Fruit Topic by Rev Mike Jones [Revised July 12, 2021]
ABIDING
“Hit or Miss” Christianity doesn’t please the person who lives it or the world who watches him live it; yet it seems to be the rule instead of the exception among most Christians. One of our continuing goals here at Grace is to get people to not only KNOW Jesus Christ as their personal Savior but also to SHOW Him in their changed life.
The mistake that many people make is in believing they only have to ACCEPT Christ as Savior and so they don’t seek to ABIDE in Christ on a continual basis. They accept Christ’s ability to deal with their “sins” but they never learn the victory He gives over their sinful living. To them, Christ takes care of their past sin debt and prepares a wonderful future for them after death; but He’s not very much help during this present life.
I want us to see during this message WHAT IT WILL MEAN TO US TO ABIDE WITH CHRIST. Then, during the 11am service, I want to look at SOME OF THE THINGS WE MUST PUT GOD FIRST IN IF HE IS TO ABIDE WITH US. My hope is that you can realize how important it is to make Christ a part of your every day life and turn principles into practice. It will change next year for you and for those around you.
ABIDING WITH CHRIST IS A PLACE OF:
1. INSTRUCTION- But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. (Luke 24:29) Two disciples met Jesus on the road to Emmaus. When He made as if He would go on without them they “constrained” Him to stay with them so they could receive instruction. When is the last time you have begged God to teach you His word??
When Christ left he left the Comforter (Holy Spirit) to abide in us and teach us the things of Christ- But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him (1 John 2:27). And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; (John 14:16). Sin and Slackness in our lives quenches or grieves the Holy Spirit and He can’t instruct us for chastening us.
If you want to know how to walk the Path of Life, walk it with the one who gives the instructions.
2. FRUITFULNESS (Versus FIRE!)- Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. (John 15:4-6)
Everyone needs Purpose and Peace in life. God had given EVERY Christian a Place to serve in the Body of Christ. As you serve there you will find fulfillment and Peace. It is when you wander into the world that you spend your time feeding the Hogs and longing for Home.
3. ANSWERED PRAYER- If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. (John 15:7)
What a Joy it is to Know that He KNOWS what you need. As you abide in Him you learn to ask for the things that will honor Him and promote His work. Then your cup overflows as you see His continual provision (As I look back over my life, one of the greatest Joys I have is the thousands of answered prayers from God. Each one somehow seems to whisper, “I Love You”).
4. CONFIDENCE- And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming (1 John 2:28). I don’t fear the Future because He is my Present! This confidence empowers me now so that I can boldly do the Work God has called me to do. It also give me a confident Hope that, regardless of the way things look now, God is still on the throne and will triumph in the end.
5. RIGHTEOUS LIVING- Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him (1 John 3:6). And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us (1 John 3:24). Abiding in Him will affect the way we walk, talk, think, and act (Just as living in South Carolina affects every area of my life, so continually abiding in Him will affect every fiber of my being). He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. (1 John 2:6)
Aren’t you tired of just existing? Wouldn’t it be great to start a new year with a “friend that sticks closer than a brother”. Jesus wants to abide with you; and you need to abide with Him. Give Him the throne of your heart and let him “set up house”. You’ll find instructions for life, fruitfulness in Service, Answered Prayer for needs, Confidence to face the future, and a life changing power.
Remember, however, that Abiding is not a 5 minute trial but a life time commitment. It’s not turning over a new leaf for a couple of days to see if you like it; it’s burning your bridges behind you as you daily take up your cross and follow Christ by faith.
Abiding will change your life as well as change your destiny. And that’s what you need!
KNOWING CHRIST
We have been talking about the necessity of Fruit in the life of a Christian. The Primary requirement of bearing Fruit is Abiding in the Vine. We abide in the Vine as we Obey and we are motivated to Obey because we Love. Now the question is, “How do we Love Him enough to keep His commandments”? How do we keep the Lure of the World and the Lust of the Flesh from cooling our Love and killing our Fruit??
Listen to a simple illustration. You sit through the 6 o’clock news and listen to stories about death and destruction with little or no emotion; but what if it was YOUR family member they were talking about!! The difference is in the fact that you KNOW them. In the same way we Love the Lord more and more as we get to Know Him.
1. We Know Him first in Salvation: Jn 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they may know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. We are Sinners and He is our Saviour.
2. We Know Him better in Service: John 15:15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth; but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Working with Him we learn about Him until we build a real relationship.
3. We Know Him Best in Sacrifice: When you read about someone you have a Second Hand knowledge of them. When you spend time with someone you have a First Hand Knowledge of them. When you share pain with someone you have a FIRST HEART Knowledge of them! Paul was willing to give up anything and make any sacrifice to gain this intimate knowledge- Phil 3:8-10 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death
The Better we know Him the more like him we become (Conformed to his image). People who live together develop similar interest, language, and values (Example of Husband and wife becoming alike). The amazing thing is that we imitate Him and yet remain Individuals; our individual personality is conformed to Christ while remaining “Me”. There are no “robot” or assembly line Christians.
HOW CAN WE GET TO KNOW HIM?
I can know Him Photographically thru the Scriptures:
A) The Gospels give an outline- Matthew shows Him as King, Mark shows Him as Servant, Luke shows Him as Man, John shows Him as God. Beware of only learning about Him as King when the greatest of all shall be servant of all. Beware of thinking of Him as an abstract God and forgetting he wept at a friend’s tomb and prayed about everything.
B) The writers also give Him a unique Character- tough on “religious” sin (money changers, Pharisees- serpents, how shall ye escape damnation of hell?); willing to associate with sinners in order to win them (The Well don’t need a physician but the sick); concerned about the outcast (lepers and Samaritan woman) and the young (Suffer little children to come unto me); hard on “would be” disciples (take up cross and follow me, let dead bury dead). He was not little Jesus, Meek and Mild, always; nor was He a “goody two shoes”. He was without sin but seldom without controversy.
I Can Know Him Professionally thru Salvation (Bought me off slave market of sin). Most People consider Salvation a Commitment and/or a contract. They will accept God’s forgiveness for sin and in return they will serve God (to some degree) on earth in order to miss Hell and gain Heaven. Because they’re “Christians” they stop certain things (Drinking, cussing, etc) and begin certain things (Church attendance, Bible reading {hit or miss}, and Prayer {especially in time of trouble or need}).
I can Know Him Personally thru Suffering- Phil 3:10 Paul prayed to know Christ PERSONALLY, POWERFULLY, and PAINFULLY. We learn as Christians that if there are No new Troubles there are no new Testimonies. This causes us to allow Suffering and Circumstances to develop us instead of destroy us.
A) Beware of second Hand Relationships- Knowing about Christ but not building a Relationship. Learning about Him as a “historical Figure” instead of developing a relationship with the king of our lives and the Groom we will soon “marry”. Don’t allow Church to turn into a “Form”. Keep in mind that when 2 or 3 are gathered together in His name He’s in the midst to reveal himself. Look for Him!
B) Spend time with Him in Devotions. These intimate quiet times are vital in building a proper relationship. It’s interesting to note that the Bible says Adam KNEW his wife and fruit was produced. The Bible pre-supposes this same type of relationship between Christ and the Church when it commands Husbands to love their wives even as Christ loved the Church (Ep 5:25).
The more we know Him the more we Love Him, The more we love Him the more we obey Him, the more we obey Him, the more we abide in Him, the more we abide in Him, the more we bear fruit, and the more we bear Fruit the more we live.
Fruitful Facts
God does not look for a sign on a tree to identify it, He looks for Fruit! He’s not interested in what you say; but What you are!! These Fruits were 6-fold: (1) Converts to Christ, (2) Holiness of Life, (3) Holiness of Character (fruits of Spirit), (4) Good Works, (5) Sharing with others, and (6) Praising and Thanking God.
We produce these Fruits as we ABIDE in the Vine (Christ). We Abide in the Vine as we continually OBEY the Lord. We Obey the Lord because we LOVE HIM, and We Love Him more and more as we get to KNOW Him.
I want us to conclude this study by looking at some “Fruitful Facts” that will change these Powerful Principles into Practical Living; in other words, I want us to go from knowing WHAT to do to actually DOING what God has commanded us.
Fact Number 1- The Law of Sowing- Gal 6:7 Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting.
A) You reap what you sow. Two kinds of “seed” are revealed here:
1) Flesh which reaps Corruption. “Flesh” is work motivated by the actions and attitudes of the world.
2) Spirit which reaps life everlasting. Spirit is seed produced in us by the witness of the Word and the Work of the Spirit.
B) You reap more than you sow. You sow the grain and reap the full stalk or as one writer said, “You sow the wind and reap the Whirlwind”.
C) You Reap after you sow. If there is no sowing there will be no reaping. Patience is required to wait on the seed to grow into harvest.
Fact Number 2- The Language of Sowing- I Cor 14:14 If I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. I Cor 14:8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to battle? There is a language spoken by all that is largely unsaid, it is the Language of Love. Salvation is not a Formula but a Faith; it needs concern to turn conversation into conviction that leads to Conversion (One man said, “We’re asking the Unconcerned to witness to the Unconcerned about a matter of great Concern”!). We must sow our seed so that the person receiving it can understand what fruit we’re trying to produce; always bearing in mind what Jesus said about the sower (Matt 13:19) When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart.
Fact Number 3- Laziness in Sowing- Prov 24:30-31 I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of under-standing; and lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall was broken down. Lazy Christians don’t maintain their Relationship- little Prayer, witnessing, Bible Study, Etc- and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lust of other things enter in and choke the word. SOMETHING will grow in your “vineyard”. If you don’t sow the proper seed then weeds and briers will grow in their place. It takes constant attention to keep the weeds out.
After the Seed is sown there are still some DANGERS TO AVOID:
Spoiled Fruit- Song of Solomon 2:15 the little foxes spoil the vine: for our vines have tender grapes. These little Foxes eat the tender fruit and bruise the more mature fruit. In our Vineyard we have to combat the “little foxes” that rob our Time and distract our Witness. We also have to be aware that our Fruit is sometimes bruised beyond use by our character faults- impatience, anger, etc.
I Cor 15:33 Evil communications corrupt good manners. Ecc 10:1 Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savor: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honor.
Wild Fruit- (Is 5:-)- We expect one fruit but get another in spite of the favorable circumstances. Children raised in Church turn into Prodigal Sons. Preachers preach, Christians witness, and instead of being saved some people go deeper and deeper into sin. This brings discouragement and disappointment but we must always remember that the Father is the Farmer and He knows the effort you put forth.
Artificial Fruit- Eph 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. Sometimes when we hear about the “great grapes” on someone else’s farm we are tempted to abandon our vine for some new variety. Through the years I have learned that God’s Program of Fruit Bearing demands patience, sometimes Pain, and often Pruning; but it is the only Program that produces Fruit you can get “paid” for.
II Pet 1: 3-7 says God has given us Power and Promises that we might be Partakers of the Divine Nature. He also said (vs 8) For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. If you are going to bear Fruit then there must be Fellowship with God. This fellowship will enable you to be Fruitful and also will guarantee the right kind of Fruit.
Now you know the “Secret” to Abundant Living–Bearing Fruit. Can you continue to be satisfied to be an “artificial plant”, admired by those that pass by, but barren instead of Blessed? Can you be content to be simply attached to the Vine or will you become a Fruitful Christian??
Problems in the Vineyard
We have been looking at the need of and the methods to produce Fruit as found in John 15. The thing that is abundantly clear is that it’s Fruit or Fire! And yet there are many Christians who are not producing Fruit for the Lord. What are some of the problems that are causing this Fruitlessness.
THE PROBLEMS
1. Little Foxes: Song of Solomon 2:15 the little foxes spoil the vine: for our vines have tender grapes. An airliner almost went down because someone forgot to put rubber gaskets on the oil pumps. My wife threw away a whole glass of Pepsi because a small bug got in it. The Testimony of the average Christian is not hurt by Adultery, Robbery, or murder but by Gossip, swearing, impatience, cheating, lying, etc.
2. Laziness: Prov 24:30 31 I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the men void of understanding; and lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall was broken down. Lazy Christians don’t maintain their Relationship – little Prayer, witnessing, Bible study, etc. – and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lust of other things enter in and choke the word. Lazy Christians have a poor testimony at work, at home, and at Church.
3. Laborers Jealousy: Matt 20:1 6 Those who had worked all day thought they deserved more than the penny that those hired in the eleventh hour got. Many times in a Church jealousy over newcomers, and jealousy over rewards brings the work of the Church to a grinding halt.
4. Looking beyond your responsibility: Song of Solomon 1:6 They made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept. Some people seem to always know what others are supposed to do but ignore their bad work, family, and personal testimony. Maybe it’s time they took the beam out of their own eye.
5. Lack of Faithfulness: Matt 21:33 44 When the Lord sent his messengers to claim His fruit the laborers decided it was for them instead of Him and they wounded and killed the messengers, including the Son! Many people today seem to think they produce fruit for self instead of the Savior and get mad at the preacher and God when they are reminded of their responsibility.
6. Leavened Fruit: Deut 22:9 Thou shalt not sow thy vineyard with divers seeds; lest the fruit of thy seed which thou hast sown, and the fruit of thy vineyard be defiled. People try to mix the World with the Word and end up with Doctrine of Devils. Many times this happens because the Pastor just goes thru the motions instead of teaching and preaching as he should – Jer 12:10 11 Many Pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness. They have made it desolate, and being desolate it mourneth unto me; the whole land is made desolate, because no man layeth it to heart.
BECAUSE THEIR HEART IS NOT IN THEIR WORK THEY BECOME HIRELINGS AND ALLOW THE WOLF TO SCATTER THE FLOCK. Jn 10:12 13 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
THE RESULTS: In Isa. 5 God tells Isaiah that a vineyard that has every opportunity to produce and yet does not produce will be torn down. It’s Fruit or the Fire. What’s Your Problem???
Christians Fruits Expected
Jesus said that faith without fruit is a faulty faith- (John 15:5) I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
Almost everyone knows that they are supposed to produce “Fruit” as a Christian; but many don’t know exactly what that means. This brings confusion and doubt. Let’s look at several “Fruits” that are expected in the Christian life.
1) Souls Won to Christ- (Prov 11:30) The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.
2) Christian Character produced by the Holy Spirit- (Gal 5:22 23) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
3) Change in behavior caused by your beliefs- (Mat 3:8) Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
4) Success and accomplishment in your work for God- (Phil 1:22) But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not.
5) Lips that bring praise instead of problems- (Heb 13:15) By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
Fruitless branches are cut off. What are YOU producing?
FRUITS GOD EXPECTS
1) Character- Who you ARE- But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law (Galatians 5:22 23)
2) Conduct- What you DO- Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings (Isaiah 3:10).
3) Conversation- What you SAY- By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name (Hebrews 13:15).
4) Children- Real Family- Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward (Psalms 127:3).
5) Converts- Spiritual Family- He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him (Psalms 126:6).
How to make God Laugh:
MAKE YOUR OWN PLANS: The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision (Psalms 2:2 4).
ATTACK GOD’S PEOPLE: The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth. The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming (Psalms 37:12 13).
DISREGARD GOD’S WARNINGS: But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh (Proverbs 1:25 26).