上呢？

我们的主用了「常在」这个字词，来道出实践这个真理的窍门。基督在第10节为我们作出清楚的解释：我们若遵守祂的命令，就常在祂里面了。这就是说，我们只有遵从基督的话，行祂所喜悦的事，我们与祂的相交才能保持畅通无阻。

基督亦因此称我们是祂的「门徒」(8节)。祂对祂的门徒，究竟有甚么期望呢？祂期望我们的生命能结出圣灵的果子和甘心事奉的果子，以致让神得着荣耀。基督一直以来的最大的心愿，岂不是让神得着荣耀吗？

最后，让我们每位信徒都反躬自问：我们做人的最大心愿，是否要让神得着荣耀？抑或，我们总是追求自己的荣耀？

祷告：

主啊，求你教导我懂得每天遵行你的话，以致我可以真正住在你的里面。

Day 24

BRANCHES OF THE TRUE VINE

John 15: 1 - 10

1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.

2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.

4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.

7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.

8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

9 “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.

10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

Message

These are wonderful chapters of John's gospel. In the thirteenth chapter Christ shows himself as the one who will keep on cleansing us as we need it. In the fourteenth chapter he speaks words of comfort and tells of his coming again. In the fifteenth chapter Christ is the vine and we are the branches - part of that vine. Could he give us any clearer picture of how close we are to himself?

Christ did not say. 'I am the root, you are the branches'. He said, 'I am the vine, the whole vine. I am everything and you are part of me.' Isn't that a wonderful truth?

So that the branch can bear the fruit of the vine, it must be open to allow the sap of the vine to flow through it. Then there will be fruit. How does that apply to us?

Our Lord uses the word 'abide'. It can mean to 'remain in a certain place' but in verse 10 Christ clearly says that to obey him is to abide in him. It means to remain in uninterrupted fellowship with Christ. We can only know his continued fellowship as we obey his words and do those things that please him.

Christ also called us his disciples, learners or followers (v.8). But what does he say about us as disciples? He tells us that as the fruit of the Spirit and the fruit of sacrificial service is seen in our lives, God will be glorified. Isn't that what Christ was and always is most interested in? That was his continual motive.

One final question. Is the glory of God always our one desire or is our own glory what we want tall too often?

A PRAYER:

Lord teach me how to obey your Word day by day so that I may truly abide in you.