MAY RADIO MESSAGE
by D. Stuart Briscoe
I AM THE VINE
I T IS MY EARNEST CONVICTION, based upon Scripture, that the Christian life is simply a relationship between an ordinary human being and a very wonderful Lord Jesus Christ. The depth of that union determines the vitality of Christian experience and the resultant fru it which is produced. In addition to the picture of this re lationship compared to marriage and to individuals as brothers, there is another lovely symbol for our consid eration. In John 15:5 we read the Saviour’s testimony, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bring- eth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” I must admit that I have spent hours and hours reading these words. They are most blessed to my own soul. If Christianity is totally dependent upon the relationship existing between the Lord Jesus and ourselves, we need to know two things. F irst of all, who He really is, and secondly, what we really are. Both questions are an swered quite simply from this verse. He is the great “I AM” the Vine. As far as we are concerned, we are the branches. One day the Lord Jesus Christ was talking to a group of Jews about this. They were furious with Him when He said, “Before Abraham was, I AM.” Were they mad because. He used bad grammar? Should He have said, “Before Abraham was, I was” ? No, they knew perfectly well what He meant. When God spoke to Moses, the Lord was asked, “What is Your name?” God said, “I am that I AM.” Moses didn’t understand this, so the words were added, “Go tell them that I AM sent you.” This is the great name God reserves for Himself. Christ rightly claimed to be God Himself. The same was true in His words about the vine. There is so much “froth” which passes for Christianity today. We need
to understand perfectly that if our lives don’t demonstrate the power, wisdom, patience, love and peace of Almighty God, then our brand of Christianity is not of the Lord! Are you willing to make a check on your Christianity? Do you account for your Christian experience in terms of personality, training, inbred convic tions, environment or tradition? Can you account for your salvation in all these things? Remember, God only recognizes that Christianity which can be explained simply in terms of Him self. It is possible to have all these other things, including church mem bership, and yet have no real relation ship with Almighty God. You may even receive the praise of other Chris tians as you go through all the mo tions, and yet your soul is spiritually dry. Let me ask you, “Have you any evidence that God Himself accom plishes His work in your life?” God wants you to be related to Him while you live down here on earth. When the Lord Jesus Christ said, “I am the vine,” He was foreshadowing that which is recorded in Hebrews where we read of Him that He is “the same yesterday, today and forever.” He is completely unchanging. There are many people who look back at the Christ of yesterday and agree that He must have been wonderful. I sug gest to you, however, that the Saviour wasn’t wonderful, He is wonderful! He wants His relationship in us to be all that He is. So many Christians spend their time trying to live in union with all that the Saviour did; trying to follow an example of all that He was. It does not work. The Christian life is actually an experience whereby you are nothing less than a branch from the Vine which is unchanging. You simply have to be in touch with all that He is. If you want to be in touch 11
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs