The grapes of wrath, spitting raspberries, people going bananas, sour lemon faces. So often, this is the “fruit” I see growing on pews Sunday morning, going out in emails, being expressed on committees, reflected in the driving of cars with “my boss is a jewish carpenter” bumper stickers, and all too often in my own heart.
Something tells me this isn’t what Christ meant when he said, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit — fruit that will last.”
A never ending fruit loop
There has been a lot of preaching at my church lately about “fruit” and “vines”. However, this preaching has not really defined what this “fruit” is. And I think it needs to. I think the fruit Jesus appointed Christians to bear and the fruit they talk about on Sunday may not be the same fruit.
Jesus said, “No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” Yet I find Christians celebrating all kinds of “fruit bearing” that, frankly, doesn’t require Christ at all. I don’t believe that “bearing good fruit” is the same as “doing good things”. But that’s the way I hear the message coming from my church.
Celebrate being fruity!
I don’t think Christians should celebrate whatever “fruit” they produce. I think bearing fruit IS the celebration. A tree does not sprout apples and then sing of what sweet, juicy apples it made… It makes delicious apples out of celebration of the rich soil and warming sunshine and refreshing rain that made apples possible in the first place.
And a tree does not show video montages of the fruit it produced. A tree does not celebrate fruit producing anniversaries. A tree allows its fruit to ripen, and then pours it out… and in that pouring out, seeds break free that can be planted to produce more trees that bear even more fruit.
Not rocket science… or heck, even horticulture
Some churches spend too much time devising strategies and focus groups, trying to figure out how to bear good fruit. Often times we ignore the fact that God is trying to turn us into good trees that by their very nature, can produce fruit of no other kind.
“… Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them… “
Matthew 7:16 – 20
So how do we go about becoming these trees that bear good fruit? What do we do to allow God to transform us?
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4 comments on "Bear good fruit"
1
I liked the line that “the tree does not show video montages of the fruit it produced.” You struck a chord with me when you said that the fruit is the celebration. What better way to celebrate God’s good grace than to serve Him and his children?
2
They struck a chord with me too, to be honest. I don’t celebrate enough, and then when I DO celebrate, it’s usually some achievement. And how often do I truly give thanks to the One who made the achievement possible in the first place?
3
The nazi germans and japanese believed in the same thing and they ‘cut down’ many ‘bad’ trees.
And by the way, i had Christian friends who avoided me for being a poor student.
So dont just stop there… define what the fruits are. E.g, love, joy, peace, patience kindness, goodness, faithfulnees, gentleness and self-control.
Values of which the State likes its citizens to have… but where’s bravery or the right to rebel?
4
read John chapter 15:1-17. In verse 16, Jesus said,” you did not choose Me, but I chose you and appinted you that you should go and bear fruit…“It is all Him in us doing the work , we can do nothing without Him. ( the fruit is the fruit of the Spirit which is love, joy,peace,patience,kindness,goodness faithfulness,gentlness,and selfcontrol.If we want to know what our Lord is saying to us , we have to read His words and depend on Him, to teach us.