Good Fruit -Vs- Spoiled Fruit

Jesus now addresses what will happen to those who do not abide, or dwell in him. He says if someone it not attached to him, like a branch is to the vine, then he will throw them in the fire. He will removed them.

Matthew 25:31-36 Jesus speaks of the final judgement and uses sheep and goats as an example.

One day, you and I, and everyone will stand before Jesus, and we will be judged on our lives. Not if we are good people or bad people, but whether you have chosen to follow Christ and continued to want to please him in everything you do. Jesus says in those verses he will separate the sheep from the goats, he will separate those who are truly his, and those who are not. And I believe there are many people in this world, in Nigeria, in Nsukka, and even in church this morning who think they are sheep, but they are really goats.

Verse 7: If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

This is one of the most misunderstood verses in the Bible. Many Christians say, well I abide with God, he abides with me, so God I am asking for 1 million Naira. God I want to go to Brazil, God I want to be the best footballer in the world. Does it work that way? No. Why? Look very close at the words of this very….. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you…

If you truly are abiding, dwelling in Jesus, and his words truly abide and dwell in you, are you going to ask for God to give you 1 Million Naira? No. What are you going to ask? God, your will be done. Just like Jesus did in the garden before he was taken to the cross and died. He said, God if it’s your will, take this cup from me, but, whatever happens, your will be done.

I don’t know why there are some people in the world who make millions and millions of naira, or why there are some people that God allows to be very, very rich, and yet they will deny him. I don’t know why. But whatever God has for us, know that it is his will and we should be satisfied and walk in obedience to that.

Jesus wraps up this story with these words in verse 8: By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and prove to be my disciples.

If you are a believer and follower of Jesus Christ you are a disciple. Just because you were not part of the 120, the 12, or even Matthias, if you follow Christ, you are a disciple. If Jesus were to return today, and we were all caught up into heaven and was standing in front of him, would you be a sheep or a goat?

You may say Pastor, now I believe in God and I believe that Jesus died on a cross for me, and I have prayed a prayer and have even been baptized. That’s great! I am glad to hear. But I want you to look at your life right now. If you look at your life, and see yourself as a branch, is there fruit on the end of your branch? Is being attached to the stem or vine, helping you to produce fruit? Or are you a dead branch, just hanging on to the vine, but not producing fruit? The good news is, that if you are not producing fruit, today that can change.