枝子

       凡属我不结果子的枝子，他就剪去。　—— 约翰福音15:2

在这里，我们看“ 枝子” —— 这是这个比喻中使用的主要词汇之一。葡萄树需要枝子：没有枝子，葡萄树什么也做不了，也不能结果子。认识到枝子是什么，与认识葡萄树和栽培的人同样重要。在聆听基督关于枝子的教导之前，让我们先来理解一下枝子的含义，以及枝子对我们在基督里的生命有什么样的教导。一根枝子只是一小段木头而已，从葡萄树上长出来，它只有一个目的，那就是结果子。它和葡萄树是一样的本性，与葡萄树共有一个生命，一个灵。让我们对这一教导稍加思想。

这里有完全奉献的功课。枝子只有一个目标，它只为这个目标而存在，也只降服于这一个目标。这个目标就是要结出葡萄树想要结的果子来。所有信徒作为枝子，也只有一个理由—— 一个他在地上存留的唯一理由—— 那就是属天的葡萄树可以借他结出属天的果子来。认识这一点、认同它、且说自己是蒙救赎的、活着只为一件事的人，是有福的！如同葡萄树上的枝子存在只为结果子一样，我也是；如同天上的葡萄树存在只为结果子一样，我也是。当我被神接在基督里，我全然摆上自己去结果子，就是葡萄树想借我所结的果子。

这里有完全合一的功课.枝子在各方面都像葡萄树，它们拥有同样的性情，同样的生命，在同样的地方，做同样的工作.在这一切事上，它们是一体，不能分离.所以信徒需要知道，自己有属天的性情，自己里面有基督的性情和基督的灵，他的一个呼召就是顺服基督，与基督完全合一.枝子与葡萄树全然相似；唯一的不同在于：一个是强大的，是力量的源泉；另一个是弱小的，需要不断添充力量，信徒也是如此,现在是，将来也会与基督全然相似。

这里有完全信靠的功课。葡萄树储备有生命、树液和力量,但不是为自己，而是为了它的枝子.枝子若没有葡萄树的供给，便一无所是，也一无所有。信徒蒙召开始过一个完全地、不间断地信靠基督的生活，这样的生活也是神至高的祝福。每时每刻，基督会供应一切他所需用的。

这里也有坚信不疑的功课。枝子没有任何办法，一切均由葡萄树供给.它只是顺服领受而已.唯有看见这个真理，才能进入信心的安息，这也是成长和得力的秘决所在：“ 靠着那加给我力量的，我凡事都能做。”

如果我们单单以做枝子为满足，那临到我们的会是怎样的生命啊！神亲爱的孩子哪，要学习这个功课。你们只有一件事要做：只做一根枝子，不折不扣地做枝子！只管做一根枝子。基督是葡萄树，他会供给一切。全能的神，栽培的人，他造葡萄树为葡萄树的样子，也必然让枝子成为枝子的样子。

主耶稣，我向你祷告，求你向我启示枝子属天的奥秘，向我启示枝子与葡萄树生命的联合，向我启示枝子所当求的一切的丰富。你全然富足，愿你掌管你的枝子，充满你的枝子，引导我进入你信心的安息，知道万事上，你在运行！

果子

       凡属我不结果子的枝子，他就剪去。　—— 约翰福音15:2

果子。——这是我们继葡萄树、栽培的人、枝子之后另一个重要的词汇。论到果子，主想对我们说什么呢？很简单——果子是枝子德目的所在。如果枝子不结果子，栽培的人就会把它剪去。葡萄树是栽培人的荣耀，枝子是葡萄树的荣耀，果子则是枝子的荣耀。如果枝子不结果子，枝子便没有荣耀，也失去了自身的价值；它令人不悦，也碍事，栽培的人就会剪掉它。结果子，是枝子存在的一个原因，是真的属天葡萄树枝子的一个标志，也是属天的栽培的人允许枝子分享葡萄树生命的一个条件。

那么， 果子是什么呢？果子是枝子不为自己，而是为主人结出来的东西。是要被主人采摘、收走的。诚然，枝子汲取葡萄树的树液来维持自己的生命，借此才能长得更加粗壮。但是葡萄树供应枝子，维持它的生命，完全是为了让枝子实现其存在的目标—— 结果子。许多基督徒因为不理解，也不能接受这个真理，虽然很努力，也常祷告去过枝子的生活，但还是失败了。他们通常很渴慕，也读经、思考、祷告，但还是失败了。他们想知道为什么。原因非常简单：他们不知道蒙恩得救是为要结果子。正如基督成为真葡萄树只有一个目标那样，你们成为枝子，也只有一个目标，那就是为了人的得救而结果子。葡萄树和枝子的存在只是为了结果子，这是一成不变的法则。基督和信徒，属天的葡萄树和枝子，在世上同样都只有一个目标，那就是将神的救恩和爱传给世人。因此会有严肃的话说：凡不结果子的枝子，祂就剪去。

我们要特别小心，不要犯一个大错误。许多基督徒认为个人得救是第一要事；他们的属世生活和幸福，以及对家人的关爱是第二要事；余下的时间和兴趣才可能用来结果子，救人。无疑，大多数情况下，这余下的时间和兴趣也所剩无几。基督徒啊，不是这样！你成为基督身体的一个肢体，是元首基督要你去接续他拯救的工作。神让你成为枝子的一个目的就是基督要通过你将生命赐给人。你个人的得救，你的事情，你对家人的关心，这一切都是次要的。知道基督想在你身上如何成就 的旨意应该是你生命中以及你每一天的首要目标。

让我们开始像神那样来思想。让我们接受基督的教导，并作出回应。我成为枝子的一个目标，我成为真葡萄树枝子的一个标志，以及我留在树上、长得粗壮的一个条件就是我要结出属天葡萄树的果子，让濒临死亡的人们可以来吃，从而得活。并且我全然确信，有基督做葡萄树，天父做栽培的人，我一定可以成为结果子的枝子。

我们的父啊，你来寻找果子。我们祷告，求你教导我们，让我们认识到这是我们存活并与主联合的目的所在。求父将做枝子的愿望放在我们心里，愿葡萄树的灵充满我们，好让我们多结果子。

THE BRANCH

       Every Branch in me that Beareth Not Fruit, He taketh It away—John 15:2

Here we have one of the chief words of the parable—branch. A vine needs branches: without branches it can do nothing, can bear no fruit. As important as it is to know about the Vine, and the Husbandman, it is to realize what the branch is. Before we listen to what Christ has to say about it, let us first of all take in what a branch is, and what it teaches us of our life in Christ. A branch is simply a bit of wood, brought forth by the vine for the one purpose of serving it in bearing its fruit. It is of the very same nature as the vine, and has one life and one spirit with it. Just think a moment of the lessons this suggests.

There is the lesson of entire consecration. The branch has but one object for which it exists, one purpose to which it is entirely given up. That is, to bear the fruit the vine wishes to bring forth. And so the believer has but one reason for his being a branch—but one reason for his existence on earth —that the heavenly Vine may through him bring forth His fruit. Happy the soul that knows this, that has consented to it, and that says, I have been redeemed and I live for one thing— as exclusively as the natural branch exists only to bring forth fruit, I too; as exclusively as the heavenly Vine exists to bring forth fruit, I too. As I have been planted by God into Christ, I have wholly given myself to bear the fruit the Vine desires to bring forth.

There is the lesson of perfect conformity. The branch is exactly like the vine in every aspect—the same nature, the same life, the same place, the same work. In all this they are inseparably one. And so the believer needs to know that he is partaker of the divine nature, and has the very nature and spirit of Christ in him, and that his one calling is to yield himself to a perfect conformity to Christ. The branch is a perfect likeness of the vine; the only difference is, the one is great and strong, and the source of strength, the other little and feeble, ever needing and receiving strength. Even so the believer is, and is to be, the perfect likeness of Christ.

There is the lesson of absolute dependence. The vine has its stores of life and sap and strength, not for itself, but for the branches. The branches are and have nothing but what the vine provides and imparts.The believer is called to, and it is his highest blessedness to enter upon, a life of entire and unceasing dependence upon Christ. Day and night, every moment, Christ is to work in him all he needs.

And then the lesson of undoubting confidence. The branch has no cure;the vine provides all; it has but to yield itself and receive. It is the sight of this truth that leads to the blessed rest of faith, the true secret of growth and strength: “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

What a life would come to us if we only consented to be branches! Dear child of God, learn the lesson. You have but one thing to do: Only be a branch—nothing more, nothing less! Just be a branch; Christ will be the Vine that gives all. And the Husbandman, the mighty God, who made the Vine what it is, will as surely make the branch what it ought to be.

Lord Jesus, I pray Thee, reveal to me the heavenly mystery of the branch, in its living union with the Vine, in its claim on all its fullness. And let Thy all-sufficiency, holding and filling Thy branches, lead me to the rest of faith that knows that Thou workest all.

THE FRUIT

       Every Branch in me that Beareth Not Fruit, He taketh It away—John 15:2

Fruit.—This is the next great word we have: the Vine, the Husbandman, the branch, the fruit. What has our Lord to say to us of fruit? Simply this— that fruit is the one thing the branch is for, and that if it bear not fruit, the husbandman takes it away. The vine is the glory of the husbandman; the branch is the glory of the vine; the fruit is the glory of the branch; if the branch bring not forth fruit, there is no glory or worth in it; it is an offense and a hindrance; the husbandman takes it away. The one reason for the existence of a branch, the one mark of being a true branch of the heavenly Vine, the one condition of being allowed by the divine Husbandman to share the life the Vine is—bearing fruit.

And what is fruit? Something that the branch bears, not for itself, 　but for its owner; something that is to be gathered, and taken away. The branch does indeed receive it from the vine sap for its own life, by which it grows thicker and stronger. But this supply for its own maintenance is entirely subordinate to its fulfillment of the purpose of its existence—bearing fruit. It is because Christians do not understand or accept of this truth, that they so fail in their efforts and prayers to live the branch life. They often desire it very earnestly; they read and meditate and pray, and yet they fail, they wonder why? The reason is very simple: they do not know that fruit-bearing is the one thing they have been saved for. Just as entirely as Christ became the true Vine with the one object, you have been made a branch too, with the one object of bearing fruit for the salvation of men. The Vine and the branch are equally under the unchangeable law of fruit-bearing as the one reason of their being. Christ and the believer, the heavenly Vine and the branch, have equally their place in the world exclusively for one purpose, to carry God’s saving love to men. Hence the solemn word: Every branch that beareth not fruit, He taketh it away.

Let us specially beware of one great mistake. Many Christians think their own salvation is the first thing; their temporal life and prosperity, with the care of their family, the second; and what of time and interest is left may be devoted to fruit-bearing, to the saving of men. No wonder that in most cases very little time or interest can be found. No, Christian, the one object with which you have been made a member of Christ’s Body is that the Head may have you to carry out His saving work. The one object God had in making you a branch is that Christ may through you bring life to men. Your personal salvation, your business and care for your family, are entirely subordinate to this. Your first aim in life, your first aim every day, should be to know how Christ desires to carry out His purpose in you.

Let us begin to think as God thinks. Let us accept Christ’s teaching and respond to it. The one object of my being a branch, the one mark of my being a true branch, the one condition of my abiding and growing strong, is that I bear the fruit of the heavenly Vine for dying men to eat and live. And the one thing of which I can have the most perfect assurance is that, with Christ as my Vine, and the Father as my Husbandman, I can indeed be a fruitful branch.

Our Father, Thou comest seeking fruit. Teach us, we pray Thee, to realize how truly this is the one object of our existence, and of our union to Christ. Make it the one desire of our hearts to be branches, so filled with the Spirit of the Vine, as to bring forth fruit abundantly.