Bearing Fruit

Bearing Much Fruit

 The American church today has allowed mediocrity to creep in.

 Everyday 10 churches go under in the United States

 Everyday 7 new churches are started that’s a loss of 3 churches everyday.

 In the last 10 years the church attendance has remained, on average, the same in churches across America.

 It is reported that in churches today 90% of the work is performed by 10% of the members.

 Christians have come to the conclusion that it is alright to be a Christian and not bear fruit.

 A secular study projected by the year 2050 that Christianity will be so obscure that it will have absolutely no effect on the moral and ethical condition of our country.

John 15:1-17

1 "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.

 Jesus is the vine, He is our source.

 Before we can bear fruit we need to understand where our source is.

 He is the true vine.

 Any other source is not true and has no everlasting power. It is an imitation and counterfeit.

 Worldly Knowledge, Careers, Physical Appearances, Drugs and Alcohol, Relationships…

 We are the branches

 A branch has no life by itself.

 The branches are many, growing all over the place but all connected to the same vine.

 He is the center of our unity.

 The Father is the vinedresser, (husbandman) [georgos – the landworker]

 Though the Earth is the Lord’s, it bears no fruit unless He works it.

 God not only has the propriety but also the care of the vine and branches.

 His eye is upon every branch.

 He watches over them that nothing will harm them.

 He prunes them.

 Never was a vinedresser so watchful of His field as the Lord does the church.

 This is why we must prosper.

2 "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

 We must bear fruit – It is not optional.

 As we expect grapes from a vine, so does Jesus expect spiritual fruit from a Christian.

 Fruit is pleasant food for the vinedresser.

 Fruit provides food for a seed to grow.

 Fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control.

 The Lord is watching to make sure each branch is bearing fruit. 2 Chr 16:9 "For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him…

 If a branch does not bear fruit, it is removed.

 The branches that do bear fruit are pruned.

 He works with us even more.

 He increases our anointing

3 "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.

 In chapter 13 Judas was sent on his mission.

 Only the real branches were left, those who abided in Him.

 The Word of the Lord is a distinguishing word.

 It separates pure from impure.

 On that day the Word will separate the living branches from the dead.

 The Word also sanctifies us.

 There is a cleansing from the word. (Eph 5:26)

 The Word is like a refiners fire separating the pure gold from the dross.

 It works our corruption.

 There is illusion to the vineyards of Canaan. (Lev. 19) Wait 3 years after planting a vineyard then the fruit is holy.

4 "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

 To remain fruitful in our lives we must remain in union with Christ by faith.

 We must have our complete dependency on Him.

 If we abide in Him, He will always abide in us. He will never fail on His side of the relationship.

 (James 4) Draw near - He always waits on us!

 The branch is fused to the vine and the branch draws its sap from the vine.

5 "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.

 Without being connected to Christ by the Spirit we can do nothing of any spiritual value – heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons…

 We cannot have any real satisfaction in our lives.

 Daily communion with Christ is absolutely necessary.

 If we do, we will bear much fruit.

 Our life is a success before God.