Week 6 Outline - Abiding in Jesus and Bearing Fruit

I. THEY WILL KNOW US BY OUR FRUIT

John 15:1–6 “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 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. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. 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. “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. 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.”

There are countless churches with people who have been regular attendees, and many of them have served within their church for years.

They may have finished numerous seminars, hosted and taught small groups, completed dozens of courses, and even attended and graduated from theological institutions of higher learning.

Yet, despite all this, they have never led a single person to Christ There is no evidence that Jesus is living through them.

Discipleship is more than the accumulation of information.

True discipleship always results in spiritual transformation leading to reproduction.

It must lead to a loving, community penetration. Jesus teaches us how this can onlybe done.

A. “I Am the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser”

John 15:1 ““I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener.”

1. "You removed a vine from Egypt”.

Psalm 80:8 “You brought us from Egypt like a grapevine; you drove away the pagan nations and transplanted us into your land.”

2. "a vine ... planted by the waters”

Ezekiel 19:10 ““Your mother was like a vine planted by the water’s edge. It had lush, green foliage because of the abundant water.”

Ezekiel 19:12 “But the vine was uprooted in fury and thrown down to the ground. The desert wind dried up its fruit and tore off its strong branches, so that it withered and was destroyed by fire.”

3. "Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be uprooted”

Matthew 15:13 “Jesus replied, “Every plant not planted by my heavenly Father will be uprooted,”

B. “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit. He takes away”

John 15:2 “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.”

1. "They will still yield fruit in old age; they shall be full of sap and very green”

Psalm 92:14 “Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green.”

2. "in order to refine, purge and make them pure”

Daniel 11:35 “And some of the wise will fall victim to persecution. In this way, they will be refined and cleansed and made pure until the time of the end, for the appointed time is still to come.”

3. "every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down”

Matthew 3:10 “Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.”

C. “You are already clean because of the Word”

John 15:3 “You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you.”

1. "He who has bathed... is completely clean”

John 13:10 “Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you.””

2. "Sanctify them in truth; Your word is truth”

John 17:17 “Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth.”

3. "having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word”

Ephesians 5:26 “to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.”

D. “Abide in Me. and I in you”

John 15:4 “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.”

1. "Beneath the apple tree I awakened you”

Song of Solomon 8:5 “Who is this sweeping in from the desert, leaning on her lover? I aroused you under the apple tree, where your mother gave you birth, where in great pain she delivered you.”

2. "I am like a luxuriant cypress; from Me comes your fruit”

Hosea 14:8 “O Israel, stay away from idols! I am the one who answers your prayers and cares for you. I am like a tree that is always green; all your fruit comes from me.””

3. "I in them and You in Me”

John 17:23 “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.”

E. “for apart from Me you can do nothing”

John 15:5 ““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. "whatever the Father does ... the Son also does”

John 5:19 “So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does.”

2. "unless a grain of wheat dies ... it bears much fruit”

John 12:24 “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives.”

3. "we, who are many, are one body in Christ”

Romans 12:5 “so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.”

F. “If anyone does not abide in Me he is ... cast into the fire”

John 15:6 “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.”

1. "The flame will wither his shoots”

Job 15:30 “They will not escape the darkness. The burning sun will wither their shoots, and the breath of God will destroy them.”

2. "But you have been cast out... like a rejected branch”

Isaiah 14:19 “but you will be thrown out of your grave like a worthless branch. Like a corpse trampled underfoot, you will be dumped into a mass grave with those killed in battle. You will descend to the pit.”

3. "you will know them by their fruits”

Matthew 7:19–20 “So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.”

II. WHAT KIND OF FRUIT?

John 15:7–8 “But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.”

Dave Earley comments, "the mark of discipleship is continuous fruit bearing,” and further explains that fruit is a "broad term that embraces four aspects” to demonstrate the transformative process which eventually leads the disciple maker to multiplication.[I]

A. The Spiritual Fruit of Christlike Love

John 15:12–15 “This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.”

1. “agape” unconditional love

John 15:13 “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

2. “philia” friendship love

John 15:14 “You are my friends if you do what I command.”

3. "storge” familial/empathy love

John 15:15 “I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.”

B. The Fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5:22–23 “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!”

1. Firmly planted and abiding

Psalm 1:3 “They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.”

2. Trusting in the Spirit’s leading

Galatians 5:18 “But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.”

3. Controlled by the Spirit

1 Timothy 1:8–9 “We know that the law is good when used correctly. For the law was not intended for people who do what is right. It is for people who are lawless and rebellious, who are ungodly and sinful, who consider nothing sacred and defile what is holy, who kill their father or mother or commit other murders.”

C. The Fruit of Spiritual Gifts

Ephesians 4:11–12 “Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.”

1. Varieties of gifting in the church—one body

1 Corinthians 12:4-12, 1 Corinthians 12:28 “Here are some of the parts God has appointed for the church: first are apostles, second are prophets, third are teachers, then those who do miracles, those who have the gift of healing, those who can help others, those who have the gift of leadership, those who speak in unknown languages.”

2. Members of Christ’s Body

Romans 12:4–5 “Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.”

3. Christ Jesus is the Cornerstone

Ephesians 2:19–20 “So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself.”

D. The Fruit of New Disciples

John 15:16 “You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.”

1. God called us at the beginning

Isaiah 49:1–3 “Listen to me, all you in distant lands! Pay attention, you who are far away! The Lord called me before my birth; from within the womb he called me by name. He made my words of judgment as sharp as a sword. He has hidden me in the shadow of his hand. I am like a sharp arrow in his quiver. He said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, and you will bring me glory.””

2. That we will tell the world about Him

Psalm 78:4–6 “We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about his power and his mighty wonders. For he issued his laws to Jacob; he gave his instructions to Israel. He commanded our ancestors to teach them to their children, so the next generation might know them— even the children not yet born— and they in turn will teach their own children.”

3. And we will not stop, though our bodies age

Psalm 71:17–18 “O God, you have taught me from my earliest childhood, and I constantly tell others about the wonderful things you do. Now that I am old and gray, do not abandon me, O God. Let me proclaim your power to this new generation, your mighty miracles to all who come after me.”