JOHN 15:1"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
What do you think of when you hear the word "fruit"? A snack? Your favorite fruit? How about a cherry cheesecake? YUM! If you do a search of the word fruit in the Bible, you will see it mentioned many, many times. Sometimes it’s talking about olives or figs...even grapes.
The most fequent translation in the original Greek/Hebrew has a symbolic meaning. For instance, all crops are considered to be the "fruit of the earth". I’m hoping Sister Denman decides to plant that garden again this year so I can enjoy some of those fruits! Children are refered to as the "fruit of the womb". The Bible also says that your words are the "fruit of the mouth".
People in both ancient and modern times use the word fruit to define results, products, outcomes, or achievements. If you have a job, you must be productive to earn your wages...unless maybe if you have a government job (just kidding). You have to work hard, fast, and smart so you can "get ’er done" for your employer. He has to be able to see the "fruits" of your labor so he can justify paying you. You see, usually your employer has a lot invested in you. Training, benefits, taxes....your employer wants you to succeed! He does not want you to fail...it is better for him if you do what you are supposed to do and bear fruit.
Did you know that God measures your character by your fruits? MAT 12:33"Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. You are known by what fruit you produce. Now here’s the key point I want you to understand.....you are doing one of three things in your life right now.
1. Bearing good fruit like you are commanded to do 2. Bearing bad fruit that is not benificial to anyone 3. Bearing no fruit
Which category do you fit into? Let’s define these a little more. First, God’s main concern for all of us is that we bear good fruit. It’s the wise way, the smart way. Look in JAMES 3:13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. 17But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
The text first tells us about "bad" fruits....it gives us a list of what NOT to do...and then it tells us how we can bear "good" fruits. Look at vs 17. It’s talking about wisdom here...we all could use more of that! We are to be "full of good fruit"! Not just a little. Do you remember what Jesus did to the fig tree that was barren? So OK, "preach’a"...what exactly IS good fruit? Let’s look at what the Bible says.
First of all, we need to understand that only God can decide if your fruit is good or not. You can’t argue that you have good fruit with God...He is the final authority. MAT 7:20Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. 21"Not everyone who says to me, ’Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, ’Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23Then I will tell them plainly, ’I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
Listen, you may think you are producing good fruit....but it is only good fruit if God says it is. It’s not by your standard that your fruit is measured, but by God’s standards. These people in this text thought they were doing everything right. Prophecy, miracles, driving out demons...probably even speaking in tongues.....but Jesus not only says that He never knew them, He also calls them "evil-doers" or "workers of inequities". Remember, it’s His standards, not ours!
Let’s read some more in John 15:6If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
Jesus exhorts us to "remain in Him" in order to bear good fruit. It doesn’t look good for those that don’t! But look at this promise in vs 7. WOW! And then vs 8 tells us that we should bear MUCH fruit. A lot. A bunch. Not a little...to show we are His disciples. Notice that it is when we bear fruit that we identify ourselves as His. Look at this JOHN 15:16You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. There’s that promise again! Praise God! Don’t that make you want to go start producing good fruits right now?
Let’s look at GAL 5:13You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. 14The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." 15If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. That looks like something that’s gonna happen to Obama and Hillary if they keep going at it! Unfortunately, it happens with Christians, too. Too often. That’s why many people don’t go to church anymore. How sad it is, and what blood will be on the hands of our brothers and sisters in Christ that don’t live in peace, love, and unity with those in the church body. So what is the sinful nature, or "bad fruits"?
GAL 5:19The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. These are pretty clear. These are fruits you DON’T want to produce. Look carefully at this list....it hasn’t changed, nor will it. No matter what "contemparary" view you might hold, God has NOT loosened His view on sin. Sin is still sin, and if anyone preaches anything else, that person is lying and mis-representing God’s Word.
GAL 5:22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. These are the fruits that you must desire and produce. These are the fruits you must present yourself with to be identified with Christ. you say "Preach’a! How in the world do you expect me to do that all the time?" Watch this...
GAL 5:16So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. Simple. live by the Spirit. I just want to tell you that you will not be able to bear these fruits unless you have God’s Spirit dwelling inside you.
As a Pentecostal preacher, I want to tell you that baptism in the Holy Ghost will strengthen you and make it easier to produce these fruits. Oh, I’m not saying that you don’t have God’s Spirit if you don’t speak in tongues. What I am saying is that if you have not been baptised in the Holy Ghost with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues, it is going to be harder for you to produce these "good fruits". The Holy Ghost will empower you to a new level of strength that you can’t even imagine....unless you have experienced it. Every head bowed and every eye closed.
I’d like for you to examine yourself this morning. Where are you with God? What category do you fall under? Are you bearing good fruit, bad fruit, or no fruit? You might say "Pastor, I want to bear good fruit, but it’s just too hard...it’s just not in my nature or personality." I say I agree with you...it’s NOT in your nature to bear these fruits on your own. But I say with God, all things are possible. I say not by might, nor by power, but by HIS Spirit you can be the biggest producer here.
In ACTS 19, Paul came across some "disciples"....this is what the Bible calls them....which means they were already believers...and asked them if they had recieved the baptism of the Holy Ghost. They replied they didn’t even know there was such a thing...but surely if it was availible, they wanted it. VS 6And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. Church, this same baptism in the Holy Ghost is availible for you today. If you have never recieved the Holy Ghost, or if you just desire a refilling, I want to invite you to come....let God empower you to produce His fruits.
