July 25

John 15:1‑4
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the husbandman. 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. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 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”— John 15:1-41I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2Every 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. 3Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4Abide 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. (John 15:1‑4).
CHRIST, as the true vine, supersedes Israel, the empty vine (Hos. 10:11Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself: according to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the altars; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images. (Hosea 10:1)), which brought forth no fruit for Jehovah. He had nurtured and cared for this vine, which should have been a testimony for Himself (Isa. 5:1-71Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: 2And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. 3And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. 4What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? 5And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down: 6And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. 7For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry. (Isaiah 5:1‑7)), but it brought forth wild grapes, unpalatable and obnoxious to God. He brought this vine out of Egypt (Psa. 80:88Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it. (Psalm 80:8)), and at one time it bade fair to bring forth fruit to His glory (9-11), but, alas, sin and selfishness blighted it and it was cast away as a worthless thing. In its place a new testimony is introduced. Christ Himself takes the place of Israel to bear fruit for the Father through His people here on earth. As we live in hallowed fellowship with Him, we produce that fruit in which the Father delights.
“My soul is now united to Christ the Living Vine;
His grace I long have alighted, but now I know He’s mine;
I was to God a stranger till Jesus took me in:
He freed my soul from danger, and pardoned all my sin.
By floods and flames surrounded, I still my way pursue;
Nor shall I be confounded with glory in my view.
Still Christ is my Salvation; what can I covet more?
I fear no condemnation, my Father’s wrath is o’er.”