How to Become a Fruit-Bearing Christian

John 15:1-8

John 15:1–8 (NLT)

1 “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener.

2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.

3 You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you.

4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.

5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.

6 Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned.

7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!

8 When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.

INTRODUCTION:

It is God’s will that every believer bear fruit for Jesus.

TS: If we are to bear fruit we must do the following:

I. ACCEPT PRUNING (John 15:1-2)

John 15:1–2 (NLT)

1 “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener.

2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.

A. Who does the pruning? (John 15:1)

John 15:1 (NLT)

1 “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener.

(Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ἄμπελος ἡ ἀληθινή, καὶ ὁ πατήρ μου ὁ γεωργός ἐστιν·)

1. God the Father does the pruning.

a. georgos (γεωργός), from ge, “land, ground,” and ergo (or erdo), “to do” (Eng., “George”), denotes (a) “a husbandman,” a tiller of the ground , (b) “a vinedresser.”

b. Jesus is the vine, the disciples are the branches.

B. Who is pruned? (John 15:2)

John 15:2 (NLT)

2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.

(πᾶν κλῆμα ἐν ἐμοὶ μὴ φέρον καρπὸν αἴρει αὐτό, καὶ πᾶν τὸ καρπὸν φέρον καθαίρει αὐτὸ ἵνα καρπὸν πλείονα φέρῃ)

1. Fruit-bearers (Acts 1:8; Galatians 5:22-23)

Acts 1:8 (NLT)

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Galatians 5:22–23 (NLT)

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. There is no law against these things!

a. Fruitful evangelistically

b. Fruitful through the Holy-spirit filling.

C. Why does He prune?

1. To get rid of the junk from our lives.

a. καθαίρει = to cleanse, of filth impurity, etc., to prune trees and vines from useless shoots

2. To increase our fruit.

a.πλείονα = greater in quantity, greater in quality, superior, more excellent

D. How does He prune?

1. Through conviction of the Spirit

a. With the purpose of persuading us to turn away from sin.

2. Through pain and adversity

a. Designed to discipline and correct us. (Heb. 12:4-8).

Hebrews 12:4–8 (NLT)

4 After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.

5 And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, “My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you.

6 For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”

7 As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father?

8 If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all.

II. ABIDE IN CHRIST (John 15:4-5)

John 15:4–5 (NLT)

4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.

5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.

(4 μείνατε ἐν ἐμοί, κἀγὼ ἐν ὑμῖν. καθὼς τὸ κλῆμα οὐ δύναται καρπὸν φέρειν ἀφʼ ἑαυτοῦ ἐὰν μὴ μένῃ ἐν τῇ ἀμπέλῳ, οὕτως οὐδὲ ὑμεῖς ἐὰν μὴ ἐν ἐμοὶ μένητε.

5 ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ἄμπελος, ὑμεῖς τὰ κλήματα. ὁ μένων ἐν ἐμοὶ κἀγὼ ἐν αὐτῷ οὗτος φέρει καρπὸν πολύν, ὅτι χωρὶς ἐμοῦ οὐ δύνασθε ποιεῖν οὐδέν.)

A. What does it mean to Abide? (Jn. 17:20-24)

John 17:20–24 (NLT)

20 “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message.

21 I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.

22 “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one.

23 I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.

24 Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began!

1. μείνατε = to remain, abide ; to remain in the same place over a period of time—‘to remain, to stay.

a. Unity with the will of Christ

b. Unity with the purpose of Christ

B. What is the purpose of abiding? (John 15:4-5)

John 15:4–5 (NLT)

4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.

5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.

1. To enable the believer to become a fruit-bearing Christian.

a. It is impossible to bear fruit unless we abide in Him.

b. Picture of a branch separated from the vine.

III. ALLOW GOD’S WORD TO ABIDE IN YOU. (John 15:7-8).

John 15:7–8 (NLT)

7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!

8 When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.

(7 ἐὰν μείνητε ἐν ἐμοὶ καὶ τὰ ῥήματά μου ἐν ὑμῖν μείνῃ, ὃ ἐὰν θέλητε αἰτήσασθε καὶ γενήσεται ὑμῖν·

8 ἐν τούτῳ ἐδοξάσθη ὁ πατήρ μου ἵνα καρπὸν πολὺν φέρητε καὶ γένησθε ἐμοὶ μαθηταί.)

A. How can you allow his word to abide in you?

1. Hide his word in your heart (Ps. 119:11).

Psalm 119:11 (NLT)

11 I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

2. Study His Word to seek out His riches (2 Tim. 2:15).

2 Timothy 2:15 (NLT)

15 Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.

3. Accept His Word as Truth (John 17:17).

John 17:17 (NLT)

17 Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth.

4. Be a doer of His Word (James 1:22-24)

James 1:22–24 (NLT)

22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.

23 For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror.

24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like.

B. How does His Abiding Word affect us?

1. Power in prayer (John 15:7).

John 15:7 (NLT)

7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!

3. We become His disciples (John 15:8b).

John 15:8b (NLT)

8 When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.

3. The Father is glorified (John 15:8a).

John 15:8a (NLT)

8 When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.

CONCLUSION: