John 15:15-17 Bring forth Fruit

The true test of any believer is in their fruit and according to scripture the kind of fruit that really matters is fruit that remains. According to John 15:15-17 a pre-requisite to this fruit that remains is understanding who we are in Christ and being obedient to His commandments, namely to love one another.

Jesus, when wanting fruit from a certain fig tree cursed it when He found no fruit on it and it consequently died as a result (Luke 13:6-9). Over and over again we see this pattern unfolding in scripture, that God expects fruit to come from our lives. See Matthew 12:33-35; Matthew 7:19

Bearing fruit, however, is a natural part of life and we see this in all aspects of the world around us. A mother naturally conceives a child as does the animal kingdom bring forth their offspring according to their kind. Bringing forth fruit or offspring should therefore be a natural thing to do.

There are however  aspects of producing fruit which I think should shine in the lives of followers of Jesus. Firstly, as the scripture above says, fruit should remain. In other words fruit that is not temporal but in it's self brings forth more fruit. Jesus said unless the kernel falls to the ground it cannot produce a crop. Jesus saw His own life as seed  that would bear fruit but in it's turn would bear fruit in the lives of those that would follow. We see this in the early church, the followers of Jesus not only did as He commanded but produced their own fruit and many of us here today that follow Christ are a result of fruit giving forth to more fruit.

I am always excited to meet with people who I have personally mentored or discipled in my own life, not only to know that they are well but also to know what kind of fruit their producing in their own lives. Fruit brings forth more fruit and has exponential ability. As one put a thousand to flight, two put ten thousand to flight. See Deuteronomy 32:20

Secondly, as I have already indicated, it is natural to bear fruit and is therefore not something that is strange or foreign to us. I believe in what I call a holy ease, that is doing those things we are called to do in obedience and not trying to strive and struggle in our own strength. 1Samuel 15:22 talks about being obedient over sacrifice in other words rather than chasing after things with our own strength doing the things we hear and see the Father telling us to do. Jesus made a point of this in His life stating "I do the things I see my Father doing" and over and over again would pass by what we may have assumed to be opportunity to pursue the will of the Father. Zechariah 4:6 states "It is not by might, nor by power but by my Spirit says the Lord..."

Therefore, lets go and bear fruit for the Kingdom of God, fruit that remains and produces it's own fruit in turn and fruit that we are called to bear not by some selfish ambition or guilt trip put on by others but in response to His commands and leading by His Spirit.

God Bless - Shalom