Fruit That Lasts

God’s Word has a lot to say about fruit and bearing fruit. I would like to start out by talking about what fruit is. Fruit is what comes at harvest time. Fruit is the end result of our faith. Fruit is what the Father wants from us. What steps must we take to produce fruit in our lives? Do we produce it on our own? We should want to understand what fruit is and why it is so important to have it produced in our lives.

Jesus said in John’s Gospel…John 15:3-8. "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 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. 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. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.”

We see that it is the Father’s will that we bear much fruit. Bearing fruit is what discipleship is all about. It is a result of abiding in God’s Word and having God’s Word abide in us. Jesus calls this discipleship. He who does not bear fruit will be cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. That sounds very serious. God is glorified when we bear fruit so that is something I want to do. I want to glorify God. When harvest time comes I want there to be a harvest of fruit in my life. I want fruit that lasts.

So what must we do to be productive and fruitful, thus becoming a disciple of Christ? First of all we hear His Word. Secondly His Word must abide in us and we must abide in Him. No fruit will be produced if these things don’t happen.

Jesus talks about this in the 8th chapter of Luke. I would like to take a close look at the parable of the sower. Jesus is giving us instructions on how we can bear fruit. Since these are the Lord’s instructions on fruit bearing, we should pay close attention. He is giving these instructions so that we will bear fruit. So let’s take a look.

Luke 8:5-8. The sower went forth to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trodden under foot, and the birds of the heaven devoured it. Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it. But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold.’’ When He had said these things He cried, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

When His disciples asked Him about it He said to them, vs’s.10-18. To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that Seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.

And the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, (keep it) and bear fruit with patience. No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light. Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him.’’