April 16, 2016
It’s springtime now and the trees are starting to flower. John and I have several different fruiting trees in our backyard – 2 orange, 1 lemon, 1 plum, 1 prune and 1 dead cherry tree (we know its dead because there are no leaves and no fruit). I know I have a lemon tree because it produces lemons as the orange trees produce oranges and the plum tree produces plums. We would never expect a plum tree to one year produce peaches – that would never happen.
It’s the same with a Christian life. Scripture tells us what to look for as evidence in the life of someone who calls themselves a “Christian” – Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. It is a reflection of their connection to Jesus. As Paul said, if you claim to be a Christian you should act like a Christian.
So, how does a fruitful life happen? Listen to what John 15: 1-5 says:
• "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He 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. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain 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.
Jesus’ advice for a fruitful life is TO BE and REMAIN connected to Him – The Vine
We are connected to many vines:
• The vine of Church, Organizations, Theological Teachings, Doctrines, Traditions and other church members.
• The vine of popular opinion - We just need to be thinner, fatter, darker, lighter, drive a better car, have a bigger house, go to the right school, have the right job, make sure our clothes are the latest fashion…..
• The vine of self-improvement - “Being Happy”… “Overcoming self-defeating behavior”… “Self-esteem and How to be confident”… “Self-help for depression, and Anxiety disorders”…”The self-help Bible”… “Five Essential steps to creating the life you want”… Help! I want to change my life”
We are very comfortable with all these “vines” we are connected to. It’s just easier.
Jesus’ way is more costly because He demands something of us – it is impossible to be a follower of Jesus and remain the same.
He has called us to have FRUITFUL lives. We can try to cut corners in our walk with God, but we can’t do it without robbing ourselves of the blessings God SO desperately wants to give us and give other people through us and eventually, we will look like my dead cherry tree.
There are 4 intertwined phases in Jesus teaching about the vine and the branches that must be followed if we are going to be healthy branches that produce the fruit of Galatians 5.
Phase 1 – ABIDE
• The task of the branch is to ABIDE – it must be the Christians’ #1 priority.
• We must be patient in our walk with God - Fruit cannot be rushed.
• An ABIDING branch is constantly receiving from Jesus whatever we need to flourish - wisdom, conviction of sin, encouragement, love, speaking the truth, forgiveness., love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
• Abiding is a 24/7 deal. We ABIDE while we study and pray, but we also abide at work, at the grocery store, in the fast lane or at the beach.
Phase 2 – FEED
• A living daily connection with Jesus is essential for growth and fruitfulness. Occasional attention to matters of religion will not be enough.
• We have to maintain our own personal connection to Christ.
o Seek Him in personal and corporate prayer, in personal and corporate Bible study
o Feed on the words of Jesus
? I am the bread of life
? I am the water of life
? I am the light of the world
? I am the door
? I am the way, the truth and the life
? I will give you rest
? I will not cast you out
o Feed on the life and death of Jesus
o Be open to the Holy Spirit’s transforming power.
Phase 3 – PRUNE
• A fruitful branch requires pruning.
• An un-pruned branch does not produce much fruit.
• The most important thing to God is a life that reflects His character and He is willing to prune anything that prevents transformation.
• Pruning is a painful process.
• Pruning takes many forms and will be different for each person:
o Conviction of sin through the Holy Spirit
o Through godly friends
o Through scripture – 2 Timothy 3:16-17
o For some it will be work, for others, leisurely pursuits.
o For another it maybe money or possessions.
o Anything that prevents us from fully abiding in Jesus, anything that prevents us from complete and total surrender needs to go.
• Pruning is not a onetime thing - It will happen again and again throughout our lifetimes.
Phase 4 – FRUIT (the proof): The results of abiding, feeding and pruning is FRUIT.
• Branches that remain connected to the Vine WILL produce fruit - it’s what connected branches do.
• Bearing fruit is the visible sign of Connectedness. Your outward life will be a reflection of your inward life. Fruit does not lie:
o You WILL be involved in acts of service
o You WILL further the work of God with your money and your time
o You WILL discover your spiritual gifts
o You WILL speak the truth in love
o You WILL listen and notice people
o You WILL come to care for people who don’t know God.
o You WILL extend grace to others
o You WILL forgive
o You WILL be trustworthy
o You WILL always promote good
o You WILL be jealous for God’s reputation
o You WILL be jealous for the reputations of your fellow Christians
o Your standards of conduct WILL come to reflect those of Jesus
What I say – how I say it – what I think – what I do – how I behave – How I respond – EVERYTHING I do, think and say is the proof of who I am connected to.
“By their fruit you will know them” (Matthew 7:16)
