Living a Fruit Filled Life

Introduction

Flip to John 15:1-8

I want each of you to know that you play an important role in what we do here, you have great value to this student ministry, and by this point of knowing me I hope more than anything we see the purpose of this ministry. We don’t exist to simply sit in the pews, but to go with the gospel.

As we read today, we are going to discuss the issue of personal fruitfulness, but also our fruitfulness as a group.

Personal Fruitfulness

All fields are not fruitful.

M. Tullius Cicero

John 15:1–8 (CSB)

1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 Every branch in me that does not produce fruit he removes, and he prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me. 6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers. They gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be my disciples.

What fruit is verse 8 speaking of in this passage?

This passage is an incredibly popular evangelism passage, YES it is true that God wants us to produce more disciples and be fruitful in that way

That’s the great commission and it is a crucial part of being a faithful disciple

BUT

What what I want each of you to see in this passage, is fruitfulness on an even deeper level.

Can anyone name any of the fruit of the Spirit?

If you read about what consists in the fruit of the spirit in:

Galatians 5:22–23 CSB

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things.

What Jesus is doing in this passage is calling his people, Christians to a complete form of fruitfulness.

As Christians we aren’t just called to go and make disciples, but also to live fruitful lives of our own.

Does the way you love show fruitfulness to Christ?

Does the way you have joy show fruitfulness to Christ?

Does your peace show fruitfulness of Christ?

Does your patience show fruitfulness to Christ?

Does your kindness show fruitfulness to Christ?

Does your goodness show fruitfulness to Christ?

Does your faithfulness show fruitfulness to Christ?

Does your gentleness show fruitfulness to Christ?

Does your self-control show fruitfulness to Christ?

This personal holiness that God calls each of us to is crucial in us living a life that is pleasing to him. God desires to use every aspect of your life for his glory.

How does the world notice your fruitfulness?

The world doesn’t respond to these situations like Christ.

So much of what popular culture pushes is not Christ-like

Because of this your fruitfulness speaks volumes of Christ and his love and grace on humanity

Please don’t misunderstand what i’m saying.

I’m not saying that you don’t need to verbally speak of Christ, because scripture clearly shows that we do, but your actions should also speak for Christ.

This sounds difficult right?

It was never meant to be easy, in fact to be pursue fruitfulness in your own strength is a waste of time, but instead just as verse 4 of our passage today says, remain in Christ because without him we cannot produce any fruit.

Make your life a life of fruitfulness to the kingdom of God.

Group Fruitfulness

Now, on the topic of Group faithfulness.

Since we have all got to know each other we have grown in our friendships and in our faith. We have learned strategies to share the gospel and show the love of Christ with our community.

Ideally each of you have been pursuing personal fruitfulness in your lives as of late, only you know that.

Hear me guys we have a tremendous opportunity to make a real difference in this ministry!

All fields are not fruitful.

M. Tullius Cicero

That quote is on my mind every single day as a youth pastor.

Are we really making a difference? Are we just a fun club on Wednesdays? Are we just cruising through life?

Or are we really living out our purpose? Are we glorifying Jesus and changing lives?

If personal fruitfulness was all that mattered then why did Christ and the disciples put such an emphasis on the church?

As a collective we have an opportunity to make a real difference in Agra.

Shameless plug: Disciple Now (DNOW)

That event is a culmination of everything that we have learned since we each met. We are called to make disciples, we are mission minded and want to have fun in the process. That is what DNOW is!

Will our field be fruitful?

As a group will we choose to live in a fruitful way that glorifies Jesus or let this field wither away?

Closing

I think back to my time as a student in my former churches youth ministry which was great, when I think back my memory is blurry when it comes to the games we played or the food we ate, but instead what comes to mind and what will be remembered from me until the day I die is the lives changed for Christ. The baptisms, the salvations, the hope in a broken persons eyes when they come to know Jesus. I was that person when I first started attending as a student and then I saw the look on other student’s faces in my time as a student there.

Don’t regret your time in youth when you leave someday. Make THOSE memories and live your life as a fruitful follower of Christ and member of this student ministry.