Fruitfulness is being connected to Jesus because without it, we don’t have life, and therefore can’t bear fruit. Have you considered asking the Lord for help to become more fruitful? Many followers of Jesus want to grow more fruitful, but pruning can seem overwhelming. I remember my mother pruning our raspberry plants in late fall to promote better fruit. Even the disciples needed pruning as Jesus says. John 15:3 You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you.[1]
The word for prunes in John 15:3 is the same word translated as cleanse in other passages.[2] Listening or reading the word of God is cleansing. God wants us to be like His Son and this happens through spending lots of time in the Bible. Romans 8: 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son.[3]
Transformation takes time; God gently guides us with His Word, preparing our hearts. When we yield, we progress toward becoming the person God desires. Romans 12:2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.[4]
Remain in Jesus
John 15:4, “Remain in me (Jesus), and I will remain in you. [5] The word remain or to abide in Jesus is a command. To remain in Jesus is to believe in Him as your Lord and Savior and to do as He says. Remaining in Jesus for the disciples and believers today involves making a constant choice to follow Him. It’s something we aim for, not just hope will happen.
As we mature in our faith, we realize that obeying what God says means yielding to the Holy Spirit and His desires, not ours. Romans 8:14For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. [6]
Jesus explains our source of strength. John 15:4b For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. [7] The purpose of a branch or a believer in Jesus is to bear fruit. Jesus uses the image of the vineyard to explain that a branch must be connected to the vine and cared for by a vinedresser.
Fruit is the Result of Remaining in Jesus
When a branch remains connected to the vine, it will continually produce fruit, such as the fruits of the spirit. Galatians 5:22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control.[8]
When we demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, it provides an opportunity to witness to both believers and unbelievers about Jesus. The people who have had the most significant impact on my life as a Christian are those filled with the fruits of the Spirit. We can’t bear fruit on our own; fruitfulness is being connected to Jesus. To learn more, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/becoming-like-jesus
[1, 3-8] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.