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.