Bearing Fruit for the Lord

Jesus Taught About Bearing Fruit

Book of John Chapter 15:1-17

What is the relationship of Jesus to those who love Him? We must be open to the fact that we depend upon Him for all things in this life and then the glory of our Heavenly life!

Jesus will teach us the reality of this in our lesson today. Christ Jesus is the source of our life here on earth and our spiritual life and our fruitfulness!

We will see that in our passage today that the Lord Jesus will represent the true "vine" that is strong and cannot fail it is so strong. The vine of nature is only a shadow of this true vine!

We will see that the husbandman, the farmer, represents our Father who is in Heaven.

Isa 27:2 In that day sing ye unto her, A vineyard of red wine.

Isa 27:3 I the LORD do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day.

We will see that there are 4 stages of the fruit from this true "Vine":

1) No fruit

2) Fruit

3) More fruit

4) Much fruit

A true Christian is one who abides in the Lord Jesus Christ!

We already know that our Messiah is the "perfect Light", "the perfect Bread", "the perfect Witness", "the perfect Shepherd" and now "the perfect Vine".

We should also consider that Jesus is still speaking to His disciples and this will include His disciples today.

1Co 3:9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.

1Co 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Judas Iscariot has already left to do his treachery.

So let's begin:

*****Joh 15:1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

Joh 15:2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

We do not have to guess at anything that Jesus reveals here because He tells us Himself.

This vine many times represents Israel, but the Lord will be rejected by Israel and the Lord said He would never drink of this vine again, so we can understand the now the Lord Jesus Christ has been planted by our Father in Heaven as the true "Vine" who will now become the foundation of the Church!

We must also realize that the true "Vine" cannot do His work in this world without His branches.

We can also understand that the pruning shears is the Word of God but if we allow temptation to draw us away from the Lord, we will see that this world will take away our fruitfulness.

We must also know that when God prunes His Vine it can be a little painful!

We already know we must mortify our flesh, so we do not depend on our own wisdom, our own rightness, nor our own strength.

Rom_8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

Col_3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

How do we know we are worthy to be a branch on this perfect "Vine"?

We must be washed in the Word of God!

*****Joh 15:3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

Joh 15:4 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.

When we use the Word of God as our "mirror" we will see that we come up short all the time, but we need to get a daily cleansing!

When we measure ourselves against Jesus Christ, we will realize the path we must follow.

Jas_1:23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:

If we continue to see our "natural face" and not a "spiritual face" we still have much work to do and the Word of God points this out to us!

When we have prayed in sincerity for the Lord to come into our heart, the Lord will send the Holy Spirit to abide in us forever, but we will never bear fruit unless we allow the Holy Spirit to do His work within us!

To abide, as Christ Jesus explains it "I will live in you while you live in Me" and continue in His love.

If we cannot become one in Christ, we are failing in ourselves and are an unattached branch serving no purpose.

The more we are attached to the "Vine"(Christ) the more nourishment we will draw. The more nourishment we draw the more fruitful we will be.

The Christian cannot survive without Christ Jesus and this is what we see in our world today.

The Church that does not abide in the Lord Jesus Christ!

The unattached branch does not understand the nature of bearing fruit!

In fact the unattached branch is not even Christian, but thieves and robbers and they are doomed!

He will wither just to be gathered and cast into the fire!

The unattached branch is doomed!

We can only abide in Christ when we have the Holy Spirit living within us!

When we are in the flesh, we are governed by the powers of our sin nature.

When we are in the Holy Spirit and He within us, we are governed by "Grace"!

Joh 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

Joh 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Joh 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

There is only one Vine!

*****Joh 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.

Joh 15:6 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.

Just like one coat of paint is never enough, the Lord Jesus repeats Himself in this most important lesson.

We are nothing without the Lord Jesus Christ!

We must realize there are those that are not branches of the true "Vine" but claiming to be true.

If we are a disciple of Jesus Christ, we are the branches, but we can never become the "Vine"!

2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

As branches we are to produce fruit!

It is impossible to live as a Christian without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit!

Many believe that producing fruit is just reproducing yourself by leading someone else to Christ and this is a very great part of it but without the fruit of the Holy Spirit we will not get very far.

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

If we bear this fruit, we can then be fruitful in all the things of Christ Jesus!

Rom 6:21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.

Rom 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

How do we get our prayers answered?

*****Joh 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

We should understand that our prayers are the fruit of faith and our prayers can produce more faith!

It is not only answered pray but many other things.

Heb 3:14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;

Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Php 3:8 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,

Php 3:9 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:

Php 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

Php 3:11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

We live or die by the Words of Jesus Christ!

Our greatest thing then, is we must be to be more like Christ than we ever have, and we must learn from Him by studying the Word of God, allowing the Holy Spirit the freedom to work in our lives!

*****Joh 15:8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

We always talk about glorifying God with our lives. The answer lies in this passage of Scripture!

If we are a truly abiding in Christ and He in us, then and only then are we glorifying God!

Many people ask why has God created such things as the night sky showing the beauty of the stars and the planets.

Why would God create such mighty oceans?

Why God would create the seasons?

Why God would create such beautiful plants even those that feed us?

The answer lies in the fact that everything in nature tells the story of the Gospel and shows us all the glory of God.

Our greatest power for glorifying God is a life of being like the Lord Jesus Christ!

God will transform our soul into the image of the Lord Jesus if we will just allow Him full control.

The true Christian life has the power to overcome all the obstacles of this world we live in.

The sufferings and sacrifices of this life may seem to hinder us, but in reality, they increase our faith and our prayer life, if we would listen to what the Lord is saying!

We will never be a positive influence in this world until we accept the influence of Jesus Christ into our hearts and soul!

Psa 92:12 The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

Psa 92:13 Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.

Psa 92:14 They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;

Psa 92:15 To shew that the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

It is while we live that we can glorify God!

It all boils down to, just how much do we love the Lord our God?

*****Joh 15:9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

Joh 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

Joh 15:11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

Jesus will not settle for less than a close personal relationship with each believer.

Remember Jesus Christ loved us before He ever met us in His person.

Christ Jesus not only loves us, but He loves us like His Father loves Him.

The entire written Word of God is to show us the Love that God for those who believe what He says and trust in His love.

In fact we could say the Bible is God's love letter to all those who have faith in His promises!

Eph 3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

Eph 3:18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

Eph 3:19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

We must understand that obedience is the key to God's love!

We already know that we are not disciples of the Lord unless we are obedient to the written Word of God!

We know the Lord is perfect, so He can only have perfect love!

The Lord Jesus Christ paid the supreme price for His obedience to His Father.

Joh 10:17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

Joh 10:18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

As we seek for love from someone then we must draw closer to them and it is the same for the Lord. If we truly love the Lord, we will draw closer to Him.

We can draw closer to the Lord if we keep the commandments of God!

We will not know the commandments of the Lord unless we study the Word of God.

2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2Ti 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

Joy is an inner gladness, a deep-seated pleasure! Joy can cause assurance and confidence that leads to a cheerful heart.

Joy is divine because it originated from the Lord! It is possessed and given by God to all those who obey the Lord.

Joy does not depend on circumstances!

Joy does not even depend on happiness!

it is Joy that causes happiness and not happiness that causes joy!

Joy comes by "faith"!

Joy comes by obedience!

How much did it cost the Lord to show His love to us?

Rom 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

Rom 5:7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Rom 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

We are a foolish people if we do not cherish the love of God!

*****Joh 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

Joh 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Joh 15:14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

If we could just keep this one commandment this world would change overnight.

Whatever standard Jesus Christ had in His love, is the same standard we should have!

How many times does the Lord have to tell us until it sinks in, that to be a disciple of Jesus Christ we must keep His commandments?

How many times does the lord have to tell us we are to love everyone including our enemies?

Jesus died for His enemies to.

What were the last words of Christ before He died upon the cross.

"Father forgive my enemies, they have not realized what they have done".

It was Jesus who decided He wanted to be friends with His creation and through much effort He has given us the truth of His Word!

1Jn 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

1Jn 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

1Jn 3:19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.

As the friends of Christ Jesus we must be built upon and centered upon the Word of God!

*****Joh 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.

Joh 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

Joh 15:17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.

If we are the true friends of the Lord, we would never deny Him under any circumstance even if we were in peril for our own life.

We must never be ashamed of the Lord, we must always be His friend.

If we are part of the Heavenly Family, then we need to act like it!

As the ordained of Christ our job is to go forward and produce fruit!

I believe that everyone who has friends, desires to be remembered by those friends in times of troubles or distress.

A true friend will certainly come to the aid of another friend!

This is what Jesus does every day, and we must do the same for Him.

Christ cannot be in the schools because we let Him down.

Christ cannot be in the government because we will not back Him.

If Christ is our friend, we must rise to His level.

If the world is our friend, we will sink to that level.

Rom 12:4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:

Rom 12:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

Rom 12:6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;

Rom 12:7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;

Rom 12:8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

Rom 12:9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

Rom 12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

One more time Jesus says for us to love one another.

Amen

Let’s pray!