October 15th, 2000, Sunday Morning

"Fruit Bearing"
God's council for bearing fruit

OPENING: John 15:1-8, KJV


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Galatians 5:22-23: This message is especially important to the saved Christian. The FRUIT, referred to throughout this message, is this.

Today, too many Christian believers go on about their daily business as if there is no God ... as if God didn't make a difference in their life. They have no concern if other Christians are saved or not and could care less when they walk by one. Rather, we should be happy and in greetings when we pass a fellow Christian.

The time will come when we stand before the Judgment seat of God for an accounting of all the fruitfulness/less of our life. We will be judged according to the New Testament directives that we are accountable for.

John 15:6: Certain trees are meant as firewood. Fruit bearing trees are not. For example, the purpose of the apple tree is not to produce leaves but bear sweet, juicy, good apples.

FOUR ISSUES TO CONSIDER REGARDING FRUIT BEARING.

• Exclamation/expectation of a person
  
  
  • John 14:1: Jesus Christ is GOD in the flesh. No one comes to God but through Jesus Christ. Therefore, in all you pray for, make sure to ask in Jesus' name.
    
    
  • John 15:1: "husbandman" is the person who takes care of the garden.
    
    
  • John 15:1-2: So GOD is the keeper of the garden, Jesus Christ is the true vine, and we (the church) are (supposed to be) the fruit bearing branches.
    
    
  • The EXPECTATION is for all Christians to bear fruit--all men, women, boys, and girls ... no exceptions.
    
    
  • Luke 13:6-9: Just as in this parable by Jesus, an inspector is coming soon (GOD) to see our personal branch. If it bears no fruit, GOD will want to cut it down and burn it. However, the garden keeper, Jesus, will ask for one more year to try and plant a message in that branch--that it may bear fruit.
  
  
• There are varying types and degrees of fruit
  
  
  • Proverbs 11:30: This is the Fruit of Righteousness--soulwinning. It is "wise" to partake of this fruit.
    
    
  • The type of Christian you are is the type you will reproduce. If a church is liberal, it will produce liberal church members.
    
    
  • John 15:8,16: God expects us to bear and sustain fruit after our own kind.
    
    
  • Fruit of the Spirit
    
    
    • Galatians 5:22-23: This is the definition of. Notice love is the first characteristic.
      
      
    • 2 Corinthians 5:14-15: What Christ's love did for us.
      
      
    • Christians are some of the most sour-faithed people today. We should not just be bearing fruit but bearing large clusters, loaded down with fruit.
  
  
• With expectation there's enablement
  
  
  • John 15:1-2: The first condition in bearing fruit is that we first be planted in the vineyard (saved)
    
    
  • Why is it there are times we cannot bear fruit?
    
    
    • We may not be saved
      
      
    • We may be a saved Christian but don't have Galatians 5:22 in us.
      
      
    • John 15:6: Branches (us) that don't produce fruit eventually are rooted up early and burned. But because of Jesus Christ, GOD is prevented from pulling until the last possible moment. It is possible that your life be ended prematurely because GOD wanted you taken out for lack of fruit bearing.
  
  
• Conditions for bearing fruit
  
  
  • Not just to be buried in the ground but buried deep.
    
    
  • John 15:4,7: Abide in the Living Vine (Jesus Christ and the Word).
    
    
  • There are varying degrees of the fruit which we bare
    
    
    • Matthew 13:8,23: This is Jesus' parable of the various types of seeds a farmer planted and reaped. Notice in the type of seed in this scripture that it produces various folds, ranging from large to small. The point is, no matter how much or little grows from the seed, there is still growth.
      
      
    • The bible says that to whom much is given, much is expected. GOD expects more from some churches than others ... and ours is one of those GOD expects more from.
    
    
  • John 15:2: The purpose of purging those branches that bear fruit is so it may bring forth more fruit ... just like a keeper of the garden prunes--he knows who to cut, how much to cut, and at what time to cut (I.e., The non-producing part of the branch (evil) is cut so that what is good may continue to grow). So if you're going through pain/torment right now, perhaps it is GOD pruning you.

WHO BEARS FRUIT? Every branch on the vine--every one of us.

WHERE TO WEAR BEAR FRUIT? Exactly where GOD's planted us (in the physical location we're in now) ... and not just there. For when we move, we still continue and don't stop bearing fruit. Perhaps you don't like where you live now but consider that you're here for a spiritual reason.

Psalm 1:1-2: The LORD is pleased when we read our bibles daily.

Psalm 1:3: "his leaf also shall not wither" means you can rest even when you're not bearing fruit. There's a certain time of the year to plant apples, watermelons, YOU ... and it has to be in your specific season.

If we bring forth fruit:

• Colossians 1:10
• Philippians 1:11
• Romans 6:22
• Galatians 5:22-23
• Romans 7:4

If we don't bring forth fruit:

• John 15:2,6: We'll be taken from this earth early, to the grave. We shouldn't want our life to be cut short by not abiding in the Word.

CLOSER

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God expects every one of us--every branch--to bear fruit.