In the first verse of our parable, Christ
revealed Himself as the true Vine, and the Father as the Husbandman, and asked
for Himself and the Father a place in the heart. Here, in the closing verse, He
sums up all His teaching concerning Himself and the Father in the twofold
purpose for which He had chosen them. With reference to Himself, the Vine, the
purpose was, that they should bear fruit. With reference to the Father, it was,
that whatsoever they should ask in His name, should be done of the Father in
Heaven. As fruit is the great proof of the true relation to Christ, so prayer
is of our relation to the Father. A fruitful abiding in the Son, and prevailing
prayer to the Father, are the two great factors in the true Christian life.
That whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in
my name, he may give it you.--These are the closing words of the parable of
the Vine. The whole mystery of the Vine and its branches leads up to the other
mystery--that whatsoever we ask in His name the Father gives! See here
the reason of the lack of prayer, and of the lack of power in prayer. It is
because we so little live the true branch life, because we so little lose
ourselves in the Vine, abiding in Him entirely, that we feel so little
constrained to much prayer, so little confident that we shall be heard, and so
do not know how to use His name as the key to God's storehouse. The Vine
planted on earth has reached up into Heaven; it is only the soul wholly and
intensely abiding in it, can reach into Heaven with power to prevail much. Our
faith in the teaching and the truth of the parable, in the truth and the life
of the Vine, must prove itself by power in prayer. The life of abiding and
obedience, of love and joy, of cleansing and fruit-bearing, will surely lead to
the power of prevailing prayer.
Whatsoever ye shall ask--The promise was
given to disciples who were ready to give themselves, in the likeness of the
true Vine, for their fellow men. This promise was all their provision for their
work; they took it literally, they believed it, they used it, and they found it
true. Let us give ourselves, as branches of the true Vine, and in His likeness,
to the work of saving men, of bringing forth fruit to the glory of God, and we
shall find a new urgency and power to pray and to claim the "whatsoever ye
ask." We shall waken to our wonderful responsibility of having in such a
promise the keys to the King's storehouses given us, and we shall not rest till
we have received bread and blessing for the perishing.
"I chose you, that ye may bring forth fruit, and
that your fruit may abide; that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my
name, he may give it to you." Beloved disciple, seek above everything to be a
man of prayer. Here is the highest exercise of your privilege as a branch of
the Vine; here is the full proof of your being renewed in the image of God and
His Son; here is your power to show how you, like Christ, live not for
yourself, but for others; here you enter Heaven to receive gifts for men; here
your abiding in Christ has led to His abiding in you, to use you as the channel
and instrument of His grace. The power to bear fruit for men has been crowned
by power to prevail with God.
"I am the vine, my Father is the Husbandman."
Christ's work in you is to bring you so to the Father that His Word may be
fulfilled in you: "At that day ye shall ask in my name; and I say not that I
will pray the Father for you; for the Father himself loveth you." The power
of direct access to the Father for men, the liberty of intercession claiming
and receiving blessing for them in faith, is the highest exercise of our union
with Christ. Let all who would truly and fully be branches give themselves
to the work of intercession. It is the one great work of Christ the Vine in
Heaven, the source of power for all His work. Make it your one great work as
branch: it will be the power of all your work.
In My name. Yes, Lord, in Thy name, the
new name Thou hast given Thyself here, the true Vine. As a branch, abiding in
Thee in entire devotion, in full dependence, in perfect conformity, in abiding
fruitfulness, I come to the Father, in Thee, and He will give what I ask. Oh,
let my life be one of unceasing and prevailing intercession! Amen!