Fisher of Men

John 12:24 “24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.”

Mark 8:35 “35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.”

Philippians 1:21 “21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

John 4:34 “34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.

John 4:35 “35 Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.”

John 4:36–37 “36 Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. 37 For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’”

John 4:38 “38 I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.””

Matthew 9:37–38 “37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.””

The object of the Christian life is fruit bearing—the reproduction of Christ’s character in the believer, that it may be reproduced in others.

Ellen Gould White

This verse concludes with the absolute connection between fruit bearing and abiding in the Vine. Failure to abide in the Vine cannot help but lead to failure in fruit bearing. Independence of the branches from the Vine (disciples from Jesus) necessarily means becoming fruitless.

Gerald L. Borchert

Relationship = things in common 

What do we have in common with Jesus? 

What is the will of the father?

That we bear much fruit and prove to be his disciples.

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

Are you living a life that’s going to fulfill the will of the Father?

Matthew 12:30 “30 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”

Is what feeds Jesus/motivate Jesus what motivates and feeds you?  

John 4:34–38 “34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. 35 Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. 36 Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. 37 For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.””

     ~ Jesus does not care that he’s not supposed to talk to this woman. His goal is to accomplish the will of the father and bare fruit.

Don’t be satisfied with one 

2 Peter 3:9 “9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

1 Timothy 2:3–4 “3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

Ezekiel 18:23 “23 Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?”

     ~ Jesus isn’t satisfied with just reaching the woman, he stays and ministered to the whole town