True disciples bear fruit! What a fantastic privilege it is to work in God’s Kingdom. Bearing fruit makes a difference in the lives of others. Did you know it is God’s desire for you not only to be a believer but to bear fruit!
Bearing good fruit is essential. Jesus was conveying this teaching to the disciples the day before He went to the cross. As John chapter 15 unfolds, Jesus explains to the disciples the importance of staying connected to Him through faith. Our relationship with Jesus leads to transformation, and through that process, we bear good fruit. John 15:8 When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father. [1]
Fruit in the New Testament often symbolizes transformation and what is happening in people’s hearts. It is first mentioned when John the Baptist challenged the religious leaders who come to him for baptism. Matthew 3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.[2] There is always a connection between our hearts and the fruit that comes from them.
Our Heart Reveals Who We Are
Fruitfulness was a recurring theme as Jesus instructed His disciples during His three years of ministry with them. Luke 6:43A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit…45 A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart. [3]
What stands out to me about Jesus’ teaching on fruit-bearing is how He emphasizes the source of the fruit. Where does this fruit come from? It comes from what is “stored up in his heart.” The visible signs of being a faithful follower of Christ come from an inward change in one’s identity. The fruit isn’t just something I do or produce; it reflects who I really am. In Christ, as a new creation, my ability to bear fruit is a beautiful result of my transformation.
Living a Life of Fruitfulness
As I have grown older, what is truly important in life has become clearer. The world tells us that material things are what we need to pursue, but they often turn out to be rotten fruit. Focusing on being fruitful for Jesus makes our lives fulfilling and helps us understand why the Lord placed us here for such a time as this.
How would you describe the fruit on your tree? The good news is that a fruitless life can become fruitful! When we place our faith in Jesus as our Savior, a dead tree can start to bear good fruit. Only when we stay connected to the vine (Jesus) can we bear good fruit. True disciples bear fruit. To learn more, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/becoming-like-jesus
[1,3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.
[2] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Mt 3:7–8). (2016). Crossway Bibles.