Key To A Fruitful Life Part Two Series

Alliance Church

Pastor David Welch

“Key to a Fruitful Life” Part 2

"You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He may give to you. John 15:16

The whole purpose for being specially chosen and joined to God is to bear fruit for God.

One of the reasons a man and woman choose to unite with each other is to bear fruit. God promises fruit from our union with Him. God lovingly choose us in order that we might bear lasting fruit.

There is a Divine side to this union.

• God chooses individuals to join Him.

• God draws and calls us to join Him.

• God paid the entire necessary penalty for our rebellion and broken relationship.

• God grants us eternal life.

• He establishes a special union and restored relationship

• God sent His Holy Spirit that we might know Him and know all he has done.

We also have a part.

A. Stay connected to the True Vine to bear lasting fruit15: 1-11

He doesn’t command the disciples to manufacture fruit. Fruit is the natural result of being connected to the vine. Our part in the equation is “connecting”, “abiding” in the vine. Jesus instructs his disciples to be sure to continually “abide” in him. He urges them to stay connected to the source of life and fruit. We can choose to cultivate relationship with him and enjoy the fruit of that relationship or we can neglect that connection and live barren fruitless lives. What does a life of abiding look like from our side of things? This section of Scripture is all about the process of bearing fruit.

We all start out as branches disconnected from the vine spiritually and practically. We all enter this life as fruitless branches or according to Romans 7 bearing poisonous fruit; bearing fruit for death.

5For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death. Romans 7:5

God joins us to Christ that we might bear fruit for the kingdom. The Father is the gardener. The Father works in the vineyard in order to produce lasting fruit on the chosen branches. Branches can only bear quality fruit through a consistent, firm connection to quality root.

There are sometimes branches in the vineyard that refuse to connect to the vine.

Matthew 7:13-27

This passage presents a whole different picture teaching the same principle of connection to Jesus. Connect to the true vine Build on the solid foundation.

The fruit that pleases God

What is this fruit that God expects and so carefully cultivates in His vineyard? It is the fruit of being connected to Jesus. Don’t make this fruit thing too complicated. The branch bears the fruit of the root. God empowers us to reflect the fruit of Jesus.

The character of Jesus

If we are connected to the Vine we will produce the character of the vine.

His love, his compassion, His Kindness, His gentleness, His integrity, His energy, His devotion, His holiness, His justice, His long-suffering, His faithfulness, His dependability, His others-centeredness, His calmness in chaos, His eternal outlook, His passion for the lost, His love for the truth.

The works of Jesus

If we are connected to the Vine we will also produce the kind of deeds inherent in the vine.

What would Jesus do? Deeds are the result of character. Jesus’ deeds were the result of who he was. Deeds of kindness, deeds of healing, touched the broken; healed the wounded, accomplished the will of God, resisted evil, sought out and saved the lost, built up those around Him, entered into fellowship with believers, interceded in much prayer for others, spent considerable time with the Father, he dedicated his life to doing the Father’s will, He demonstrate his love by obedience and learned obedience through he thing He suffered.

The Words of Jesus

If we are connected to the Vine, the words that Jesus spoke from His father will be the words we speak to one another and to the world around us.

Not only are we to consider what Jesus would do based on who Jesus was, but what would Jesus say. Are the words we speak those which draw others to the Father and build up? Do our words reflect the character and compassion of Jesus? Or do our words bring division and hurt?

The ministry of the Holy Spirit in the church directly corresponds with all of these things.

The Holy Spirit is interested in the development of character.

Before Jesus entered into official ministry at 30 years old, the Father cried out from heaven, “This is my beloved son in whom I am WELL pleased.”