Bearing fruit John 15:1 – 16.
Jesus uses fruit is an analogy several times.
Israel was very agriculturist culture so the picture was easily understood.
In Matthew 7 Jesus says “We are known by the fruit we produce”.
Good fruit comes from good trees.
Bad fruit comes from bad trees.
Jesus also mentions that sometimes we run into a problem when harvesting certain fruit. “Thorns”
I’m sure all of you desire to be productive fruit bearing branches but I’m also sure that all of us have had a few thorns and thistles along the way.
Today I want to share with you Jesus principle and command about bearing fruit.
Jesus is using the grapevine and the sweet, multipurpose fruit of grapes as an illustration.
Notice the progression of fruitfulness – not fruitiness – not fruitlessness.
Too many Christians are going wrong direction!
We are to start, build, and grow.
Not start and stop Not start and stay Not start and park
Not start and retire early.
We are to bear fruit, more fruit, much fruit and fruit that remains.
There are 4 levels of fruit bearing.
Which one of these are you?
Which one of these do you want to be?
Which one does God want you to be?
John 15:1 – 16
1) Bear fruit. (2)
This is not really an option – you going to bear some type of fruit – it’s just a question of which type.
Good fruit or bad fruit.
Notice that Jesus commands us to bear fruit not just feed off the vine.
We are not to bear bitter fruit!
We are not to be fake fruit (like table decorations)!
We are not to be vegetables!
Most vegetables have to be cooked – most fruit or ready-to-eat right off of the vine and are sweet once they are ripened.
Cooking fruit makes it softer and easier to digest.
What type of fruit are we to bear?
Is it the fruit of the spirit?
(Galatians 5:22 – 23) love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
(Ephesians 5:9) goodness, righteousness, and truth.
Yes to all!
Jesus also describes acceptable fruit in this passage.
Fruit of righteousness (clean) (3)
Fruit of joy (11)
Fruit of love (12)
Fruit of obedience (14)
Bearing fruit is a supernatural life – being fruitful is a Spirit filled life.
Fruit does not always come at once.
You are not the vine – you are the branch.
Leaf – shoots – fruit a maturing process is required to bear fruit.
Bearing the basic fruits may get you by but will likely leave you less than completely satisfied.
None the less we are commanded to bear fruit.
2) Bearing more fruit. (2)
This goes beyond mediocrity – just getting by.
(3) “You’re already clean because the word.”
The indwelling Holy Spirit can help us to get rid of self.
The Holy Spirit cleans houses and hearts – resulting in more fruit.
Another method that Jesus mentions for allowing us to bear more fruit is by pruning (discipline).
The word airei used here means to cut off and take away but also means to lift up.
It can also apply to cutting back or cleaning out uselessness (worldliness and flesh).
Pruning does not always include just withered limbs but sometimes what may appear to be good limbs so that better and stronger limbs may allow sweeter and more fruit to be produced.
The shaping of the Limb and trimming of the leaves can allow the fullness of the sun (Son) to feed and nurture the vine.
2 Types of discipline.
a. Self-discipline – to control ourselves.
What we deny in and of the flesh.
Production is often reduced because of “self”.
We are not on our own agendas!
Not all branches will produce the same fruit, however all branches are commanded to bear fruit, and not just the minimum.
Discipline may require some self-sacrifice on our part.
b. God’s discipline – to correct.
God (the vine dresser) (1) keeps a close eye on the crops.
He sends the rain, provides the sun, and supplies the nutrients necessary.
An unproductive branch gets “taken away” – “destroyed”.
(Hebrews 12:5 – 7) 3 forms of discipline.
1. Rebuke – this is by the word.
2. Chastening – this is by conviction.
3. Scourge – this is by action (real consequences).
Each worse than the other.
I’m sure that none of us look forward to discipline – ours (self) or Gods.
However, some branches need to be pruned in order to produce more fruit.
Are you willing to take the next step in fruit bearing and bear more fruit?
It may require discipline (self-sacrifice) and may even require some pruning!
3. Bearing much fruit (5, 8)
The greater the level of productivity (fruit bearing) the greater the level of obedience and commitment are required.
(4 – 8) Jesus tells us how to bear much fruit.
The key is in the “abiding
First of all we must be connected to the right vine.
Jesus said “I am the true vine” (1)
(Romans 6:23) “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
(1 John 5:11 – 12) “And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his son. He who has the son has life; he who does not have the son of God does not have life.”
The best fruit can only come from an abiding branch.
What does it mean to abide?
Linked to, living within, getting sourced from, kept alive by.
It is within the power of the Holy Spirit indwelling within us to bear fruit, overcome obstacles, maintain a testimony, and bear much fruit.
It is like ink flowing through a pen, or electricity flowing through the circuit.
(4) “A branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.”
Dead branches have no source of life.
Useless branches are cut off from the source.
Strong roots, a strong vine, and strong “abiding” branches are required to withstand the wind, the cold, heat, and the hail that may damage the fruit.
It is easy to become discouraged and even damaged when we are not fully abiding in Christ Jesus.
Are you tired of trying, striving, and working but still bearing no fruit?
Then perhaps you need to be abiding in the right vine!
The world will poison you with pesticides (political correctness,social acceptance, apathy, and temptation).
If we’re going to bear much fruit it is necessary that we abide in Christ and that he abide (lives in) us.
We are to bear fruit, more fruit, and much fruit but the most important may be fruit that remains.
4. Fruit that remains (9 – 16)
This is the goal of the church and hopefully of you.
The fruits that remain are Obedience (10, 14)
“keep my commandments”.
Love (12 – 13)
“love one another”
Sacrifice (13, 16)
“Lay down your life” and “go”.
These are the fruit that remain because these fruit can reproduce as seed.
When the branch abides, grows, bears and is pruned it can produce much fruit and fruit that remains.
The fruit that remains can withstand the persecutions, trials, temptations, and pesticides.
Fruit that remains requires maturity in the branch.
There is no shortcut to maturity!
Illustration – It takes years for us to grow into adulthood, and it takes a full season for fruit to mature and ripen.
The same is true for the fruit of the spirit.
The development of Christlike character cannot be rushed.
Spiritual growth, like physical growth takes time.
When you try to ripen fruit quickly, it loses its flavor.
In America tomatoes are usually picked unripened so they won’t bruise during shipping to the stores.
Then, before they are sold, the green tomatoes are sprayed with CO2 gas to turn them red instantly.
Gassed tomatoes are edible, but there are no match for the flavor of a vine ripened tomato is allowed to mature slowly. (Rick Warren-Purpose Driven Life)
The fruit that remain are also:
The fruit of the spirit – personal.
The fruit of your labors – shared (ministry and evangelism)
The fruit of your faith – foundation truths.
These are the building blocks for strong root systems/foundations that can withstand and produce fruit that remains.
Will your legacy/testimony produce fruit that remains?
We are commanded to bear fruit (good and abundant), to plant seeds, set strong roots, abide (be connected and free-flowing).
We are to be sweet tasting, nourishing fruit that is desirable and reproducing.
I ask you to consider the four levels of fruit in your life when we began.
1. Bear fruit. 2. Bear more fruit. 3. Bear much fruit. 4. Bear fruit that remains.
1. Which one are you?
2. Which one do you want to be?
3. Which one does God expect and empower you to be?
4. How will you become more productive for the kingdom work and make a difference in the life of someone?
5. What kind of fruit are you bearing?
