Faithfully Fruitful

We spent this Sunday in John 15, where Jesus calls himself the true vine and calls us the branches. He mentions fruit eight times in this passage. Spiritual fruit. And the key to producing it is simple: abide in him.

We walked through three points. First, Jesus is the root that produces the fruit through us. We don’t produce it by force of will. We produce it by staying connected to him. Like a branch to a vine. Organic. Natural.

Second, the fruit of the Spirit is evidence of Jesus in us. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. These come from above, not from ourselves. They are proof that something real and living is at work.

Third, God wants us to bear fruit in order to multiply. Seeds are found in fruit. If a plant will ever multiply, it must first bear fruit. This is the heart of the Great Commission.

We closed with Ezekiel 47 and Revelation 22. The river that flows from God’s presence brings life wherever it goes. Don’t be a swamp where grace stagnates. Be a river where God’s grace thrives.

Something to sit with this week:

Are you abiding in Jesus, or striving on your own?