Years ago, in my early years of ministry, I remember hearing a piece of advice from a friend. He wasn’t a pastor, but a core volunteer who assisted me both in hands on ministry and strategic planning. Along with a few other volunteers, we would gather regularly for meals, so maybe it was said while eating a fruit salad.
This is what he said:
“Look for their fruit.”
The Fruit of Followers
He was referencing followers of Jesus and determining where their heart was. Those of us who claim to be Christians are compared to trees, vines or plants in Scripture (among other things). Healthy plants or trees produce fruit, and healthy followers of Jesus produce the same actions as Jesus in their lives.
Jesus himself spoke of this on the night of the Last Supper. John records most of what we have of Jesus’ final teaching/encouragement to his closest friends. This is what Jesus spoke about when it came to plants and fruit:
“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.
John 15:1-8 NLT
“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.”
This is one of the passages I meditate on each morning. Specifically, I think about these three things: Be in Jesus. Produce fruit. Be pruned to produce more fruit.
Here are a few more thoughts on each of those:
1. Be in Jesus.
Be. Abide. Remain. These are all words used to describe this command of Jesus to his disciples in John 15. We are to find our strength and source in Him. We are to be like a branch of a tree, connected to the trunk — Jesus.
There is a dichotomy in this command though. On the one hand, we are to remain or be, which gives the impression of stillness or inactivity. On the other hand, we are to go, do, share (Matthew 28:18-20). This is the very definition of active. Activity is how we produce fruit, but is it the only way to produce fruit?
One of my favorite Christian writers and thinkers from the 20th century is Oswald Chambers. He was a pastor and teacher who died as a chaplain in the British army during World War I. His most famous book (published posthumously) is My Utmost for His Highest.
This is how Oswald Chambers describes the dichotomy of both being and doing in Christ:
“To ‘rest in the Lord’ is the perfection of inward activity. In the ordinary reasoning of men it means sitting with folded arms and letting God do everything; in reality it is being so absolutely stayed on God that we are free to do the active work of men without fuss.”
Oswald Chambers
Inward stillness leads to active work. Taking time in the morning, afternoon or evening to be still and meditate on the things of God is resting in Jesus. When I rest in Jesus, he guides and directs me to do the things which lead to success in the Kingdom of God.
Are you regularly spending time being quiet with Jesus?
2. Produce fruit.
There are two types of fruit the life of a Christian should exhibit.
The Fruit of the Spirit
The first is the fruit described by Paul in his letter to the Galatian church:
“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!”
Galatians 5:22-23 NLT
Paul is writing about an inward fruit displayed outwardly to the world. In other words, as I spend quiet time with Jesus something is developed within me. It’s not through my own power or energy, it is from the Holy Spirit. This is evident to those around me as love, joy, peace, etc. And it’s not just one or another of the fruit produced…it’s all 9!
The Fruit of our Labor
The second fruit each life of a believer should produce is good works to the world around us. Most often this flows through the natural gifts and abilities we already possess. And if done right, the fruit of our labor will both bring glory to God and grow the Kingdom of God.
What fruit does your life display? This can be a tricky question to answer because we don’t always see the answer clearly. We may be too hard on ourselves, so we say, “There is nothing good about me!” Or we may be too easy on ourselves, and we tell ourselves “I’m amazing, and all I do is the fruit of God!
We need discernment. A wonderful way to find the truth between these two attitudes is a conversation with someone close to you. Ask them to help you: Where is your life showing fruit? Let them speak into your life, so you can see what is really taking place.
But can I let you in on a little secret? (Warning: you may not like it!) If you want fruit (or more fruit), you need to be pruned, corrected, disciplined.
3. Be pruned to produce more fruit.
This may be one of scariest prayers anyone can pray: “God will you prune me in order that I may produce much fruit.”
Why is it so scary? Pruning is painful.
Beginning of the year, I’ve been praying this prayer on a regular basis, and God took me up on my request recently. A couple of months ago, I was scheduled to preach at our church. Just the week or two before I had preached at another event, so I planned to use much of the same material for this new opportunity.
My pastor asked to meet with me to go over my material, which I was excited to do. However, the meeting didn’t go as I had expected. He (in a nice way) tore my material apart. What I brought was good information, it just didn’t fit the topic as neatly as he hoped. I went away from that meeting pretty frustrated. I thought I was done with the heavy lifting of my preparation, and now I was forced to start over.
When God prunes us, it’s not fun. Correction isn’t easy on our egos. Discipline is worth it though.
I went back to my office and over the next few days, I rewrote my sermon. I’m so glad I did. Jesus told his disciples, “and he (God) prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.”
Pruning is about getting the best out of us.
My original sermon would have been okay. Good enough. The final product was so much better. What I shared touched hearts, and multiple people told me in the weeks following they were implementing what I taught them. As a preacher when someone remembers you preached a week after you’ve won, but to have someone implement your teaching into their lives is monumental.
God pruned me through the words of my pastor, so there was more fruit in my life.
Do you want more fruit in your life? Will you pray a scary prayer today? Ask God to prune you in order to produce more fruit in your life.
Remain in Jesus
I want you to bear fruit…much fruit. I also don’t want for you what Jesus warns of in John 15 – “Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned.”
It’s a scary picture, but it’s a good reminder. It begins with remaining in Jesus. He is your source and your strength.
Be in Jesus. Bear fruit. Be pruned to bear more fruit.
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