Circulation of Life

“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.” John 15:5

Speak Plainly

Jesus, when He was with the disciples, spoke of His death, resurrection and second advent. The disciples “said unto Him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb.” (John 16:29). Jesus Christ spoke plainly to the disciples then, and still there is a plain message for us today.

“Christ used the figure of the vine to help us remember His lessons.” (UL 182:1).
Many of us know the parable of the vine in our opening verse.

Moon Glow

The disciples of Jesus were on the way to the garden of Gethsemane at the foot of Mt. Olive. As the tranquil moon was shining upon them, it revealed a flourishing grapevine. Jesus used it as a living symbol. He said, in essence, “I’m the true vine.” Well, why not the palm, cedar, or oak?

“The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree; he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.” (Ps. 92:12). Because the vine stands alone, having no support.

Help!

You see, in gardening or farming practices, not only grapes, but vegetables and flowers need a little help to reach the sky easier from a variety of supports and ties. They can, thereby, be “trained” to reach skyward. The vine, furthermore, depends on its climbing features. It needs, however, a trellis, or tuteur, stakes, and branches for support, growing heavenward reaching to the sun.

Vining plants, furthermore, need to climb upward to remain healthy. The stakes or trellis allow more “growth” of the same plants or to introduce “new ones” by permitting better air circulation and more sunlight to reach the plant. But, the branch, once separated from the vine, cannot live.

Vine School

“Adam and Eve were trained on the vine.” (GC 648). Christ, too, was dependent on divine power and support from His Father in heaven. He too, like the grapevine had to be “trained”, so as to “grow” and introduce “new ones” to the stock. Christ said, “I can of mine own self do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just, because I seek not mine own will but the will of the Father who hath sent me.” (John 5:30).

This was a unique relationship. Not only are we stewards of our planet’s botanical riches, but stewards of wayward souls, for we are “trained” and “grow” by the Holy Spirit, and introduce “new ones” to Jesus, not by our will but by the will of Jesus Christ.

First Prize

Christ was ready to leave the disciples. He gave this beautiful emblem of His relationship to believers. “The Jews (and Greeks) regarded the vine as a most noble plant, powerful, and fruitful.” (DA 675). The Lord says, “You prize the vine as a symbol. But, I am the reality. Prize me above all things earthly.” (5T 230). Israel was represented as a vine, which God planted in the Promised Land. In fact, Israel was the Lord’s vineyard; “My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill.” (Isaiah 5:1-7).

The Jewish Connection

The Jews, however, thought and hoped for salvation simply by their “connection” to Israel. This thinking still persists today. But, Jesus Christ said, “only through Me is this spirited life received.” Saying further, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman” (vine-dresser). (John 15:1). This “True Vine” is real! All that the vine should be in a spiritual sense. Christ is not just a root, or stock, but the whole plant. Included in Him are His people. He’s the owner and the caretaker! His Spirit, His Power, is enduring and influences others, and they become holy.

Poor Vine

The vine is, again, “as Israel brought out of Egypt.” (GC 19-20). “God planted this vine on the hills of Palestine.” (DA 675). Many were attracted to this beautiful vine. But to the leaders in Israel it looked like a root in dry ground. They took it, bruised it, and trampled on it with their unholy feet. Their thoughts were to destroy it forever. After that, they killed it. “Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed. How, then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?” (Jer 2:21). Following this, they took it and replanted it on the other side of the wall. The vine took stock, but it was not visible. It was hidden from men. “I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.” (Prov. 24:30, 31).

Life Union

But, the branches hung over the remaining broken wall. Grafts were still united (the remnant), to the vine. “I am the vine and ye are the branches.” You see, the sinner unites his weaknesses to Christ’s strength, and “helps the sinner sustain the relationship with the vine.” (TMK 109:3). Once the union is made with Christ, one must be maintained. How? “Abide in Me and Me in you.” You see, “the union is not tied on but a part of the vine; thus oneness with Christ.” (UL 182:3). Every other union must perish. This is a “hard saying” for many. The disciples were tested, too, by doctrine.

“Many, thereof, of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, this is a hard saying. Who can hear it?” (John 6:60).

Clean Up

You see, it costs something, too. It is not only full dependence on Jesus Christ, there is some suffering, and sacrifice. Here is where there is a need of the blood of Jesus Christ, a change of heart, a change of character, submitting your will to the will of God. It is a complete surrender. Yes, it is a struggle, I know. Prayer is the battle. You need to overcome. Overcome what? Well, here is the distasteful news for many. It is pride, self-indulgence, selfishness, vanity, worldliness, sins in all its forms. In essence it requires a cleaning of the Temple of God. Jesus Christ in the market-place, “cleaned the Temple” of vileness, and immorality.

Hooked

But, why do so many professed Christians find this so hard? Why are they so fickle and variable? Wavering? Double minded? Well, because they try to attach themselves to Christ without first separating, or detaching themselves from “idols.” They want Jesus Christ and the World. They want one foot on Earth and one foot in Heaven. So how can we preserve this bound or graft with Jesus after this powerful union is made with Him?

Brutal Warfare

Prayer, again, is the battle. We need sheer, ceaseless effort. Self-denying, willing, painful effort! You must resist and deny “self”, and conquer self. Why? Because the Christian life, the life of a saint, is a warfare. Who is the foe? “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of the world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Eph 5:12). Moreover, “Ye have not resisted unto blood, striving against sin.” (Heb 12:4).

Deadly Sin

Today sin is cherished, excused. Moreover, “sin is cherished as darling idols.” (3T 543). But, “when cherished or excused it means sealing your soul’s destiny.” (6T 405). Furthermore, “common and seemingly insignificant sin, impairs your moral sense, and extinguishes the inward impression of the Spirit.” (FE 195). The sharp sword of the Spirit of the Word of God does not cut to the soul. Do you know why people sin? Sin is beautiful, sin is enjoyable, sin is charming… for them. But, when you know God… who God is, and what He is, sin is abhorred.

Cowardly Compromise

Therefore, has religion changed? Religious life at one time presented difficulties, problems, and demanded self-denial. But, all is made very easy now. Why? Professed people of God have compromised with the power of darkness. Compromised in health reform; (vegetarianism), dress code, tithing, doctrinal beliefs, marriage standards, Sabbath keeping, the Sanctuary message, Spirit of Prophecy, and so on. What is the result of such a stance?

Wind Tossed Fruit

“Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away; and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.” (John 15:2). There are four degrees in fruit bearing; (1)no fruit (v-2); (2)“fruit” (v-2); (3)“more fruit”(v-2); and (4)“much fruit” (vv.5,8). As we bear “much fruit,” the Father is glorified in us. The fruit may be converts (Rom 1:13); Christian character-the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22- 23); and conduct-the fruits of righteousness (Rom 6:21-22; Phil 1:11).”Satan would convert the fruit of the vine into poison.” (Te 12).

Delicate Connection

Are the moralities and graces of Christianity, which are the fruit of the Spirit, merely imitated or duplicated in your life? Years ago, a Christian once asked Gandhi (late spiritual leader of India), “why aren’t there more Christians in India? Gandhi candidly answered, “When I see one I will let you know.” A sad commentary. The graft may, in essence, appear united to the vine, but there’s essentially no real connection. How can one actually tell? It simply bears “no fruit,” the branches are false.

Moreover, every branch that does bear fruit needs to be pruned. From the chosen twelve disciples, one branch became withered and was “roped to a fatal branch.” The remaining eleven passed under the pruning knife of bitter trials. Now, pruning causes “soul-racking” pain. When you pray, ask that you will be ready for it when it inevitably comes. It is our gracious Father who wields the knife.

Rough Road

What further is needed? We need a revival of the true testimony. The path to Heaven is not smoother than it was in Christ’s days. We need to be as a bright and dutiful child. Are you willing to surrender your chosen and worldly associations? Jesus says, “Abide in Me” (not man). How? Well, to abide in Christ is, on one hand, to have no known sin unjudged and unconfessed, no interest into which He is not brought, no life which He cannot share. On the other hand, the abiding one takes all burdens to Him, and draws all wisdom, life, and strength from Him. Furthermore, that nothing is allowed in the life which separates from Him. (1 John 1:3-7; 1 Cor. 10:16).

Smart Walk

What else? Well, “He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked.” (in the spirit of Christ). (1 John 2:6).

RULE: Here is a rule that is given by which the true disciple may be distinguished from those who claim to follow Christ, but have not faith in Him.
1. The one class are fruit-bearing.
2. The other class is fruit-less.

This Year?

We as a people should preserve the living testimony among them, and that the true church should be kept pure from the unbelieving element. What closer relation could we have with Christ than to set forth in words and heed these words? “I am the vine, and ye are the branches.” The Lord planted His church as a vine in a fruitful field. He nourished it and said, “What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it?” But, the vines turned to the barren and stagnant earth, and twisted around human supports. In the parable of the fig tree, we read further, “And he, answering, said unto him Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and fertilize it; and if it bear fruit, well; and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.” (Luke 13:8,). Is this your year? The year to bear fruit? The Master, again said, “Why when I looked for it to bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes.” (Isaiah 5:4). For, the vineyard “is as part of the elixir of life.”(CH 170)

Church Problems

The fundamental principles of the Church have been corrupted and filled with “unclean spirits”; the principles of Revelation 14 – The Lamb (Jesus) and the 144,000 on Mount Zion, the Three Angels Message and the Mark of the Beast, and of Armageddon. This is the last act unfolding before us. The “world is the stage – we are the actors.” Man is living in a carnal state, “For ye are yet carnal; for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?” (1Cor 3:3). But, “many will be taken from the vineyard to give the last warning message.” (Ev. 48).

Ringing Words

How should we then live? In the Temptation of Jesus, He “answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (Math 4:4).
Furthermore, we are to be:
• Living by Christ:
• Supported by Christ
• Leaning on Christ
• Sticking to Christ
• Drawing nourishment from Christ
• Clinging to Christ.
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Celestial Grape

As a small child brought up in the darkly grimy city of Chicago, one fond memory I have is of the yearly summer appearance of local Concord grapes. They were the only grape, as only local, seasonal produce was the way of life, not as it is today. They were opportunely plentiful, hung over fences and walls, and bounteously available in the corner grocery stores. The fragrance, color and taste was distinctly unique. It is a rarity today. But, the memory of this succulent fruit still lingers today. Once tasted, its aromatic, impeccable taste was branded into the impressible mind… a divine experience I still cherish.

Cultivated Taste

“Oh taste and see that the Lord is good, blessed is the man who trusteth in Him.” (Psalm 34:8). Once we taste in Him, we will bear the same fruits as Jesus. “The sap of the vineyard is like the power of the Spirit from Christ in the life.” (TDG 252:2). “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come. If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance, seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open shame. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have shown toward His name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister, and desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end.” (Heb 6:4,-6, 9, 10).

Timely Help

Help someone, tell someone about the trial or trials you had in life and how you leaned on Jesus, and by your connection with Him overcame, and by your own self could do nothing. Many children of God remain silent about their salvation, and growth, in the Tree of Life, or On the Vine. Go to the sinner if you expect him to come to the Saviour.
“Be brothers to the sinner, as well as to the saints.” (DA 638). Remember, too, that “Christ hates sin but loves sinners.” (DA 642). Furthermore, “He pleads and reasons with sinners.”(4T 294). Yet, there are still “those persons who constantly talk of their sinless state, but in reality deceive themselves.” (SL 12).

Blood Transfusion

His life must circulate through us as the blood circulates through our arteries and veins, with a vigorous, noble blood beat; abiding in the vine and being nourished by the same sap as in the vine. His Spirit, His vitalizing Power causes us to influence others to become Christ-like. This means, “entering the vineyard and working for souls.” (TDG 163:3). And the “cultivation of God’s vineyard.” (PM 83:2) We can thusly, sharply and clearly be imaged to be basking in the superior knowledge of Jesus. This is the Circulation Of Life.
Amen.

John Theodorou, USA