Growing Up Into Christ, Part IV

"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." (1)

"When Christ ascended to heaven, the sense of His presence was still with His followers. It was a personal presence, full of love and light. Jesus, the Saviour, who had walked and talked and prayed with them, who had spoken hope and comfort to their hearts, had, while the message of peace was still on His lips, been taken up from them into heaven, and the tones of His voice had come back to them, as the cloud of angels received Him - 'Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world.' (2)

"Jesus ascended to heaven in the form of humanity. They knew that He was before the throne of God, their Friend and Saviour still; that His sympathies were unchanged; that He was still identified with suffering humanity. He was presenting before God the merits of His own precious blood, showing His wounded hands and feet, in remembrance of the price He had paid for His redeemed. They knew that He had ascended to heaven to prepare places for them, and that He would come again and take them to Himself.

"As they met together after the ascension they were eager to present their requests to the Father in the name of Jesus. In solemn awe they bowed in prayer, repeating the assurance, 'Whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.' (3) They extended the hand of faith higher and higher with the mighty argument, 'It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.' (4) And Pentecost brought them the presence of the Comforter, of whom Christ had said, 'He dwells with you and will be in you.' (5) And He further said, 'It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.' (6) Henceforth through the Spirit, Christ was to abide continually in the hearts of His children. Their union with Him was closer than when He was personally with them. The light, and love, and power of the indwelling Christ shone out through them, so that men, beholding, 'marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.' (7)

"All that Christ was to the disciples, He desires to be to His children today; for in that last prayer, with the little band of disciples gathered about Him, He said, 'I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word.' (8)

"Jesus prayed for us, and He asked that we might be one with Him, even as He is one with the Father. What a union is this! The Saviour has said of Himself, 'The Son can do nothing of Himself;' (9) 'the Father who dwells in Me does the works.' (10) Then if Christ is dwelling in our hearts, He will work in us 'both to will and to do His good pleasure.' (11) We shall work as He worked; we shall manifest the same spirit. And thus, loving Him and abiding in Him, we shall 'grow up in all things into Him who is the head, even Christ.' (12)" (13)

1. John 15:5.
2. Matthew 28:20.
3. John 16:23, 24.
4. Romans 8:34.
5. John 14:17.
6. John 16:7.
7. Acts 4:13.
8. John 17:20.
9. John 5:19.
10. John 14:10.
11. Philippians 2:13.
12. Ephesians 4:15
13. Steps to Christ, pp. 50, 51.