Got Fruit?

[featured_image]Jesus says in Matthew 7:16-20,
You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

I grew up thinking that every time Jesus mentioned fruit in the Bible He must be talking about the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5. It wasn’t until I was reading in John 15 a few years ago that I began to understand that a fruitful Christian isn’t just focused on developing a godly character. A fruitful Christian is also focused on making disciples who make disciples. It’s both maturing in Christ and making disciples of Christ!

John 15:8, “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”

John 15: 16, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide.”

A life that is bearing fruit is one that is continually growing toward spiritual maturity and fertility.

How is this demonstrated? By thinking, acting and reproducing in a manner that models the example that Jesus has set before us.

Somebody once asked me, “What’s the fruit of an apple tree?”
“Apples.” I said as I thought, “Isn’t that obvious?”
Yet in reality, the fruit of an apple tree is actually more apple trees — as my friend pointed out to me.

So, the fruit of your life in Christ is seen both in your character (love, joy, peace, etc.) and in the way that you reproduce disciplemakers.