《基督是我们生命的诀要》第二十七日 靈裏得力

 

    “常在我裏面的我也常在他裏面，這人就多結果子，因為離了我，你們就不能作什麼......你們多結果子，我父就因此的榮耀。”（約十五：5，8）

     結果子本來是為一棵樹或葡萄樹本身的利益，但主耶穌利用樹來說的比喻來讓我們明瞭祂在我們裏面，我們在祂裏面並不是單單為我們的利益，也是為了討祂喜悅和榮耀神而說的，我們是這棵屬天葡萄樹的枝子，樂於接受這何等大的恩典去領人歸主。 

    我們和基督之間有著喜樂而不斷相交的關係難道不是為了這個理由？你已經忘記這個相交的關係和密切的交談是為了使別人也能得救。難道你未曾想過或忘記你自己的成聖和喜樂是由於基督犧牲自己從父神那兒賜下福份和榮耀！而我們活著唯一的職責不也是把基督介紹給別人嗎？我們成為屬天葡萄樹枝子就是為了要繼續主已經開始的工作。

     記得主在世曾說過：“我是世界的光。”但祂離世歸天前又說：“你們是世界的光。”

     有多少次你對主說：“我向祢降伏，求修剪我，使我成為聖潔有用的仆人。”但你卻不願加上：“願祢所用，使別人得知救恩。”但願我們能承認我們在這方面的失敗，並謙卑地奉獻自己參與主的聖工，讓我們為周圍的人代求，找機會去幫助他們，直到他們成為我們的果子來榮耀神才滿意。

     基督曾說：“離了我你們就不能做什麼。”祂知道我們是完全的輭弱，所以祂已經應許：“那在我裏面的就多結果子。”讓所有我們學習的豐盛生命和恩典激勵我們去領人歸向耶穌。

“He that abideth in Me, and I in him, beareth much fruit, for apart from Me ye can do noting...Herein is My Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit.” –JOHN xv. 5, 8 

Fruit is that which a tree or a vine yields for the benefit of its owner. Even so, all that the Lord Jesus has taught us about His abiding in us and we in Him is to make us understand that it is not for our benefit, but for His good pleasure and the honour of the Father. We, as branches of the Heavenly Vine, receive and enjoy such astounding grace that we may win souls for Him. 

  May not this be the reason why you have not enjoyed unbroken fellowship with Christ? You have forgotten that the object of fellowship and communion is fruit-bearing in saving others. Have you not given too much thought to your own sanctification and joy, not remembering that as Christ sought His blessing and glory from the Father in the sacrifice of Himself for us, so we too are called to live solely to bring Christ to others? It is for this purpose that we become branches of the Heavenly Vine, in order to continue the work that He began, and with the same whole-heartedness.

 When Christ was on earth, He said, “I am the light of the world”; but speaking of the time before he should be taken from the earth He said, “Ye are the light of the world.” 

   How often you have said to the Lord, “I yield myself to Thee for cleansing and keeping and to be made holy,” but you have hesitated to add “to be used of Thee for the salvation of others.” Let us acknowledge our failure here and humbly offer ourselves to the Lord for His work. Let us begin by praying for those around us, seeking opportunities of helping them, and not being satisfied until we bear fruit to the glory of the Father.

    Christ said, “Apart from me ye can do nothing.” He knows our utter weakness. He has promised “He that abideth in Me beareth much fruit.” Let all that we learn of the more abundant life and abounding grace constrain us to live to win souls for Jesus.