What Jesus said about

Bearing Fruit

Adapted from the series, “Jesus Said” by Michael Wiley http://www.sermoncloud.com/the-

vine/what-jesus-said-about-bearing-fruit/

I’ve come to understand that Teaching is a lot like gardening. First you plant the seed. Then you develop it and water it

with points and sub-points, and stories and illustrations. Then, if you prune it correctly, by the conclusion your seed

has fully grown and matured.

Jesus told more than one story using horticulture. In our passage today we are

called to picture a vineyard. Once you understand Vine Living—once you

realize what God is doing and wants to do in your life—you will begin to live the

abundant life God wants for you.

Jesus is with his disciples. It is moments after the Passover supper, the last

supper he would have with them. Judas had left the group. The story doesn’t

divulge the reason, but we know because we’ve read rest of the story.

Judas has gone to the Jewish leaders to bring them to Jesus so they can arrest

him.

Jesus is the Master Teacher, so He teaches at every opportunity. Christ

takes them to a vineyard with his story.

John 15:1 ESV "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every

branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does

bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean

because of the word that I have spoken to you.

4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless

it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine;

you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much

fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done

for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to

be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in

my love.

Christ is the TRUE VineIsrael had been referred to as The Vine several times in the Old Testament. (Psa

80:8, Jer 2:21, Hos 10:1) They were the foreshadow of what was to come, Jesus.In Christ the New Israel emerges. Jesus is the Vine, the trunk, the source of all nutrients. All nutrients come from the

vine. Life comes from the vine

Father God is the gardener/ownerThe average person would look at a vine

and say, “that’s nice.” The gardener looks at it with different eyes. He

admires, it, shapes it, caresses it. The gardener is responsible for the growth.

The gardener brings growth through nourishment and pruning the branches.

Pruning is stopping a plant from growing the way it wants, and leading it

to grow the way the gardener wants.

We are the branchesWe have one job. We produce fruit! We accept the nourishment from the vine

and the pruning from the gardener and we produce fruit. How much fruit do you see in your life? A look across Scripture tells us what our fruit is: good works and

right character, or more simply said, a changed life devoted to God!

STOP, we tend to get tied upon the FRUIT

When you walk up to a grape vine, apple tree, any fruit producing plant during

harvest time what do you expect to see? Fruit!

Jesus did not suggest that we would be known by our answers or ability to

memorize Scripture, but by our fruit.We always look at this passage & turn to

inspect the fruit of ourselves and Christian friends.

Galatians 5: 22 ESV But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,

patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such

things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ

Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become

conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Let's look a little closer at the nine fruits of the Spirit. Remember also that fruit

grows over a period of time. The fruit of the Spirit is something that is developed in the life of a Christian. Let us consider the nine fruits of the Spirit, and see what Holy Spirit wants developed in our lives.

LOVE1 Corinthians 13:4 ESV Love is patient

and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not

insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at

wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all

things.

8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass

away.Another way to punctuate this is "love" followed by a colon (love: joy, peace,

patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-

control). It is thus possible to read the eight characteristics following "love" as

defining love. (NETnotes)

Again we see joy as being a product of the Holy Spirit's work in our lives. Being

a Christian brings with it an abiding peace and inner joy, and it's fun too!

Romans 14:17 ESV For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and

drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

JOY

PEACEJohn 14:27 ESV Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world

gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be

afraid.

Jesus gives us peace, but that peace can also be developed. Living for Jesus brings increased peace, it is like a fruit

that grows.

PATIENCERomans 15:5 ESV May the God of

endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus,

God is patient; He is patient with us; He wants us to live in harmony with one

another. This requires us to be patient with each other.

KINDNESSRomans 11:22 ESV Note then the kindness and the severity of God:

severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you

too will be cut off.Without kindness you will never be

fruitful. Without the Holy Spirit working in your life, you will not have the ability to show kindness the way you should.

GOODNESSActs 10:38 ESV how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the

devil, for God was with him.

God wants good works out of your life. Jesus did good things, we must do good

also.

FAITHFULNESSHebrews 11:1 ESV Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the

conviction of things not seen.

If you want everything shown to you, you'll not make it as a Christian. Faith

pleases God. Your faith can be grown to where it bears fruit. Have faith in God

and in His work in your life.

GENTLENESS2 Corinthians 10:1 ESV I, Paul, myself

entreat you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am humble

when face to face with you, but bold toward you when I am away!—

Paul spoke often of the meekness and gentleness of Christ. Whatever Christ

was, we too want to be like Him. Christ was a man, yet he was meek. Meekness

is strength under control.

SELF-CONTROL Proverbs 25:28 ESV A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left

without walls.

This too is something God wants to produce in our lives. Hot-heads are a

dime a dozen; let God work self-control into your life.

Ephesians 2:10 ESV For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in

them.

The fruit is not the most important issue here. Let’s find out what is

John describes three types of branches:

Barren BranchDoesn’t bear fruit – is cut off.

2a Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away,

Bearing Branch2b and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

This Christian is “in” the Vine, comes to church at least half the time. Goes to at least one other church function a year,

but hasn’t really developed a close spiritual relationship with Jesus Christ – This person wants God but not too much

of Him.

Abundant Bearing BranchWe were created to live an abundant life,

so we will bear MUCH fruit.5 I am the vine; you are the branches.

Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from

me you can do nothing.The father/gardener wants more for us, so He tends us, prunes us, so we will

produce more and more – an abundance of fruit!

What kind of branch do you want to be? I figured we have the first two down

pretty well, so let’s look at becoming an Abundant Bearing Branch

How to be an Abundant Bearing Branch

Give up your independenceYou have to cooperate with God to make it happen. The branches have no source of life with themselves. The branches of a vine are not independent. No branch

bears fruit in isolation. In order to flourish the way God has intended us we must give up our self-sufficiencies and draw our spiritual strength from Jesus.

Accept God’s pruningGod has an amazing plan to keep His

children flourishing.Pruning isn’t punishment.

It is discipline Hebrews 12:5 ESV And have you

forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? "My son, do not regard

lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him.

6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives." 7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate

children and not sons.

9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we

respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a

short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we

may share his holiness.

11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it

yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Abiding!The necessary prerequisite of

fruitfulness?

4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless

it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.

9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.

Remain in the vine --- stay focused

We bring Glory to God through our abundant life. Abundance is character, changed life, good works all that come from the nourishment of Christ the True

Vine.

I know Home Grown is better. There is something about home-grown tomatoes. I don’t even expect to buy a tomato with

that good home-grown taste in the grocery store. It can’t be done. David is

growing 6 or 8 tomato plants around our house & we are sure enjoying the fruits

of his labor.

Yes, the main point of this passage is fruit bearing.

BUT, don’t miss the picture of the gardener/father, lovingly, painstakingly,

patiently, holding you in His hand, poking, prodding, pruning, encouraging

you and I to be the person He has created us to be.

ObeyJohn 15:10 ESV If you keep my

commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's

commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy

may be full. 12 "This is my commandment, that you love one

another as I have loved you.

13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his

friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does

not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I

have heard from my Father I have made known to you.

16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should

go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so

that you will love one another.

Jesus said to his disciples, 14 You are my friends if you do what I command

you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you

friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.

This passage adds an exciting dimension to our connection with Christ. Vines and branches have an organic or biological connection in which the vine

does all the giving and the branch all the receiving. But friendship is another matter. Friendship is personal, and

friendship is reciprocal.

So what does it mean to be Christ’s friend? Well, for one thing, obeying

Christ as his friend is more a matter of choice than it would be for a slave. After

all, a slave could be executed for disobedience against the master. But a friend has the freedom to obey willingly

and gladly.

Also, Jesus said, “for all that I have heard from my Father I have made

known to you.” He shared His plans with His friends. Friends care about what is important to their friend. Jesus told his

men that together they possessed a shared ministry and a shared destiny.

That gives us every reason to abide with and to obey our truest friend.

What does it mean to abide and obey? Well, each one helps out with the other.

The one who abides finds it easier to obey, and the obedient one is more

comfortable abiding. On the other hand, the one who fails to abide is more likely to disobey, and the one who disobeys

doesn’t feel comfortable abiding.

There was a high-school girl who was a real asset to the church youth group. She took a real interest in getting to

know the Lord, and she brought excitement about Christ even to the

Youth Leaders. But during her Senior year of high school, she was seen less and less for about 6 months, then she

didn’t come to church at all.

You see, she had started dating a boy who was not a Christian. She told the

group enough about him that they knew he had a temper and a drinking problem. She knew that if she kept coming around them, they would keep trying to talk her out of seeing him. So she stayed away.

By the time she connected with the group again, they were engaged.

Sadly, she married a violent drinker and drug user. All those in the group were

heart-broken at the turmoil he brought to her world. But the real sadness was that during the time they could have advised

her, she failed to abide with them. Because she didn’t want to obey, she

stopped wanting to abide. And because she didn’t abide, she went further and

further into disobedience.

Years later, she told how foolish her choices had been and how many regrets she had. You see, the saddest person of all is the Christian who does not abide

and obey.But on the other hand, the happiest

person in the world is the Christian who is abiding and obeying.

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Jesus explained this when he said, 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy

may be full. The outcome for the obedient abider is joy to the full. That is

a terrific reason to obey and abide.As the vine, Jesus provides all the

nourishment we need for life. As the vinedresser, God does all that is needed

to give us fruitful lives.

As the branches, our part is to ABIDE and to OBEY. If we abide in his love we can experience his joy to the full. If we obey him, we are his friends and share

in His life and ministry. How would you describe your

connection with Christ today? Jesus is the vine. Is he your vine? Are you an

abiding branch thoroughly connected to him and hanging tight to the only source

of life itself?