By Edd Sterchi
I was reading John
15 the other day when I noticed a progression of the description of
fruit-bearing the follower of Christ is to have. See if you notice it, too (I
have condensed the text and emphasized portions for ease of detection): “I am
the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser...every branch that bears fruit
He prunes, that it may bear more fruit...I am the vine, you are the branches.
He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit...” (John 15:1-5).
Did you notice
that not only are we expected to...
...bear fruit...
...but also to bear more fruit...
...and even to bear much fruit!!!
Bearing fruit is
something that is expected of Christians. And the secret to bearing fruit,
bearing more fruit, and even bearing much more fruit is abiding in Christ (v.4,
5, 6, 7, 9, 10). It is vital that we are fully attached to Christ and receiving
all the nutrients He provides through His word and His people. It is important
to be spending much time in prayerful study of the Scriptures. It is also
important to be living, defending, and proclaiming the true will of God.
Furthermore, it is very important to be associating and working with the saints
of God on a regular basis to gain the fellowship, harmony, and encouragement
necessary to be productive in the Lord’s vineyard. This will put us in a
position where the heavenly vinedresser will “prune” our lives so that we may
become even more mature and productive for Him.
Christian, how
much fruit are you bearing? What could you be doing to bear more fruit for the
Lord? What would it take for you to bear even much more fruit that you ever
thought? The Lord will help you get there if you will let Him.
“Those who are planted
in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still
bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing” (Psa.
92:13-14).
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