Date: 14-Dec-2024
Name: John
Topic: FRUITFULNESS IN CHRIST
Content:
Fruitfulness in Christ
John 15:1-4
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, as I also 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.
1. Who is your vine?
Jesus said that He is the true vine, which means there are fake ones out their. We are all aware that the world offers alternatives and also our flesh of which if not terminated in the spirit will become the vine it self.
1 John 2:15-17
15Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 16For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
Psalms 20:7
7Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
Proverbs 3:5
5Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
Proverbs 11:28
28Those who trust in their riches will fall,
but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.
We all know the vine determines the fruitfulness and what kind of fruit the branch will produce, it will flower and bear fruit but without the vine that is connected to the sources of the plants roots the branches cannot bear fruit or even die. The bible established that living a life in the Spirit will bear fruits of the Spirit, also that wickedness and fleshly desires have their own fruits that is displayed in what we do and how we do life that people around us can see, feel and the unseen spiritual world observes.
Below are fruits produced from the vine of flesh and Holy Spirit.
Galatians 5:19-21
19The acts of the flesh 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.
Galatians 5:22-24
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
So lets us not be deceived by satan, it is very clear that fruitfulness is not the temporal success of which our culture and how the world defines it most of the time. It maybe the product of the fruits but they are not the fruit as the bible established, the fruits are produced from the source that our hearts or inner person draw from. Like earthy riches can be both a product of greed and generosity, one is birth from the vine of flesh that gives satan the open door to operate his wickedness for him to kill, steal and destroy and other from the vine of Spirit that gives Christ permission to show His power, grace, life, provision and authority for His glory. It is your responsibility to choose to which vine you will be connected to.
Proverbs 4:23
23Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it.
The type, quality and potency of nutrients of the fruit is dependent on the vine that the branch is connected to. So let us not be more aware of the vine that we plug in every moment, let us repent when needed and go back to the true Vine which is Jesus. Fruit that is produced by a healthy vine with all natural nutrients and fertilizer not the artificial short cut fertilizer that produces hallow fruit that little to no nutritional value. it is a reminder for us to ask the Holy Spirit for discernment, what fruits are being produced in our life? Have are flesh been our vine lately? Have earthy possession been our source? Does the world been my source to define fruitfulness?
Galatians 5:16-17
16So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.
2. Embrace the Gardeners care.
John 15:1
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.
These verse is so profound to me, it shows that we should be connected to the true Vine as our source and in addition we need to go through a good amount of pruning like every grape vine will have. I can imagine that some men here in have experience in farming grapes or fruit trees, you would understand that pruning is also vital to get a great harvest of fruits. Take note these is pruning not pest infestation, calamities or plant deceases for we protected in those by the Gardener if we connect to the true Vine and it is not the branch concern for its beyond its capacity to do so anyways. So by default you become your own vine and gardener when you disconnect with the the true Vine, a dangerous position to be in for Jesus is the only way to access the Father.
John 14:6
6Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
. So book of James is right that when God prunes us we should consider it pure joy. What is the purpose of pruning? Below I manage to source some of it.
Maximizing fruit production
Pruning helps grapevines produce high-quality fruit in the right quantities. Without pruning, a grapevine may produce too many grape clusters, which it can't ripen or support.
Pruning helps grapevines develop a good structure, which can reduce the risk of disease and insect pressure.
Pruning helps balance the amount of fruit produced with the overall growth of the vine.
Pruning allows you to direct the growth of the vine to where you want it to go.
James 1:2-4
2Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Romans 8:28
28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
These
3. His word cleanses us.
John 15:3
3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.
Jesus words have cleanse us and sanctify us from the world. The importance of His words are very important for is cleanses us, removing all the filth that the world tries to throw at us in a daily basis, renewing our minds and aligning it to His will. As it is mentioned in psalms 1 that as we meditate His words day and night we will bear fruit in season and off season. As we read and listen to His words our hearts and minds are being washed clean from the dirt of all the world but it does not stop from their rather we have to obey what we just red and heard.
James 1:22-24
22Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
Ephesian 5:25
25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,
1 Pter 1:22
22Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.
John 17:17
17Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.
Deuteronomy 32:1-2
1Listen, you heavens, and I will speak;
hear, you earth, the words of my mouth.
2Let my teaching fall like rain
and my words descend like dew,
like showers on new grass,
like abundant rain on tender plants.
4. Remaining in the vine at all times.
John 15:4
4Remain in me, as I also 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.
A vine is the only source of a branch, branch cannot do anything except bear fruit that is being supplied by the vine. Technically it is rendered useless if not connected to vine. I have a lemon tree in my back yard and I have accidentally cut the branch that have fruits in it but not fully developed, no way it can be developed because it was cut off from the vine. I can only throw it in the bin for I cant use it to get what I wanted. So just like in life we can have alternative fruits that is not sourced from the true vine, such fruits are bound for destruction for it is not under the care of Christ. Remaining or abiding in Christ as our only source is the only way to bear the fruit that will last and glorify Him. Branches have no capability on its own, it is as healthy or weak as its vine. So let us put our complete dependence and trust
To Christ for He is life , way, truth and love.
Matthew 6:33
3But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6If you do not remain in me, you are 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 done for you. 8This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
Psalms 1:1-3
1Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
2but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
3That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.
In conclusion let us chase after the fruits of the Spirit more so than just the gifts of the Spirit, for the fruit of the Spirit is far more potent that our words and gifts.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3
1If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
We should desire the gifts of the Spirit but the potency of its anointing and power lies on our testimony that carries the fruit of the Spirit. It is our testimony and the blood of Christ that defeated satan not our gifts in particular.
Revelation 12:11
11They triumphed over him
by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony;
Prayer Points:
Prayer:
1. Let us pray for Holy Spirit discernment to show us parts of our life that Christ is not the vine.
2. Let pray that the Holy Spirit will open our spiritual eyes to identify the Fathers pruning season for us to embrace it.
3. Let us pray that the Holy Spirit will give us the knowledge to reignite our passion in meditating Gods word to cleanse our hearts and minds in Christ and the strength to obey every word.
4. Let us pray that we will abide in Christ to bear the fruits of the Spirit to release a life changing testimony for all people to see for His glory.