YOU CAN DO NOTHING
Apart From Me Ye Can Do Nothing--John 15:5
In everything the life of the branch
is to be the exact counterpart of that of the Vine. Of Himself
Jesus had said: "The Son can do nothing of himself."
As the outcome of that entire dependence, He could add: "All
that the Father doeth, doeth the Son also likewise." As Son
He did not receive His life from the Father once for all, but
moment by moment. His life was a continual waiting on the Father
for all He was to do. And so Christ says of His disciples: "Ye
can do nothing apart from me." He means it literally. To
everyone who wants to live the true disciple life, to bring forth
fruit and glorify God, the message comes: You can do nothing.
What had been said: "He that abideth in me, and I in him,
the same beareth much fruit," is here enforced by the simplest
and strongest of arguments: "Abiding in Me is indispensable,
for, you know it, of yourselves you can do nothing to maintain
or act out the heavenly life."
A deep conviction of the truth of
this word lies at the very root of a strong spiritual life. As
little as I created myself, as little as I could raise a man from
the dead, can I give myself the divine life. As little as I can
give it myself, can I maintain or increase it: every motion is
the work of God through Christ and His Spirit. It is as a man
believes this, that he will take up that position of entire and
continual dependence which is the very essence of the life of
faith. With the spiritual eye he sees Christ every moment supplying
grace for every breathing and every deepening of the spiritual
life. His whole heart says Amen to the word: You can do nothing.
And just because he does so, he can also say: "I can do all
things in Christ who strengtheneth me." The sense of helplessness,
and the abiding to which it compels, leads to true fruitfulness
and diligence in good works.
Apart from me ye can do nothing.--What
a plea and what a call every moment to abide in Christ! We have
only to go back to the vine to see how true it is. Look again
at that little branch, utterly helpless and fruitless except as
it receives sap from the vine, and learn that the full conviction
of not being able to do anything apart from Christ is just what
you need to teach you to abide in your heavenly Vine. It is this
that is the great meaning of the pruning Christ spoke of--all
that is self must be brought low, that our confidence may be in
Christ alone. "Abide in me"--much fruit! "Apart
from me"--nothing! Ought there to be any doubt as to what
we shall choose?
The one lesson of the parable is--as
surely, as naturally as the branch abides in the vine, You
can abide in Christ. For this He is the true Vine; for this
God is the Husbandman; for this you are a branch. Shall we not
cry to God to deliver us forever from the "apart from me,"
and to make the "abide in me" an unceasing reality?
Let your heart go out to what Christ is, and can do, to His divine
power and His tender love to each of His branches, and you will
say evermore confidently: "Lord! I am abiding; I will bear
much fruit. My impotence is my strength. So be it. Apart from
Thee, nothing. In Thee, much fruit."
Apart from Me--you nothing.
Lord, I gladly accept the arrangement: I nothing--Thou all. My
nothingness is my highest blessing, because Thou art the Vine,
that givest and workest all. So be it, Lord! I, nothing, ever
waiting on Thy fullness. Lord, reveal to me the glory of this
blessed life.
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