Sermon Notes: Spiritual Fruit

In the continuing study of John 15, we came to verse 2 today.

He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.

Among the points, noting that God the Father does make the tough calls and cuts off those branches not producing and pruning those that do, is the question of what is spiritual fruit? 

First, fruit is Christ-like character, and here we see a parallel with Paul’s list of the fruits of the Spirit from Galatians.  And later on in John 15, Jesus talks about how one of these fruits comes about.

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

Our joy is complete when we follow Jesus’ example of following his commands.

Secondly, fruit is answers to prayer.  Again, John 15 points to this.

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Thirdly, fruit is soul-winning.  Earlier in John, chapter 4, Jesus describes what doing his Father’s work entails; bring other to know Him.

"My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. Do you not say, ‘Four months more and then the harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor."

We don’t all perform the same task each time; sometimes planting the seed, sometimes watering it, sometimes reaping the harvest.  But we should be laborers with Christ as part of the fruit He wants to see in us. 

The gardener’s cutting and pruning are done because he wants a return on his investment, and because he wants the branches to flourish.  That is what God the Father wants from us; flourishing.  His correction is meant to bring that about.

Technorati Tags: sermon notes, Gospel of John, Christianity, fruit of the Spirit

Filed under: Christianity • Religion

Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!