Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 23 (1908)
Ms 45, 1908
Sermon/“That Ye Should Go and Bring Forth Fruit”
Lodi, California
May 5, 1908
Previously unpublished. +Note
“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.” [John 15:1, 2.] 23LtMs, Ms 45, 1908, par. 1
The Lord Jesus expects fruit from every soul that professes to believe in Him. He expects of all of us much more than we give Him. Those who will take Him as their Helper will be branches that will bear fruit abundantly. 23LtMs, Ms 45, 1908, par. 2
“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.” [Verses 3, 4.] 23LtMs, Ms 45, 1908, par. 3
In the kind of fruit we bear, we give to the world an evidence as to whether or not we are united to the true vine. Some branches bear fruit, but not good fruit. So some people profess to be children of God; but unless they bear fruit in harmony with the character and example of Jesus Christ, they give to the world a false representation. If we would make a right use of all the light and opportunities that have been granted to us, we must represent the truth in its purity. We must seek to copy after the example of our Saviour. 23LtMs, Ms 45, 1908, par. 4
“I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in Me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing.” [Verse 5.] 23LtMs, Ms 45, 1908, par. 5
If as branches we draw our nourishment from the vine Jesus Christ, we have a right to expect that He will give us of His Holy Spirit. He will work with us, and His power will rest upon us. Then when we speak to others in regard to the truth, the holy Spirit will be present to impress their minds. 23LtMs, Ms 45, 1908, par. 6
“If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” [Verses 6, 7.] 23LtMs, Ms 45, 1908, par. 7
If with faith in Jesus Christ as our Saviour we come to Him in our necessities, we shall receive from Him that grace that we need every day and every hour. 23LtMs, Ms 45, 1908, par. 8
“Herein is My Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be My disciples. As the Father hath loved Me, so have I loved you: continue ye in My love. If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love, even as I have kept My Father’s commandments, and abide in His love.” [Verses 8-10.] 23LtMs, Ms 45, 1908, par. 9
Here is a wonderful promise to those who keep the commandments of God who, by bearing good fruit, give evidence that they are branches of the living vine. 23LtMs, Ms 45, 1908, par. 10
“These things have I spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” [Verse 11.] 23LtMs, Ms 45, 1908, par. 11
In an abiding union with Christ there is fulness of joy: there is a refreshing cheerfulness, a constant uplifting of the soul to God. If we enjoy this experience, those around us will be benefited by our fruit-bearing. The kind words we speak and the Christian love that we manifest will bring gladness to their hearts. 23LtMs, Ms 45, 1908, par. 12
O that we might see more of that fulness of joy! Then would flow from the lips of God’s children words in harmony with that sacred joy. If our joy is full, it will manifest itself in labor for souls. If our heart is really full of the love of God and His joy, we shall not confine our religious exercises to meeting together on the Sabbath. There is a world lying in darkness. We must have compassion on those who know not the truth. Let us open the Word to them. It may be that we may help some to free themselves from the hold of Satan, and then they, too, will labor to lead others to see the beauty and loveliness that there is in Jesus Christ. 23LtMs, Ms 45, 1908, par. 13
We are all amenable to God. If we abide in Christ, we shall do His works. We shall see the necessity of multiplying souls for His kingdom. We shall reveal His light and love and joy in our hearts. There is a great work to do. Why are we not stirred within us as we see souls perishing on the right hand and on the left? Let us invent every possible means to bring the precious light of truth to those that are ready to perish. 23LtMs, Ms 45, 1908, par. 14
“This is My commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.” [Verse 12.] Can you measure the love wherewith Christ has loved us? We only know that in manifesting that love He offered Himself to us as a living sacrifice, in His humiliation and suffering, paying the price of our salvation. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are My friends if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of My Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give it you.” [Verses 13-16.] 23LtMs, Ms 45, 1908, par. 15
This is an abundant promise: do we believe it? Will we honor our great Teacher by believing every word He says, that we may meet His expectations for us? 23LtMs, Ms 45, 1908, par. 16
“These things I command you, that ye love one another. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated Me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept My saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for My name’s sake, because they know not Him that sent Me.” [Verses 17-21.] 23LtMs, Ms 45, 1908, par. 17
The true Christian can have no fellowship with the world, where “judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off,” where “truth is fallen in the streets, and equity cannot enter,” and “he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey.” [Isaiah 59:14, 15.] The Christian represents a truth that works counter to all the ambitious plans of the world. This is why the world hates the followers of Christ. 23LtMs, Ms 45, 1908, par. 18
“If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin. He that hateth Me hateth My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both Me and My Father. But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated Me without a cause. 23LtMs, Ms 45, 1908, par. 19
“But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, He shall testify of Me: and ye shall bear witness, because ye have been with Me from the beginning.” [John 15:22-27.] 23LtMs, Ms 45, 1908, par. 20
We understand something of our responsibilities, but would that we all might be brought into right relation to God, that we should love Him, and keep His commandments, and be happy in His love. We entreat of you for Christ’s sake to make an entire surrender to God. Here is your opportunity, while you are assembled at this camp-meeting. Search your hearts to see where in your business relations, or in any other line, you have been working counter to the law of God. 23LtMs, Ms 45, 1908, par. 21
God has given us His precious Word, that we might live by it. When Christ has done so much for us, shall we not show our appreciation of His love. There is a world to be saved. We are not to sit down contentedly with our own families, enjoying our privileges of meeting together, but feeling no special interest for those who know not the truth. We must help them to understand the Word. 23LtMs, Ms 45, 1908, par. 22
The work of the Lord is to be carried in meekness, in lowliness of heart. As Christ’s little children, we are to take Him as our Helper. He will let His glory rest upon us, and He will speak through us as He did through the disciples that He sent out. He said to them, “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” [Matthew 10:16.] There may be manifestations all around us of a wolfish spirit, but we need not be partakers of that spirit. 23LtMs, Ms 45, 1908, par. 23
If you have not taken hold to try to bring the light of truth to those that are in darkness, will you not begin this work at once? Try to win souls to Christ, and let the light of His countenance be expressed in you. Let it shine forth in meekness and lowliness of heart. The truth will be opposed by the world, but “greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.” [1 John 4:4.] 23LtMs, Ms 45, 1908, par. 24
Let the children be educated to understand what Christ is to them, and what they may do for Christ. They can be His obedient children. There are errands that they may do for Jesus, and they may help in the work of saving souls that are ready to perish. 23LtMs, Ms 45, 1908, par. 25
There is a heaven to win and a hell to shun. If we lose that heaven that has been purchased for us at such tremendous sacrifice, the time will come when we shall bitterly lament. We shall have lost everything. 23LtMs, Ms 45, 1908, par. 26
If we will all take hold of the work of God intelligently, angels of God will be with us to teach us, to lead us, and to bless us. Then our hearts will be filled with a satisfaction that we do not dream of while we are careless and indifferent. Let us arm ourselves with the mind of Christ. With the trusting simplicity of children, let us pray as we have never prayed before for the Holy Spirit. God has promised it in His Word. It is His Word that bids us go forward, and His work in which we are to be engaged. Then why should we fail or be discouraged? 23LtMs, Ms 45, 1908, par. 27